[Albion] Are YOU falling out of love with Roberto De Zerbi?

[jackalbion]

To be fair, I'm not sure anybody was offering much going forward in the back end of Hughton's final season.

I tended to think that one of the reasons for playing March at LWB was a need to get as many people who might plausibly be expected to score or create a goal in the team as possible, given that individually none of them were all that good at finishing.

To avoid any doubt, I'm completely happy with the idea that March improved under De Zerbi.

I think putting him at LWB regressed him a bit, I think RDZ improved March massively, similarly as to how Potter improved Burn. There’s good and bad sides, but I saw more players get better under RDZ than potter. Maupay seemed to get worse IMO the more time with potter, and Moder seems to be getting better with RDZ.

 

[Zeberdi]

I’m neither happy nor unhappy. I’m indifferent. As a supporter of the club for over 40 years I’m not going to allow my mood to be defined by the inner emotional turmoil of the current manager.

If he wants to stay, great. And if he’d rather not?

I find it impressive that anyone (who presumably doesn’t know Roberto intimately, knows what (if any) ‘inner emotional turmoil’ he may be going through based on his TV pressers. Then again I’m autistic so perhaps just not seeing something that is obvious to everyone else

He is understandingly frustrated with injuries (he has also said) and not having the squad he’s needed to produce better seasonal results (he has said too) but I would hardly accuse the man as experiencing some kind of ‘inner emotional turmoil’… For all we know, he is a completely laid back and relaxed and a well centred person in private not a deeply conflicted person or someone who’s glass is always half empty. I see him drinking a glass of wine and relaxing with his players over home cooked pasta and being in general, a very positive and loyal person in life

There’s been an awful lot of projection by some fans about RDZ’s mental and emotional condition over the past 8 months imo and some terrible character assassination- ( not directed a you btw!). I think some fans have picked up with a narrative of their own and ran with it. I suspect RDZ will always present outwardly as emotional, passionate, and up and down with his heart on his sleeve because he is completely and utterly invested in football, a perfectionist and full of ambition for the team he happens to be contracted with. The one thing he will never be, is ‘indifferent’.

He is also Italian

 

[lhughes]

Who else would even be a good choice right now?
I've seen the likes of De Rossi(!?), Russell Martin and even Potter being mentioned, plus I do like what Knutsen is doing in Norway, but I think we are better off sticking & hopefully having a more injury free season without the excuses of Europe to add.

I believe the rest of this season will mostly be a struggle to watch (like it has since the turn of the year - apart from Palace at home), but next season will be much better again.

 

[Guinness Boy]

How long had it been since Potter regularly played him at left back? I remember it in 2020/21 (when there weren't any particularly appealing options and March did a good job there until he pulled up injured against Liverpool), but I don't remember it too often once we signed Cucerella and then Estupinan. I guess maybe he played there again around that time that Cucerella and Burn had to play CB due to cards/injuries or whatever the reason was?

I'm happy to give credit to De Zerbi for getting those goals out of March, but I don't see it as a miraculous transformation of a player that people would happily have sold to a glue factory. I just rate him as a good player who's been improving for years.

I'm more interested in this as a general conversation than a pissing contest over individual managers, there are always particular personalities who react better to different managers/styles. I can see why March specifically would react well to somebody pushing him like De Zerbi would.

He was used at left back or sub until Cucerella arrived from memory, but then sometimes as a LWB if we used Cucu as a LCB in a three.

He was also regularly told to swap sides and tuck in as a ten. Infamously, when analysing Potter’s tactics I posted an average position map where Solly was placed in behind the central striker. It took @hans kraay fan club to point out it was an AVERAGE and he’d actually swapped wings so much his average position was in the middle (where the sometimes actually was, particularly in possession).

Playing attacking wingers at full back is a Potter trait. He did it to Sterling when we beat Chelsea 4-1.

 

[El Presidente]

Calling @Dr. No

 

[American Seagle]

Managers come and go. Best not to her attached to them to start with. He has a big weakness with squad rotation and so far his only solution is to buy his easy out of it which he won't get to do here and rightly so.

