[Albion] Does Potter have a clue ?

[Eric Youngs Contact Lense]

we get down the wings and then go backwards again .....all the way back to ryan sometimes ........pearson said he knew we played possession football so all they have to do is let us pass around between back 5 , push us deeper and deeper ...back to ryan who half the time has to boot it under pressure.......it does get tedious.

So what is the answer? If a team will sit like that, what is so obvious that we are not doing, that is within our capability?

 

[doogie004]

I am one for finding the positives.. even end of last season where there were few to find! I understand the calls for moving the ball quicker, but that is very, very hard to do with teams who sit in. We saw us do that numerous times last season, frustrating the hell out of the opposition (and many of our fans) whilst teams, with much better players than we have now, passed the ball around. There are accusations that "we don't start playing until 70 minutes have gone" - well could that be linked to the possession play, moving teams around, making them work and it takes that long for some spaces to open up?
We could have lost that game yesterday, but we didn't! We kept a rival at bay, who have been playing pretty well recently and the biggest criticism we have is that we didnt create enough chances.. Well I for one am happy with my lot - of course would love to see us hammer someone, but accept that teams who fear us, will sit in and make it horribly difficult for us to create. Sheff Utd, Palace will do exactly this!
I would much rather have been a Brighton fan watching yesterday than a Watford fan..

I bet Watford fans were the happier of the two though point away in premier league


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[Not Andy Naylor]

I’m worried Potter has found himself in a reactive phase rather than proactive.

It felt that selections earlier in the season were proactively looking at improving strengths, exploiting opportunities, building on positives.

Yesterday felt reactive. Bringing Schelotto, Duffy and Burn in all at the same time for a complete transformation of the back line felt a step too far. Mooy has been out of sorts for a few weeks, playing him in a central midfield role against a well drilled very strong very mobile midfield felt the wrong move, giving the ball away for their goal was coming, whether from him or someone else, Propper also got away with one. Did Gross have enough touches to give the ball away?

March and Trossard, get the ball in lads!!?? Why do we stop, turn, take a touch every bloody time we penetrate down the wings?

Duffy looked like the ball was covered in the coronavirus every time it came near him.

It was pretty shambolic that first half. The saving grace was that Pearson gave his lot an old school team talk at HT and told them to shut up shop, not seen a team go that deep in 2 banks of 5 since our away 0-0 at Wolves at the end of last season. Made us look at least a bit decent second half, but still hardly managed a shot of any note and needed another og on our behalf.

I agree with most of this. I'd add that the use of Alzate yesterday was ridiculous. When he came on we suddenly had a spark of something different, someone who makes quick decisions and looked dynamic in midfield. But then when Schelotto came off, Alzate was the only available choice to go to right back, removing his influence from midfield.

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lense]

I bet Watford fans were the happier of the two though point away in premier league


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They watched their side throw away another 2 points, sitting deep trying to defend a lead against a team that is accused of not scoring enough goals, against a relegation rival , following on from throwing a 2-0 lead, at home the previous week. I doubt they were happy. I would still prefer to watch us try and play the way we do, and get the same return in terms of points.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Another point about Alzate - with Stephens out injured, why did Potter play Mooy as a holding midfielder alongside Propper rather than Alzate, who looks perfectly comfortable there? Square pegs in round holes was supposed to be a Hughton thing ...

 

[Thunder Bolt]

They watched their side throw away another 2 points, sitting deep trying to defend a lead against a team that is accused of not scoring enough goals, against a relegation rival , following on from throwing a 2-0 lead, at home the previous week. I doubt they were happy. I would still prefer to watch us try and play the way we do, and get the same return in terms of points.

The Watford fans next to me on the way home were convinced they’re going to be relegated. They thought we played much better than them, and were relieved to have come away with a point.

 

[Artie Fufkin]

Another point about Alzate - with Stephens out injured, why did Potter play Mooy as a holding midfielder alongside Propper rather than Alzate, who looks perfectly comfortable there? Square pegs in round holes was supposed to be a Hughton thing ...

This comment from Paul MacInnes from The Guardian might have been mentioned on another thread but I think it sums up in the current situation pretty well. Despite being fortunate with few major injuries so far this season Potter still doesn't know his set 11 or perhaps rather performances from the players haven't cemented our best 11. 5 months into the season and he's still trying to find a settled team. I'm sure he would have loved to have had a better idea before Christmas. We still have time but it's making it harder. Consistency plays a huge part in performance but unfortunately the individual consistency in most of the players hasn't been there to maintain collective consistency in quality.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/feb/10/premier-league-champiosnhip-europe-talking-points

1) Brighton need to find right formula fast
Brighton have been chopping and changing, looking for a formula that might help them beat the drop. They remain outside the relegation zone by three points and have a better goal difference than their rivals. But they have not won since December and, ever since, the team has gone through a number of permutations from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 and others in between. On Saturday they started in a 4-1-4-1 with Davy Pröpper anchoring midfield behind Aaron Mooy and Pascal Gross. By the time the game ended there were two up top and two wide midfielders at full-back. In the end it worked, with one substitute, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, firing over the cross that Adrian Mariappa turned into his own net for Brighton’s equaliser. But it was a close-run thing. Brighton are still looking for an approach they can rely on. They will need to settle on one soon. Paul MacInnes

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Another point about Alzate - with Stephens out injured, why did Potter play Mooy as a holding midfielder alongside Propper rather than Alzate, who looks perfectly comfortable there? Square pegs in round holes was supposed to be a Hughton thing ...

