[Football] Are the shackles off or is this a false dawn

[Bod]

I also think Montoya does not quite look the part. I think Balogun and Webster have played on the right and I wonder if March could as well freeing up Bernado to play on the left.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Don’t have any other evidence to go on. He was repeatedly caught out of position.....it was horrible to watch. Maybe GP can work some magic.........

I’m not a sage.

He was awful in that match agreed. You clearly don’t fall under the sage category if you think there is potential for him at RB. The ‘sage’ remark was referring to those who saw the 65mins and have made up there mind that he can’t play at right back based on an away debut for a new team in a new league in a position that he’d not played top flight football in since 18/11/17 against Bayern Leverkusen (2-2).

 

[GT49er]

The fabled new manager bounce is usually just reversion to the mean following a sacking due to a slump.

Well, we have just had a sacking due to a slump, in case you hadn't noticed!

.....and please note, if you haven't spotted it already, my post is aimed at those who would like us to think they were ahead of the game and called for Hughton out long before TB hit on the same idea (there weren't very many at all) - not that I was calling Potter's success up to now 'new manager bounce'.

 

[DJ NOBO]

I just get that feeling that he's a bulb waiting to become a tulip... and Potter is the man with the dung.

You didn’t get round to doing the gardening did you. Still on your mind. She won’t be happy

 

[Milano]

Everything ‘feels’ different. 2 up front away from home; keeping a player up field (Trossard) when defending a corner. Getting 3 or 4 players into the oppo’s box during open play. All so positive and didn’t happen last season, which was down to the tactics IMO and that is down to the manager. CH had his style, it worked for us for 3 seasons, then went off a cliff, it happens, we all move on.

 

[ferring seagull]

Am I wrong?

Nah, it's just because we no longer have the vote down option !

 

[mune ni kamome]

It was expected to take 8 to 10 games for Potters systems and ideas to fully bed in resulting in a late run to safety and respectability.
So wow! What a fantastic bonus to hit the ground running. Now can’t wait for the next games. Exciting times.

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

The style of play has certainly been great entertainment wise and is effective when we play well. Any doubts of mine are as to whether it will enable us to pick up points when we are not playing so well and will it enable us to reverse any slump and lack of confidence that we have. We shall see.

 

[London Irish]

I was pretty entertained when we beat Man United for the second time in 5 months at the Amex one year ago this week (as my Facebook one year ago algorithm reminded me today), was that a false dawn? Maybe beating West Ham twice at home was another false dawn? We'll have ups and downs this season, this is a good run of fixtures for us right now and the bigger tests to find out where we really are will be to come. Saturday was hugely enjoyable and it's entirely right we should be a better team than a year ago given we've spent another 50 or 60 million - and hopefully better than we've spent in recent past.

I think we still have growing pains - we still lack real pace up front with the current starting selections, the real question mark being whether Murray has quick enough reflexes these days to hold up the ball. Gross had a quiet game too given our weight of possession, which was the main positive for me - it has been too rare for us in recent times to edge that stat. Potter is being canny in not making a huge amount of changes in one go given the different shape we play at the back (working well but still have some question marks over Montoya who had a mixed game on Saturday, was chiefly to blame for the goal). But maybe some tougher decisions await Potter ahead

 

[dazzer6666]

Wasn't that in a 4 though?

Not sure any of us would like to see Schelotto in a back 4, but as a wing back he might just have something - same with Bernardo on the right

Fair point......

 

[BensGrandad]

I do not understand the castigating of Montoya as I believe that he has been one of the success of GP plans and ideas. In fact I think that he has stepped up well to the task and looks very assured and was in the top 4 or 5 performers against West Ham.

 

[London Irish]

I do not understand the castigating of Montoya as I believe that he has been one of the success of GP plans and ideas. In fact I think that he has stepped up well to the task and looks very assured.

He gave the ball away cheaply and it led directly to the Hammers' goal? I don't castigate him for that, March made a similar mistake at Watford and probably the Greyhound would be even worse. But that doesn't mean his game can't be critiqued. Was frustratingly wasteful with his crossing in the first half too, but got better in the second. Not everything has to be black and white.

 

[dazzer6666]

Bookies don’t seem to think it’s a false dawn........from ‘nailed on’ in some quarters, we’ve drifted out to 4/1 to go down now.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Well I know which coaching team I’d want in the dressing room when their confidence takes a knock.....

There are those who would say that a degree in Emotional Intelligence and Motivational management (or whatever it is) would be bullsh!t.

Some of us, though, would take that very seriously. It's about getting the best out of people!!! Which he seems to be doing - or at least better than last season.

 

[Chicken Run]

There are those who would say that a degree in Emotional Intelligence and Motivational management (or whatever it is) would be bullsh!t.

Some of us, though, would take that very seriously. It's about getting the best out of people!!! Which he seems to be doing - or at least better than last season.

I agree.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

As a (lower league) player I did like being told I was good, it motivated me.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

He gave the ball away cheaply and it led directly to the Hammers' goal? I don't castigate him for that, March made a similar mistake at Watford and probably the Greyhound would be even worse. But that doesn't mean his game can't be critiqued. Was frustratingly wasteful with his crossing in the first half too, but got better in the second. Not everything has to be black and white.

It does for me. Montoya was at fault for their goal. Shoddy and cheap and many other words besides for the way he gave it away.

 

[B-right-on]

He gave the ball away cheaply and it led directly to the Hammers' goal? I don't castigate him for that, March made a similar mistake at Watford and probably the Greyhound would be even worse. But that doesn't mean his game can't be critiqued. Was frustratingly wasteful with his crossing in the first half too, but got better in the second. Not everything has to be black and white.

This. He's shown vast improvement under Potter and still more to go obviously but I think there is potential there to be an excellent player for us.

 

[The_Viper]

It does for me. Montoya was at fault for their goal. Shoddy and cheap and many other words besides for the way he gave it away.

Maupay missed two good opportunities, Trossard missed one too, we missed two fantastic headers from set pieces too. Hope we see all five transfer listed frankly.

 

[Hastings gull]

There was a period in the first half yesterday where we had possession in their half and there was only ONE Brighton player in our half of the pitch and that was Maty Ryan.

All three centre backs, the wing backs, the midfield and the attackers were up in West Hams faces and they couldn't get out.

It was beautiful to watch.

Yes, thoroughly entertaining and as you say good to watch. Let's hope for more of the same. One minor worry for me was that in the last 5 to 10 minutes, quite a few passes went astray, which was not nearly so noticeable for the rest of the match. Perhaps this is a fitness thing, which will improve with more game time, but if that is the case, West Ham seemed fitter.