An olive branch to the Potter outs tonight

[Sid in the Sharknado]

I was on the fence not because of his style but because it seemed to me he had lost players who seemed to not be playing any replacement would have been expected to play in similar style however that does not matter anymore.

Many got frustrated about how he spoke after the games I suspected he is a very different person in the dressing room and his handling of Ryan bears that out.

I'm not much bothered by whether I agreed with an opinion that anybody else held in the past. Suffice to say I never got that impression from the games I saw.

I'm firmly in the "post match interviews are a complete waste of everybody's time" camp, if anybody wants to start a poll on that.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I'd imagine that while it's relatively easy to observe and point out those mistakes (and god knows there's been plenty to point out), actually training a team to play in the style we are and are aiming for while also cutting them out is actually really hard and does take time.

I don't think sacking Potter would have been productive, since the new manager would either be faced with the same problems to deal with, or would revert to a more conservative style that just takes us back to the problems we were trying to get away with in the first place.

This!!

The assumption made by many posters over the past few months, was that Potter wasn't aware of the main issues and was unable to coach the team.
Even though the potter out brigade believe we had been on a terrible run of results, we have only ever been a maximum of 3 pts behind the staying up tracker.

Now his methods appear to have worked, the same posters are trying to imply that Potter has started to follow their advice.
When in reality Potter has been working on the deficiencies. in the way we play, long before anyone on this board had even thought about them.
It just takes time.

 

[Sid in the Sharknado]

Yes, probably correct in hindsight.

Playing Sanchez for one game and no strikers against Spurs genuinely baffled me. However, often on here the question was asked if we had the players to carry out the plan. Perhaps with Plan A we don't but they're doing a brilliant job with Plan B.

Jardim in particular was an upgrade in my eyes but I'm glad GP has finally got it all together and saved us the bother of finding out.

Playing Sanchez for one game only I'd definitely file under "obvious error in judgement", unless there was some reason for it we're not aware of. Playing with no strikers I'm inclined to view as a valid tactic in general that didn't work. As he alluded to in one of the interviews after the Liverpool game, if Salah had scored his opportunity early on we'd all be saying what complete idiocy it was to play Burn at left back against him on Wednesday.

That said, I'd also file trying to pass out from the back against Liverpool towards the end of last season under "obvious error in judgement" without any caveat at all.

 

[Albion Dan]

In my view, a number of things have changed.

1. Greater use of the out ball. Not playing through the press every time, making us less predictable and more frustrating for teams keen to press (See DB as out ball against Liverpool).
2. Greater playing out options. Midfielders and wide players are all coming deeper to support playing through the press as needed (Gross, Biss, Alzate, Burn, March all coming a little deeper to be available to receive from the CBs if we do play out)
3. Defensive transitions. We are much faster to get back into shape
4. Defending slightly deeper. We are starting and sitting maybe 2-3 yards further back - particularly against Liverpool, where the space in behind could be exploited
5. Goalkeeper - Upgrade
6. Attacking transitions - Feels like there's a lot more one-touch, faster progression through the centre
7. Sitting Midfielders - We are committing fewer central players to the attack. One (usually Biss) is sitting more often.

I don't think our finishing has significantly changed. We got a bit of Luck against Liverpool.

Nailed it and all elements that suggest Potter has maybe at last learned the lessons he kept talking about. It took a very long time but if it continues we can all happily get behind him and pray to god leads to a NSC where people stop wallowing in being offended about others opinions.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Nailed it and all elements that suggest Potter has maybe at last learned the lessons he kept talking about. It took a very long time but if it continues we can all happily get behind him and pray to god leads to a NSC where people stop wallowing in being offended about others opinions.

Twice in two days we agree!

 

[vagabond]

Well, quite, And mostly because it never was an 'olive branch' - but we all know that.

And even if it were an olive branch - the breathtaking arrogance of such a gesture genuinely staggers me. And believe me, not much does.

Well 67 NSC folk clearly disagree with you. As do many of the posts.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Now his methods appear to have worked, the same posters are trying to imply that Potter has started to follow their advice.
When in reality Potter has been working on the deficiencies. in the way we play, long before anyone on this board had even thought about them.
It just takes time.

This!

The tinkering popularised by the out Campaign is somewhat of a myth too based on Potter trying things last season to get to know his players capabilities and squad rotation over the busy festive period in order to reduce injuries and play the fittest players.

