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[Albion] Is it the manager, or is it recruitment?









blockhseagull

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2006
7,364
Southampton
We need far far more than just a striker.

Can pass the ball side to side as much as you like but when it’s done at such a pedestrian pace it isn’t difficult to defend against.

I’m all for a ‘brand’ of football but we aren’t even producing that.... safe slow and predictable at the moment. And if Potter hasn’t got the players to play his system then he needs to adapt it to get the best out of what we have.
 


Mayonaise

Well-known member
May 25, 2014
2,114
Haywards Heath
Glenn Murray's goals helped take us up and keep us up...

Whether the manager is Hughton, Potter or anybody else, the team needs to be able to convert chances.

The football is easier to watch under Potter but not convinced his man management is as good as Hughton.

We need a 14 goal a season striker who can convert the many chances we make else we will just see more of the same - but of course those dont come cheap and Tony Bloom knows a thing or two more than I do when it comes to spending millions.
 


Perkino

Well-known member
Dec 11, 2009
6,053
Potter is exactly the type of manager we need to move forward. Last season he was forced to play a 4-5-1 due to personnel available. He has taken the opportunity to switch to his preferred 3-5-2/5-3-2 but very few of our squad has really played in that system and the players are struggling to fulfil the team orders, we were lapse defensively and wasteful in attack so there has been plenty of team rotation and tweaking of styles alongside a lack of ownership with players not wanting to be the one to miss the chance.

This is the best squad I've ever seen for the Seagulls and the most exciting manager and I'm sure Potter and Bloom et al have similar plans aligned and are preparing for many years building together. Ultimately it is the best way to develop and move forward longer term but football supporters often want immediate results
 




The Fits

Well-known member
Jun 29, 2020
10,106
This is the best squad I've ever seen for the Seagulls...

But this is the thing surely? The elephant in the room. We are hearing lots of 'the players aren't up to it' and 'our recruitment is terrible'. But we'd all agree with your statement above.

So why have we not improved in 4 seasons?
 


Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,393
Withdean area
Let’s cut to the chase.

Potter is going to be slaughtered here tonight. No question, and results wise, today it’s hard to argue.

But is Connolly really good enough?
Maupay? AJ (love him, but)..

Zequiri? Is he the answer.

Our problem is unquestionably taking our chances. We watch all the games. We all know this. The question is, is that the fault of recruitment or Potter?

Although I can moan with the best of them after bad results (and there've been plenty), my gut feeling is that the club have let Potter down on player recruitment.

There's a nugget in there somewhere with Potter's tactics and strategy. Against Liverpool, ManU, Newcastle, CP and Villa, to name just a few games, we were exceptional. Similarly, against Norwich and Burnley in Restart.

Let's get down to brass tacks:

Some players have been shocking in their roles - Jahanbakhsh, Connolly and Maupay spring to mind. Radio Sussex today, not just WA, tore Jahanbakhsh apart, he was woeful. Their point was that he kept coming inside clogging Lallana's space, despite Potter screaming at him to stay out wide as planned. Connolly and Maupay's powder puff and mistimed efforts on goal are now beyond a joke.

Bloom needs to invest in January in at least one quality striker, even if it's a loan.

Act now to protect the £105m of annual EPL income.
 


ATFC Seagull

Aberystwyth Town FC
Jul 27, 2004
5,358
(North) Portslade
I think we've managed Connolly very badly (Mick McCarthy with Ireland didn't help either).

He probably should have done a (successful) loan somewhere before playing for the first team. As it was, after that debut against Spurs, rather than nurture him and develop him properly, we had him leading the line every week (sometimes alone) for a team that was really struggling. Ireland did the same. He's had to take a lot of criticism and done a thankless job for a lot of games.

I know the odd player does hit the ground running under 20, but it's rare - he's no Wayne Rooney.

Sent from my ANE-LX1 using Tapatalk
 




Pure magic!

