[Albion] Is Mr Potter, Chris Hughton II...

[chaileyjem]

Nope. Not saying that at all. I’ve not even mentioned our academy. And obviously I’m not including the likes of White and Sanchez who were signed for free and way before Potter was here.
You’re joining dots and making a pretty weird picture from what I’ve written.

You’ve argued that the club keep “spunking millions on players that they immediately loan out” and hence speculate that Potter is not happy and thus will think the “grass is greener” and leave. I disagree .
I think we both agree though that he could do with several more players (attacking especially) to help him succeed and my view is that if that either comes via a big sale direct into team (Cucurella, Webster, Mwepu) or via a loan (Moder,) or via academy (Ferguson maybe) then all routes are valid.

 

[Justice]

So we’ve loaned some players to USG - but it’s all a conspiracy to help them not us, either way they’re not going to play for us any way and actually we shouldn’t have signed one of them in the first place because the other bloke looks better - on paper. And the club will be blissfully unaware of this fact. Ok fair play.

Are you capable of a rational conversation and not go straight in to club defensive mode You would have a really fair point if we could win a game of football or score a few goals now and again.

 

[Seasider78]

You’ve argued that the club keep “spunking millions on players that they immediately loan out” and hence speculate that Potter is not happy and thus will think the “grass is greener” and leave. I disagree .
I think we both agree though that he could do with several more players (attacking especially) to help him succeed and my view is that if that either comes via a big sale direct into team (Cucurella, Webster, Mwepu) or via a loan (Moder,) or via academy (Ferguson maybe) then all routes are valid.

I think it’s about the balance and blend between development signings and first team ones and ensuring we do not lose focus on the first team 11 whilst we develop the pipeline of talent to replace them.

For me we have lots of players now out on loan and a really healthy and exciting conveyor belt of talent coming through but this summer Potter IMO needs a few more of the Cucurella ilk who have top level quality and can go straight in and make a difference to the starting 11.

Looking at our current squad it has only taken some recent injuries to take our squad quality levels down to that if a bottom 3-4 side from what was looking to be comfortably mid table. We have to give Potter the tools to push on in this division otherwise his own ambitions may find us losing on of the best managers we have had.

 

[Marshy]

jees, just admit we have never had it so good.

Mr Potter is the best manager we have ever had, I would say by some way.

 

[Badger Boy]

jees, just admit we have never had it so good.

Mr Potter is the best manager we have ever had, I would say by some way.

His performance to date has been under par and there are no signs of improvement.

 

[Springal]

His performance to date has been under par and there are no signs of improvement.

Even 1st December when we were 9th in the league?

 

[Badger Boy]

Even 1st December when we were 9th in the league?

Yes. Because a season doesn't finish on December 1st. If we had finished the season in 9th, then my opinion would be that he was at Par but with clear signs of improvement. Personally, I think the glut of last minute equalisers papered over a lot of cracks in the armour. I never believed we'd sustain the league position and that a crash was coming, and here it is. I am unchanged in my hope that we change the manager in the summer.

 

[Springal]

Yes. Because a season doesn't finish on December 1st. If we had finished the season in 9th, then my opinion would be that he was at Par but with clear signs of improvement. Personally, I think the glut of last minute equalisers papered over a lot of cracks in the armour. I never believed we'd sustain the league position and that a crash was coming, and here it is. I am unchanged in my hope that we change the manager in the summer.

So his performance to date hasn’t been sub par, but where we are now (13th) currently is.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Yes. Because a season doesn't finish on December 1st. If we had finished the season in 9th, then my opinion would be that he was at Par but with clear signs of improvement. Personally, I think the glut of last minute equalisers papered over a lot of cracks in the armour. I never believed we'd sustain the league position and that a crash was coming, and here it is. I am unchanged in my hope that we change the manager in the summer.

It doesn't finish in March either. So lets see where things finish. Amazing how some people pin so much on the manager. Not that we sell players, players have losses of form, confidence etc. All on the manager. It's amazing how even with different managers the same things happen to the likes of Norwich, Watford, Fulham, Everton. West Ham fans calling for Moyes' head only a season or so ago.

 

[Stat Brother]

It doesn't finish in March either. So lets see where things finish. Amazing how some people pin so much on the manager. Not that we sell players, players have losses of form, confidence etc. All on the manager. It's amazing how even with different managers the same things happen to the likes of Norwich, Watford, Fulham, Everton. West Ham fans calling for Moyes' head only a season or so ago.

Yet seemingly we only win because of a GPott tactical masterclass.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Yet seemingly we only win because of a GPott tactical masterclass.

We come from different directions but to the same point.

 

[Badger Boy]

So his performance to date hasn’t been sub par, but where we are now (13th) currently is.

This isn't his first season though, is it? His performance since he arrived is below par for me. He's had a lot of time and influence, the squad has been developed in a significant way and in the way he wanted it to be. Are we better? On paper, yes. On the pitch, no.

It doesn't finish in March either. So lets see where things finish. Amazing how some people pin so much on the manager. Not that we sell players, players have losses of form, confidence etc. All on the manager. It's amazing how even with different managers the same things happen to the likes of Norwich, Watford, Fulham, Everton. West Ham fans calling for Moyes' head only a season or so ago.

