[Albion] De Zerbi Thoughts?

[peterward]

Now we've had a home match, many more people will have got a first hand look at the very early stages of De Zerbiball. I thought a thread for everyone to post their observations, comments on it etc might be interesting.

I think most people will dismiss the opinions of any one whose talks in absolutes after two games. So I want to acknowledge right off the bat that it is early days and there's only so much to read into what we've seen. I don't want to be all thread police, but my intent for this isn't for 'we're doomed' or 'we're heading to europe' type extremes, and maybe hope for it to act as a record for everyone to add their thoughts as we progress and the players get more comfortable and confident with it. Maybe it'll be good in future months to look back and see the progress.

With all that said, my thoughts after one live game (I didn't go to Liverpool)...

It seemed to me like we took more chances with our passing. Like under Potter there was a sense of 'look for the pass that you're almost certain to make', so there was more holding onto the ball, playing to someone in a less progressive position. I don't think that is a revelatory observation. It feels like an extension to the 'shoot-gate' comments - the desire to have attackers look for someone in a better position before shooting themselves. In this game, it felt like we were making passes that rather than 'almost certain', were more 'fairly certain'. Didn't always come off, there were more interceptions (showing the benefit of Potter's approach, so I don't want this to seem like an attack on that).

When playing at the back, that seemed to make a lot of fans a bit more nervous, which I'm sure doesn't help the players (Dunk seemed to take issue with the North Stand in that first half), so it's not just going to take belief from the players to play this football, but I think the fans are going to need to have more courage. I did feel during the game as if many of the fans still can't accept we're a premier league club - the fear whenever we tried to play football in close quarters in our own half seemed of the level that we used to feel back in the championship/league one when we had cup games against prem opponents. The gulf in quality isn't as large as it used to be and I think we as fans are going to have to be a bit more relaxed about our ball playing.

Attacking-wise it was hard to see much in the way of change. Tottenham were a very disciplined defensive unit, hard to break down. Certainly wasn't on a par with the attacking v Liverpool, but that was away v a team that are not currently doing well with the defensive discipline.

For me, as disappoonting as the result was and as frustrating as our final third play was, I am excited that we might be a mit more aggressive/daring in our passing. It will speed up our attacks, and hopefully help us breakdown stout defences when we get better and more comfortable with it.

You cant draw any definitive conclusions from 1 game, but yesterday had the feeling of being back with Poyet as manager.

Posession for posessions sake, and trying to be far too cute in the final third.

 

[Jeremiah]

Having been at the Spurs game yesterday my overall feeling after 1 game seen was " that was disappointing" but I came away from many home games under Potter feeling exactly the same. I think the Forest result will enable us to judge things a bit better.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

It would be nice if people could spell his name correctly.

Bob Correctly?

Has a ring to it

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

You cant draw any definitive conclusions from 1 game, but yesterday had the feeling of being back with Poyet as manager.

Posession for posessions sake, and trying to be far too cute in the final third.

I thought it was pure John Beck. Long balls up to the big man, and clogging

 

[GoingUp]

Hard to tell from the Spurs match (and I only saw highlights of Liverpool game). It's always going to be hard to unlock or look too exciting against such a defensive team.

It will be interesting to see how we look against lower team or teams that are a lot more positive.

 

[willalbion]

Whilst there were occasions when we could have taken a pass less in the final third, some of the time this was because Spurs got someone in the way. The Spurs defence did a good job and deserve some credit.

Plenty of times we didn’t shoot because there were too many spuds in the way. Hard to get a shot off with 10 men between you & the goal. They defended well.

 

[dazzer6666]

Plenty of times we didn’t shoot because there were too many spuds in the way. Hard to get a shot off with 10 men between you & the goal. They defended well.

100%

 

[Dorset Seagull]

The biggest danger is the time it may take to be able to play the quick short blind passes that seem to be a hallmark of his build up play. Against a team like City it will be suicidal if not perfected but unfortunately we play them shortly. This could prove to be a major setback in his early days in trying to implement his style. The up coming fixture against Brentford will be a massive test as to whether his style is likely to be effective against the weaker sides in the division.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Early days but I don’t think it will be long before he abandons 3 at the back and reverts to his favoured 4 to get an extra man in midfield. We looked a bit exposed in central midfield yesterday, Caicedo had his poorest game for us so far which I don’t think was a coincidence. He and Mac Allister needed more support.

With his desire to play passes through the middle, I think this will be essential. Lallana and Gilmour the obvious ones to bring in being so comfortable in possession.

 

[Weststander]

Early days but I don’t think it will be long before he abandons 3 at the back and reverts to his favoured 4 to get an extra man in midfield. We looked a bit exposed in central midfield yesterday, Caicedo had his poorest game for us so far which I don’t think was a coincidence. He and Mac Allister needed more support.

With his desire to play passes through the middle, I think this will be essential. Lallana and Gilmour the obvious ones to bring in being so comfortable in possession.

My thoughts exactly.

Winning EPL teams, one way or another, are effectively playing 3 in CM to win the battles.

 

[dwayne]

Few on here suggesting potter would have won or drawn the spurs game! Doubt it very much. Bizarrely that was the first time since we've been on that great run (last march ?) that a team have parked the bus at the amex. It's so obvious that if you play 11 behind the ball at the amex you have a great chance of a result but luckily for us that style of football is out of fashion, I can't see forest doing it !



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[BadFish]

I agree that it is too soon to be judging. We've played two games against 2 of the big 6.

