[Albion] “On paper, the Utd players are better”

[Simster]

Sancho is horrific. Wouldn’t have him in any kind of team. With any kind of manager.

He scored 50 in 137 for Dortmund. I suspect he assisted a fair number of times too. How exactly is that "horrific"?

 

[Gwylan]

It will be interesting to see if we can finish above them this year, although so much can happen in that time. For a start, if we have another decent season and England flop in Qatar, then Potter is nailed on to be offered Southgate's job. .

I certainly wouldn't say "nailed on". What if Newcastle have an even better season, the FA could well turn their attention to Smug Eddie. Or they make look to save money and not try to buy someone out of contract. Potter would certainly be a candidate but he's no shoo-in

 

[Simster]

I certainly wouldn't say "nailed on". What if Newcastle have an even better season, the FA could well turn their attention to Smug Eddie. Or they make look to save money and not try to buy someone out of contract. Potter would certainly be a candidate but he's no shoo-in

I don't agree. The Saudis would just offer to make Howe an offer he couldn't refuse in order to keep him whereas we would just let Potter make his own mind up. IMO, Potter would be the very first person the FA would approach, and whether he would accept is anyone's guess.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Yes. United clearly have the better team on paper.

People arguing this have misunderstood what 'on paper' really means.

Costs, international experience, trophies won, CL experience etc.

United trounce us on that front....OBVIOUSLY.


If you still disagree, answer this. Who will finish higher? Us or Utd?

 

[banjo]

Yes. United clearly have the better team on paper.

People arguing this have misunderstood what 'on paper' really means.

Costs, international experience, trophies won, CL experience etc.

United trounce us on that front....OBVIOUSLY.


If you still disagree, answer this. Who will finish higher? Us or Utd?

If you forget the paper you never know.

 

[Perkino]

Would anybody (well, apart from the obvious muppets) swap Welbeck for Rashford now, or Dunk for Slab-head? I wouldn't. Would you?

Blue-tinted specs maybe (but I don't think so) against the existance of somethig rotten at the core of ManU. True, we don't know exactly what is that rotten core, or how far it's spread, but would you seriously want anything[/I[ from ManU being introduced into the Albion set-up?

I would love to have a player like Rashford in our side. His pace, movement and ability are superb. Unfortunately he has been messed about by Man Utd managers for several years and moved across the pitch to accommodate other players and formations, under Fergie he would be their main goalscorer

 

[BBassic]

They've got better players.

But right now, our team is better.

 

[nickbrighton]

"on paper" I think a lot of teams players are better than Brightons. Lets no kid ourselves we are punching well above our weight here. BUT the huge difference between on paper and on the pitch is quite simple, and was apparent in bucket loads on Sunday, and to be fair for a lot of and especially the last 8 games last season. Its a bit cliche but true none the less for that. Brightons team is greater than the sum of its parts- a lot of other teams the reverse is true.

In my mind thats what makes Potter such an outstanding manager, he makes a team perform as a unit, working for each other. No one player is the "star" player-each one as vital as the rest in many respects. The situation at Utd is the exact opposite, where manager after manager has taken world class players and failed to make them operate as a unit, there is obvious disharmony in the team. All through the commentary on Sunday there theme was-he will bring on Ronaldo soon, that will sort it. Of course it didnt, he was no more effective that Rashforsd, Fred, and the rest. _Names that "should" have us thinking-oh crap-we are toast. Instead the formation changes a bit and we carry on,

There was a common theme in the reports as well, DESPITE losing Bissoma and Cucurella, we just carried on from where we left off. No drama, no panic, just our team of relative unknowns, has beens, and up and comings once again gave Utd a lesson on what it means to be a TEAM

For the first 3 years in the Prem, I saw the teams we were playing-Liverpool, City, Utd, Spurs ect and thought-there is no way we can compete, now I honestly think our team is able to get points anywhere.I can not think any manager sees Brighton as the next fixture and think- great- easy pickings. It doesnt matter how many superstars there are, how much better on Paper their team is, they must think- oh crap- Its Brighton- how the hell do we set up. The answer is they cant- they have no idea, even after the teamsheets are out who will be playing where, and what style we will play. Hell, even after 30 mins they wont know as it wiull change, and teams , as was said I think on MOTD, simply dont know what player is going to pop up where

 

[LamieRobertson]

Re Maguire vs Dunk, you have to consider the issue of club captaincy. IMHO I'd rather have Dunk over Maguire on footballing ability although I accept that is a judgement call that could go either way, but Maguire is a poor captain whereas Dunk is exceptional.

