[Football] Anyone else really looking forward to next season?

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

You're a socialist, but not when spending TB's money for him.

Not sure what that means, if anything, but guess I'm in tune with most of football in telling him to buy in a young kid with a promising resumé to score goals. Not sure that some lardy DJ from the Dutch Walking League, or some random Iranian, South African or South Ametican was ever going to produce the goods, or even sell the shirts. In the end, the solution is WAY closer to home. Just need to pay the going rate

 

[Braggfan]

Something seems to have clicked with out team, defensively at least.

Add to this that our luck has to change at some point (we hit the fricking post again).

The final piece of the jigsaw is that we score some more goals.

I am predicting a great season for us next year.

This is one of the main reasons I don't like getting rid of managers prematurley, I think the more time they get the more their teams can develope and grow.

Last year we were playing attractive football, but i think there seemed to be gap that we struggled to bridge between the midfield and attack. We'd keep possesion but wouldn't create any chances.

This year I think that passing possesion game has improved and the gap that seemed so big last year has disappeared with our midfield linking up well with attack. The fact that we create chances now, to me shows that we've progressed in footballing terms and the side has evolved.

Obviously we need to take the next step and start putting chances away. But I think that step will come next season, a pedigree striker will help, but I think with a bit of confidence and our tails up, the current squad will improve and hopefully start scoring more.

Everything we've seen so far has pointed towards a squad and team progressing, I don't see any reason to think that wouldn't continue next season. So yes I'm looking forward to next season.

 

[Weststander]

Not sure what that means, if anything, but guess I'm in tune with most of football in telling him to buy in a young kid with a promising resumé to score goals. Not sure that some lardy DJ from the Dutch Walking League, or some random Iranian, South African or South Ametican was ever going to produce the goods, or even sell the shirts. In the end, the solution is WAY closer to home. Just need to pay the going rate :shruc:

That you're generally not an advocate of an order where the wealthiest stand to gain the most.

In modern football terms, an order that sees Abramovich and Mansour grab all the prizes, through having most dosh.

An opposing view might be that it shouldn't be an arms race of financial doping, why should TB have to join the club.



But in many recent posts you've challlenged TB's alledgely woeful inadequate investment on the playing side. [It can only be that, because there is no other money pot to buy these players you demand].

 

[Audax]

[...] while we're still dropping points we're not dropping them (note: I've not actually checked the stats...) at the same rate in the Sanchez half of the season as we were in the Ryan half of the season.

Quick check and classifying dropped points as being:

3 dropped = ahead, and then losing
2 dropped = ahead, and then drawing
1 dropped = behind, equalising, and then losing

Overall, our dropped points picture looks like this:

Dropped 3 points - 5 times
Ryan - 3
Sanchez - 2

Dropped 2 points - 3 times
Ryan - 0
Sanchez - 3

Dropped 1 point - 4 times
Ryan - 2
Sanchez - 2

So on the face of it, Sanchez has dropped more points in absolute terms. But, Sanchez has played 21 games, Ryan only played 11.

Of Ryan's 11 matches, we had a lead in 5. Lost 3, Won 2. Conversion rate of a lead to a win of 40%, and overall from a position of leading with Ryan as keeper we only converted 1.2 ppg (6 points from a potential 15).

Of Sanchez's 21 matches, we had a lead in 10. Lost 2, Drawn 3, Won 5. Conversion rate of a lead to a win of 50%, and with Sanchez as keeper we converted at a rate of 1.8 ppg (18 points from a potential 30).

Overall, with Ryan we dropped on average 1 ppg. With Sanchez we've dropped just 0.67 ppg.

So hypothesis proven, IMO - we've been better at converting strong match positions to points since bringing in Sanchez (especially given 1 of Sanchez's dropped points was the one-off vs Spurs).

Bonus stat for clean sheets this season:

Ryan - 18% of matches played (2 from 11)
Sanchez - 43% of matches played (9 from 21)

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

That you're generally not an advocate of an order where the wealthiest stand to gain the most.

In modern football terms, an order that sees Abramovich and Mansour grab all the prizes, through having most dosh.

An opposing view might be that it shouldn't be an arms race of financial doping, why should TB have to join the club.



But in many recent posts you've challlenged TB's alledgely woeful inadequate investment on the playing side. [It can only be that, because there is no other money pot to buy these players you demand].

EVERYONE'S agreed that TB has failed to adequately address the lack of goals shirley? Been the same ol' same ol' failure in recruitment - and retention - for YEARS now. It's what will take us down in the end, and likely sooner than later. Oh well

 

[Weststander]

EVERYONE'S agreed that TB has failed to adequately address the lack of goals shirley? Been the same ol' same ol' failure in recruitment - and retention - for YEARS now. It's what will take us down in the end, and likely sooner than later. Oh well

Relax. It will all pan out well.