So first four games of the season tinkerings:

I notice that the team that lost to Chelsea in the first match is exactly the same as the Liverpool one with the exception of the ‘injured’ Lamptey and the ‘not quite fit enough to start’ Lallana.

Then....

Newcastle Away - 1 change Lallana for Connolly (managing Adam’s game time)

Man Utd - 1 change Lallana for Bissouma (Biss banned).

Everton - 1 change Biss back for Lallana (going for a more solid midfield against the league’s in form side).

 

[vagabond]

I can still recall the pain of the latter part of the Hughton reign. Potter has been and continues to be a relief.

[emoji106]

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

This!!

The assumption made by many posters over the past few months, was that Potter wasn't aware of the main issues and was unable to coach the team.
Even though the potter out brigade believe we had been on a terrible run of results, we have only ever been a maximum of 3 pts behind the staying up tracker.

Now his methods appear to have worked, the same posters are trying to imply that Potter has started to follow their advice.
When in reality Potter has been working on the deficiencies. in the way we play, long before anyone on this board had even thought about them.
It just takes time.

Absolutely this. And quite laughable.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

This!!

The assumption made by many posters over the past few months, was that Potter wasn't aware of the main issues and was unable to coach the team.
Even though the potter out brigade believe we had been on a terrible run of results, we have only ever been a maximum of 3 pts behind the staying up tracker.

Now his methods appear to have worked, the same posters are trying to imply that Potter has started to follow their advice.
When in reality Potter has been working on the deficiencies. in the way we play, long before anyone on this board had even thought about them.
It just takes time.

This. Very good post.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

This!!

The assumption made by many posters over the past few months, was that Potter wasn't aware of the main issues and was unable to coach the team.
Even though the potter out brigade believe we had been on a terrible run of results, we have only ever been a maximum of 3 pts behind the staying up tracker.

Now his methods appear to have worked, the same posters are trying to imply that Potter has started to follow their advice.
When in reality Potter has been working on the deficiencies. in the way we play, long before anyone on this board had even thought about them.
It just takes time.

Who has actually claimed that Potter is listening to advice from NSC ? That’s your interpretation. Most simply pointed out the deficiencies and hoped someone able to address them would do so ie the manager. He has done so. How do you find division from that ?

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Who has actually claimed that Potter is listening to advice from NSC ? That’s your interpretation. Most simply pointed out the deficiencies and hoped someone able to address them would do so ie the manager. He has done so. How do you find division from that ?

Anyone thinking it was time for the manager to go, was not just calling out deficiencies.

 

[Wozza]

In my view, a number of things have changed.

5. Goalkeeper - Upgrade

Don't tell Arsenal fans. They're VERY excited about M@t Ryan. Currently trending on Twitter.... because he trained today.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Anyone thinking it was time for the manager to go, was not just calling out deficiencies.

It’s a football message board not the United Nations. It’s all become very pompous

 

[Uh_huh_him]

It’s a football message board not the United Nations. It’s all become very pompous

oh the irony!

 

[vagabond]

This!!

The assumption made by many posters over the past few months, was that Potter wasn't aware of the main issues and was unable to coach the team.
Even though the potter out brigade believe we had been on a terrible run of results, we have only ever been a maximum of 3 pts behind the staying up tracker.

Now his methods appear to have worked, the same posters are trying to imply that Potter has started to follow their advice..

Dear god. Really? Hilarious [emoji1787]

 

[Bry Nylon]

Well 67 NSC folk clearly disagree with you. As do many of the posts.

Just so we're both clear, this isn't the X Factor.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

oh the irony!

What are you on about ? I’m not in either camp. The pomposity comes from the earnest Potter in/Potter out campaigns and the need to vindicate their position after every match result that goes their way. This was taken to a new level by this pompous olive branch nonsense that is in reality a ‘look at me, I was right’ thread. If that’s your thing as well then fill your boots.

 

[Albion Dan]

Just so we're both clear, this isn't the X Factor.

What we are all witnessing is a real life example of millennial Instagram generation neediness.

Desperate for approval and reinforcement hence the desperate clinging to thumbs and replies on an ultimately irrelevant social media forum from complete strangers.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Now his methods appear to have worked, the same posters are trying to imply that Potter has started to follow their advice.

What absolute nonsense. Our weaknesses were bloody obvious whether you were a pundit, someone who's played a bit of 11 a side and watched football for years or Potter himself.

I don't think for a minute he's read NSC and thought "AHA, I've got it now!". But I also don't think people on here pointing out our slowness in transition, inconsistent team selection and dreadfulness from set pieces were just guessing.