Furthermore, Dunk has formed successful partnerships with Greer, Goldson, Duffy, Webster and Veltman - elevating all of them - whereas Maguire is a Centre Back's Jonah, with Varane, Lindelof, Smalling, Bailly, Jones, Rojo all seeing their stock decline alongside Slabhead.

Dunk deserves far more credit from pundits than he gets

 

[Beanstalk]

Lol, of course on paper United have better players, you'd have to have some very thick blue and white spectacles to say otherwise.

As others have said, the game isn't played on paper and we are a much more cohesive unit with some really exciting players of our own.

 

[SeagullsoverLondon]

Interesting tactical analysis here, praising how GPs gameplay outfoxed Man U.
Ten was tactically out thought by Potter and the team delivered

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/m...ton-and-hove-albion-tactical-analysis-tactics

 

[dangull]

People getting a little bit carried away after 1 game. I'm sure Man Utd will improve over time, just as Brighton have taken a while to get Potters ideas to fruition.

 

[Stat Brother]

I guess we also ought to wait to see if our manager is going to work for the whole season, this year, or bin off half of it like last year.

 

[Medwayseagull]

I thought he was talking about origami classes for Utd players.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

"on paper" I think a lot of teams players are better than Brightons. Lets no kid ourselves we are punching well above our weight here. BUT the huge difference between on paper and on the pitch is quite simple, and was apparent in bucket loads on Sunday, and to be fair for a lot of and especially the last 8 games last season. Its a bit cliche but true none the less for that. Brightons team is greater than the sum of its parts- a lot of other teams the reverse is true.

In my mind thats what makes Potter such an outstanding manager, he makes a team perform as a unit, working for each other. No one player is the "star" player-each one as vital as the rest in many respects. The situation at Utd is the exact opposite, where manager after manager has taken world class players and failed to make them operate as a unit, there is obvious disharmony in the team. All through the commentary on Sunday there theme was-he will bring on Ronaldo soon, that will sort it. Of course it didnt, he was no more effective that Rashforsd, Fred, and the rest. _Names that "should" have us thinking-oh crap-we are toast. Instead the formation changes a bit and we carry on,

There was a common theme in the reports as well, DESPITE losing Bissoma and Cucurella, we just carried on from where we left off. No drama, no panic, just our team of relative unknowns, has beens, and up and comings once again gave Utd a lesson on what it means to be a TEAM

For the first 3 years in the Prem, I saw the teams we were playing-Liverpool, City, Utd, Spurs ect and thought-there is no way we can compete, now I honestly think our team is able to get points anywhere.I can not think any manager sees Brighton as the next fixture and think- great- easy pickings. It doesnt matter how many superstars there are, how much better on Paper their team is, they must think- oh crap- Its Brighton- how the hell do we set up. The answer is they cant- they have no idea, even after the teamsheets are out who will be playing where, and what style we will play. Hell, even after 30 mins they wont know as it wiull change, and teams , as was said I think on MOTD, simply dont know what player is going to pop up where

Great post. Totally agree.

 

[keaton]

He scored 50 in 137 for Dortmund. I suspect he assisted a fair number of times too. How exactly is that "horrific"?

He was one of the best players in the bundesliga for years.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

People getting a little bit carried away after 1 game. I'm sure Man Utd will improve over time, just as Brighton have taken a while to get Potters ideas to fruition.

There are moments to get carried away. Beating Man U at Old Trafford for the first time ever, following battering them 4-0 at our place, is one such moment. But you keep waiting for your moment. I'll enjoy all mine as they come rather than waiting for a better one

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Better players on paper or whatever, I can’t help thinking that if any of them were in a team coached by GP, and having been coached themselves by GP and team, they would be more effective.

While people bemoan sometimes the lack of new signings, it means that what we have is more settled and used to each other.
And the word “team” means more at Brighton than it does at many other places.
Maybe Ten Hag can have a similar effect at Manure….. but I hope not.

 

[rippleman]

... and run to Brighton. He's the one United player I'd have in an instant. There's a footballer there and I think Potter could work wonders with him. He's out of our price range, sadly, but I think he'll just decline further while he's at OT

Rashford has been so poor for so long, his stock will have fallen quite significantly.

He is at a turning point now. Does he stay at OT with a total car crash club and continue to draw his massive wages and fritter away his career or does he take a significant pay cut and move to a club with a very good coach who is going to give him every opportunity to fulfill his potential?

It will be the money won't it?!

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Just to add some opinions from Man U fans that are similar to the point I was making earlier ie the money they spend is not reflected in the quality of their players.

https://www.redcafe.net/threads/we-...-football-yet-we-have-an-average-team.472138/

Lots of posts in there that I agree with. The facts of their spending don’t support the idea that they have the best players whether on paper or anywhere else. They just overpay and are renowned for it.