[Albion] Decision Making - Coaching

[Silverhatch]

We keep moaning about lack of striker but what was interesting was Shearer review on our final ball - “poor decision making and lack of quality” and showed examples from March, Macallister, Trossard and Maupay . So we are not giving ourselves the best chance to score so even if we signed Kane we’d not give him the ball in space to score. So if it’s that obvious why has Potter and his team not worked on this? Or is it that decision making/quality you pay twice the money for.

The other thing I noticed yesterday was how often Liverpool players seemed to find themselves in miles of free space - either great coaching on Klopp’s part or lack of focus from our players?

52% possession against Liverpool. We are an excellent, but risk averse PL side. Liverpool have space because they are unafraid to take up positions where (a) the pass to them will be high tariff and (b) they have the psyche and players to not worry about losing the ball. It’ll take a tweak/change in philosophy (most likely) or players (most unlikely) to get the Albion to play that way.

 

[Doonhamer7]

Missed the other thread - well covered in that one

 

[Swansman]

Potter doesn't like a cross into a dangerous area as it loses us possession. Very frustrating as we seem to be looking for the perfect goalscoring opportunity. As you say though this means that defences get set and packed and we are ****ed because we don't have the quality of player to pick the lock-in that situation.

Our main striker is also short so sticking crosses in might not be the best idea. Although they still don't do it when Welbeck is playing.

The only team to cross the ball more often than Brighton this season is Liverpool.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

The only team to cross the ball more often than Brighton this season is Liverpool.

Preciseley.

We are very much a poor man's Liverpool.

Not such a bad thing to be

 

[Swansman]

Punished myself by watching MotD tonight as there were so few games that I thought we might get a bit of analysis. Shearer, who I don't usually have much time for as a pundit did a fairly neat bit on our decision making in the final third. They also hinted that this was analysis of Brighton that they could have done many times before. Its easy to follow the received wisdom that goal scoring is instinct and I've long been resigned to the fact that we have a lot of decent ballplayers who just don't have that instinct.

Shearer may generally be a poor pundit, but he was a hell of a goalscorer and his short look at where we went wrong today and have done in so many similar matches rang true. The stuff he was talking about wasn't complicated and seemed to me to be coachable. Given how long the problem has been apparent, and given that there seems to be no sign of it changing, it would seem that either its not something that can be easily coached, or we are not coaching it effectively. Potter talks constantly about hard work and improvement, but this is a glaring aspect of our play where we have seen little or no improvement during his time here.

Do you think that we just have the wrong personnel to make the right decisions often enough to consistently hurt good teams in key areas, or do you think that our coaching of attacking situations should be solving the problem?

When Alan Shearer managed Newcastle they played 8 games and were goalless in 6 of them despite having a set of strikers GP could only dream about. If it is easy to coach it, why didnt he?

Obviously everything is coachable but most of the hard work in improving players must be done before they reach the PL. Sometimes a player can make big jumps in improvement late in the career but more often than not the ground work must be done before reaching this level. GPs Östersund and Swansea had no issues scoring goals because they had players that were good enough to consistently produce at that level. This is just no the case in Brighton. Trossard would probably shine surrounded by quality, but he is not a player that can carry your team. Maupay really wants to carry and gives his all, but he is a little short of quality compared to most PL strikers. Similar with Welbeck, alright player.

They can have Glenn Murray, Alan Shearer and Leon Knight have goal scoring practices eleven days a week and it might give three or four goals over a season but ultimately if you want to see a big change, quality must either be bought or developed in the academy.

 

[METALMICKY]

I think Shearer's piece was pretty telling and for me our biggest culprit is Solly and often because he's so one footed. Really want him to do well but that factor and sometimes a lack of confidence really hold him back.

 

[Doonhamer7]

I think Shearer's piece was pretty telling and for me our biggest culprit is Solly and often because he's so one footed. Really want him to do well but that factor and sometimes a lack of confidence really hold him back.

I agree, he just seems not to go for it especially when attacking the fullback on the edge of the box. He has the talent but just looks scared of going for it

 

[Bold Seagull]

I thought Solly was the best of our attackers yesterday, if I was going to pick a player out, Solly would be in a queue behind at least Trossard, MacAllister & Maupay.

