[Albion] Do Brighton have a bigger problem than they realise? (Four Four Two article)

[GT49er]

Very true, the urgency just isn’t there at the moment. Giving the opposition time to get back when we break is a massive failing in how we are currently playing. Sure try and pick your way through when the opposition are set up but to lazily pass sideways and backwards when we should be hitting teams on the break is so frustrating to watch.

It's not so much the sideways movement in itself is the trouble, though frustrating, it's the speed - or lack of it. If the ball is being pinged at speed across the field it pulls the opposition out of place, makes them run a lot and expend a lot of energy and eventually become vulnerable; doing it slowly lets the defenders stroll around happily and easily keeping their shape.

 

[Swansman]

Watching on the telebox yesterday, I couldn't believe how slowly we passed the ball around, gently rolling it from player to player. Surely the point of playing possession football is to move the opposition around and pull them out of shape? To do that, you need to move the ball much faster - moving it as slowly as we do gives the other team all the time in the world to keep us covered.
To be effective the ball needs to be pinged around, especially in the final third, not gently rolled.

Its slow and it will remain slower than what I think you are used to, as patience is a key word. If there are no good options, the team is going to play it backwards or sidewards until there is a good option. That said I think the target is to increase the tempo a bit in due time, but playing overly rushed really isnt any better than playing overly patient. The three most direct teams in the league are in the bottom of the table and one of the most patient is at the top of the league.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

We play possession football and off the top of my head we’ve scored in virtually every game, so we aren’t not breaking teams down. Yes we could have scored one or two more but statistically it is our defence that is letting in more goals than it should be. Overall I think Potter is doing a good job but maybe he needs to be a bit more ruthless. However in his defence he has dropped Matty Ryan and I wouldn’t blame him if he dropped White and brought in Veltman. He is setting up the team to win, and generally we are creating more chances than we concede, so it the players who need to improve. UTA.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Its slow and it will remain slower than what I think you are used to, as patience is a key word. If there are no good options, the team is going to play it backwards or sidewards until there is a good option. That said I think the target is to increase the tempo a bit in due time, but playing overly rushed really isnt any better than playing overly patient. The three most direct teams in the league are in the bottom of the table and one of the most patient is at the top of the league.

Not sure I agree that it is a strategy. The team were passing and moving a lot faster at the beginning of the season, exemplified by the Man U game. There has been a noticeable drop off in speed of thought and execution over the last few games. Two contrasting styles and they cannot both be part of the plan. I don’t actually think the team is playing Potterball anymore and that is a big problem for GP.

 

[Birdie Boy]

Watching on the telebox yesterday, I couldn't believe how slowly we passed the ball around, gently rolling it from player to player. Surely the point of playing possession football is to move the opposition around and pull them out of shape? To do that, you need to move the ball much faster - moving it as slowly as we do gives the other team all the time in the world to keep us covered.
To be effective the ball needs to be pinged around, especially in the final third, not gently rolled.

This is exactly what we are doing, also, the back four give the ball to the midfield crossing the half way line and then the ball duly rolls back to them. Very frustrating and boring. They need to start pinging the balls faster and into space at times in front of the recipient. How are you supposed to create space for clear chances when the ball is slowly passed around?

 

[The Fits]

Grimes was one of the most highly rated young players at Exeter, playing regularly for England U20s at 18. Named in the PFA team of the year.
Also regarding recruitment, Potter was allowed to bring his own recruitment guy in even though we have a huge recruitment team. That he will sign transfers off, and that he has his own man in the recruitment team seems be conveniently forgotten. He didn't have to bring Mac back early from his loan and then not play him, just one example.
I'm still Potter in, i think we'll be okay this season, but people need to accept that the manager has a very important role in the way a team plays, the way a team is coached and the transfers.
We're not playing better than we did against Spurs last season, well over a year ago. That has to be a concern.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

I think Burn and Webster both played well and drove the team forward. This is of course more risky but it also brings greater rewards as it opens teams up and creates space / attacking options. Yesterday we controlled the game, pushed forward and took the lead twice, playing attractive possession football. Our defence basically gifted them the second goal and so another winnable game goes by and of course it’s all Potter’s fault.

