[Albion] How do you feel about the Potter revolution thus far?

[Triggaaar]

This. Toon’s chances were fewer than ours, but better.

Some were, but we obviously came closest to scoring (I'm just going to assume everyone actually watched it).

 

[Icy Gull]

I think it's difficult to assess much from yesterday as Newcastle were absolutely dogshit. Normally after writing something like that you'd add "...but you can only beat what is in front of you" but we didn't beat them and for all our possession, Newcastle had the equal of our chances. There probably weren't too many Albion fans watching that yesterday who weren't fearful of the sucker punch from the home side, particularly when Carroll was introduced.

For all the "the goals will come" comments, I do fear that we just don't have enough up front. Only managing two goals in our games against West Ham, Southampton, Burnley and Newcastle is positively Hughton-esque.

I'm worried that Murray's powers are waning, Maupay has much to prove at this level and Connolly is on a steep learning curve. It really feels as though Trossard is going to key and we need him back ASAP.

What’s very different is that we are having plenty of shots but the quality and luck is not with us. In so many games last season we were converting nearly all our chances, even if it was just one or two a game. VAR has only worked against us so far, I wonder if those two goals would have been given without it?

We are getting a point a game which will almost certainly keep us up if we continue to do so. We certainly have more chance of getting something from games than we were showing in the last few months of last season too. If we beat Chelsea for the first time ever, or even draw, I think you’ll see plenty of fence sitters changing their views

Hopefully Mooy will score the winner

 

[Goldstone1976]

Some were, but we obviously came closest to scoring (I'm just going to assume everyone actually watched it).

Yes, we came closest to scoring, but the chance was much harder than two or three of Toon's. That's why I said that their chances were better, and not that they came closer to scoring.

 

[Algernon]

I love what GP(2) has done with the style of play and players attitudes but I'm again filled with a sense of optimistic dread I'd only really felt from this New Year 'til the end of the 18/19 season.
We desperately need to sign some attacking threat. Yes I know (No s**t Sherlock).
In GP(2) I trust.
For now.

 

[Bwian]

I'm so so impressed by what Potter has done so far. If he can transform our style of play that quickly he can get the goals in there too. They just have to keep their heads up.

What a lovely finish by connolly too, such bad luck to meet the equally amazing clearance by schar

It took Potter approximately 10 games to turn Swansea's season around after inheriting a bit of a car crash club. He is always respectful of Hughton but he has inherited a club so low on confidence, technique and self-belief it was a car crash itself. The week on week improvement is great to see. His belief in the whole squad is so unlike his predecessor. Just need to work on getting goals which is stating the obvious I know but he'll watch the game a few times and make a few tweaks.

Exciting times to be an Albion fan.

Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[Bozza]

We are getting a point a game which will almost certainly keep us up if we continue to do so.

As [MENTION=3734]Giraffe[/MENTION]'s tracker indicates though, we would have hoped to have picked up more points given the (lack of) merit of most of the sides we've faced in our opening six fixtures.

I think I'm probably sounding negative, but I'm not. I'm delighted with the manner of our play, my concern is currently very much on our ability to do the business in the final third. There is very little evidence, thus far, that we can score the volume of goals I think we'll need.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I love what GP(2) has done with the style of play and players attitudes but I'm again filled with a sense of optimistic dread I'd only really felt from this New Year 'til the end of the 18/19 season.
We desperately need to sign some attacking threat. Yes I know (No s**t Sherlock).
In GP(2) I trust.
For now.

Agree that the lack of goals is a bit of a worry, but Murray can score at this level, Maupay is starting to look more at home and I think we may have a great (if very young and learning) goalscorer in Connolly.

With Trossard, Gross and March making the chances, I think we may have enough (although I wouldn't say no to more)

 

[mune ni kamome]

70% possession in an away game is off the scale in terms of positivity and encouragement. I couldn’t be more excited about our prospects. I keep harping on about 8-10 games to bed in and here we are after only 6 dominating completely away from home in the premier league. We could so easily be sitting in the top six with a little bit of luck. We will soon be banging in the goals and moving up the league.

My advice.. get your scissors, card, razor blades and crayons out and start making your league ladders, put them on your cork board and enjoy the ride

 

[Bozza]

We desperately need to sign some attacking threat. Yes I know (No s**t Sherlock).

Now, that's a thing isn't it? According to the all noises emanating from the club as we binned off Locadia and Andone, we have plenty of attacking options. So, do we need anyone else?

This is broadly what I was told when I asked about this subject...