 

[Deadly Danson]

The only team to cross the ball more often than Brighton this season is Liverpool.

If that is a true stat (and just doesn't mean crossing the ball from one side of the pitch to the other in which case I'm surprised we aren't number one in the country) then it goes to show stats are bollocks because if anyone who watches us regularly thinks we get loads of crosses into the box then I have to doubt their sanity.
My other worry this season is that we aren't creating anywhere near as many clear cut chances (cue someone proving the opposite with stats). We normally seem to miss one golden chance a game and have a few half chances. If we were missing loads of chances each game the solution of a decent striker would be easier.

 

[Swansman]

If that is a true stat (and just doesn't mean crossing the ball from one side of the pitch to the other in which case I'm surprised we aren't number one in the country) then it goes to show stats are bollocks because if anyone who watches us regularly thinks we get loads of crosses into the box then I have to doubt their sanity.
My other worry this season is that we aren't creating anywhere near as many clear cut chances (cue someone proving the opposite with stats). We normally seem to miss one golden chance a game and have a few half chances. If we were missing loads of chances each game the solution of a decent striker would be easier.

Maybe stats are fine and peoples minds are bollocks

I certainly find it plausible. Lots of crosses every game. They result in **** all, but the crosses are there.

 

[Weststander]

I thought Solly was the best of our attackers yesterday, if I was going to pick a player out, Solly would be in a queue behind at least Trossard, MacAllister & Maupay.

Agreed, a handful.

The Shearer piece was looking more at telling passes not made at the 18 yard line. Mac Allister, Moder, Trossard country.

 

[Deadly Danson]

Maybe stats are fine and peoples minds are bollocks

I certainly find it plausible. Lots of crosses every game. They result in **** all, but the crosses are there.

My mind is absolute bollocks -no question - but if we get loads of crosses into the penalty box each game then I must be asleep all match.

 

[bhawoddy]

Chances are far easier to create when you don't let every team get 11 men behind the ball. Slow, ponderous build up with 30 passes made prior to crossing the half way line isn't going to get you far. Statistically it looks great having so much possession but its non threatening.
Even when we get the chance to break quickly a player will check back and the opportunity will be gone. Defensively we have been incredible in recent seasons with stats that some top ten teams would be proud of, but its a big ask to constantly keep relying on our defensive qualities to keep us in games. I don't buy into there being a "coaching" issue. A good footballing brain is something you've either got or you haven't. Instinctively knowing were and when to gamble is quality only few possess. IMO this cannot be coached effectively.

 

[Seagull58]

We don't make defence-splittng passes and we don't generally have a player on the shoulder of the last defender ready for the defence-splitting pass. We are rarely in position to play one-twos through the defence either. Lamptey and Gross are not bad at hitting crosses in from the right side but they dont get to the goalline and cross. They cross from at least 20 yards back towards the halfway line and we don't have a player who can compete for these crosses in the air so they should be hit flat or behind the defensive line, but we don't have a striker running onto them. Maupay and Trossard usually come and get the ball in front of the defensive line and then it stalls. March does not go past his man on the outside and cross so maybe he would be better on the right so he can cut inside and cross to the far post or behind the defensive line?

 

[beorhthelm]

not sure if its been raised, isnt this a consequence of training/coaching to keep posession? the safe side pass or back pass is favoured to the risky through ball. its not new, surge forward is slowed down when we hit the final third looking for a safe pass..

 

[Stat Brother]

not sure if its been raised, isnt this a consequence of training/coaching to keep posession? the safe side pass or back pass is favoured to the risky through ball. its not new, surge forward is slowed down when we hit the final third looking for a safe pass..

***Cough*** #16 ***cough***

I think it's a symptom of players who are pressured into not giving the ball away.
Oblivious of the fact that the.easiest way to beat GPott's Albion is:-

'let them have the ball and take your chance when they present it too you'.

