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

[The Fits]

Harshest summary I have seen on here for a while. What level did this ex Albion favourite play when he was at the Albion?

I'm sure Potter is really going to be concerned by Tommy Fraser's comments....

 

[Swansman]

Talking to an ex Albion favourite on the phone this morning he summed it up succinctly, GP is an academy coach, we are playing academy football, the stats re possession and passes completed will be impressive but ultimately, this doesn’t mean anything in the EPL, and unfortunately this also indicates that GP is out of his depth.

Talked to my mother this morning and she disagreed.

 

[The Fits]

Talked to my mother this morning and she disagreed.

Great little winger in her day. When Adams MK2 wasn't playing her at centre back.

 

[Blue3]

Stating the bleeding obvious here and I think the club understand this too given we were linked to Nunez in the summer.

Bissouma fits the bill of the latter position very well, don’t you think?

Yes it's obviously what everyone thinks a big forward was and still is needed with regards Bissouma yes he fits that role but he needs help

 

[Justice]

Stating the bleeding obvious here and I think the club understand this too given we were linked to Nunez in the summer.

Bissouma fits the bill of the latter position very well, don’t you think?

So if we had one striker target a two week head start on Benfica why isn’t he in an Albion shirt? ... according to the agent we started bidding at £12m for a £25m player. Of course we can’t take the agent at face value yet Benfica went straight in at £20m plus

 

[Justice]

I'm sure Potter is really going to be concerned by Tommy Fraser's comments....

He did say favourite so I guess that rules TF out

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

Are those all the players that have been bought in since Potter was appointed ? If so, I'm not sure what point you are trying to make

I think elwheelio summed it up very well

I think the point with the "we need a top striker" argument is that all teams need a top striker but teams like ours don't have the budget or often the opportunity to get one. Therefore you have to grind out wins, be solid and make the most of what you've got. A top striker is not a panacea. Potter would no doubt like one but, unlike Hughton, he has got Welbeck, Lallana, Lamptey, White, Trossard and Maupay at his disposal yet for all the alleged improvements we're still knocking around the relegation zone.

JRG enjoys moving the conversation towards Hughton in these kind of threads. “Look at the players he didn’t have to work with”.

Never mentioned Hughton - was outlining that the 'transformation' under Potter has come on the back of pretty much an entirely new first team that have been signed/recruited over the past season and a half.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

The article just trots out the received wisdom: Brighton are stylish but aren't ruthless and they are weak at the back. The truth is a bit more complicated. We are good enough to compete in matches against the top teams in the division, but cannot dominate, need multiple chances to score and will allow chances.

At the back end of last season, Potter showed that he could set up a solid team to grind out results against Leicester, Southampton & Newcastle, but in games against Liverpool & Man Utd, had a free swing and ended up with a bloody nose. The beginning of this season presented several free swing games: Chelsea, Man Utd, Everton and, although losing, we equipped ourselves fairly well in all of these whilst in between, dismantling Newcastle. Two things resulted from this, we fancied ourselves capable of going toe to toe with anyone, teams around us approached their matches against us with caution. Palace, West Brom, Burnley, Sheffield United, Fulham all came for a point and all got it by being defensively solid and forcing us to play in front of their defence. Moyes selected a team to do the same yesterday, but his defenders let him down. We generally can't find a way of breaking down teams that do this. We don't have the creativity of a Hazard or De Bruyne, so instead we flood players high up the pitch and leave ourselves vulnerable to counter attack. We have also been very poor at focusing ourselves on defensive duties for set pieces that can arise from this. Webster, Burn and White have been frustratingly passive in dealing with aerial balls and Ryan had become reliant on Dunk & Duffy to deal with these and didn't adapt.

The (over) confidence gained from the good performances against the top sides also led to Potter selecting a ridiculously attacking line up for the away game at Leicester when he should have been looking to grind out a result. In the Newcastle and Villa games we showed that we can counter attack quickly and well, but the opportunity to do this relies on the opposition committing players forward, but most are too wary to do this against us, particularly at the Amex, and we don't seem to be able to find a way to lure them out.

The result is that we are good enough for most opponents to change their set up to counter our strengths and we haven't been good enough to deal with this. Hence most of our games end in draws. We've generally been close, but not quite good enough against the top sides. Our team is still young and lacks the top level on-field leadership and winning mentality that could have helped us hang onto leads or turn draws into wins. We don't have a Danny Ings, Grealish or (hate to say it) Zaha who can often be relied on to dig something out individually. At present, we are a nearly there side, with good ball players, but no world beaters.

Its frustrating, but the answer seems to be to become less attacking in our approach in a lot of games, committing lots of players forward more selectively. Firstly we have to prioritise defensive solidity and build from there. Potter showed at the end of last year that he can do this when results are needed. If he doesn't do it soon, confidence could be further hit and mentality will be an added complication. Set piece drills must be the first move. Stop the goals being conceded there turns the West Ham game into a win and the Man Utd and Southampton games into draws.

The 'Potter out' calls are silly and, contrary to the article, the problems are actually smaller than many pundits and fans are making out. These defenders can defend, but are struggling with being asked to do that whilst also being ball playing quarter and running backs, the strikers are no worse than those at half a dozen or more teams in the league. Things will change for everyone as the season progresses, watch Villa and Leeds slip as teams start to get wise to their counter attacking. We need to allow opponents a little more possession, but be harder to break down. Then our strikers may start to enjoy better chances in less crowded areas.

