[Albion] how good are we, actually?

[SeagullsoverLondon]

Just learned a new word. Didn't realise that was a thing, would have always said more succinct. Thank you sir

Succincter is definitely succincter than more succinct (by 2 letters, although same number of syllables if saying out loud)

 

[The Optimist]

let me just say first off it’s been an excellent season results-wise. and obviously there’s the usual caveat about a new manager needing time, same with the new players.

i do think it is just worth mentioning, more out of curiosity than a moan, that to be honest, i really haven’t been that impressed with any of our performances so far. certainly not like we saw when RDZ took over from potter (although again there were a few dodgy performances early on). our buildup routines are mostly appalling, we look as defensively open as we did last season and saw against ipswich the same old issues of not being able to win against park-the-bus teams.

it’s absolutely nothing to worry about really, we got four points of arsenal and utd ffs, but it does leave me wondering if we are flattering to deceive a little?

So we’ve been winning without playing well. That’s the sign of champions isn’t it?

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Succincter is definitely succincter than more succinct (by 2 letters, although same number of syllables if saying out loud)

Could shave a syllable off by going for "shorter" instead.

 

[el punal]

When they went to 10 men, yes.

So? We beat Forest 3-2 last year when we went down to ten men. Regardless of Arsenal having ten or eleven players on the pitch you can only play what’s in front of you. We got a draw away from home at one of the favourites to win the title, can’t sniff at that.

 

[Super Sub]

So? We beat Forest 3-2 last year when we went down to ten men. Regardless of Arsenal having ten or eleven players on the pitch you can only play what’s in front of you. We got a draw away from home at one of the favourites to win the title, can’t sniff at that.

Im not...
My original post in this thread was me stating that i believe we are up there with the best of them with the exception of the top 2. How this has become a negative post is beyond me.

Here is original post...
I still think we have the potential to be a match for all but the top 2.
We are still settling in to the FH way and have some fantastic players yet to be integrated in to the squad.
A fully fit Ferdi and March on the right flank and Estupinan (if he recovers his form) and Mitoma/Adingra on the left will light up many a match.
The midfield once settled will be very competitive when you have Wieffer, Baleba, O’Riley, Hinsh and Ayari fighting it out for a spot.
Up top will be equally as competitive for a starting berth what with Welbeck, JP, Georginio and Ferguson all wanting to play.
Havent even mentioned Minteh, Gruda, Enciso etc and the centre half’s pretty much pick themselves… would be a little concerned if we lost one of the first choice pairing to injury though.

 

[el punal]

Im not...
My original post in this thread was me stating that i believe we are up there with the best of them with the exception of the top 2. How this has become a negative post is beyond me.

Here is original post...
I still think we have the potential to be a match for all but the top 2.
We are still settling in to the FH way and have some fantastic players yet to be integrated in to the squad.
A fully fit Ferdi and March on the right flank and Estupinan (if he recovers his form) and Mitoma/Adingra on the left will light up many a match.
The midfield once settled will be very competitive when you have Wieffer, Baleba, O’Riley, Hinsh and Ayari fighting it out for a spot.
Up top will be equally as competitive for a starting berth what with Welbeck, JP, Georginio and Ferguson all wanting to play.
Havent even mentioned Minteh, Gruda, Enciso etc and the centre half’s pretty much pick themselves… would be a little concerned if we lost one of the first choice pairing to injury though.

Fair enough. I was responding to your other post about Arsenal going down to ten men. Hey ho! That’ll teach me to read ALL the posts before commenting.

 

[warmleyseagull]

I think it’s just hard to tell tbh. We’ve gotten the results but tbh, I’ve thought we’ve looked poor in most of the games bar Everton. The style isn’t that clear and the passing has been really poor as has a lot of the play at times.

These are things that can come right with time and practice, so it could just be early season issues, especially with such a lot of new players, who themselves are trying to get up to speed and learn.