 

[Exilegull]

Interesting because I disagree, I think just before potter came in he had a very decent spell of assists, at the front end of Hughton’s final season, and then regressed, to the point where he was providing very little going forward, which led to his conversion to LWB. It wasn’t until RDZ came in, until I thought this guy is only getting better.

Potter unlike Roberto never started him as a full back in a 4 man back line but he did play LWB and LM. Just like when Roberto played him as LB its because someone needs to do some defensive work on the left side. Maybe you didnt notice because he wasn´t moaning about it in every single press conference but we did not have a natural left back in the squad between Bong and Bernardo leaving in January 2020 and Cucurella joining summer 2021. We had 3 left footed players in 20/21 Burn March Zeqiri they all played left back just like most of our left footed players played there at some point this season thats the reality of coaching a team that cant attract or afford more than 0-1 top left back

 

[Simster]

De Zerbi transformed March. If anyone can share appearances and goals by March under Potter and De Zerbi.
At one point under Potter I was wondering if March would ever score a goal again.

The flip side of this is that we're all saying exactly the same thing about Evan Ferguson under De Zerbi. And scoring goals is supposed to be Ferguson's main job.

 

[um bongo molongo]

No, I’m miles from that. The bigger concern is the squad building that took place last summer that’s left us, unsurprisingly, found wanting.

I personally think RDZ has overachieved across the whole season with the resources he’s been given, the sales that were made, and the injuries we’ve had.

This is where I’m at. I’m bit concerned that our ‘superpower’ on recruitment is waning a bit, unsurprisingly given all the staff we’ve lost. Pedro apart (and I’m excluding the ‘ones for the future’), our recruitment last summer and in Jan was not great in the sense of giving RDZ what he needed to make a decent fist of this season.

 

[Flounce]

This is where I’m at. I’m bit concerned that our ‘superpower’ on recruitment is waning a bit, unsurprisingly given all the staff we’ve lost. Pedro apart (and I’m excluding the ‘ones for the future’), our recruitment last summer and in Jan was not great in the sense of giving RDZ what he needed to make a decent fist of this season.

We did try for Kudus in the summer and KDH in January so the recruitment team were certainly targeting the right type of player. Sadly, we can’t hold a gun to clubs or players heads and make them sign!

Fati being basically a flop and Ferguson going backwards at pace could not have been predicted either could they?

We have had some seriously shite luck with injuries to key players too. One comes back and another then gets injured seems to be a theme this season. Then we have the season ending injuries too

I totally get RDZ’s frustration but I think he has handled the problem badly with his whinging to the media too often, hence I guess I have fallen out of love a bit. Won’t take much to get me back onboard though, he is a very exciting manager when things click

 

[El Presidente]

We will probably finish this season in the third highest position of the Club’s history, have beaten Roma, Marseille and Ajax twice. All of this with the 15th highest wage bill, and 17th most expensive squad in the Premier League.

Clearly it has to be #RDZOut, #BloomOut, #BarberOut, #SackTheBored

 

[heathgate]

We will probably finish this season in the third highest position of the Club’s history, have beaten Roma, Marseille and Ajax twice. All of this with the 15th highest wage bill, and 17th most expensive squad in the Premier League.

Clearly it has to be #RDZOut, #BloomOut, #BarberOut, #SackTheBored

I think that does give perspective to this debate, of course, though I do feel there is an increasing level of indifference developing from both sides... RDZ to his prospects of staying, (some) fans towards the 'long face', almost Poyet-esque 'glass ceiling' type demeanor... that's never going to end well.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

He was used at left back or sub until Cucerella arrived from memory, but then sometimes as a LWB if we used Cucu as a LCB in a three.

He was also regularly told to swap sides and tuck in as a ten. Infamously, when analysing Potter’s tactics I posted an average position map where Solly was placed in behind the central striker. It took @hans kraay fan club to point out it was an AVERAGE and he’d actually swapped wings so much his average position was in the middle (where the sometimes actually was, particularly in possession).

Playing attacking wingers at full back is a Potter trait. He did it to Sterling when we beat Chelsea 4-1.