On the striker front I think the clue is in the different systems Graham tends to play - for example:

- 3-4-3 (of which only 1 of the 3 is a central striker, and we have 3 to choose from, all of which are different types)

- 3-5-2 (of which I of the 2 is quite likely to be Trossard who will often have a free role to the left of the single striker)

- 4-2-3-1 (of which the 1 will again be from a choice of 3 different central strikers)

Graham has a fluid style, is comfortable changing systems mid-game, so when he looks at Murray, Maupay, Connolly, Trossard, March, Gross, Jahanbakhsh, Izquierdo, Alzate - plus Bissouma, who can play as attacking midfielder, and Propper who regularly plays in such a role for Holland, he is looking at a choice of 11 players for maybe 3 or 4 outwardly attacking roles depending on the system deployed - that’s a lot of choice, and all but maybe Alireza have scored or assisted 1st team goals. Alireza was top scorer (and had the most assists) in the Dutch 1st division so we know he can also find the net and create opportunities.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Agree that the lack of goals is a bit of a worry, but Murray can score at this level, Maupay is starting to look more at home and I think we may have a great (if very young and learning) goalscorer in Connolly.

With Trossard, Gross and March making the chances, I think we may have enough (although I wouldn't say no to more)

I like to think that we haven’t had a settled front 3 yet, but when we do, the goals will come. Trossard, Murray, Maupay and Gross surely have goals in them?

 

[Whitechapel]

I’m very optimistic and whilst I can understand some of the frustration, I’m also a little confused by the negativity.

If Fabian Schar was half a yard slower we’d have just picked up a brilliant away win, and be sitting pretty on 8 points which would leave us level with Spurs who are 5th. Sometimes you have to take a step back to realise just how big the gulf in performances has been. The difference in the possession we’ve had away from home this year compared to the corresponding games last year is actually ridiculous.

Newcastle:
18/19 - 32%
19/20 - 71%

Man City:
18/19 - 20%
19/20 - 46%

Watford
18/19 - 47%
19/20 - 52%

We also faced 74 shots in those 3 games last year, compared to 37 this season. So all this ball retention and pretty football isn’t just for show. It’s literally halved the amount of shots we’re facing. Last year we got pretty lucky that we managed to string 3 consecutive 1-0 wins together where we were absolutely battered. We can’t rely on that every year.

We’ve completely changed our style of play overnight, I’m actually surprised it’s gone as smoothly as it has. If people can’t see the progress and improvement then I don’t know what to tell them. Our next two games are against two of the big six who are currently faltering slightly. Last year we’d have shown them too much respect, leaked an easy goal halfway through the first half and crumbled. This year I genuinely believe we’ll get something out of one of those games. Completely behind Potter and delighted with how things are going.

 

[Goldstone1976]

I like to think that we haven’t had a settled front 3 yet, but when we do, the goals will come. Trossard, Murray, Maupay and Gross surely have goals in them?

PL:

Maupay: 2 in 4+2
Trossard: 1 in 3
Murray: 0 in 3+2
Gross: 0 in 4+2

Total: 3 in 14+6

Frankly, I'd rather they stopped keeping the goals in themselves and started letting us see them too.

 

[BensGrandad]

I must admit I am warming to it and thought that yesterday was our best performance after Watford and with a little more composure could have had 3 points.

 

[Weststander]

I’m very optimistic and whilst I can understand some of the frustration, I’m also a little confused by the negativity.

If Fabian Schar was half a yard slower we’d have just picked up a brilliant away win, and be sitting pretty on 8 points which would leave us level with Spurs who are 5th. Sometimes you have to take a step back to realise just how big the gulf in performances has been. The difference in the possession we’ve had away from home this year compared to the corresponding games last year is actually ridiculous.

Newcastle:
18/19 - 32%
19/20 - 71%

Man City:
18/19 - 20%
19/20 - 46%

Watford
18/19 - 47%
19/20 - 52%

We also faced 74 shots in those 3 games last year, compared to 37 this season. So all this ball retention and pretty football isn’t just for show. It’s literally halved the amount of shots we’re facing. Last year we got pretty lucky that we managed to string 3 consecutive 1-0 wins together where we were absolutely battered. We can’t rely on that every year.

We’ve completely changed our style of play overnight, I’m actually surprised it’s gone as smoothly as it has. If people can’t see the progress and improvement then I don’t know what to tell them. Our next two games are against two of the big six who are currently faltering slightly. Last year we’d have shown them too much respect, leaked an easy goal halfway through the first half and crumbled. This year I genuinely believe we’ll get something out of one of those games. Completely behind Potter and delighted with how things are going.

Quality post, with some very pertinent facts.

 

[Surf's Up]

Work in progress, patience required, signs are good, hang on in there everyone.

