[Albion] Does Graham Potter get enough praise

[rogersix]

We have the makings of a good team Potter is a wet blanket and will fall on his sword.We need better!

christ on a bike

 

[Icy Gull]

I must admit I was starting to doubt him but the last two games he's got the tactics spot on.

Don’t worry a couple of bad results and you can go back to doubting him

You’ll have to join the queue, a few on this thread are already ahead of you though

 

[Billy the Fish]

Don’t worry a couple of bad results and you can go back to doubting him

You’ll have to join the queue, a few on this thread are already ahead of you though

Depends on his selections for me. Ben White in midfield raised a massive red flag, I've never been a fan of playing players out of position when there's better options on the bench.

He's pared back that experiment so red flag down

 

[Birdie Boy]

Ok, so Potter got the tactics correct the first half. What happened in the second half? We sat deep again, same as against WBA and Burnley, why?
OK, we had to combat Henderson coming on but is that it?
Taking Connolly off, why? Our most dangerous player who want happy coming off.
Don't get me wrong, I think we have been excellent this season and should carry on with this attacking style, just need the forwards to start scoring or at least hitting the target. But, there's no reason why we can't question the second half sitting back and subbing Connolly.

 

[Happy Exile]

A Villa supporting acquaintance was hugely impressed that against them we had such a core of English players, 3 home grown from our youth system, 2 brought in on a free and a bargain "Chelsea reject" all in our starting 11 - to beat them with their spend on players and draw with Liverpool (without arguably our best player) after a disappointing run of games rightly or wrongly we expect to win, shows how good Potter is. He doesn't seem to see a crisis or a problem but instead a challenge to work through step by step. It might mean a disappointment against West Brom but it builds to a result like yesterday's. There have been plenty of teams with our low player spend and more who have done worse in recent seasons, but how many have done better? I think we can look at Sheffield United, Norwich, Bournemouth etc and feel very lucky.

 

[nickbrighton]

What's most incredible is the way that he's transformed the team, while not spending a huge sum of money (by PL standards). It's not easy to completely implement a new way of playing in a short space of time (just ask Frank de Boer) but he's worked wonders.

All teams in the division know they'll be in a game with us - and that didn't happen under Hughton

I think this is it, Our floppy haired friend up the road wanted to do precisely what Bloom has done, and change the whole way of playing, from the under 5s to the first team. He thought De Boer was the man for the job (and he possibly was) but then he got cold feet a couple of matches in, panicked and Palace are back exactly where they were. Doing OK, but with a massive wage bill, no progression, a team with an average age of 29 (ish), misfiring superstars, and live in terror of Zaha being injured (especially this season). It works but is costing a fortune and god help them if they do get relagated.

Bloom and Potter on the other hand have managed the revolution, kept us up, there is obvious progression on the field, and despite what looks like a poor return in points so far,(compared to performance) there is no panic, just a quiet confidence that the results will come (and are coming-first point against Liverpool in decades, first win ever at Villa).

Potter could well take us to our highest ever position this season, for me Happy Days

 

[SweatyMexican]

As Graham would say... don’t get too high, don’t get too low.

It’s clear we’ve made a ton of progress on the pitch. We’re controlling most of the games we go into and that’s a very good sign of that progress. We’re relying on fine margins, so we just need a bit of quality to push our finger on the scales a little bit. But that will hopefully come in the next few years of our premier league development.

He’s doing a very fine job our Graham, and I can’t understand why anyone wanted his head. Keep up the solid work.

 

[SeagullDubai]

Was worried he’d got it wrong first 10 and going toe to toe was a bad idea. Then we stopped respecting them so much and he proved he got it right. Ran out of steam a bit 2nd half, but did well to pick that team - clearly due to Liverpool’s makeshift defence.

That makeshift defense probably cost more than our entire team.


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[Deportivo Seagull]

Indeed - he might *gasp* just be competent at the level we are at. Let’s see if he really can give us a season without relegation fears. Then he’ll deserve all the smoke blown up his arse. It’s still just too early to tell

If you can’t see the improvement then frankly you need better glasses... but then you have a history of talking bollocks on here.


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[Dick Swiveller]

I stay out of the binfests after we don't win as it is pointless but as far as I am concerned, Everton was the only poor performance this season. Obviously there has been a lot of frustration with the finishing but I am not sure what the manager can do about that - you could maybe argue it is a coaching issue but the Utd game was just one of those games. Hitting the woodwork 5 times cannot be coached out of players. It was a very similar performance to Villa putting 7 past Liverpool - they scored with pretty much every chance. A few inches the other way with the woodwork shots and Hooper out of the equation and we could have put 8 past Manchester United. Not sure we got out of our half 8 times in some games against top clubs in the past.

