[Albion] how good are we, actually?

[raymondo]

Yeah, don't totally disagree, but I think there was only one onside chance they created from breaking the high line, the rest of the time the breaking the line chances came from our own mistakes, losing the ball in central positions. But one can argue that teams will always lose the ball in midfield positions.

Yes, I agree.

 

[Zeberdi]

NSC’ers were emphatic that two Villa goals should never have stood.

Sorry but why would me saying that FH will analyse the playbacks and take lessons from it where he went wrong with the tactics and say we were sorely missing some key defenders illicit a from you? Bizarre response unless I have misunderstood your reaction.

Are we not allowed to have a balanced and optimistic view or must it be HÜRZELER OUT! after 6 matches?

 

[jcdenton08]

Agreed to a point but we do have a massive squad and have just spent the most money of any team in the world to improve it. We aren't the paupers we once were.

I think my feeling on this is about spend per player, relative to their importance to the squad, if you get me. These £8-£10m punts add up but they are based on not what they can offer now but what their return will be based on financial modelling in X years

 

[AstroSloth]

Suicidal tactics defending and no defined style going forward. I fear we may have another Sammy Hyypia situation going on

I also remember Hyypia going undefeated for 7 games in the PL against 2 top 6 sides.

 

[Weststander]

Sorry but why would me saying that FH will analyse the playbacks and take lessons from it where he went wrong with the tactics and say we were sorely missing some key defenders illicit a from you? Bizarre response unless I have misunderstood your reaction.

Are we not allowed to have a balanced view or must it be HÜRZELER OUT! after 6 matches?

Because imho a continued high line against pace won’t come good through analysis, lessons learned. With the current squad.

Even Ipswich in our stadium and a completely out of sorts Wolves exploited it on repeat.

It requires a major rethink from Hurzeler with some pragmatism.

This isn’t just me. Did you listen to Radio Sussex between 5 and 6 today? Clear analysis on why Wolves/Forest/Ipswich/Chelsea offensively found it so easy.

 

[AstroSloth]

Are we good going forward? Because I'm not actually seeing that. I'm not seeing the slickness of peak RDZ

We definitely have it, we just have a side that is way less cohesive than it was when De Zerbi took over.

We've had moves that would have resulted in incredible goals if not for the final misplaced touch/pass.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

To be a really good team we need to do what Chelsea did today, beat good teams in good form. Eight seasons in, still searching for that.

 

[pocketseagull]

edit, misread your post

 

[Bodian]

I’m not stressing about the result too much - a 4-2 scoreline against a big team that’s completely found it’s mojo under Maresca, has one of the highest shots to goal conversion rates in the PL and over performing their xG, is not entirely shocking.

It's funny isn't it - as if we'd lost 2-0, I doubt if there would be such an inquest. And in the score predictor thread, the most votes went to a two goal defeat - so, pretty much predicted really. Just in a different way that we expected!

 

[Chicken Run]

To be a really good team we need to do what Chelsea did today, beat good teams in good form. Eight seasons in, still searching for that.

And also take three points from the likes of Forrest & Ipswich

 

[Weststander]

Mid table.

Desperately wouldn’t want an injury to Baleba and/or JPVH.

Still this.

Creatively very good.

 

[Littlemo]

It's funny isn't it - as if we'd lost 2-0, I doubt if there would be such an inquest. And in the score predictor thread, the most votes went to a two goal defeat - so, pretty much predicted really. Just in a different way that we expected!

It’s not really about the final score though. They had the ball in our net 7 times overall and at least one of those offsides was actually quite tight. That should be a worry for any team.

 

[Reddleman]

Let's be honest, RDZ was a bit of a twat at times, but he was a f***ing great tactician. It was always going to be hard to replace him.

No he wasn’t. He was stubborn and wouldn’t change and under him we had some of the worst results of our PL era . The 6-1 Villa defeat and 5-1 Everton were shambolic embarrassments, way worse than today. Let’s not reinvent the past, RDZ had no plan B, couldn’t or wouldn’t change and that’s why he’s not here any more.

 

[Zeberdi]

Because imho a continued high line against pace won’t come good through analysis, lessons learned. With the current squad.

Even Ipswich in our stadium and a completely out of sorts Wolves exploited it on repeat.

It requires a major rethink from Hurzeler with some pragmatism.