 

[GT49er]

We don't make defence-splittng passes and we don't generally have a player on the shoulder of the last defender ready for the defence-splitting pass. We are rarely in position to play one-twos through the defence either. Lamptey and Gross are not bad at hitting crosses in from the right side but they dont get to the goalline and cross. They cross from at least 20 yards back towards the halfway line and we don't have a player who can compete for these crosses in the air so they should be hit flat or behind the defensive line, but we don't have a striker running onto them. Maupay and Trossard usually come and get the ball in front of the defensive line and then it stalls. March does not go past his man on the outside and cross so maybe he would be better on the right so he an cut inside and cross to the far post or behind the defensive line?

You don't have to get to the goal line to put in a decent cross. There are countless times every match when a player gets to - let's call it point X - where the whole crowd is thinking 'hit it now, quickly' .......... and they don't - they stop, turn around and pass it back or sideways. Lamptey, March and Cucurella seem the worst, but certainly not the only, offenders. They don't always need to pick out a player - just put it into the goal keeper's corridor of uncertainty.
If they do this more often, attack minded midfielders like Moder, Mac and Mwepu are more likely to go flying in there.

I know, I'm not a player, even less a manager, so I know nothing. Perhaps they've been told to do that, but it's so frustrating seeing players just deciding not to ping in a cross, but turn back and give the opposition time to set up their defences.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Maybe stats are fine and peoples minds are bollocks

I certainly find it plausible. Lots of crosses every game. They result in **** all, but the crosses are there.

I don't think you'd have to watch too many Albion games to conclude they result in **** all because of the painfully slow approach play which proceeded it.

I can barely remember us fizzing one between defence and keeper to an onrushing striker. The lack of striker willing to bust a gut to get in behind is probably the reason we always look for more passes first. But to me wingers have to do their job, get half a yard and smash it across the danger zone and if the strikers aren't doing their job, ie they're scratching their balls just outside the D, then that's them who have to make the case to the manager not to be replaced.

To beat teams who low block us at home, which is most of them, we need to be much, much faster

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

You don't have to get to the goal line to put in a decent cross. There are countless times every match when a player gets to - let's call it point X - where the whole crowd is thinking 'hit it now, quickly' .......... and they don't - they stop, turn around and pass it back or sideways. Lamptey, March and Cucurella seem the worst, but certainly not the only, offenders. They don't always need to pick out a player - just put it into the goal keeper's corridor of uncertainty.
If they do this more often, attack minded midfielders like Moder, Mac and Mwepu are more likely to go flying in there.

I know, I'm not a player, even less a manager, so I know nothing. Perhaps they've been told to do that, but it's so frustrating seeing players just deciding not to ping in a cross, but turn back and give the opposition time to set up their defences.

You'll also get 3 or 4 own goals and about 50 corners per season doing what you suggest

 

[Deadly Danson]

You don't have to get to the goal line to put in a decent cross. There are countless times every match when a player gets to - let's call it point X - where the whole crowd is thinking 'hit it now, quickly' .......... and they don't - they stop, turn around and pass it back or sideways. Lamptey, March and Cucurella seem the worst, but certainly not the only, offenders. They don't always need to pick out a player - just put it into the goal keeper's corridor of uncertainty.
If they do this more often, attack minded midfielders like Moder, Mac and Mwepu are more likely to go flying in there.

I know, I'm not a player, even less a manager, so I know nothing. Perhaps they've been told to do that, but it's so frustrating seeing players just deciding not to ping in a cross, but turn back and give the opposition time to set up their defences.

Very well put. I just put on the recording of the game actually to check what someone on here called the assault of Maupay on Becker (needless to say it was nothing of the sort) and came straight upon a very typical example. Cucurella passes to March, Welbeck makes a quick run down the line and rather than play a quick, relatively easy pass to set up (heaven forbid) a chance, March checks back, passes back to Cucurella who passes back to Dunk and the move breaks down. So frustrating. I don't subscribe to the view that the players aren't good enough, because March is perfectly capable of that easy pass but they are either encouraged not to play slightly risky forward balls or haven't the confidence to do it and that makes it all the more frustrating. Being rubbish is fine, I'm a Brighton fan and I'm well used to it but I think the players we have are capable of so much more.