[Albion] ***MATCH RATINGS vs ARSENAL***

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Ryan 7: Did everything you could ask of him, no chance with the goal. One good save and several solid, if expected, ones.

Schelloto 5: Worked hard but is a limited player(great ball in the first half though).

Webster 7: Looked more solid than in many games. wonderful saving tackle in the first half.

Dunk 8: Another Lewis Dunk performance, capped with a goal. If the rest of the team could be as consistently good as Dunk is we'd be several places at least higher up the table.

Burn 6: Really poor in the opening 20 minutes, Pepe had the run of him in that period. After the first 20 he started getting his barings and improved from there on in.

Mooy 6: didn't think he was as bad as some are making out. Worked hard, seems a better player when played centrally.

Gross 5: Another workhorse performance but I can't remember too much influence apart from the odd ball on the game. Like Mooy, a better player in a different position.

Bissouma 8: Another good performance. It's really good to see him carry on where he left off before the enforced break. It looks like he's beginning to develop into the quality player that his undoubted talent suggested.

Propper 6: Poor first half. Better in the second.

Trossard 5: flitted in and out of the game. Some good moments at other times anonymous.

Maupay: 8 Worked his nuts off, good goal. Looks a much better player with someone up top with him.

March 6: Thought he did ok. We improved with him on the pitch. Assist for the goal and a great ball for Schelloto who didn't make the most of the opportunity. Probably should have gotten closer to Pepe for the goal.

Connolly 6: Like Maupay he has lots of energy and doesn't let defences rest. Didn't see a lot of the ball but a lovely flick to set up the winner

Montoya 5: Don't remember him doing anything good or bad.

Stephens n/a not on the pitch long enough

Ally Mac n/a not on the pitch long enough although he did play a part in the winner and came in for a thunderous block for the last touch of the game. Based off his two cameo's so far I'm really looking forward to seeing him get some proper game time.

A note on Potter. I'm liking the fact that he's become more pragmatic in the last few games. It seems to me that we started the season more idealistically and determined to dominate the ball and play an open expansive game. Too many times we'd do it, look good doing it and then because of our openness end up losing or drawing games we should have won. In the last few games before the shut down we set up with a more durable mindset and it's got us draws away to Wolves and Sheff Utd and a come from behind win against Arsenal.

I'm also looking forward to him getting his own squad. t the moment I can't help but feel we have to set up with players not in their optimal positions. Whichever formation we play there are players who look good in it and others who struggle. A change of formation then sees those struggling players look more comfortable but the previously settled players then struggling to perform. I can't wait for potter to get a squad where whatever formation we play we're able to get the best out of all of our players rather than have to settle for some having to just do a job.

 

[aolstudios]

Nice to see almost universal agreement that Bissouma was the best on the pitch yesterday. Combined with his form in the games immediately before the break he's starting to look like the sort of player you'd just HATE to play against. Gets himself everywhere, he's not afraid to get stuck in, he's quick and leggy and he'll even attempt a forward pass or a shot from distance, which many of our players seem reluctant to do.

I wonder if Bissouma alongside Stephens as anchor, with Lexi Mac in front might be an option worth exploring in time. I still like Gross and though he frustrated at times yesterday I don't think he had a terrible game. But Mooy looked just like he did before the break, not involved in the way we know he can be. However in his defence he did take a few games to click into gear after he signed for us, so perhaps he'll find that form again in a couple of games time.

Whilst I see no reason to drop Propper and am definitely a big Davy fan, I would just like to see what a midfield of Biss and Stephens with the Mac in front would look like. Feels like they might be a good gel

Propper for Stephens & I'd agree

 

[Icy Gull]

He was actually okay yesterday, but there shouldn’t be a future for him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Luckily for you Bozza has seen fit to remove the thumbs down....BOOI

 

[lawros left foot]

There is an awful lot of utter nonsense in this that presumably just reflects your pre-judgement of various players, rather than what we all actually watched.

Using you very first rating as a benchmark, let’s assume your ‘did okay’ score is a 5? Maybe even a 6, as you’ve scored Ryan 6 despite being critical of his handling.

Connolly apparently scored 4, purely for ‘running around’ - contributing literally nothing, bar his excellent last-gasp touch (for which you award him an extra point).

Yet somehow Groß, Mooy and March are each worth TWO?