 

[Doonhamer7]

To add to discussion, apart from Lamptey we appear to have no blistering pace (I’m not sure Izzy will have it when he comes back), if March could just be able to drop the shoulder and get past the defender we’d make more chances. we don’t score enough goals from our midfielders - good teams get goals from a spread of players not just the strikers. I’m not sure we have anyone to take the game by the scruff of the neck - Dunk appears a quiet captain, so no Bruno, Duffy, Stephens, Murray types in the team. I’m not sure we get the rub of the green (but that’s through rose tinted glasses) and I know you make your own luck but you have to hope.

My thought as I said in summer - let’s get Origi - he’s not in first 5 choices for Liverpool (and they’ll need to clear a squad place for new centre back ) at least he fights and can hold the ball up. The get James or Henderson on loan from Man Utd.

 

[GT49er]

Its slow and it will remain slower than what I think you are used to, as patience is a key word. If there are no good options, the team is going to play it backwards or sidewards until there is a good option. That said I think the target is to increase the tempo a bit in due time, but playing overly rushed really isnt any better than playing overly patient. The three most direct teams in the league are in the bottom of the table and one of the most patient is at the top of the league.

No idea where you get the idea that I'm used to something faster from - baffling! 'Direct' and 'being patient' don't come into it either - I'm quite happy with most of the passes we make, we just need to be making the ball travel faster by hitting it harder. Our players don't need to be dashing about all over the place, neither to we need to hoof it upfield (though occasionally that needs to be an option!), but the ball rolling along at walking place - that is a problem.

 

[Bry Nylon]

What stunning insight will Richard Jolly be giving us next week?

"EXCLUSIVE! 4-4-2 Reveals the secrets of where bears like to do their business..." or maybe "The Pope and Roman Catholicism - the mysterious link uncovered!"

 

[lawros left foot]

Spot on, in all respects.
We do need to sort out defending set plays too, although precisely how to do that is not immediately obvious.

We need to revert to man to man marking, marking ‘space’ doesn’t work. Space has never scored a goal, players score goals, so mark players, not space.

 

[Acker79]

So many people talking about it like everyone already knows, like it's a general agreement among the fanbase.

It feels like almost Potter's entire reign, we have been failing to achieve what we deserved (particularly in terms of chances v goals scored), whether it be losing instead of drawing, drawing instead of winning, or winning by one goal when it should have been 3 or 4. Of course there are exceptions - Watford away last year, Newcastle away this year. I have found this frustrating since the start of last season, and the constant refrain has been 'it'll come good, if we keep playing like that they'll soon go in', clinging to smaller achievements along the way. It was only last week someone started a 'One day we are going to totally annihilate a team and i reckon...' thread.

 

[Weststander]

Interesting that the article mentions Ryan’s poor stat and the vast majority of NSC’ers seem relieved that he’s been dropped.

Just two or three weeks ago Ryan threads seemed split down the middle, many seeing no failings or inadequacies in his game.

 

[Swansman]

Not sure I agree that it is a strategy. The team were passing and moving a lot faster at the beginning of the season, exemplified by the Man U game. There has been a noticeable drop off in speed of thought and execution over the last few games. Two contrasting styles and they cannot both be part of the plan. I don’t actually think the team is playing Potterball anymore and that is a big problem for GP.

Ye as I said, its going to be slower than most of the football youve seen over the... a lot of years, but its definitely still supposed to be quicker than it is now. The reason why it looked quicker in the beginning of the season is fairly simple as I see it: Lamptey and Lallana being fit at the same time gives the team a massive weapon that just isnt there without them. Not only does Lamptey create a lot himself but he also draws attention that gives a player like Trossard more space.

Plenty of times yesterday, Lallana got the ball, immediatly turning to the right preparing to hit a dirty through ball.. only to see Ben White carefully jogging forward. Hopefully the club could, aside for hopefully a striker with physical power (also increaes the opportunity to play quicker), also sign a quick winger... like Dan James.

Sanchez - Webster, Dunk, White - March, Bissouma, Lallana, Lamptey - James, Strong striker, Trossard... dirty wet dream.

 

[Motogull]

Very true, the urgency just isn’t there at the moment. Giving the opposition time to get back when we break is a massive failing in how we are currently playing. Sure try and pick your way through when the opposition are set up but to lazily pass sideways and backwards when we should be hitting teams on the break is so frustrating to watch.

We seem to have too much of an obsession with possession and scoring pretty goals. There is no harm in putting a cross in if a simple pass is not on - let's face it most goals are scored from inside the penalty box. Seeing an advanced position convert into a few backward passes to the 'keeper is of course frustrating. Get in the box and you might get the odd ricochet or foul. Little wonder that our strikers are nervous.