Will be interesting to see how we do against Brentford.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Few on here suggesting potter would have won or drawn the spurs game! Doubt it very much. Bizarrely that was the first time since we've been on that great run (last march ?) that a team have parked the bus at the amex. It's so obvious that if you play 11 behind the ball at the amex you have a great chance of a result but luckily for us that style of football is out of fashion, I can't see forest doing it !



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They only parked the bus after their goal. Potter would have been ready for the big attacking game they had in the first 15mins or at least changed things up instantly. That would have been a draw at a minimum, Spurs are a two trick team and Potter’s played them enough times to know that, I bet Chelsea smash them when they next play them. That is the difference between a manager with 1 EPL game experience and another with 100+. We move on. RDZ will get there, unfortunately then moron brigade in our fanbase are unlikely to give him the time.

 

[Icy Gull]

They only parked the bus after their goal. Potter would have been ready for the big attacking game they had in the first 15mins or at least changed things up instantly. That would have been a draw at a minimum, Spurs are a two trick team and Potter’s played them enough times to know that, I bet Chelsea smash them when they next play them. That is the difference between a manager with 1 EPL game experience and another with 100+. We move on. RDZ will get there, unfortunately then moron brigade in our fanbase are unlikely to give him the time.

You are forgetting that they ran us ragged in the Cup under Potter?

I really hope we are not going to go down the road of “Potter would have won that” every time we lose a game. Let’s not let the end of last season and the beginning of this one (where we also lost to an average Fulham side) lead to us forgetting the games we lost or drew that we should have won over the last three years.

I fully expect us to struggle in games as De Zerbi makes the changes to our style and lose games, even against the non top six. He needs at least until the end of the season to make his mark. We were shown great respect by a very talented Spurs team and could/should have come away with at least a draw.

Big bonus that we already have 14 points on the board.

 

[chaileyjem]

Early days but I don’t think it will be long before he abandons 3 at the back and reverts to his favoured 4 to get an extra man in midfield. We looked a bit exposed in central midfield yesterday, Caicedo had his poorest game for us so far which I don’t think was a coincidence. He and Mac Allister needed more support.

With his desire to play passes through the middle, I think this will be essential. Lallana and Gilmour the obvious ones to bring in being so comfortable in possession.

We finished the game with a 4.
Solly was at left back, Veltmsn at right back with Mitoma/Lamptey as wingers.

 

[Mancgull]

At this point last season we went on a very modest run of games where we either drew or lost, with the odd win, until the last 8 games of the season, where we put a really good run together.
De Zerbi will need time to get to understand the league. I hope he can show some tactical flexibility as this is needed, so that teams don’t work you out in this league.

 

[wellquickwoody]

They only parked the bus after their goal. Potter would have been ready for the big attacking game they had in the first 15mins or at least changed things up instantly. That would have been a draw at a minimum, Spurs are a two trick team and Potter’s played them enough times to know that, I bet Chelsea smash them when they next play them. That is the difference between a manager with 1 EPL game experience and another with 100+. We move on. RDZ will get there, unfortunately then moron brigade in our fanbase are unlikely to give him the time.

You giving yourself a hard time at the end there?

 

[chaileyjem]

They only parked the bus after their goal. Potter would have been ready for the big attacking game they had in the first 15mins or at least changed things up instantly. That would have been a draw at a minimum, Spurs are a two trick team and Potter’s played them enough times to know that, I bet Chelsea smash them .

We lost 2-0 to Spurs only a few months ago at the Amex under Potter.

 

[Kosh]

You are forgetting that they ran us ragged in the Cup under Potter?

I really hope we are not going to go down the road of “Potter would have won that” every time we lose a game. Let’s not let the end of last season and the beginning of this one (where we also lost to an average Fulham side) lead to us forgetting the games we lost or drew that we should have won over the last three years.

I fully expect us to struggle in games as De Zerbi makes the changes to our style and lose games, even against the non top six. He needs at least until the end of the season to make his mark. We were shown great respect by a very talented Spurs team and could/should have come away with at least a draw.

Big bonus that we already have 14 points on the board.

Top post... spot on, I’m not buying the G Pott revisionist nonsense as it’s clearly BS. GP was and remains a top coach, but we endured some wretched runs under his stewardship too. I guess I’m saying that we’re currently a top half PL team if we fulfil our potential week in and week out. However, we can rest assured that for every glorious victory against the ‘big six’ we’ll see our fair share of lamentable defeats by the lesser lights... Fulham, Brentford, Bournemouth...

As you say, this Potter ‘would have won that’ is stretching credulity a wee bit... why do we think he jumped when he did? (Money aside) the timing was perfect, his stock wouldn’t get much higher and a few defeats in this little run and the instantaneous success brigade at Chelsea wouldn’t have been half as keen... so, Roberto will now have to endure a tough few weeks, when compared to the God like perfection (for some) of Graham... I do wonder if these same people have severely selective memories, as the barren run and endless weeks without a home win have seemingly drifted away, like wisps of mist on a sunny autumnal morning.

 

[Hotchilidog]

It's too early to say, but I am encouraged so far. I actually thought the passing around at the back worked pretty well and we really only got caught out once and it dod not result in a goal as has often been the case in the past. I like the riskiness of the passing, going first time rather than considering a safer option. That said on Saturday's evidence the team are not entirely up to speed with that at the moment and it will take time for that to fully develop. Both RDZ and the team will require patience in this period of transition but it does appear that exciting times are ahead.

All in all I am positive but not getting carried away.