As bad as it is, and it clearly is with one Premier League win in 12, we have been here before.
That said, that doesn’t make it any easier.
Coming up to 53 years as a fan in April, I should be hardened to it. But it’s not pleasant, and regardless of the old cliché about it only being a game, it does impact the rest of your everyday life.
I have to be honest – after witnessing one of the worst derby day performances in living memory last week, I was waiting for the news that the axe had fallen, and the Albion would again be looking for a new head coach or manager. But it hasn’t happened.
Cody Gakpo battles with Brighton's Jack Hinshelwood during Saturday's FA Cup tie at Anfield | Picture: Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Imagesplaceholder image
Cody Gakpo battles with Brighton's Jack Hinshelwood during Saturday's FA Cup tie at Anfield | Picture: Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images
Because actually that’s not Tony Bloom’s Modus Operandi.
He clearly feels we have enough in the tank to get over the line, even if that means finishing 17th come the end of the season, and then if a change needs to be made, that’s when it will happen.
All well and good if we can secure 17th, but to reiterate – in Tony we trust.
As I said, we have been here before. It wasn’t that long ago, April 2019 to precise, that we played Man City in an almost forgettable FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, lost 1-0, and the following weekend saw us embark on the first of two must-win fixtures in the space of four days at the Amex, against Bournemouth and Cardiff respectively.
We lost 5-0 to The Cherries and then had 2-0 reverse midweek against Cardiff, I was virtually speechless after the Bournemouth result but actually went to bed after the second game thinking I’d awake to find Albion had parted company with Chris Hughton.
But they didn’t, and for the record we stayed up in 17th, two points ahead of Cardiff on 36 points, the footballing Gods perhaps smiling on us as Cardiff dropped vital points as a result of conceding late goals against Fulham and Palace respectively.
The very next day, Hughton left the club, and if the 'Fab Out' brigade get their wish, that’s when I believe it will come.
The barren spell also throws up another conundrum. It’s over 280 minutes since Pascal Gross gave us the lead against Everton in January, and the Albion haven’t hit the net since then, so another blank at Brentford on Saturday, well it doesn’t do much for the Goal of the Month competition, does it?
But this is the Albion, expect the unexpected.
Fab could start ‘strong’ in West London and the Albion could not only score, but end the barren run and return down the M23 with all three points.
Stranger things have happened.
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