I'm used to lean more to the whinging bedwetter side .... after EPL defeats and there've been many.

Now look at us - Bissouma no longer the raw talent who never passed in his runs forward and shoots to row Z, these days the midfield boss (who still shoots to row Z).

Now, I'm genuinely optimistic and a little excited. A decent striker and one other this summer will do me fine.

 

[vagabond]

Read my post #46 again that you quoted. It was my love letter to the beautiful game you weird obsessive tvvat. Well, pre-season anyways Oh you can't wait to have a good Cult Of Potter stalk

Yes, weirdly a lot of us here feel GP is a good manager and our club is on to a good thing..

Whereas you’re one of the few peculiar miserablists here who seem to enjoy us losing, slagging the manager AND Tony Bloom for not spending enough money for you.

Each to their own, but you don’t seem to enjoy supporting us very much.

 

[vagabond]

Quick check and classifying dropped points as being:

3 dropped = ahead, and then losing
2 dropped = ahead, and then drawing
1 dropped = behind, equalising, and then losing

Overall, our dropped points picture looks like this:

Dropped 3 points - 5 times
Ryan - 3
Sanchez - 2

Dropped 2 points - 3 times
Ryan - 0
Sanchez - 3

Dropped 1 point - 4 times
Ryan - 2
Sanchez - 2

So on the face of it, Sanchez has dropped more points in absolute terms. But, Sanchez has played 21 games, Ryan only played 11.

Of Ryan's 11 matches, we had a lead in 5. Lost 3, Won 2. Conversion rate of a lead to a win of 40%, and overall from a position of leading with Ryan as keeper we only converted 1.2 ppg (6 points from a potential 15).

Of Sanchez's 21 matches, we had a lead in 10. Lost 2, Drawn 3, Won 5. Conversion rate of a lead to a win of 50%, and with Sanchez as keeper we converted at a rate of 1.8 ppg (18 points from a potential 30).

Overall, with Ryan we dropped on average 1 ppg. With Sanchez we've dropped just 0.67 ppg.

So hypothesis proven, IMO - we've been better at converting strong match positions to points since bringing in Sanchez (especially given 1 of Sanchez's dropped points was the one-off vs Spurs).

Bonus stat for clean sheets this season:

Ryan - 18% of matches played (2 from 11)
Sanchez - 43% of matches played (9 from 21)

Do those stats take into account general key saves though?

Because I’m certain that since being in the team Sanchez has made quality saves in a lot of our games. Maybe key ones. Whereas with Maty, in recent history, 1 shot on target nearly always equalled a goal.

 

[boik]

EVERYONE'S agreed that TB has failed to adequately address the lack of goals shirley? Been the same ol' same ol' failure in recruitment - and retention - for YEARS now. It's what will take us down in the end, and likely sooner than later. Oh well

Failed according to whose expectations? We've scored as many goals as most teams in the bottom half. And we're not wasting Benteke or Joelinton type money to do so. I think the only realistic approach for a team with our budget is to try various promising youngsters and hope one comes good in a Vardy-esque manner. If you think Tony is going to splurge 40+ mil on a striker AND that striker is guaranteed to score the goals you demand then I think you are going to be disappointed

 

[DJ NOBO]

Something seems to have clicked with out team, defensively at least.

Add to this that our luck has to change at some point (we hit the fricking post again).

The final piece of the jigsaw is that we score some more goals.

I am predicting a great season for us next year.

I said exactly the same thing a year ago.
It hasn’t exactly come to pass but there are still grounds for optimism, and like you, I’m confident we will make the big leap next season.
Even if we don’t, hovering around the relegation area would hardly be a failure. It’s been a good season.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Looking forward to the rest of this season, and the next etc etc

 

[bluenitsuj]

Cannot wait to see all those missed chances,again next year......

 

[Audax]

Do those stats take into account general key saves though?

Because I’m certain that since being in the team Sanchez has made quality saves in a lot of our games. Maybe key ones. Whereas with Maty, in recent history, 1 shot on target nearly always equalled a goal.

Nope, not had time to trawl back and dig out any save stats. But my gut feeling matches yours.

In theory, the broad high level metrics I did look at would reflect those more granular details, though: a higher rate of quality saves, and a higher rate of saves overall, should result in better stats when it comes to defending a lead and keeping clean sheets. Both of which we see with Sanchez - he's streets ahead of Ryan.

Edit: I did note that we had 3 red cards in Ryan's 11 matches. Just 2 with Sanchez - 1 early on vs Sheff U, and the other vs Chelsea last night. 3 in 11 vs 2 in 21, suggests that the team as a whole feels more comfortable with Sanchez in goal - fewer desperate defensive actions = fewer opportunities to get sent off.

 

[junior]

Love your optimism, but after another game with no goals scored and another season fighting relegation, i feel we need changes if we are to progress.

