[Albion] March and Lamptey

[vagabond]

March is ridiculously underrated by some here. Player of the season candidate before his injury.

And Lamptey? This kid is potentially world class.

Calling it now. Best wing backs in the league. Will be like two new signings when they’re back next season.

 

[phoenix]

Last time it happened was ten years ago!

With 2 games to go (after 36 games) ?

 

[fleet]

I thought Lamptey had signed a contract extension before injury, if not then we must be getting that sorted.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

I thought Lamptey had signed a contract extension before injury, if not then we must be getting that sorted.

He signed a new contract in January this year till end of the 24/25 season.

 

[cjd]

How many clear improvements would it take to convince you? In addition to March, Bissouma, Sanchez, Dunk, Gross, Alzate...and probably Webster, Veltman.... we may not have progressed much (in points terms), but if you look at where we were two years ago, there's a huge improvement.

Despite all those players you mention.. ( and I agree, they are very good players ! ), at present we are a whole two points above our position two years ago....and yes I know we have two very easy games to go yet.

Results are what determines our status.......

Once again , I will point out that I really do want Potterball to succeed. Are we not allowed to express doubts on here ?

 

[cjd]

How many 20 team PL seasons do you think you'd be relegated in with 38 pts and a -5 GD?

According to the Premier league the average points required for safety during the last 20 odd years is 35.6. So we are now two points clear of that. Not exactly home and dry with ease is it ? ( Unless of course you read my original post properly which did state, that there were three teams significantly worse than us. )

 

[Swansman]

Despite all those players you mention.. ( and I agree, they are very good players ! ), at present we are a whole two points above our position two years ago....and yes I know we have two very easy games to go yet.

Results are what determines our status.......

Once again , I will point out that I really do want Potterball to succeed. Are we not allowed to express doubts on here ?

I think you are. This question comes up a lot but I've not seen anyone get banned for expressing their doubts.

And likewise, people are allowed to express their doubts on your doubts.

 

[Bakero]

I think you are. This question comes up a lot but I've not seen anyone get banned for expressing their doubts.

And likewise, people are allowed to express their doubts on your doubts.

These days if you express doubts, you get arrested and thrown in jail.

 

[Springal]

I really don't think there can be any doubts about Potterball as a 'thing' - goals conceded is one of the lowest in the league (until tonight), xG speaks for itself. Unfortunately we just don't have the attacking players that reflects pretty much every element of it. He just needs to be backed a bit more by the board now

 

[Insel affe]

Such a shame Lampty got injured as I thought he would be nailed on flying down the wing for England this summer

 

[Stat Brother]

I really don't think there can be any doubts about Potterball as a 'thing' - goals conceded is one of the lowest in the league (until tonight), xG speaks for itself. Unfortunately we just don't have the attacking players that reflects pretty much every element of it. He just needs to be backed a bit more by the board now

Careful now, you'll find yourself being chased round this board by the acolytes for daring to say something perceived as negative, despite the fact they probably agree!

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Hmmm that's one way of looking at it, I can't say I agree.

Lamptey in particular not only changes our play but the oppositions too.

He instantly pulls a player out from the middle, or at least has them mindful of going out to their left.


The other thing missing from our strikers (apart from goals!), this season, has been about 2 seconds.
They've all needed an extra couple of seconds.
The space generated by a couple of seconds.

Having Lamptey and Solly hugging the touchlines creates a couple of seconds space in the middle.

With the best will in the world BDB and Veltman aren't doing that to Premier League footballers.



By way of tying up my opinion on about half a dozen threads:-

It would be great for the Albion to buy a striker who doesn't need a couple of seconds.

All of this.

Yes we've coped well (defensively) without them but at the top end of the pitch they are sorely missed.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

We're two years in now Swanny. A lot longer than a number of managers in this league are given with two poor 'results' seasons.

I like Potter...and his style of football, but only three hopeless teams this year have allowed us to stay in the Premier League.

I hope he succeeds obviously, but I do have concerns about his 'improvement' skills.

And yet we only managed 4 pts from 36 from them.
There is an argument that 3 stronger teams may have suited our style far better.

3 more Leeds/Newcastles?? Yes please!

 

[chaileyjem]

I like Potter...and his style of football, but only three hopeless teams this year have allowed us to stay in the Premier League.

.

We stayed in the Premier League this season because we picked up points v the likes of Leeds, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs, Everton and West Ham Not because Fulham, Sheff Utd, and West Brom were particularly hopeless. They were relatively average in terms of points won for a bottom three and as everyone knows we didn't beat any of them. .

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Don’t you mean March needs to add quality to his final pass? It’s a weak part of his game.

It was.
It no longer is.
Lots of great deliveries this season. The problem is our forwards rarely make good runs into the box.

Solly's only weakness is our fans trotting out the same old tropes about him (that were true when he was 22).
You'll be saying he's too lightweight next.

 

[KeegansHairPiece]

According to the Premier league the average points required for safety during the last 20 odd years is 35.6. So we are now two points clear of that. Not exactly home and dry with ease is it ? ( Unless of course you read my original post properly which did state, that there were three teams significantly worse than us. )

Our pts total would see us safe in something like 22 out of 25 seasons. You stated ‘we stayed up because of 3 significantly worse teams’ - it wouldn’t matter if they were significantly worse, just worse or just unlucky, we have enough points.

 

[Stat Brother]

Our pts total would see us safe in something like 22 out of 25 seasons. You stated ‘we stayed up because of 3 significantly worse teams’ - it wouldn’t matter if they were significantly worse, just worse or just unlucky, we have enough points.

and this needs to be the last season we lollop around this sentiment.

 

[KeegansHairPiece]

and this needs to be the last season we lollop around this sentiment.

I'm far from saying it's a good thing, just pointing out our survival this season isn't due to 3 significantly worse teams.

There is a reverse question to this, in purely footballing terms, are say Leeds and Aston Villa significantly better sides than us*?

It is a strange position for the club. A 5th successive top flight season for the first time in our history, coupled with immense frustration that it has been a struggle to stay there. 5th time lucky?



*they've certainly been better and picking up results, there is no disputing the league table.

 

[Justice]

It was.
It no longer is.
Lots of great deliveries this season. The problem is our forwards rarely make good runs into the box.

Solly's only weakness is our fans trotting out the same old tropes about him (that were true when he was 22).
You'll be saying he's too lightweight next.

Unfortunately this just isn’t true March has a 21% crossing success rate with only 14 big chances created in 111 appearances, Pascal on the other hand has a 31% success cross rate with 4O big chances created in roughly the same amount of appearances.

Lamptey has already created 5 big chances in only 20 PL appearances.

 

[KeegansHairPiece]

Unfortunately this just isn’t true March has a 21% crossing success rate with only 14 big chances created in 111 appearances, Pascal on the other hand has a 31% success cross rate with 4O big chances created in roughly the same amount of appearances.

Lamptey has already created 5 big chances in only 20 PL appearances.

You’d have to have been watching with your eyes closed not to have seen March as a transformed player in the wing-back role.

No doubt he did struggle as a winger in Hughton’s system, but his game has evolved under Potter.