Mooy isn’t very good, in my opinion - but why doesn’t he get four points for ‘running around’? He huffed and puffed and won a stack of cheap free kicks.

Groß never shirks effort. Poor game by his standards, but two? Really?

And two for March is just agenda-driven bile, barely worthy of comment. Given that your scoring system awards him an extra point for the excellent assist that got us back in the game, you’ve otherwise scored him ONE. Despite putting in a shift, in three different positions. Where are his four points for ‘running around’? All deducted because he overhit two crosses?

Weird how some Albion ‘supporters’ hate on a few chosen Albion players. Embarrassing, frankly.

This.

I read pretty near every post on Player ratings threads if I have the time,(I have at the moment, strangely) but, never give ratings myself, because, although I watch probably too much football, and played a bit in my youth, I could not justify judging players when I have absolutely no concept of how difficult it is to live up to the overblown expectations of a clubs support.
We all hope our players are gonna have stormers every week, alas, they don’t. We all have favourites, some can only see their favourite as never making errors, we all have players we don’t fancy. We also have young, local players we hope will go on to be world beaters, and when they turn out to be only ‘average’ we blame the player , tis the way of football.

Knocky is a case in point, he was our best attacking player in the promotion season, both statistically and anecdotally, Championship player of the year, and a joy to watch, a player who loved the club. His history is in the process of being re-written, apparently, a hot headed liability who was never that good. He deserves better, I would love to have seen him rip up the PL, unfortunately it didn’t happen, but, it won’t detract from my memories of his season and a half when he was amazing.

Sorry for the rant, but a lot of what is posted on player ratings is bollox, in my opinion, and, let’s face it, everyone who posts their player ratings is only giving their opinions, and , believe it or not, they can quite often be wrong.

 

[Icy Gull]

This.

I read pretty near every post on Player ratings threads if I have the time,(I have at the moment, strangely) but, never give ratings myself, because, although I watch probably too much football, and played a bit in my youth, I could not justify judging players when I have absolutely no concept of how difficult it is to live up to the overblown expectations of a clubs support.
We all hope our players are gonna have stormers every week, alas, they don’t. We all have favourites, some can only see their favourite as never making errors, we all have players we don’t fancy. We also have young, local players we hope will go on to be world beaters, and when they turn out to be only ‘average’ we blame the player , tis the way of football.

Knocky is a case in point, he was our best attacking player in the promotion season, both statistically and anecdotally, Championship player of the year, and a joy to watch, a player who loved the club. His history is in the process of being re-written, apparently, a hot headed liability who was never that good. He deserves better, I would love to have seen him rip up the PL, unfortunately it didn’t happen, but, it won’t detract from my memories of his season and a half when he was amazing.

Sorry for the rant, but a lot of what is posted on player ratings is bollox, in my opinion, and, let’s face it, everyone who posts their player ratings is only giving their opinions, and , believe it or not, they can quite often be wrong.

We would not be in the PL if AK hadn’t signed for the Albion, absolute legend imo and gutted for him that it didn’t work out once we were promoted

 

[Colossal Squid]

Hughton tried Biss & Stephens and it clearly didn’t work.

In Hughton's system. We've not seen what they'd look like in Potter's system. And besides Bissouma is starting to look like the player we hoped he could be, whereas under Hughton he tended to be frustratingly raw, and lazy as shit on occasion too

 

[Stat Brother]

In Hughton's system. We've not seen what they'd look like in Potter's system. And besides Bissouma is starting to look like the player we hoped he could be, whereas under Hughton he tended to be frustratingly raw, and lazy as shit on occasion too

It's almost as if it usually takes a while for players to settle at a new club.

 

[Colossal Squid]

It's almost as if it usually takes a while for players to settle at a new club.

Of course it can. Not always. But it's perfectly acceptable that's the case. This is no criticism of Hughton. I'm just saying that it's something worth trying again now the circumstances are different

 

[jcdenton08]

In the second half alone, he put in the pin point cross that Maupay hit at the keepers head.
Gross also put in an accurate corner (?) followed by 2 further open play beautiful crosses, all within the space of about 30 seconds.

Granted he didn't 'own' Arsenal, didn't run the game nor was he challenging for MotM, but come on, take the blinkers off for a second.

I'm a Groß fan but I felt he played poorly, that's all

 

[Stat Brother]

This.