I'll leave the debate there, other than to observe that I vaguely remember that average position post, and I'm not convinced that everybody needed HKFC to point out it was an average position.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Potter unlike Roberto never started him as a full back in a 4 man back line but he did play LWB and LM. Just like when Roberto played him as LB its because someone needs to do some defensive work on the left side. Maybe you didnt notice because he wasn´t moaning about it in every single press conference but we did not have a natural left back in the squad between Bong and Bernardo leaving in January 2020 and Cucurella joining summer 2021. We had 3 left footed players in 20/21 Burn March Zeqiri they all played left back just like most of our left footed players played there at some point this season thats the reality of coaching a team that cant attract or afford more than 0-1 top left back

What difference does RDZ having to play March at left back for two games, when we had no-one else to play there, make to what @jackalbion was saying.

RDZ has improved March beyond belief, the first thing De Zerbi said when he joined was March was a player capable of more, he believed in him and that gave March the confidence to improve on the pitch massively. His Premier League stats tell the story, the upturn in his goals and assists is plain to see.

 

[Exilegull]

What difference does RDZ having to play March at left back for two games, when we had no-one else to play there, make to what @jackalbion was saying.

RDZ has improved March beyond belief, the first thing De Zerbi said when he joined was March was a player capable of more, he believed in him and that gave March the confidence to improve on the pitch massively. His Premier League stats tell the story, the upturn in his goals and assists is plain to see.

View attachment 180858

It makes a difference because what option did Potter have but to play March in the wrong position now and then. Agree March benefitted from the change but he was always a very good player for us. Thats what change does good for some like March not so good for some like Sanchez or Webster

 

[Guinness Boy]

What difference does RDZ having to play March at left back for two games, when we had no-one else to play there, make to what @jackalbion was saying.

RDZ has improved March beyond belief, the first thing De Zerbi said when he joined was March was a player capable of more, he believed in him and that gave March the confidence to improve on the pitch massively. His Premier League stats tell the story, the upturn in his goals and assists is plain to see.

View attachment 180858

This data exactly proves @jackalbion 's point.

Mind you, you can prove anything with facts.

 

[jackalbion]

Potter unlike Roberto never started him as a full back in a 4 man back line but he did play LWB and LM. Just like when Roberto played him as LB its because someone needs to do some defensive work on the left side. Maybe you didnt notice because he wasn´t moaning about it in every single press conference but we did not have a natural left back in the squad between Bong and Bernardo leaving in January 2020 and Cucurella joining summer 2021. We had 3 left footed players in 20/21 Burn March Zeqiri they all played left back just like most of our left footed players played there at some point this season thats the reality of coaching a team that cant attract or afford more than 0-1 top left back

I give up. @Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo has quite simply demonstrated how RDZ has improved March's output. If that isn't simple enough to demonstrate my point I don't know what is.

 

[jackalbion]

It makes a difference because what option did Potter have but to play March in the wrong position now and then. Agree March benefitted from the change but he was always a very good player for us. Thats what change does good for some like March not so good for some like Sanchez or Webster

But what about the change that didn't do good, for Duffy, Locadia, Jahanbasksh, Zeqiri, Karbownik who potter couldn't get anything out of. Sanchez had ability but threw his toys into Kent out of the pram, and Webster has been blighted by Injuries.

 

[Exilegull]

But what about the change that didn't do good, for Duffy, Locadia, Jahanbasksh, Zeqiri, Karbownik who potter couldn't get anything out of. Sanchez had ability but threw his toys into Kent out of the pram, and Webster has been blighted by Injuries.

Yes I said change is good for some and not so good for some. Duffy loved Potter if I recall it right but yes was bad for him on the pitch same with Bong Ryan who couldn´t play our new football. Better for Bissouma Gross Dunk March and some others. I don´t think Locadia or Jahanbashksh were all that good for Chris either. Some signings for Potter failed like Karbownik and Zequiri same goes for Roberto and every other manager. Change is good for some bad for some for some it wont matter as they dont have what it takes

 

[Mad as my Mother]

Not one bit of love lost for me.
He gave us our best ever season last year, resulting in Europe this year.
He slid on his knees as we tore Arsenal a new one, fell out with the awful referees along the way, he told the world that they can buy our players but can’t buy our souls.
He got us talked about across the globe with his style of play and raised the club’s profile hugely.
What’s not to love?