This isn’t just me. Did you listen to Radio Sussex between 5 and 6 today? Clear analysis on why Wolves/Forest/Ipswich/Chelsea offensively found it so easy.

I tend not to listen to any post match analysis these days - we’ve watched the same match . Although I used to love listening to radio Sussex in the car after going to live matches.

I wasn’t suggesting we continue with a high line - in fact at the top of this thread in my first post before kick off and without the wisdom of any radio or tv commentary I said against the pace of Chelsea, we need to drop the defensive line deeper and pack out the midfield as well as watch our lack of pace down the right fb area all of which proved prophetically correct.

I think Hürzeler is flexible enough to rethink things - he has a track record last season of doing exactly that. Even in the second half, the tweaks and subs made a difference but I really don’t disagree with you about our performances.

However, I think part of our problem too, is in our finishing and lack of clinical play in the final third (inability to create chances) as well as some pretty schoolboy-level errors by individual players and being careless in possession with our passing at times.

 

[Weststander]

I tend not to listen to any post match analysis these days - we’ve watched the same match . Although I used to love listening to radio Sussex in the car after going to live matches.

I wasn’t suggesting we continue with a high line - in fact at the top of this thread in my first post before kick off and without the wisdom of any radio or tv commentary I said against the pace of Chelsea, we need to drop the defensive line deeper and pack out the midfield as well as watch our lack of pace down the right fb area.

I think Hürzeler is flexible enough to rethink things - he has a track record last season of doing exactly that. Even in the second half, the tweaks and subs made a difference but I really don’t disagree with you about our performances.

However, I think part of our problem too, is in our finishing and lack of clinical play in the final third (inability to create chances) as well as some pretty schoolboy-level errors by individual players and being careless in possession with our passing at times.

I prefer what you’re suggesting to what FH did today. Many folk suggested identical tactics to Forest and we would come a cropper today with a big score against.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

And also take three points from the likes of Forrest & Ipswich

Well, Forest last week come under the 'decent team playing well' banner. I really want to be able to beat good teams who are playing well, but we always seem to come up short. Away from home is a hard ask, of course

 

[Han Solo]

We had a naive approach and got what we asked for. Its not a massive issue - I've seen us naive in the early days of Potter and De Zerbi as well.

As long as the manager and new players learn a bunch from this (and they probably will), the loss is no big deal. It was always going to happen.

We're better than today but worse than a team that goes five in the PL without a loss.

 

[Han Solo]

Let's be honest, RDZ was a bit of a twat at times, but he was a f***ing great tactician. It was always going to be hard to replace him.

He certainly was not. He had a firm tactical view of the game and how it was supposed to be played. But as I see it you have to be able to adapt to opposition to be a good tactician.

No doubt in his understanding of the game but I don't think he used it very well other than to try and show off.
I think this Chelsea side would have had a lot of fun with our team and coach from last season as well. Unfortunately they have individuals capable of doing this to you unless you're incredibly tight and disciplined.

 

[Weststander]

He certainly was not. He had a firm tactical view of the game and how it was supposed to be played. But as I see it you have to be able to adapt to opposition to be a good tactician.

No doubt in his understanding of the game but I don't think he used it very well other than to try and show off.
I think this Chelsea side would have had a lot of fun with our team and coach from last season as well. Unfortunately they have individuals capable of doing this to you unless you're incredibly tight and disciplined.

For 90+ minutes any team is going to cede possession, giving rise to danger. Even Rodri-less ManC today second half were vulnerable on countless occasions. I don’t think this Albion can shut out opposition openings for the counter, that’s almost impossible. Imho we either need a big variation on the high line, or a couple of other defensive minded players with exception pace.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Because imho a continued high line against pace won’t come good through analysis, lessons learned. With the current squad.

Even Ipswich in our stadium and a completely out of sorts Wolves exploited it on repeat.

It requires a major rethink from Hurzeler with some pragmatism.

This isn’t just me. Did you listen to Radio Sussex between 5 and 6 today? Clear analysis on why Wolves/Forest/Ipswich/Chelsea offensively found it so easy.

This.

Just got back, really disappointed with Hurlezer, it really isn’t rocket science, Shearer analysed it last Saturday, most of us on NSC have said it all week, and yet he still persisted.

Defensively, that was absolutely appalling.
Fab needs to learn fast, because a third time (the first being Forest) would actually be stupidity.

I like the ‘learning has no finish line’ quote, but you have to absorb, embrace and apply..l..