I read pretty near every post on Player ratings threads if I have the time,(I have at the moment, strangely) but, never give ratings myself, because, although I watch probably too much football, and played a bit in my youth, I could not justify judging players when I have absolutely no concept of how difficult it is to live up to the overblown expectations of a clubs support.
We all hope our players are gonna have stormers every week, alas, they don’t. We all have favourites, some can only see their favourite as never making errors, we all have players we don’t fancy. We also have young, local players we hope will go on to be world beaters, and when they turn out to be only ‘average’ we blame the player , tis the way of football.

Knocky is a case in point, he was our best attacking player in the promotion season, both statistically and anecdotally, Championship player of the year, and a joy to watch, a player who loved the club. His history is in the process of being re-written, apparently, a hot headed liability who was never that good. He deserves better, I would love to have seen him rip up the PL, unfortunately it didn’t happen, but, it won’t detract from my memories of his season and a half when he was amazing.

Sorry for the rant, but a lot of what is posted on player ratings is bollox, in my opinion, and, let’s face it, everyone who posts their player ratings is only giving their opinions, and , believe it or not, they can quite often be wrong.

I've always felt people at the game should never get involved in the Player Rating thread, the amount of posters who make themselves look blinkered and stupid only to then rinse and repeat is staggering.

"Locadia - 2 - shitehouse"
"Are you sure he scored a hatrick and assisted 4 other goals"
"I didn't notice".

Judging by this effort I think I've been too kind to the armchairists as well.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm a Groß fan but I felt he played poorly, that's all

I've not read a single post saying he played well.

I'm just disputing:-

Can't remember him touching the ball meaningfully in open play. Dreadful set pieces.

I have no idea why you would write that when all highlights packages include Gross playing precision set pieces and meaningful balls from open play.

 

[Stat Brother]

Of course it can. Not always. But it's perfectly acceptable that's the case. This is no criticism of Hughton. I'm just saying that it's something worth trying again now the circumstances are different

I was being more critical of 'us' and 'our' expectation levels.


(TBH I'm very guilty of this, with Bissouma, always thinking he flatters to deceive)

 

[Colossal Squid]

I was being more critical of 'us' and 'our' expectation levels.


(TBH I'm very guilty of this, with Bissouma, always thinking he flatters to deceive)

I think he has flattered to deceive on occasion. I also think he has taken time to get used to the game over here. And I also think he has had games where he really should have tried harder.

But he has now turned in a string of fine performances and that's why I think the time may be right t give him another crack alongside Stephens

 

[Icy Gull]

I was being more critical of 'us' and 'our' expectation levels.


(TBH I'm very guilty of this, with Bissouma, always thinking he flatters to deceive)

Needs to sort his shooting out...shitehouse

Ended up as my second MOTM just behind Dunk, who saved a certain goal and scored the equaliser. Special mention for Webster who was definitely not shitehouse and Mr attitude Maupay

 

[Bodian]

Sure but we got to be honest it wasn't quite the level of performance of the Emirates win. The mixed ratings people are giving highlight that I reckon

Yes, I agree - and agree that the mixed ratings reflect this. But what I was questioning was someone could give the manager just 1/10 where we have just beaten Arsenal and done the double over them for the first time in our history.

 

[Machiavelli]

Propper for Stephens & I'd agree

Yes, I thought it was a great post, until he started the Propper/Stephens justification.

 

[Machiavelli]

Ryan 7: Did everything you could ask of him, no chance with the goal. One good save and several solid, if expected, ones.

Schelloto 5: Worked hard but is a limited player(great ball in the first half though).

Webster 7: Looked more solid than in many games. wonderful saving tackle in the first half.

Dunk 8: Another Lewis Dunk performance, capped with a goal. If the rest of the team could be as consistently good as Dunk is we'd be several places at least higher up the table.

Burn 6: Really poor in the opening 20 minutes, Pepe had the run of him in that period. After the first 20 he started getting his barings and improved from there on in.

Mooy 6: didn't think he was as bad as some are making out. Worked hard, seems a better player when played centrally.

Gross 5: Another workhorse performance but I can't remember too much influence apart from the odd ball on the game. Like Mooy, a better player in a different position.

Bissouma 8: Another good performance. It's really good to see him carry on where he left off before the enforced break. It looks like he's beginning to develop into the quality player that his undoubted talent suggested.

