[Albion] How the hell have we only conceded one goal?

[Guinness Boy]

Three competitive games for Super Fab now and one goal conceded.

How on earth has that happened? I’m more nervous than an EDL rioter in a courtroom when the other team gets the ball this season, yet three games against very different opposition would suggest that the mutterings we’d concede less this season are spot on.

What’s the secret NSC sages?

 

[Insel affe]

Thanks for that…..

someone bump this thread after Saturday and Arsenal have whacked five past us….

 

[Scoffers]

Sheer luck!

 

[Weststander]

Everton …. we closed off the Harrison route.
Manure …. offside trap effective & their blunder.
Tonight …. our B team got away with conceding a fair few. Lamptey and others were bloody awful.

Playing Hinshelwood at LB and/or Lamptey at RB on Saturday will see a spanking. Time to play specialists who are quality.

 

[Eeyore]

Three competitive games for Super Fab now and one goal conceded.

How on earth has that happened? I’m more nervous than an EDL rioter in a courtroom when the other team gets the ball this season, yet three games against very different opposition would suggest that the mutterings we’d concede less this season are spot on.

What’s the secret NSC sages?

He's had seven first team matches and won them all (4 x F, 2 x EPL, 1 x LC)

5-1, 4-2, 1-0, 4-0, 3-0, 2-1, 4-0

So he's only conceded once on English soil.

 

[Zeberdi]

Perhaps a combination of things imo

• Marginal calls have gone our way
• we are attacking more aggressively and more directly - teams are relying on counters instead of us ‘standing on the ball’ to inviting a high press as we did last season
• not playing out from the back/circulating the ball between the defenders and GK as much this season but more direct balls into the midfield (therefore less risk in our own third).
• Steele standing in for Verbruggen - more hoof ball and some excellent saves
• progressing the ball much more quickly up the wings
• winning more arial duels in midfield
• Scoring the first goal more so far this season - forces oppo to play more open game allowing us to press high, keeping the ball out of our own third
• So far playing teams that have finished poorly (while our finishing is much improved).

 

[London Irish]

The answer is probably we played a poor Everton team, a slightly overrated Man U team and a League One team who started the season as relegation favourites.

That said we have some good players! tho we need to get the fullback spots and defensive midfield spots more nailed down if we are to keep winning consistently

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

Have to say at the moment it feels far more like luck (or opposition failing to capitalise) than any kind of improved defensive structure. We’ve not really ‘controlled’ a game yet bar the end of tonight and likewise Everton.

I may not be giving enough credit to the offside trap which they’ve clearly worked on. Unfortunately it has the effect of making it feel like we get carved open; it tends to conjure an emotional reaction of relief when the flag goes up/VAR intervenes, rather than a pragmatic reaction of ‘disciplined defending’.

All in all I’m still worried about what Arsenal are capable of doing.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Amazing isn't it, it feels like we are getting insanely lucky. If they had one non-donkey up top we would've conceded 4 tonight. If Amad could finish a ball at hip-height from eight yards, if Zirkzee could've put his knee down or if Rashford could time a run we'd have conceded four against United. We're getting a fair bit of luck at the moment, long may it continue.

 

[Weststander]

Have to say at the moment it feels far more like luck (or opposition failing to capitalise) than any kind of improved defensive structure. We’ve not really ‘controlled’ a game yet bar the end of tonight and likewise Everton.

I may not be giving enough credit to the offside trap which they’ve clearly worked on. Unfortunately it has the effect of making it feel like we get carved open; it tends to conjure an emotional reaction of relief when the flag goes up/VAR intervenes, rather than a pragmatic reaction of ‘disciplined defending’.

All in all I’m still worried about what Arsenal are capable of doing.

From analysis of Hurzeler ball, it seems equally high risk as RDZ ball. Albeit some different tactics.

Now a team squashed into the opposition half. Leaving the rest to be torn to shreds.

To prevent that, we need pacy players who can get back to defend when we lose the ball.

 

[Oh_aye]

Honestly feels like luck. We're on for a tonking soon.

One thing I would say though is that we are so programmed now to appreciate the diametric control freak play of De Zerbi that anything else seems like chaos.

Like the footballing equivalent of the 3rd law of thermodynamics sped up. What everyone else has come to see as 'football' to us now appears as atrophy.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Actually, the ops haven't really scored even one goal as ManU goal was a JPVH O/G

 

[dwayne]

Honestly feels like luck. We're on for a tonking soon.

One thing I would say though is that we are so programmed now to appreciate the diametric control freak play of De Zerbi that anything else seems like chaos.

Like the footballing equivalent of the 3rd law of thermodynamics sped up. What everyone else has come to see as 'football' to us now appears as atrophy.

I actually think potter ball was the most controlled. We were a lot more defensive , but on the flip side we barely scored until the end of his reign.

You've got to imagine arsenal are gonna thrash us. These new signings are way off bedding in. Weifer and O'Riley are injured , gruda I presume as well. Ferdi probably 2 weeks away. Maybe only Rutter to bring in. And as everyone in this thread is thinking , we are due an absolute tonking, especially if conceding first. Gonna see what the odds are on arsenal scoring 3 on Saturday.

 

[lizard]

We haven't actually played against anyone good yet...

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Four disallowed offside goals and plenty of other offside calls speaks to a high line that has by and large worked.

Also to a fair bit of luck, look for regression to the mean to bite us in the arse this weekend

 

[oldboyroy]

I'd be amazed if we don't concede against arsenal on Saturday. We look disjointed so far with players still bedding in and Fabby still learning about his players. Have a feeling we will get put in our place come 2.30 Saturday afternoon

 

[Napper]

Luck indeed

Hope ferdi comes straight in Saturday . As others have said , arsenal will be rubbing their hands together with the chances they will likely get

 

[Swegulls]

I think the international break after Saturday comes in handy. The next eight games after that will be a tough test.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Blimey, people talking like our title challenge has hit the rails already…

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I think the international break after Saturday comes in handy. The next eight games after that will be a tough test.

Well, after Saturday there is an international break, then four more games, then another international break, then four more games before yet another international break. Then we start the long run into Christmas.