[Albion] how good are we, actually?

[Nobby Cybergoat]

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[Han Solo]

People talk too much about the £200m as if it would dramatically increase expectations for this last season. Its like ordering a seed and expecting a rose.
Next season is when we truly should be starting to reap the rewards of the last two year of dramatic transfer windows.

 

[Ratso2005]

The concern for me is that despite being unbeaten until Saturday, Everton aside, we haven't played that well at all. Yes, we look good attacking but defensively we've been a shambles and it's continued since the last 4 months of last season. I will hazard a guess that we're worse defensively than last season. The points we've picked up this season so far we've had some luck with. I even include both cup ties albeit with much changed teams. League 1 Crawley cloggers had more chances than us, we just put ours away and wolves tore us apart at times. Defensively, we are bloody awful with no sign of it improving thus far!

We had more shots on goal and on target than Crawley did (as you'd expect).

We conceded 1.63 goals per game last season, so far this season - including Saturday - it's 1.33.
Prior to Saturday's crazy 20 minutes it was 0.8 per game.

I'd say that's a marked improvement, especially under a raw, new coach, playing a new system, in an unfamiliar elite league.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

It makes perfect sense to me. Four of the squad won’t be anywhere near a match day when everyone is fit and he won’t be playing that shape in midfield when we have better options available. I think the form of Minteh and Enciso forced his hand too.

We do agree on the high line though. Not sure if persisting with it was arrogance or naivety but it needs to change.

Which four by the way?

Other than Samuels the rest of the squad have plenty of first team experience.
It isn't like last season when we were stacking the bench out with U21s.

 

[Seagull58]

I'd start Ayari over Wieffer every day of the week right now and drop either Baleba or Hinsh into the deeper role. So its a no for me.

Wieffer looks way off the pace and not deserving of a place, so agreed. Baleba has to be given the freedom to carry the ball forward into the final third. He's an absolute beast, a true box to box powerhouse. He can start in the 6 position but has to play alongside a CM who will plug the gap behind him when he gallops forward.

 

[Seagull58]

A big part of how good we are is how good the manager is alas. He played into Chelsea’s strengths yesterday. I thought yesterday had been coming even from the earlier games this season. And I don’t think Chelsea are a top 6 team either.

Not that I’m totally dragging our new guy, I just don’t think he knows his best team yet or the dangers that lie in wait regarding Premier League standards if you get certain tactical approaches wrong. It’s not like Bundesliga B where you won’t get heavily punished.

Why risk moving Hinsh from right back when Van Hecke was injured, it was another overly scratch back 4. Is Estupian showing any kind of form to get picked against Chelsea’s only big strength their wide players?

Estupinian looked knackered for much of the game. He is nowhere near 100%

 

[Hiheidi]

Estupinian looked knackered for much of the game. He is nowhere near 100%

Not going to be helped by the upcoming international break where he'll no doubt play both matches in Ecuador on the 10th and Uruguay on the 16th

 

[Seagull58]

Agreed. I’m not even sure it was Baleba at fault for the penalty either. None of the replays I’ve seen are particularly clear. if there was an offence, it’s probably a shove from Georginio on Sancho that left Baleba with nowhere to go.

Baleba did nothing for the penalty. It was a poor decision for a "coming together".

 

[Seagull58]

I was thinking that too... perhaps we are all being a bit impatient. Maybe next season is when it will all come together. That said, will Baleba still be with us? The way he's playing at the moment, I can see a huge offer coming in for him next summer (or even January).

I've already seen one vaguely sensible Chelsea fan on X saying that, on Saturday's showing (plus earlier performances this season), Baleba is better than Caicedo.