[Albion] What exactly would the next manager do that would make everything good?

[Thunder Bolt]

We need to be able to get something from set pieces. I can’t remember the last time we scored from one ( cue somebody reminding me it was 2 or 3 matches ago)

 

[Binney on acid]

If there is a new manager, and I sincerely hope that we stick with GP, he/she has to convince the money men that we are doomed to eternal stagnation, unless they sanction the purchase of a proven striker at this level. Granted they don't come cheap, but can be as close as it gets to a guarantee against relegation. To me it was obvious that we'd struggle when Watkins signed for villa. Connolly has as much chance as getting into double figures this season, or any other season, as I have of giving birth. Maupay appears to have had a full frontal lobotomy. If they ever film a sequel to 'One flew over the cuckoo's nest', he could play Randle Mcmurphy. After all, Jack Nicholson is 83 now. Danny Welbeck''s best days appear to be behind him. I suppose that Glenn Murray's goals might get us promoted from the championship next season, but there are some massive clubs in that league, none of which have a divine right to promotion. Look at Sheffield Wednesday! I wonder if GP would have taken the the job, had he been advised that he'd have to make do with a powder puff attack, one who would be looking for a public holiday to be declared, every time they managed to win a corner.

 

[vagabond]

There’s no question we’ve been disappointing in recent games. But no one felt this way at the end of last season when we stayed up, and after our win at Villa and draw with Liverpool.

We’re dominating possession and creating umpteen chances each game. Time to back the manager with a striker who can take these chances.

 

[Justice]

So many excuses ultimately Potter is paid to win games of football and he’s not doing that is he?

 

[Billy the Fish]

There’s no question we’ve been disappointing in recent games. But no one felt this way at the end of last season when we stayed up, and after our win at Villa and draw with Liverpool.

Part of the problem is that after those two good performances he pissed around with the team selection, rotated for no reason and we've been in crap form ever since.

 

[blue-shifted]

So many excuses ultimately Potter is paid to win games of football and he’s not doing that is he?

As with the previous manager, keeping us up is the requirement. We're not in the drop zone

 

[blue-shifted]

Part of the problem is that after those two good performances he pissed around with the team selection, rotated for no reason and we've been in crap form ever since.

Surely a big reason for the rotation is to do with the number of games we've got in a short space of time.

After the Leicester game we had to make changes due to it being probably our worst performance of the season

 

[Machiavelli]

You know full well that you won't be getting this debate from the fans who want to be vocal today.

Those fans all believe that Eddie Howe would turn Maupay and Connoly into 20 goals a season forwards.

Precisely this. Yet the brilliant ones will have a very simple answer and, as you say, they're very busy dispensing their simple answer at present. It used to be the case that you went to football and gave the opposition -- or even the referee -- abuse for 90 minutes. Now, it's the case that the abuse is directed towards our players during the 90, and then the manager until the next 90 begins. And then repeat.
Meanwhile, everyone thinks the PM is doing a cracking job

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

'Might' being the operative phrase. A manager wouldn't be changed unless there was a relative sureness that things would improve.

In the depths of winter old fire fighters are normally the only ones available. I'd rather Albion didn't go down that route.

I'd rather this not even be a subject right now. For me, Potter is not perfect, but I'm fine with him in charge.

Indeed.

I had the pleasure of watching WBA enjoy their new manager bounce this evening. The highlight for the managerial team was one of them (little Sam?) applauding one of their lumpen goons for clattering a Villa player.

There is no point giving the Brighton job to the likes of Allardyce. Where exactly are Bolton and Blackburn now? I want a club with a future, not a fast ride in a clapped out Cortina with a Jagermeister in one hand and a peroxide blond with no knickers on my lap.

Southampton and The Leeds have dipped down into tier 3 (as did Fulham, possibly, under Symonds - memory may be at fault). By and large, considered and imaginative appointments have brough the clubs back. A considered and imaginative appointment like Potter, not Fireman Sam. Or Pratweasel Pards.

An exception, maybe, is today's opponents. Glory for a while under old skool Wilder. Still...it now looks like it will end in tears, and what will befall them after that? The Industrial North is a rust belt now. Very little glory to be had.

It's disappointing to watch the Albion huff and puff for 1-1 against a team who should be bending over to be torn a second arse hole, but so it goes.