We have the second youngest team in the league and a manager on his second season in the PL and his 3rd season in the country. Staying up last year was the big hurdle for Potter. Staying up this year is the big hurdle for the Bloom/Ashworth plan as we start cashing in on our investment in youth. And we are playing some wonderful stuff. I think Potter's reluctance to talk to the press keeps him under the radar as him sucking in breath and trotting out clichés is not good TV. But he seems to deal with the team in the way we were told he excels in so I am happy.

I would rather go down trying to play the right way, investing in youth and having a go than loading up on older players and trying to grind out results like certain teams we could mention. We are established at this level now as far as having a pool of players with PL experience so it is time to try and kick on rather than keep trying to hang on in. Potter, like White, Connolly, Lamptey etc., will make mistakes as they learn to play against the big boys but as long as we keep learning from every game then all good for me!

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

In comparison to Bielsa - no......

We play nice, entertaining football no doubt and we’re competitive in most games.

But, we’re either the unluckiest team in the country or actually not as good as we think, as position wise it would seem we aren’t improving.

It feels like we’re getting better, but I guess we won’t know until the end of the season, how much a success GP has been. (Because he has been a success).

For me results are everything.

To answer the question a little too much for me.


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[portslade seagull]

Why did he take our most dangerous player off in Connolly

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

the thing i don't understand is; the people calling for potter's head, why do they watch football at all?

Are there people who want him out?

Definitely don’t agree with that....


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[rogersix]

Are there people who want him out?

Definitely don’t agree with that....


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not many, but, yes

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Anyone who Spence & TSB will happily drive from the club must be doing something right.

Think you’re harsh on [MENTION=267]TSB[/MENTION] - no idea who they are, but think he/she cares as much as the rest of us...... Don’t really follow Spence.
(Sorry Spence) [emoji2]


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[One Teddy Maybank]

not many, but, yes

Madness.
Why I think a little too much, I really can’t understand the logic in wanting him out....


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[Guinness Boy]

I must admit I was starting to doubt him but the last two games he's got the tactics spot on.

This. It could have been all fur coat and no knickers but in the last couple of games Potter has answered the critics with big results against difficult teams.

My big concern with him (and this thread) is what happens when the fans return. We still haven't won at home all season. Gushing praise on a message board about our xG can't cover for 2000 or 30,000 heading for the exits early, muttering darkly.

 

[Chris_Highwind]

Love him to bits, got us playing brilliantly - just needs the players to have a bit more composure and put the ball in the back of the net!

Adamant with my mates we will lose him when Southgate leaves the England post though

 

[Icy Gull]

This. It could have been all fur coat and no knickers but in the last couple of games Potter has answered the critics with big results against difficult teams.

My big concern with him (and this thread) is what happens when the fans return. We still haven't won at home all season. Gushing praise on a message board about our xG can't cover for 2000 or 30,000 heading for the exits early, muttering darkly.

Anyone heading for the exits early would be absolute twats (or on a promise) then, how much late action has there been this season?

Not sure I get your logic either. I would feel no differently to how I do, even if I’d been there for every game. I totally get that results are the be all and end all for some fans, but you in turn should accept that some of us go to be entertained, win, lose or draw. I have been immensely entertained, and my only dark mutterings would have been after WBA. Now angry? Yes I have been angry after a few games but not at Potter or the team.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Anyone heading for the exits early would be absolute twats (or on a promise) then, how much late action has there been this season?

Not sure I get your logic either. I would feel no differently to how I do, even if I’d been there for every game. I totally get that results are the be all and end all for some fans, but you in turn should accept that some of us go to be entertained, win, lose or draw. I have been immensely entertained, and my only dark mutterings would have been after WBA. Now angry? Yes I have been angry after a few games but not at Potter or the team.

My point is, if we'd been able to have a season with fans in the ground and we'd not be able to win a home game by December, the atmosphere in the ground would not be as happy clappy as NSC is. It's his next big test.

Looking at the home games we have, and the improvements made with Welbeck starting, I'd fully expect him to pass the test with flying colours.

Bottom line though - with fans in the ground you can't go a whole season without winning at home however nicely you're playing.