We all know where we're going to finish. It's going to be 13th at best, 16th at worst. I'm not saying the manager is solely responsible, but ultimately he is the one who picks a different team in a different formation every game. He's the one who oversees the whole thing and results are on his shoulders. I wasn't waxing lyrical about him earlier in the season when we were winning the games we should be winning and I'm not ranting and raving against him now despite the losing run.

Yet seemingly we only win because of a GPott tactical masterclass.

I try and avoid the wild bi-polars, but it does irk me how wildly the opinions swing based on the latest result. The truth is somewhere in the middle, but that's not the fun ground to sit.

 

[Bold Seagull]

We all know where we're going to finish. It's going to be 13th at best, 16th at worst. I'm not saying the manager is solely responsible, but ultimately he is the one who picks a different team in a different formation every game. He's the one who oversees the whole thing and results are on his shoulders. I wasn't waxing lyrical about him earlier in the season when we were winning the games we should be winning and I'm not ranting and raving against him now despite the losing run.



I try and avoid the wild bi-polars, but it does irk me how wildly the opinions swing based on the latest result. The truth is somewhere in the middle, but that's not the fun ground to sit.

You said you hope he's gone in the summer. How is that an opinion somewhere in the middle?

 

[Badger Boy]

You said you hope he's gone in the summer. How is that an opinion somewhere in the middle?

I have said that many times. He will have had 3 seasons here, we've achieved nothing other than continuing to stand still. 3 seasons is plenty of time to have shown some kind of progression but I don't think there has been any. You can argue that 13th will be progression and in terms of league finish it would be justified but in my opinion it would be slower than the progression elsewhere in the club. I think he's more of a liability than an asset and when that became the case for Chris Hughton, he was gone the moment the season ended.

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

I have said that many times. He will have had 3 seasons here, we've achieved nothing other than continuing to stand still. 3 seasons is plenty of time to have shown some kind of progression but I don't think there has been any. You can argue that 13th will be progression and in terms of league finish it would be justified but in my opinion it would be slower than the progression elsewhere in the club. I think he's more of a liability than an asset and when that became the case for Chris Hughton, he was gone the moment the season ended.

Sorry to say this, and I'm sure I will get shot down in flames, but it's not Graham Potter who is the liability, but fans like you who seem to think there should be some divine exponential growth year on year.

If you can't see the way the club is progressing, overall, then you are clearly a fool.

The management team, from the Chairman downwards, have decided a manager with room to grow and learn is the way to go.

If you don't like that and favour short-term gains, I suggest you support another team who have the same aims as you.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I have said that many times. He will have had 3 seasons here, we've achieved nothing other than continuing to stand still. 3 seasons is plenty of time to have shown some kind of progression but I don't think there has been any. You can argue that 13th will be progression and in terms of league finish it would be justified but in my opinion it would be slower than the progression elsewhere in the club. I think he's more of a liability than an asset and when that became the case for Chris Hughton, he was gone the moment the season ended.

So not the middle ground then. In fact, quite an extreme view given a more balanced opinion through football both within and outside the club likely ranges between 'doing okay' to 'tactical genius'. I think you might be kidding yourself if you think you're the one with the balanced view.

 

[Badger Boy]

Sorry to say this, and I'm sure I will get shot down in flames, but it's not Graham Potter who is the liability, but fans like you who seem to think there should be some divine exponential growth year on year.

If you can't see the way the club is progressing, overall, then you are clearly a fool.

The management team, from the Chairman downwards, have decided a manager with room to grow and learn is the way to go.

If you don't like that and favour short-term gains, I suggest you support another team who have the same aims as you.

I totally disagree with you. I think everything about the club is growing and developing well, the squad of players is extraordinary. I don't think the manager is as good as the squad and I think he's been overtaken by the rapid progression of the club in much the same way that Chris Hughton was. I think this manager has had 3 years, a long time in modern football, that's not short-term. He has been given every possible tool but to me doesn't demonstrate that he's worked out how best to use it.

So not the middle ground then. In fact, quite an extreme view given a more balanced opinion through football both within and outside the club likely ranges between 'doing okay' to 'tactical genius'. I think you might be kidding yourself if you think you're the one with the balanced view.

Again, I disagree with you. I think it's perfectly reasonable to think that, taking the whole 3 years of his management, he's had plenty of time and hasn't delivered. I don't think it's extreme at all to think that he's had plenty of time but hasn't done enough with it. Maybe we'll have a strong finish to the season and then make a few positive signings in the summer and it's all forgotten about but I stand by this opinion at this time, informed by the almost three seasons of Potter.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Again, I disagree with you. I think it's perfectly reasonable to think that, taking the whole 3 years of his management, he's had plenty of time and hasn't delivered. I don't think it's extreme at all to think that he's had plenty of time but hasn't done enough with it. Maybe we'll have a strong finish to the season and then make a few positive signings in the summer and it's all forgotten about but I stand by this opinion at this time, informed by the almost three seasons of Potter.

Put it this way, unless a big offer comes in for him and he leaves with the club's consent as his decision, he'll be our manager next season. If you can't see there is a lot more to success than just the manager than it's difficult to reason with you.

 

[Springal]

The good news is - we know Bloom doesn't mess around or have time for sentiment. So we'll see what he thinks in the Summer I reckon, but unless he is poached I'd put £100 on Potter still being here in August

 

[albionalex]

jees, just admit we have never had it so good.

Mr Potter is the best manager we have ever had, I would say by some way.

I would have both Hughton and Poyet ahead of him.