Agree. Alzate must start in central midfield at Bramell Lane. Oozed composure when he came on.
Mooy must play higher up the pitch and Gross and Mooy must not play again in the same midfield. They are too slow as a pair. When Gross was subbed, he sprinted off in a way I hadn't seen for a long time. Where did that come from? Saturday was such an odd selection, almost a hybrid Hughton side. I'm a big Potter fan & I identify with this team a lot but against Watford it was if he'd lost his nerve. I think he should stick to his guns but its mid February and we still don't know what's our best starting 11.

 

[Kaiser_Soze]

Schelotto played well. Burn was so important for our play he needed to come straight back in, even if it takes a game or so to get back to speed. Duffy I would have picked, like many, he started slow and didn't cover himself in glory, but I would stick with him for Sheffield at least

Im generally a Schelotto fan but he was poor yesterday. Made some good runs forward but there was no one to cross it too. Defensively though he gave the ball away with so many misplaced passes and looked nervous on the ball.

 

[Bakero]

Agree. Alzate must start in central midfield at Bramell Lane. Oozed composure when he came on.
Mooy must play higher up the pitch and Gross and Mooy must not play again in the same midfield. They are too slow as a pair. When Gross was subbed, he sprinted off in a way I hadn't seen for a long time. Where did that come from? Saturday was such an odd selection, almost a hybrid Hughton side. I'm a big Potter fan & I identify with this team a lot but against Watford it was if he'd lost his nerve. I think he should stick to his guns but its mid February and we still don't know what's our best starting 11.

I said to a mate the other day that we should build the team around Alzate. His quality on the ball is another level.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Just slightly let down that Duffy didn’t put Doucoure onto his weaker foot.

You can see from the TV replays though that he was really trying to do that, but the beggar managed to step inside anyway - AND got a lucky bobble of the pitch. I thought Duffy was a bit unlucky.

 

[narly101]

No he doesn't. Firmly in the Potter OUT camp now.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

So what is the answer? If a team will sit like that, what is so obvious that we are not doing, that is within our capability?

When teams sit deep you need runners from midfield dribbling and driving at the defence to get bodies to shift so it opens up spaces. I guess you could also pump balls into a target man for headed goals or knock downs.

Playing slowly around the back 6 while the opposition maintain their deep position is unlikely to have much effect I would imagine

 

[doogie004]

They watched their side throw away another 2 points, sitting deep trying to defend a lead against a team that is accused of not scoring enough goals, against a relegation rival , following on from throwing a 2-0 lead, at home the previous week. I doubt they were happy. I would still prefer to watch us try and play the way we do, and get the same return in terms of points.

I still bet they were happier than us after that woeful home performance


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[doogie004]

When teams sit deep you need runners from midfield dribbling and driving at the defence to get bodies to shift so it opens up spaces. I guess you could also pump balls into a target man for headed goals or knock downs.

Playing slowly around the back 6 while the opposition maintain their deep position is unlikely to have much effect I would imagine

Players running and dribbling at defenders like knocky use to do you mean


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[portlock seagull]

When teams sit deep you need runners from midfield dribbling and driving at the defence to get bodies to shift so it opens up spaces. I guess you could also pump balls into a target man for headed goals or knock downs.

Playing slowly around the back 6 while the opposition maintain their deep position is unlikely to have much effect I would imagine

I know what you mean. Won’t be long before we see opponent players popping over to the sidelines for a quick bottle refreshment whilst we continue to pass it around at the back and keep ‘possession’

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lense]

I still bet they were happier than us after that woeful home performance


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Happier than you it appears, and others, but not everyone and certainly not me. Remember, I am not suggesting we put in a great performance, but if there are two ways to get a point, then I preferred our approach even if the execution wasn't quite there.

 

[rippleman]

I said to a mate the other day that we should build the team around Alzate. His quality on the ball is another level.

Totally agree. His talents are wasted playing at RB. He is a class act.

Now if we can see that, I wonder why our manager can't.

 

[doogie004]

Happier than you it appears, and others, but not everyone and certainly not me. Remember, I am not suggesting we put in a great performance, but if there are two ways to get a point, then I preferred our approach even if the execution wasn't quite there.

Our approach to getting a point was there defender smashing it into his own net with not a brighton player in sight .but if that makes u happy then good for you .


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[Eric Youngs Contact Lense]

Our approach to getting a point was there defender smashing it into his own net with not a brighton player in sight .but if that makes u happy then good for you .


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Well that was the outcome of our approach.. I doubt that was the tactical plan..