 

[Guinness Boy]

But theres more to the game than results, maybe not to you and some others, but obviously to those running the club.

I agree with some of your response and not all of it but I think that's where we'll both be for a while. However, I do take issue with the above sentiment, and you are not alone in expressing it.

The idea that you are either in favour of the long term project or a short term reactionary is a false dichotomy. That was my point about your insulting Bloom comment - we all know he's not a corrupt, oil rich nation state and that we have to be more long term, creative and risk taking in our approach. But that shouldn't stop a level of criticism if you think that the risks are too far or the creativity not enough or whatever - basically if you see the medium term being the middle of The Championship as opposed to the middle of the Premier League. And projects can, and do, change leadership from time to time without altering the overall goal.

But being a fan IS reactive. It's not a bad thing (for a fan anyway). Football is an art not a science. Fans live from game to game. For that moment of joy when you score, texting your sad loser mate when you've beaten them, riding the ups and downs of social media. And right now we are m'eh, which is exactly what I don't want from my art. I feel at the end of most of our games like I have paid too much money for an ok gig, a meal that didn't quite satisfy, an overly arty exhibition, a club night where the DJ never lifted the crowd once. And it is nearly every game.

If I had that experience in any other art I'd see a new band, change my nightclub or restaurant, re-assess my approach to art. But, with a football club you can't do that. The fan is stuck with his team, Unless, that is, you choose to follow a manager and philosophy instead. Then you can look on it dispassionately and, if it stops working, it can be the fault of them rather than your hero.

 

[Weststander]

So many people talking about it like everyone already knows, like it's a general agreement among the fanbase.

It feels like almost Potter's entire reign, we have been failing to achieve what we deserved (particularly in terms of chances v goals scored), whether it be losing instead of drawing, drawing instead of winning, or winning by one goal when it should have been 3 or 4. Of course there are exceptions - Watford away last year, Newcastle away this year. I have found this frustrating since the start of last season, and the constant refrain has been 'it'll come good, if we keep playing like that they'll soon go in', clinging to smaller achievements along the way. It was only last week someone started a 'One day we are going to totally annihilate a team and i reckon...' thread.

And yet the Potter outers are just 20% of the fanbase, going by this sample.



I assume because the vast majority recognise that we need a striker?

 

[phoenix]

it has been work in progress for over 2 years, except it isn't working. My expectations were never very high this season, but on present form to finish fourth from bottom would be a bonus.

We can't defend leads and we can barely score.

"has been work in progress for over 2 years"

Potter was appointed manager on May 20th 2019.

 

[The Fits]

Ye as I said, its going to be slower than most of the football youve seen over the... a lot of years, but its definitely still supposed to be quicker than it is now. The reason why it looked quicker in the beginning of the season is fairly simple as I see it: Lamptey and Lallana being fit at the same time gives the team a massive weapon that just isnt there without them. Not only does Lamptey create a lot himself but he also draws attention that gives a player like Trossard more space.

Plenty of times yesterday, Lallana got the ball, immediatly turning to the right preparing to hit a dirty through ball.. only to see Ben White carefully jogging forward. Hopefully the club could, aside for hopefully a striker with physical power (also increaes the opportunity to play quicker), also sign a quick winger... like Dan James.

Sanchez - Webster, Dunk, White - March, Bissouma, Lallana, Lamptey - James, Strong striker, Trossard... dirty wet dream.

The first few games the combinations of White, Lamptey, Biss, Alzate, March and Lallana were sublime. If we continued along that path we'd be fine, but it isn't that simple once the injuries and suspensions come along.
Agreed about the need for a bit more pace. Or maybe just encouraging Tross to play a bit wider.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

All those who keep saying we're a striker short of a great team, are ignoring the fact that the stats show we have scored as many goals in 15 games as previous seasons. We have conceded more (22) which is why we aren't winning games.

Basically, every other team knows if they can get a free kick or a corner against us, they will almost certainly score a goal.

https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/show...14-games-Albion-s-four-Premier-League-seasons

Whilst what you say is statistically true, it doesn’t consider the bigger picture, yes we’re scoring the same amount of goals but we’re built to attack and by default we will concede more, our goals for column should be better. Hanging the blame on the defence seems harsh when we conceded a combined 2 goals against West Brom, Sheffield Utd, Fulham and Burnley and didn’t win a single game, that’s fully on the attacking side of the ball.