I am glad fans are staying positive and backing the team because it’s still the best position we’ve ever been but I am not sure I agree with a lot of the calls that we look great and the players all look amazing and a cut above everyone else - nearly everyone out there is misplacing passes and making mistakes. I think we should recognise that too.

You didn’t see the first 20 minutes against Everton, then? Better team would have 2 or 3 up.

 

[Littlemo]

You didn’t see the first 20 minutes against Everton, then? Better team would have 2 or 3 up.

I was trying to be positive!

 

[macbeth]

going back to this, and it’s still very early to judge, i’d say we’re a very decent side going forward. our defence/defensive tactics however are top-to-mid-table championship level

 

[AstroSloth]

going back to this, and it’s still very early to judge, i’d say we’re a very decent side going forward. our defence/defensive tactics however are top-to-mid-table championship level

Take Van Hecke out of the side and we absolutely cannot play this high line.

 

[peterward]

It's the strongest, both in depth and quality, Albion squad of all time.

With enough luck, this will be our highest ever finish. We might even win a trophy, who knows.

Assemble the best classical musicians in the world.

Stick a baton in my hands as a rookie and it's going to sound a chaotic mess.

I am the Fabian Hurzeler of conducting.

 

[A1X]

 

[raymondo]

Take Van Hecke out of the side and we absolutely cannot play this high line.

We barely can with JPVH in it...but yes

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I don't totally blame the defence. I believe we've started with a different central midfield pairing in every single game this season, League and Cup. They're the guys who protect the defence's high line.

The high line has worked a lot too. But individual errors make the high line very vulnerable

 

[The Fits]

Are we good going forward? Because I'm not actually seeing that. I'm not seeing the slickness of peak RDZ, not that I expect to yet. Today we scored thanks to two absolute howlers from ex players. Massively missing JP, our most outstanding attacker, and JPVH today who is clearly our best defender now. But we knew injuries would happen.
We're still struggling to break teams down and we are incapable of defending. Our defending is winning the ball high up the pitch, the art of our defenders actually defending seems to have been lost. Palmer could have scored 8 today and 6 in the first half.

I'm excited to see how Fab develops us and some of the new players, but right now I'd be amazed if come the end of the season we are top half.
Still, I suspect this season expectations are fairly low (which is mad given how much we spent but we know the reasons for that spending).

 

[raymondo]

I don't totally blame the defence. I believe we've started with a different central midfield pairing in every single game this season, League and Cup. They're the guys who protect the defence's high line.

The high line has worked a lot too. But individual errors make the high line very vulnerable

I agree that the high line has 'worked' in the sense we get a number of offsides in our favour...but a good opposition get loads of chances to practise breaking through it.. and they will.
We are often on the halfway line... it's madness, fast strikers can just run from their own half.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I agree that the high line has 'worked' in the sense we get a number of offsides in our favour...but a good opposition get loads of chances to practise breaking through it.. and they will.
We are often on the halfway line... it's madness, fast strikers can just run from their own half.

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.

 

[The Fits]

I agree that the high line has 'worked' in the sense we get a number of offsides in our favour...but a good opposition get loads of chances to practise breaking through it.. and they will.
We are often on the halfway line... it's madness, fast strikers can just run from their own half.

The most important part of that is the running into space thing. Give a player a chance in a crowded box and the pressure is on. Give them a free run at goal and they'll likely score.
It's a crazy tactic.

 

[TottonSeagull]

Today was always going to happen. Not as good as we were this time last year and ridiculously open at the back. Boy wonder needs to sort out his tactics or we will have a battle at the wrong end of the table!

 

[macbeth]

The most important part of that is the running into space thing. Give a player a chance in a crowded box and the pressure is on. Give them a free run at goal and they'll likely score.
It's a crazy tactic.

yeah this is where the combination of tactics and personnel really do us no favours. nothing inherently wrong with playing a high line but when you’ve got absolutely nobody with a modicum of pace to get back and make a recovery, or at least try and put the attacker off, it’s almost a guaranteed goal. that extra second or so that the attacker will have to make a decision due to the lack of pace is huge