[Football] Coincidental (?) Potterish Things

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It is what it is, what it is, what it is.

Could be a song in there

Que sera sera
It is what it is, it is

 

[Bold Seagull]

Not useless at all. Did a good job at Brighton but not a fantastic job, as is popular speak amongst pundits. The end of season run plus the first six games this term propelled him into the mindset of bigger clubs. Jumping from 13th to 9th in the second half v West Ham was hugely beneficial. We were then perceived as a top half side and Potter's CV was much more impressive.
I still feel that if we had finished 15th, 16th and 13th under him and not got off to a flyer this season, then its much less likely he would be Chelsea manager now.

I think our performances against the bigger clubs did that. We were consistently good against sides that didn't just park the bus. We went from being scared stiff of anyone in the top six to winning at every ground accept Man City's, and we beat them at home for good measure. We played some great football at times, and it wasn't just slow and ponderous as the Ministry of Truth keep trying to re-write, we took teams apart creating countless chances in most games. To say teams just tuned in after HT v West Ham - I mean come on, really!?

He did a great job here, there's no re-writing that.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Only on a football forum (or the letters pages of the Argus, Metro, etc.) do members of the public get the chance to imitate politicians with equanimity in their quest to use confirmation bias to create a narrative.

We do not (and can never) know whether our progress under Hughton would have been quicker or more enjoyable under Potter. We do not (and can never) know whether we will have done better, sooner under De Zerbi than under Potter.

What we do know is that despite all expectations, we did not drop out of the EPL at the end of our first season. Or our second.....and now in our sixth season, we have never yet been in the bottom three. Brighton and Hove Albion. I didn't see any of that coming.

Something seems to be working. For now. So I think I'd be hard-pressed to identify any one individual in the management teams as being a 'fraud' who overstayed their welcome till turfed out, or a 'fraud' who ran away (before being turfed out) in pursuit of another club's shiny shilling. Instead we have had an owner who has made bold decisions when he felt it appropriate, has responded well to unexpected events, and so far it has worked out well for the club.

Admittedly, some of the supporters think we should of been in Europe and won a trophy by now, if only we hadn't been let down the the owner refusing to buy a striker, and poor management by our poor managers.

For me, Tony Bloom is the owner, and Roberto De Zerbi is our manager. Happy with that.

 

[sydney]

Just wondering which of Biss, Maupay and Cucu will come back to the Amex on a cut price loan first.

Biss please.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Slow start with potter at Brighton, things finally started to click then he f***ed off, the end.

Grateful where he got us
Do I want him or any other manager or club to do well, No

 

[keaton]

That drubbing and his reception at the Amex seemed to really knock him. He looked absolutely broken as he trudged off when subbed, then appeared to be in tears when the cameras showed him in the stand at full time.

He looks defeated right now. He started okay tonight but by the time he was hauled off again by Potter he looked, once again, a shell of a man.

We should have a poll as to which ex left back had more of a meltdown on their return. I remember Dan Harding having an absolute mare, and being subbed very early as he should have been sent off, and then Adkins whining it was our fault

 

[Originunknown]

some of the supporters think we should of been in Europe

Ha

 

[Mo Gosfield]

I think our performances against the bigger clubs did that. We were consistently good against sides that didn't just park the bus. We went from being scared stiff of anyone in the top six to winning at every ground accept Man City's, and we beat them at home for good measure. We played some great football at times, and it wasn't just slow and ponderous as the Ministry of Truth keep trying to re-write, we took teams apart creating countless chances in most games. To say teams just tuned in after HT v West Ham - I mean come on, really!?

He did a great job here, there's no re-writing that.

I didn't mean he wasn't in the mindset of other clubs pre West Ham, just that his CV looked considerably better after it. Villa were a known admirer for a while. Boehly was alerted to Potter in the close season, whilst vainly pursuing Nathan Ake.
It is difficult to contrast Hughton and Potter. One came into the PL with largely a Championship side, whilst the other was able to spend more and develop the style more, as our coffers filled. Hughton's more pragmatic style was a necessity then and the Board recognised that. They also realised that we had to progress on from there.
Now with RDZ and a bolder approach, the players now have the confidence to put more teams to the sword. We will win more and lose more and draw less than both the Hughton and Potter eras.

 

[Weststander]

Still usually not winning a lot of home games. Same in the last season with Hughton.

Different players, different managers, same fans. Same results.

Might have something to do with the general lack of gratefulness shown towards hard working players and staff.

Poetic, they could make a song out of that :

Different players, different managers
Over each mistakes were made
Barber took the blame
Directionless, so plain to see
A loaded gun won't set you free
So you say

 

[Robinjakarta]

He did a great job here, there's no re-writing that.

Oh, yes there is on NSC. Seriously, if we continue how we've started with RDZ, we'll have been blessed with three of the the greatest managers we've ever had and who have taken us beyond where we ever were before. I too have no time for Potter now, but he left us in a far healthier state than we were when he came to us, and I for one am grateful for that. A few on here should be ashamed of themselves with some of the sneering and downright nasty things being said that say far more about the posters than they do about Potter.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Slow start with potter at Brighton, things finally started to click then he f***ed off, the end.

Grateful where he got us
Do I want him or any other manager or club to do well, No

Often forgotten that it took him two whole seasons to better Hughton's best points return by one. I understand that he was re-writing the previous blueprint and this doesn't happen overnight. Last season, the fruits of his labour started to show.
Most of us expected this to be his last season and four full seasons, improving and putting us in a good place, would have ensured a natural and comfortable departure. The rapid departure and subsequent backroom clearout left many with disappointment.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Still usually not winning a lot of home games. Same in the last season with Hughton.

Different players, different managers, same fans. Same results.

Might have something to do with the general lack of gratefulness shown towards hard working players and staff.

Almost entirely down to opposition setting up with two, tight banks of four, squeezing our space and generally making it very difficult for us. They know how to frustrate us at home and it often works.

 

[peterward]

This is an interesting but quite distasteful thread imo

A lot like the Katie Price thread, just without the plastic tits.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Often forgotten that it took him two whole seasons to better Hughton's best points return by one. I understand that he was re-writing the previous blueprint and this doesn't happen overnight. Last season, the fruits of his labour started to show.
Most of us expected this to be his last season and four full seasons, improving and putting us in a good place, would have ensured a natural and comfortable departure. The rapid departure and subsequent backroom clearout left many with disappointment.

Potter's first season in charge we finished on 41 points. That did only better Hughton's first season in the PL by 1 point, but that was also a great season, so praise to Hughton for that. It was also a significant improvement of the previous season's 36 points.

 

[raymondo]

The first one please.

None, let's move forward

 

[raymondo]

Biss please.

No thank you, let's look forwards rather than backwards

 

[Badger Boy]

A lot like the Katie Price thread, just without the plastic tits.

Correct. All the tits on this thread are real!

 

[DJ NOBO]

I notice Potter’s hair looks shit again.
A far cry from his first game at Chelsea.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

The first one please.

So are you dropping a World Cup winner or the guy from Ecuador who is going to win the Ballon D'Or?

 

[SUIYHP]

Honestly I’m a firm believer that too much emphasis is placed on managers and less on a clubs operations as a whole. If I was a Chelsea fan I’d be more concerned about Boehly rather than Potter. One is certainly going to stick around a lot longer.