Member
Jul 4, 2011
54
GP has to walk but the recruitment has been poor too..... today we were so predictable - no other PL team would have only got 1 point in same scenario! Am sure Bloom must be concerned
 


Barnet Seagull

Luxury Player
Jul 14, 2003
5,984
Falmer, soon...
Maupay
Connolly
Dunk
AliJ
Webster
Trossard

All haven't scored enough from their chances (source:understat)

Stats.jpg

Hard to question the manager with this level of profligacy
 


Perkino

Well-known member
Dec 11, 2009
6,053
But this is the thing surely? The elephant in the room. We are hearing lots of 'the players aren't up to it' and 'our recruitment is terrible'. But we'd all agree with your statement above.

So why have we not improved in 4 seasons?

3 CB's means the positioning is different when we defend similarly the space for the opposition is different to what the players are used to and the split second it takes each player to think about who is marking who has cost us. The use of Trossard and Lallana together nullifies one or the other when they both play centrally and the switch in formation is taking time to understand how we monopolise on the opportunities. However the switch in formation is the right thing for long term development, it will take time to adapt and gel
 






Lower West Stander

Well-known member
Mar 25, 2012
4,753
Back in Sussex
Could it be that a club with a bottom six budget is in the bottom six, so it's neither the players or the manager, but we are broadly where we should expect to be?

That doesn’t really strike me as Tony Bloom’s way.

I agree this is where we would expect to be given what we’ve spent but it’s not the impression we’ve been given from money spent in previous seasons.

He’s invested a fortune in the club just seems a bit odd to me if this is the case now.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 


El Presidente

The ONLY Gay in Brighton
Helpful Moderator
Jul 5, 2003
40,018
Pattknull med Haksprut
That doesn’t really strike me as Tony Bloom’s way.

I agree this is where we would expect to be given what we’ve spent but it’s not the impression we’ve been given from money spent in previous seasons.

He’s invested a fortune in the club just seems a bit odd to me if this is the case now.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Agreed that he's invested £400m.

The aim is for the club to be punching a bit above its financial weight and it is not doing that. When it comes to scoring goals we don't look clinical, although the broad set up play is okay.

It's similar to throwing some good shapes on the dance floor, giving your best one liners to impress a person and persuade them to come back to your place, and then getting brewer's droop.
 




The Fits

Well-known member
Jun 29, 2020
10,106
Agreed that he's invested £400m.

The aim is for the club to be punching a bit above its financial weight and it is not doing that. When it comes to scoring goals we don't look clinical, although the broad set up play is okay.

It's similar to throwing some good shapes on the dance floor, giving your best one liners to impress a person and persuade them to come back to your place, and then getting brewer's droop.

Or spunking all over the doorstep.
 


Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,393
Withdean area
Agreed that he's invested £400m.

The aim is for the club to be punching a bit above its financial weight and it is not doing that. When it comes to scoring goals we don't look clinical, although the broad set up play is okay.

It's similar to throwing some good shapes on the dance floor, giving your best one liners to impress a person and persuade them to come back to your place, and then getting brewer's droop.

Less is more, to use one of your Tinder lines.

Less of the Locadia and Jahanbakhsh level of transfer fees/wages, to invest in a more expensive and proven forward.
 
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FamilyGuy

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
2,516
Crawley
At one point in the first half we had an attacking free kick five yards from the corner flag. 10 seconds later we'd passed it all the way back to Sanchez.

At which time my missus told me to stop shouting at the TV, but I didn't for some time!
 




dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Mar 27, 2013
55,622
Burgess Hill
Maupay
Connolly
Dunk
AliJ
Webster
Trossard

All haven't scored enough from their chances (source:understat)

View attachment 131610

Hard to question the manager with this level of profligacy

It's the primary issue for me, but there has to be some questioning of the manager and his coaches if the strikers are being that profligate - make them less profligate, it's your job........
 




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