Propper 6: Poor first half. Better in the second.

Trossard 5: flitted in and out of the game. Some good moments at other times anonymous.

Maupay: 8 Worked his nuts off, good goal. Looks a much better player with someone up top with him.

March 6: Thought he did ok. We improved with him on the pitch. Assist for the goal and a great ball for Schelloto who didn't make the most of the opportunity. Probably should have gotten closer to Pepe for the goal.

Connolly 6: Like Maupay he has lots of energy and doesn't let defences rest. Didn't see a lot of the ball but a lovely flick to set up the winner

Montoya 5: Don't remember him doing anything good or bad.

Stephens n/a not on the pitch long enough

Ally Mac n/a not on the pitch long enough although he did play a part in the winner and came in for a thunderous block for the last touch of the game. Based off his two cameo's so far I'm really looking forward to seeing him get some proper game time.

A note on Potter. I'm liking the fact that he's become more pragmatic in the last few games. It seems to me that we started the season more idealistically and determined to dominate the ball and play an open expansive game. Too many times we'd do it, look good doing it and then because of our openness end up losing or drawing games we should have won. In the last few games before the shut down we set up with a more durable mindset and it's got us draws away to Wolves and Sheff Utd and a come from behind win against Arsenal.

I'm also looking forward to him getting his own squad. t the moment I can't help but feel we have to set up with players not in their optimal positions. Whichever formation we play there are players who look good in it and others who struggle. A change of formation then sees those struggling players look more comfortable but the previously settled players then struggling to perform. I can't wait for potter to get a squad where whatever formation we play we're able to get the best out of all of our players rather than have to settle for some having to just do a job.

This is a really good post, and I think you make a strong case about Potter, especially re Wolves and Sheff Utd. In terms of yesterday, I lost count of the different formations we deployed, especially in the second half, where adaptable Solly played in three or four different positions.

 

[Icy Gull]

Yes, I agree - and agree that the mixed ratings reflect this. But what I was questioning was someone could give the manager just 1/10 where we have just beaten Arsenal and done the double over them for the first time in our history.

Fans still bitter about the CH sacking?

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

We would not be in the PL if AK hadn’t signed for the Albion, absolute legend imo and gutted for him that it didn’t work out once we were promoted

Agree, and I would argue might have flourished under Potter.

I mean, (probably an unpopular opinion), as we stand, I honestly don't think Trossard has offered much more.

Knockaert also had 'moments' in the PL, which is all Trossard has had to date.

 

[Machiavelli]

This.

I read pretty near every post on Player ratings threads if I have the time,(I have at the moment, strangely) but, never give ratings myself, because, although I watch probably too much football, and played a bit in my youth, I could not justify judging players when I have absolutely no concept of how difficult it is to live up to the overblown expectations of a clubs support.
We all hope our players are gonna have stormers every week, alas, they don’t. We all have favourites, some can only see their favourite as never making errors, we all have players we don’t fancy. We also have young, local players we hope will go on to be world beaters, and when they turn out to be only ‘average’ we blame the player , tis the way of football.

Knocky is a case in point, he was our best attacking player in the promotion season, both statistically and anecdotally, Championship player of the year, and a joy to watch, a player who loved the club. His history is in the process of being re-written, apparently, a hot headed liability who was never that good. He deserves better, I would love to have seen him rip up the PL, unfortunately it didn’t happen, but, it won’t detract from my memories of his season and a half when he was amazing.

Sorry for the rant, but a lot of what is posted on player ratings is bollox, in my opinion, and, let’s face it, everyone who posts their player ratings is only giving their opinions, and , believe it or not, they can quite often be wrong.

As a regular contributor to player ratings thread, this is an interesting insight. So, a few comments:
-- of course many of us are wrong, and the ratings can reflect posters' views of a player rather than the performance
-- Knockaert was quite clearly the best player in the Championship for 18 months, he did OK in the PL, but was too inconsistent and unreliable in my view, and I wasn't crestfallen when he got moved in. The fact that I think this has no bearing whatsoever on what he contributed to getting us near to promotion, and then securing it.
-- I watch a fair bit of football, not as much as many, but certain people close to me would say too much. I like contributing to player ratings threads, but that doesn't mean that we're the font of all knowledge on this, just like on many other realms where we make judgments.