[Albion] De Zerbi: 'We deserved to lose...I understood the problem in January!"

[One Teddy Maybank]

Missing Caicedo and MacA hugely. Two insurance policies to the counter attack or Webster-esque gaff.

Of course. They are both world class

It’s not so black n white for me.

Defence … all the way back to bloody West Ham of all teams scoring 3 imho preventable goals at the Amex, I think we’re too cavalier. Estupinan camped upfield WTF. Bowen’s Xmas’s came all at once. We’ve seen that at other times eg an unmarked Neto had the freedom of the Amex second half, why? I’d add at least one more body to defence, with pace, for assurance when we attack. Imho.

But!
- the summer 2023 transfer window failed at LB and DM. Not hindsight, large numbers here said it wasn’t dealt with throughout August. Happy clappers said all is good, Milner can cover Estupinan absences. In fairness he’s had a couple of great games there, but at his age he’s not a season long PL solution and would be injury prone.
- the key injuries. Solly is a brilliant player, a winner.

Agree again, but surely it is then down to the coach/manager to adjust?

Fulham and West Ham at home was dire mainly because as you highlight, Pervis was nowhere to be seen. Surely, if we can all see it, the coaching team can….

Are we too arrogant to adjust, stubborn or just stupid….. (I’m still hacked off!)

 

[dwayne]

You think we were gung ho against Fulham? If you do you were watching a different game to me.

We pushed everyone up second half. Fulham had 3 one on ones just from hoofing the ball upfield.

Sadly we still looked pretty toothless.

 

[Weststander]

Of course. They are both world class

Agree again, but surely it is then down to the coach/manager to adjust?

Fulham and West Ham at home was dire mainly because as you highlight, Pervis was nowhere to be seen. Surely, if we can all see it, the coaching team can….

Are we too arrogant to adjust, stubborn or just stupid….. (I’m still hacked off!)

I don’t think there’s a wildly different plan B.

But Ange definitely doesn’t (he admits it), nor do Klopp, Moyes, Conte, Mourinho, O’Neil from what I see.

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

Difference being Klopp put his faith and belief in the youngsters, embraced the situation Liverpool found themselves in with the injuries and the young players seem to thrive on that.

De Zerbi would have just moaned, blamed the lack of depth / investment in the squad and that negativity would have had an impact in the dressing room IMO.

You can be the best tactical manager in the world but you’ve also got to believe in the players you’ve got available to you, just get the feeling RDZ is always looking for excuses.

It’s starting to piss off sections of our fanbase and that would be intensified at a so called ‘bigger club’

DeZerbi is a puppy compared to Klopp. The latter’s experience shows through in his ability to adapt to the situation unlike the more purist DeZerbi. DeZerbi will learn, become more pragmatic, hopefully with us.

 

[dazzer6666]

You think we were gung ho against Fulham? If you do you were watching a different game to me.

We were once we were at 2-0 down and chasing the game………we went 2-0 down without being gung ho though which is at least as big a concern

 

[raymondo]

Missing Caicedo and MacA hugely. Two insurance policies to the counter attack or Webster-esque gaff.

This! I think we can get there with Baleba and Gilmour...but it's months away.

 

[um bongo molongo]

Unfortunately this all stems from us not replacing Caicedo, MacAllister and Mwepu in the summer.

We’ve punched above our weight for periods of this season, the Europa League run and some stand out results have ultimately papered over the cracks.

RDZ knows it and it’s obviously a massive source of frustration for him, to the extent where he probably doesn’t feel he can commit to the club until he feels they can commit to the resources he feels he needs to compete and challenge for regular European football / trophies.

Makes for an interesting summer ahead.

This is how I see it too. It also doesn’t necessarily mean the club haven’t done the right thing. Being the right side of FFP compliance could enable us to have a strong transfer window in more favourable conditions this summer, and chasing a dream last summer could have been very dangerous in the long term

It’s not so black n white for me.

Defence … all the way back to bloody West Ham of all teams scoring 3 imho preventable goals at the Amex, I think we’re too cavalier. Estupinan camped upfield WTF. Bowen’s Xmas’s came all at once. We’ve seen that at other times eg an unmarked Neto had the freedom of the Amex second half, why? I’d add at least one more body to defence, with pace, for assurance when we attack. Imho.

But!
- the summer 2023 transfer window failed at LB and DM. Not hindsight, large numbers here said it wasn’t dealt with throughout August. Happy clappers said all is good, Milner can cover Estupinan absences. In fairness he’s had a couple of great games there, but at his age he’s not a season long PL solution and would be injury prone.
- the key injuries. Solly is a brilliant player, a winner.

I don’t remember a single good game from Milner at LB. I do remember one good game in CM. I get it as a role model/mentor signing but he is not, never was, and never will be a LB.

 

[Originunknown]

Well, they tried to sign Dewsbury-Hall.

Blowing that assertion out of the water. The money for new wages was there.

Yes we moved Dahoud on. Should remember we currently have the highest wage bill the club has ever had and Roberto should remember that too.

Would signing KDH have satisfied Roberto? We'll never know, the club did try as you say and brought Barco in but the efforts haven't stopped him moaning have they. He needs to pipe down and play the cards we've been dealt, I don't want to hear any moaning from him

 

[dazzer6666]

This! I think we can get there with Baleba and Gilmour...but it's months away.