I'd rather be us

 

[Machiavelli]

We're too far away from Champions League to respond to that point. But...
- better coaching for corners at both ends (maybe better coaches)
- player motivation
- cultivate better leadership on the pitch
- more shooting practice
- keep a more stable team
- be less humble
Just some ideas, there will be others.
By the way, Seagullsman, I think Potter should stay and get on with these things. Bloom and Potter should live through their signing of the contract extension.

Some good ideas here

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Precisely this. Yet the brilliant ones will have a very simple answer and, as you say, they're very busy dispensing their simple answer at present. It used to be the case that you went to football and gave the opposition -- or even the referee -- abuse for 90 minutes. Now, it's the case that the abuse is directed towards our players during the 90, and then the manager until the next 90 begins. And then repeat.
Meanwhile, everyone thinks the PM is doing a cracking job

You say that, but just imagine Corbyn in charge of the Albion. Potter must go. And Bloom. Despite all his so-called money he is clueless. Fact. Sack the board.

It was a stupid mistake to sell the Goldstone when we had nowhere to go, and it's been downhill all the way since.

We are doomed.

 

[Machiavelli]

Motivation. The common things that always gets mentioned when a team lose a game. I've read a lot of old match threads on NSC and the motivation issue must be really deep inside the walls or the club logo or something because its doesnt change with managers or players. Likewise its seemingly the same thing elsewhere.

Its never ability or skill. Its always "goal scoring instinct", "passion", "motivation", "leadership", "attitude" and other abstract things that conveniently enough can not be measured or disproven.

Very often uttered by people lacking exact those qualities and never taking into account that you dont become a professional football player unless you have this absolutely pathological desire to win.

Over here we have Alan Shearer on MotD. Whenever anything goes wrong, he'll pop up and say the players lacked hunger, passion and desire. Obviously NSC drinks from the same cup.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Surely a big reason for the rotation is to do with the number of games we've got in a short space of time.

After the Leicester game we had to make changes due to it being probably our worst performance of the season

Yes. This is one point, made by the more sensible of posters, with which I also disagree.

We know nothing about individual players' fitness. Our club (and players) don't blab to the media like we are Brighton and Hove S-Club 7.

All EPL sides apart from The Leeds (and to an extent, still, Wolves) rotate. It is naïve to expect us to have a 'first eleven' and a couple of promising substitutes. This isn't the sodding 1980s

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

So many excuses ultimately Potter is paid to win games of football and he’s not doing that is he?

As a matter of interest....given he's on a 6 year contract with 5 years left....how much would it cost to sack him?

 

[blue-shifted]

Yes. This is one point, made by the more sensible of posters, with which I also disagree.

We know nothing about individual players' fitness. Our club (and players) don't blab to the media like we are Brighton and Hove S-Club 7.

All EPL sides apart from The Leeds (and to an extent, still, Wolves) rotate. It is naïve to expect us to have a 'first eleven' and a couple of promising substitutes. This isn't the sodding 1980s

We rotated hugely last xmas as well, with mixed results.

It makes sense for us to do so.

We have no star players, (some are saying no good players after today, but possibly that's unfair), but what we have is depth. We can bring in about 6 - 8 which only minimally , if that, weaken our side.

 

[trueblue]

It's interesting that so many people seem to think Eddie Howe would be a massive improvement when, year after year, his team shipped ridiculous numbers of goals but survived because of their strikers. Even if he could get a bit more out of our currently sub-standard forwards, Howe might well have us heading the same way Bournemouth went last season, and fast.

 

[Machiavelli]

I don't know what to think - last season Potter seemed a tactical genius. This season we theoretically have better players (Lamptey, White, Lallana, Welbeck...) but something's not working. There have been some excellent performances (Man Utd, Newcastle, Villa, Liverpool), but too many average ones. When Hughton went I thought it was absolutely the right decision - we were awful for 6 months, and only going in one direction.

Are we "crap" because we can't score, or are we "crap" because the manager can't get the tactics right or motivate the team? I think it's much more the former....if we'd won the last two matches (which we very easily could and should have done) we'd be having a very different debate.

Sacking Potter would be (on paper) the easy solution - but presumably we'd have to get rid of Billy Reid and Hamberg, too? And possibly MacAulay?. And then we'd have to re-recruit for all those positions.

I'm absolutely convinced that TB sees this as a long term project, with Potter as part of it. The U23s and U18s play a similar style. The objective is to develop our own players and bring them through. It takes a lot longer than going out and splashing £150m+ on new players (eg: Villa, Everton, etc). It may get more painful, but I can't see Potter being sacked.

