[Albion] Fabian I was wrong

[Kalimantan Gull]

Experimenting in the premier league is so difficult because people hang not just on every single result but every single minute of every game. It's such a cauldron, how do you know if something will work without trying it, but if you try it and it fails, you are one step closer to the chop. It's probably why most successful managers have already been fired several times.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I don't know whether he ever played 4-1-4-1 at St Pauli, but trying it away to a team like Forest who break quickly when your squad is already stretched was an experiment too far. I actually like it as a system but the midfield four were too far in advance of Hinshelwood. If he'd had everyone fit and could have played a four of, say, Minteh, Hinsh, Gomez and Mitoma with Baleba holding, it would probably have been a very different story. But, as has been said, lesson learned and we've moved on.

 

[chaileyjem]

He was just about getting away with it with Baleba, as Baleba is a freak of nature. But he’d been doing this all season and showing no desire to change.

The Forest result seems to have been such a gut punch that he’s had to learn. We’ve been much, much better since.

It turns out that sometimes getting battered 7-0 is required to lessen the ego of the manager, which is clearly part of the process. I’m glad it happened in hindsight, and long may this more mature manager continue.

He’s had setbacks all season and quickly learnt from them and adapted. Losing at Chelsea in September with the high press, going 2-0 down and 1-0 down to City and Spurs , recovering to get points at Villa and Arsenal at Christmas, keeping the win at Bournemouth (a) with 10 men. And subs and tactical changes have been part of that all season. He’s on a run now of 2 defeats in 15. Things didn’t just go right after Forest.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I don't know whether he ever played 4-1-4-1 at St Pauli, but trying it away to a team like Forest who break quickly when your squad is already stretched was an experiment too far. I actually like it as a system but the midfield four were too far in advance of Hinshelwood. If he'd had everyone fit and could have played a four of, say, Minteh, Hinsh, Gomez and Mitoma with Baleba holding, it would probably have been a very different story. But, as has been said, lesson learned and we've moved on.

Not only that, the two advanced centre mids weren't actual midfielders like Hinsh and Gomez, but Pedro and Rutter.

Indeed the 4-1-4-1 you suggest is pretty darn defensive compared to what we normally do, and certainly what we were attempting at Forest. But we just didn't have the players available at Forest to do that, or do anything really. I guess if you're going to bite the bullet and play the best five attackers together, do it when you're out of other options, then lose 7-0 and never do it again

 

[saafend_seagull]

If he beats Fulham, he’s better than Zerbi.

 

[chaileyjem]

If he beats Fulham, he’s better than Zerbi.

You can certainly say if he beats Fulham then he's just as well placed as RDZ was in 22/23 with ten games to go with 46 points and a FA Cup QF place. (tbf did have pre season to work with the squad, but on other hand RDZ arrived at a team in Sept already with 13 points from just 6 games).

of course neither RDZ or Potter could beat Fulham !!

 

[Javeaseagull]

If he beats Fulham, he’s better than Zerbi.

If we beat Fulham he will have done what no other Albion manager has done.

 

[tstanbur]

If we beat Fulham he will have done what no other Albion manager has done.

* in the Premier League.

 

[essbee1]

Do we now boo Dunky every time he gets the ball. I certainly will be. And swearing at him at every opportunity.

wa*ker!

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

He was just about getting away with it with Baleba, as Baleba is a freak of nature. But he’d been doing this all season and showing no desire to change.

The Forest result seems to have been such a gut punch that he’s had to learn. We’ve been much, much better since.

It turns out that sometimes getting battered 7-0 is required to lessen the ego of the manager, which is clearly part of the process. I’m glad it happened in hindsight, and long may this more mature manager continue.

Looks up the word "grudging" in the dictionary.

 

[Triggaaar]

That's reasonable.

Alongside the experimentation there was also a huge learning curve for Fab himself.
He has had the best squad he has ever coached at his disposal.
In his career to date, he has been able to be very innovative with lesser players, and had a decent amount of success with it.

And we also have to factor in that the players are young and/or new and learning the PL themselves.

 

[Triggaaar]

He’s had setbacks all season and quickly learnt from them and adapted. Losing at Chelsea in September with the high press, going 2-0 down and 1-0 down to City and Spurs

That kamikaze defending was horrible.

You can certainly say if he beats Fulham then he's just as well placed as RDZ was in 22/23 with ten games to go with 46 points and a FA Cup QF place. (tbf did have pre season to work with the squad, but on other hand RDZ arrived at a team in Sept already with 13 points from just 6 games).

Well we can compare Fab's first 27 PL games with RDZ's:

Fab: won 11, drawn 10, lost 6
RDZ: won 12, drew 6, lost 9

So Fab has done better than RDZ, so far.

Although Fab had pre-season, RDZ arrived at a winning team that didn't need fixing.

 

[Triggaaar]

It turns out that sometimes getting battered 7-0 is required to lessen the ego of the manager, which is clearly part of the process. I’m glad it happened in hindsight, and long may this more mature manager continue.

I wouldn't categorise our current manager as having a big ego, or in anyway immature