We’re in a downward spell on a generally upward trajectory…….no big drama, as frustrating as it seems at the moment.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

I think his style of play requires a much bigger squad, so his ideas require a bigger club than us to implement. I fully expect him to be at Liverpool next season.

I don’t. Liverpool would be mad to appoint him ahead of Alonso.

 

[Cordwainer]

We were once we were at 2-0 down and chasing the game………we went 2-0 down without being gung ho though which is at least as big a concern

Looks like the worst of both worlds at the moment..a more conservative style relatively speaking, yet still shipping goals and not scoring enough.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

I am not seeing that at all. I say keep the style just do it properly. The style I am talking about is the inviting teams onto us and then swiftly cutting through them to create a shot on goal.

Rather than meandering possession that let's the opposition organise their defence. It feels more like potterball that DeZerbi ball at the moment.

Edit: the reason that our style has shifted is because we have too many injuries. Our style doesn't work properly with a back three, with no wingers or with no midfielders.

Potterball if that’s what you want to call it was much more solid and harder to break through but included amazing build up and passages of play that lacked the cutting edge of a Mitoma or Joao Pedro.

Without those two or the world class central midfield RDZ was lucky to inherit, we look a shadow of the Potter side in all honesty.

 

[raymondo]

We’re in a downward spell on a generally upward trajectory…….no big drama, as frustrating as it seems at the moment.

We are just like the stock market graph

 

[Justice]

Potterball if that’s what you want to call it was much more solid and harder to break through but included amazing build up and passages of play that lacked the cutting edge of a Mitoma or Joao Pedro.

Without those two or the world class central midfield RDZ was lucky to inherit, we look a shadow of the Potter side in all honesty.

Trouble with that argument is what happened to Potter at Chelsea? Chelsea quickly became a low scoring, losing or drawing side. Whilst we excelled under RDZ and became the second or third top scoring side in Europe.

We know our best players are injured it would be difficult right now for any manager without their 19 goal plus a season player out, although I agree DeZerbi doesn’t help himself by playing Steele.

 

[raymondo]

Potterball if that’s what you want to call it was much more solid and harder to break through but included amazing build up and passages of play that lacked the cutting edge of a Mitoma or Joao Pedro.

Without those two or the world class central midfield RDZ was lucky to inherit, we look a shadow of the Potter side in all honesty.

Somehow I still prefer watching de Zerbi ball. Maybe that's my memory playing tricks...but I prefer it so far.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Trouble with that argument is what happened to Potter at Chelsea? Chelsea quickly became a low scoring, losing or drawing side. Whilst we excelled under RDZ and became the second or third top scoring side in Europe.

We know our best players are injured it would be difficult right now for any manager without their 19 goal plus a season player out, although I agree DeZerbi doesn’t help himself by playing Steele.

RDZ continued a run of form the side were already on stretching back to March of the previous season. He took over a side already scoring freely and challenging at the top.

Potter took over a Chelsea side already in a slump and results haven’t improved under Pochettino. If Poch had come in and had impact you might have a point.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

The way I see it ….

RDZ ball, is the most thrilling way of playing football I’ve seen in my time here, but it leaves us very vulnerable to be countered on. The limit this risk we need players in key positions, mainly full back and centre mid with huge levels of energy and pace and the ability to cover the ground and tackle.

We need full backs like a match fit Lamptey at full back and a fit and firing Pervis. Instead, we’ve been muddling through with Van Hecke, Milner, Webster filling in. And every time this happens we get punished, they just don’t have the legs.

Caicedo as has been said 7 million times is a big loss. Gilmour and Gross are terrific on the ball, but just don’t cover the ground when we’re turned out of possession. I feel like we must go through to pain barrier and develop Baleba.

I also think this need for last ditch cover is the reason we are persisting with Steele. Just as much as his ability with his feet. He’s also decent flying out of his box and tends to make the right decision.

The question then is, given we don’t have the fit available players for RDZ ball, should we still be playing it or should we be diluting our style? Well, the answer to RDZ is clear. This is his religion. We’re playing it under all circumstances.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Somehow I still prefer watching de Zerbi ball. Maybe that's my memory playing tricks...but I prefer it so far.

I prefer De Zerbi ball. There were very few goals, for either team under Potter. Though I don't like watching us be hammered, I do enjoy hammering other teams more than I hate us losing.

One thing I can explain more clearly, is that I would much rather us be the team who are trying to take the game to the opposition than the team who are trying to low block and hit on the counter, even if it works sometimes, it must be horrific to pay money to watch West Ham or Everton every week. F that. Let's lose trying to score and trying to entertain.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I don’t. Liverpool would be mad to appoint him ahead of Alonso.

Absolutely, but surely there's a good chance Alonso goes to Bayren?

Three big clubs way ahead of us in the pack all looking for a new coach in the summer. He'll be on at least one of the shortlists, if not more, and then we'll have to appoint from left field again as those three hoover up established or brilliant new coaches.

 

[chaileyjem]

The only disappointment for me was letting Undav go and not replacing him. Welbeck has a terrible injury record. When he is out he is out for a good stretch.

I think Welbeck *did* have a terrible injury record ? Not any more . He missed 7 PL games with a hamstring injury this season, but has still played > 1000 minutes .
Last season he played in 31 out of our 38 PL games
And the season before (after his hamstring operation) he played every game from christmas onwards. - 19 or so in a row.
Thats 14 or 15 missed in the last 80 . Hardly "terrible" given his age/record/position.