 

[Machiavelli]

If we finish below any of Burnley, Newcastle or Palace next season we'll have underperformed.

You'd hope above all 3 promoted clubs as well.

Wolves, Southampton and Leeds might be tougher nuts to crack and I reckon those are our three benchmark clubs. We want to be up and around them

Villa are one ACL away from being a relegation threatened side again, so maybe include them

I'm not ruling out one of Everton, Spurs or West Ham finishing in the lower half

Arsenal with their young team and decent manager should improve year on year

I'd be interested if you can remember to bounce this about this time next season. I think you're making too many predictions here and things won't turn out this way, but happy to be proved wrong. Too many contingencies for me to be so bold.

 

[Audax]

Do those stats take into account general key saves though?

Because I’m certain that since being in the team Sanchez has made quality saves in a lot of our games. Maybe key ones. Whereas with Maty, in recent history, 1 shot on target nearly always equalled a goal.

OK, very rough comparison of Ryan and Sanchez this season (very rough because I'm only looking at how many shots on target, I've not got how many of those were blocked rather than saved by the keeper, and I've left a couple of own goals in which is probably unfair on the keepers):

Ryan
Faced 3.1 shots on target per match
Conceded 1.7 goals per match
Equates to 55.9% of shots on target resulting in a goal

Sanchez
Faced 3.3 shots on target per match
Conceded 0.9 goals per match
Equates to 27.1% of shots on target resulting in a goal

Few observations:

If Ryan faced a lot of shots on target, we also conceded heavily (eg Everton - 6 shots and 4 goals; Chelsea - 5 shots, 3 goals; Leicester - 6 and 3). Sanchez has been a lot more resilient in the face of a barrage (Man C - 6 shots, 1 goal; Spurs - 4 and 0; Burnley - 7 and 1; Man U - 7 and 2).

If we wanted to dig further, another comparison to look for would be how good they both have been this season when it comes to claiming crosses / corners.

 

[Machiavelli]

Nope, not had time to trawl back and dig out any save stats. But my gut feeling matches yours.

In theory, the broad high level metrics I did look at would reflect those more granular details, though: a higher rate of quality saves, and a higher rate of saves overall, should result in better stats when it comes to defending a lead and keeping clean sheets. Both of which we see with Sanchez - he's streets ahead of Ryan.

Edit: I did note that we had 3 red cards in Ryan's 11 matches. Just 2 with Sanchez - 1 early on vs Sheff U, and the other vs Chelsea last night. 3 in 11 vs 2 in 21, suggests that the team as a whole feels more comfortable with Sanchez in goal - fewer desperate defensive actions = fewer opportunities to get sent off.

The red in the Sheff Utd game was theirs, not ours. Lundstram on c38 minutes for going through on Veltman. Nasty tackle; deserved red.

 

[Wardy's twin]

Does anyone NOT look forward to the next season?

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Looking forward to be back at The Amex & the football is more pleasing on the eye.

However - a dose of reality, when looking back at the finishing table - says that in the 4 years we have been in the Premier - no progress has been made.

Who knows - next year maybe that leap forward or not? - but we thought the same this time last year .....

BHA with 34 points & 6 games left still need 8 points to overhaul last seasons tally:

2019/20 41 points 15th
2018/19 36 points 17th
2017/18 40 points 15th

I don't think you can say that 'no progress has been made', when you look at the bigger picture. Yes, maybe if you look at the cold hard facts of points totals and finishing positions (even though last season was a record points haul, so, y'know, progress), but that doesn't tell the whole story. There's the academy beginning to bear some serious fruit; a manager finding his feet, stamping his style of play on the squad, as well as bringing new players in, as well as the likes of Welbeck and Lallana joining the club – seasoned pros who have played at the highest level and now proving their worth. Then there's the fact that the pandemic has skewed things such as home form because there are no fans and the whole environment being different to a 'normal' matchday. There's also the consideration that every other club is going to improve, which means whatever improvements we make, we stay on par with everyone else in the league.

Plus, compare at the amount of chances being created, the number of goals conceded and the quality of football (something that's the most important factor to a lot of fans – certainly those vocal in their desire to get rid of Hughton) with the club's first PL season. All those things are moving in the right direction. Yes, there's clearly an issue with CONVERTING those chances and yes, there is clearly room for improvement to the squad, but to say no progress AT ALL? That just doesn't stack up, all things considered.

I certainly didn't expect the club to be much higher than we are now – if anything the performances have surprised me in terms of how well they've done (despite the lack of chance conversion). No big drubbings, away wins at grounds we've never or rarely won at, loads of clean sheets and praise from managers of the 'big six'.

 

[Sheebo]

Being 7 points clear with 6 games to go and a game in hand is not a scrap...

Massive progress this season, regardless of where we end up finishing.

It pains me that this post needs to be reiterated daily to some of our fans tbf. Huge strides again this season. Huge.