 

[highflyer]

Good football. Nice to watch. I am optimistic.
However, it seems to me that the final outcome of the season does hinge on the 'bit of a gamble' we've taken up front.
If Connolly, Maupay and Alzate all fulfil their obvious potential (in addition to Trossard who frankly has nothing more to prove in my book, he's class) we'll be fine. But it is never certain.

 

[Stat Brother]

I’m very optimistic and whilst I can understand some of the frustration, I’m also a little confused by the negativity.

If Fabian Schar was half a yard slower we’d have just picked up a brilliant away win, and be sitting pretty on 8 points which would leave us level with Spurs who are 5th. Sometimes you have to take a step back to realise just how big the gulf in performances has been. The difference in the possession we’ve had away from home this year compared to the corresponding games last year is actually ridiculous.

Newcastle:
18/19 - 32%
19/20 - 71%

Man City:
18/19 - 20%
19/20 - 46%

Watford
18/19 - 47%
19/20 - 52%

We also faced 74 shots in those 3 games last year, compared to 37 this season. So all this ball retention and pretty football isn’t just for show. It’s literally halved the amount of shots we’re facing. Last year we got pretty lucky that we managed to string 3 consecutive 1-0 wins together where we were absolutely battered. We can’t rely on that every year.

We’ve completely changed our style of play overnight, I’m actually surprised it’s gone as smoothly as it has. If people can’t see the progress and improvement then I don’t know what to tell them. Our next two games are against two of the big six who are currently faltering slightly. Last year we’d have shown them too much respect, leaked an easy goal halfway through the first half and crumbled. This year I genuinely believe we’ll get something out of one of those games. Completely behind Potter and delighted with how things are going.

Excellent post.
Completely agree, but:-

It's a results based business.
In the Albion's situation the team just can't afford to leave points on the table.
They have been so good and yet a 7+ points have gone begging.


Fortunately they are in a division where ok is plenty good enough and clearly they are much better than ok, compared to some.

But having previously cut it fine, there isn't much wiggle room, esp with a misfiring 3 pronged strike force.

 

[Algernon]

So, do we need anyone else?

We're not free-scoring but we're only BHA so we're not likely to be.
Gross, Propper, March, Comical Ali won't have many goals between them in a season.
Izzy iznt the answer as he hasn't been even when uninjured.
Maupay, Alzate, Connelly, are untested, hopefully the future source of goals for the team.
Bissouma, I can't work out yet. I don't know whether he'll be a a huge disappointment or our very own Vieira.
Murray I don't think will feature as much so his goal scoring duties will have to be taken up by others.

I think we need more goals but GP(2) obviously sees the team in training and is reasonably happy. Our midfielders are now able to provide the opportunities for players to shoot, we just need or guys to pull the trigger and have a go.
As an aside, I was watching MOTD last night and noticed two scoring opportunities. The NUFC forward (£21,000,000) can't remember his name, was on the edge of the box, looked at Ryan twice when sizing up his shot, then blasted it straight at him.
James Maddison (I think. Cost £3.50 ) had the ball in another match, ran towards the goal looking at the ball, never looked up at the goal once, and blasted it into the bottom left hand corner to much praise from Lineker et al in the studio. If you don't shoot, you don't score. Just have a go ffs.

Forgot Trossard. Looks good. Some goals.

 

[DJ NOBO]

Defence - we were strong last season. this season we are a bit more open, marginally weaker

Possession - a significant and noticeable improvement on last season.

Attacking midfield threat - very weak last season, very weak this season. Trossard an upgrade though.

Forward line - maupay an upgrade, but a lack of goals remains the key weakness.

I’m surprised many on here are creaming themselves over potterball. Perhaps it’s because the hughton final days were such a terrible watch. Whatever the case, despite oodles of possession we aren’t any more effective at getting points than before. If anything the midfield looks even more goal shy.
A lot rests on trossard and maupay. Boussama stepping up would be a welcome bonus too.
Potter was always a left field option. It’s a long way off being the right appointment.

 

[Bakero]

Defence - we were strong last season. this season we are a bit more open, marginally weaker

Possession - a significant and noticeable improvement on last season.

Attacking midfield threat - very weak last season, very weak this season. Trossard an upgrade though.

Forward line - maupay an upgrade, but a lack of goals remains the key weakness.

I’m surprised many on here are creaming themselves over potterball. Perhaps it’s because the hughton final days were such a terrible watch. Whatever the case, despite oodles of possession we aren’t any more effective at getting points than before. If anything the midfield looks even more goal shy.
A lot rests on trossard and maupay. Boussama stepping up would be a welcome bonus too.
Potter was always a left field option. It’s a long way off being the right appointment.

Yet the stats suggest our defence has been better this season than last in terms of goal scoring opportunities for our opponents.

It's obvious to anyone with eyes that we look a much better side this season. I'm confident the goals and points will come.