Well, I'm going to respond to this, because this is as good a summary of our current predicament that you'll find. The only thing I'll add is that GP is carrying out TB's wishes. How many DS players did Hughton blood? He gave Tilley 20 seconds, but that was about it (March and Dunk were picked way before he arrived).

Sanchez started today, made a cracking save, exuded real presence, and scintillating distribution. We may get to sell Ryan in the next window for a decent fee, and lose him off the wage bill.
While he hasn't come through the DS, Lamptey is as exciting as it gets. Enjoy him while he lasts, think about the transfer fee we'll receive.
Although everyone was lauding Southampton's set-up seven years ago, they released Ben White. We picked him up, and have developed him superbly. He's a cracking poster boy for our set-up. He will also go for a big, big fee.
Solly also came through, and is attracting plaudits far and wide.
Alzate played a season in L2 and received great acclaim. Yet that's hardly preparation for the PL. Potter identified him pre-season, and started selecting him early on.
Molumby has PL experience now, Sanders is not far off.
The 20yo Connolly already has 20-odd PL appearances to his name. There are not many other strikers in the PL of that age. I'm sure some bright spark will pop up and point out his performance today, or his miss. I don't want to defend either, but it might be worth contemplating how well Kane or DC-L were doing at that age.
And then there's Roberts, Walton, Ostigard, Richards, Longman all poised, and then the likes of Weir, Jenks, and plenty more to come.

The best metric to predict PL position is player wages. Ours is about where we are. If you're bright and patient, you try and cheat/beat that metric, and that's what TB is trying to do. Most banging on on this thread are neither bright nor patient.

 

[amexer]

Just like Potter to stop playing players out of position. I do wonder if he plays 3 at back so he can keep all CBs happy. Does mean apart from CB White has played in midfield and fullback, Veltman at wingback and an Ajax ST holder tells me never saw him play there,Burn at full back, Mooy outstanding for Huddersfield playing in centre.yet here played out wide. T Ali played central when he is a wide player. Today even though March was getting plenty of joy down left was moved to right to let Swiss guy play out of position on left. Propper played as attacking player for Holland yet rarely goes beyond half way for us

 

[Mackenzie]

Well, I'm going to respond to this, because this is as good a summary of our current predicament that you'll find. The only thing I'll add is that GP is carrying out TB's wishes. How many DS players did Hughton blood? He gave Tilley 20 seconds, but that was about it (March and Dunk were picked way before he arrived).

Sanchez started today, made a cracking save, exuded real presence, and scintillating distribution. We may get to sell Ryan in the next window for a decent fee, and lose him off the wage bill.
While he hasn't come through the DS, Lamptey is as exciting as it gets. Enjoy him while he lasts, think about the transfer fee we'll receive.
Although everyone was lauding Southampton's set-up seven years ago, they released Ben White. We picked him up, and have developed him superbly. He's a cracking poster boy for our set-up. He will also go for a big, big fee.
Solly also came through, and is attracting plaudits far and wide.
Alzate played a season in L2 and received great acclaim. Yet that's hardly preparation for the PL. Potter identified him pre-season, and started selecting him early on.
Molumby has PL experience now, Sanders is not far off.
The 20yo Connolly already has 20-odd PL appearances to his name. There are not many other strikers in the PL of that age. I'm sure some bright spark will pop up and point out his performance today, or his miss. I don't want to defend either, but it might be worth contemplating how well Kane or DC-L were doing at that age.
And then there's Roberts, Walton, Ostigard, Richards, Longman all poised, and then the likes of Weir, Jenks, and plenty more to come.

The best metric to predict PL position is player wages. Ours is about where we are. If you're bright and patient, you try and cheat/beat that metric, and that's what TB is trying to do. Most banging on on this thread are neither bright nor patient.

Good post, we’ll never be able to compete financially with the traditional “big” clubs so we’ve needed to find a way to get round it. Identifying potentially great players at 15/16/17/18/19 years old is how we’re going to do it.

It’s a long term plan which might include short term difficulties, I just hope our fans keep patience with what the club is trying to do. It excites me.

 

[portlock seagull]

There’s no question we’ve been disappointing in recent games. But no one felt this way at the end of last season when we stayed up, and after our win at Villa and draw with Liverpool.

We’re dominating possession and creating umpteen chances each game. Time to back the manager with a striker who can take these chances.

BS! And now re writing the concerns lots people dared to air in opposition to your toxic positivity postings. Whilst now you’re changing your tune like a pied piper playing jive bunny hits. The hypocrisy smells nearly as much as the rotting egg all over yours and likes or Swansmatches faces tonight!