Graham Potter is a talented and adaptive coach, but he is inexperienced at this level and will have things to learn. He seems very capable of doing this, but must make mistakes to learn from them. This season could go either way, but, despite the current massive frustration, I'd far rather we stick it out and give ourselves a chance of becoming something special, than we join Palace in endlessly throwing money at a conveyor belt of relegation avoiders with no dream of ever having anything more.

Potter deserves credit for having the team prepared after then resumption of the PL during lockdown. Prior to that it was very inconsistent.

As I point out previously - other coaches have figured out how to play against Potter's and some are doing it more effectively than others. The squad he has at his disposal now are much, much better than a bottom three squad - Lallana and Wellbeck are big signings and Bissouma, White and Lampety are all being linked with top six (or top European) clubs - not to mention that Dunk has long been touted as being capable of adding to his single English cap.

The jury is out on Potter - I have had doubts about him being a 'talented and adaptive coach' (I see little evidence of adaptability) - and this season will probably be a make or break for him. The big problem is that Brighton are being dragged into the relegation mire because the team is soft and are losing points from advantageous positions. The style of play implemented by Potter needs space outside a relegation struggle - the problem to date is that he has been incapable of getting the team to that point so far. Losing to Arsenal will see and increasing gap between Brighton and the teams above them and could see the club battling with Fulham and WBA to avoid two relegation spots for the rest of the season.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Cold hard facts our manger/coach is producing a 20% win rate, not good enough to keep us up. Basically we are last seasons Norwich we have a go can’t take chances can’t defend.

To survive in this league especially with a low budget you have to be smarter yesterday after taking the lead we weren’t smart Veltman should of come on to protect the slim lead and probably Propper with his experience instead of Alzate. I heard Mourhino once say you need a reason to play the youth and not just for the sake of it, sums us up yesterday.

Yet most of us were hoping that alzate would start or at least be involved. He looked a bit off the pace yesterday probably because he hasn’t been playing regularly

 

[phoenix]

What?? A great example of what - in fact, what example?

Stop being so defense. I'm not having a go! Example of the suggestion that attacking with pace will enable us to create more chances to miss.But you knew what I meant already .

 

[stingray]

The trouble is that you can't just buy a top striker. You can spend 20m+ on someone and hope it works but it will be a punt (McBurnie, Brewster, Haller, Joelinton). Anyone proven at that price range will be old or injury prone (Ings, Wilson) and be on huge wages. Anyone costing more than that who is willing to come here will have been looked at and dismissed by better clubs as not being up to it. Bottom 6 clubs don't have top strikers they have to rely on defensive resolve and solidity to survive.

or...we cannot afford not to buy a top striker

 

[GT49er]

Stop being so defense. I'm not having a go! Example of the suggestion that attacking with pace will enable us to create more chances to miss.But you knew what I meant already .

Still just

 

[phoenix]

Still just

Yes thanks for that. Really helpful.

 

[GT49er]

Yes thanks for that. Really helpful.

No problem. Your first message just didn't make any sense, and still doesn't. Sorry!

 

[phoenix]

Still just

Ok i will bite.I believe Potter doesn't want his team rushing forward to quickly, because i hoofball upfield leads us short in defence because half the Brighton team are in the opposition half. Thus making it more likely we will concede a goal. So he would rather keep the shape of the team to repel any attack that is likely to come from the opposition. And we are as slow as shit.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Loving how some of our fans are questioning Potter but not the players so much. It’s not like we were something special before he arrived is it, although I think some have forgotten just how shit we were. We are certainly not shit at the moment, just fecking frustrating.

Apparently just a different type of shit now [emoji6][emoji23]

To me, we’re still close to destroying an opponent, just hope it’s Arsenal.....


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[One Teddy Maybank]

Yeah, yeah, we know all that. The question is what the club does about it.

The options:

1. Keep calm and carry on. Sooner or later the chances will be converted and the wins will come.

2. Keep calm but spend big money (and wages) next month on a reliable striker, if such a person exists and can be persuaded to join us.

3. Stop all this 'good football' nonsense and heave it long to a mythical big man up front. Bring back Murray and Duffy.

4. Sack Potter and bring in Liam Rosenior, Nathan Jones, Pards, Joe Royle, Slaven Bilic, Gus Poyet, Russell Slade ....

5. Sack Potter and put NSC in charge, the team to be picked and substitutions to be made by NSC poll.

I like to think option 5 may resolve the set piece situation..... [emoji23]


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[PILTDOWN MAN]

Harshest summary I have seen on here for a while. What level did this ex Albion favourite play when he was at the Albion?

Irrelevant really as most players even those who hit the top are not very good at analysis apart from stating the obvious. The obvious here being irrelevant of how you play it’s points that keep you in the league.

 

[Icy Gull]

Apparently just a different type of shit now [emoji6][emoji23]

To me, we’re still close to destroying an opponent, just hope it’s Arsenal.....


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I have no idea why I like you, we hardly agree on anything football related on the pitch

We will not be destroying Arsenal btw. I’ll take a point with a fantastic defensive performance and us scoring a worldie goal. See how low my sights are set?

 

[Wardy's twin]

How detrimental was that United result? Was that the point things turned? Feels like it. Coincidence?
Footballers are fragile buggers.

have to think it was that game followed by the defeat in the cup.... trossard noticeably lost it after that