[Albion] Player ratings vs Newcastle (h)

[Bodian]

Sanchez needs to be marked higher for perfectly judging that Fraser's shot would hit the post, so not tipping it round for a corner. He let them get their hopes up for a few minutes, so Welbeck's sucker punch knocked what stuffing they had left out of them. Masterclass!

 

[peterward]

As well as we played last night, and we did play very well, Newcastle were awful.

That said, I think Potter is really starting to get us playing in a manner that can get results, and not just look pretty. Now if he would only increase the tempo we play at, because we are still a bit plodding, and when we do up the tempo we create far better goalscoring opportunities.

That is all true. We were great and full credit to everyone including the manager, We can still be a bit plodding at times though.

Before Tross unleashed I had screamed to shoot twice from decent position, it went one pass to many and broke down.

Another time after we'd attacked their box and had players in there (first half) it comes out to Gross, newcastle player a couple of years away, but not so near, it was crying out for a whipped in cross, he turns back, put it back to one covering defender, he's pressed so plays it back again, and in 5 secs from Gross being in a great position to swing ins cross with players up there, it's back with Sanchez, who also pressed kicks long and a Newcastle player heads it.

It mattered not last night, but a few more risks in decent positions may not go amiss

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

That is all true. We were great and full credit to everyone including the manager, We can still be a bit plodding at times though.

Before Tross unleashed I had screamed to shoot twice from decent position, it went one pass to many and broke down.

Another time after we'd attacked their box and had players in there (first half) it comes out to Gross, newcastle player a couple of years away, but not so near, it was crying out for a whipped in cross, he turns back, put it back to one covering defender, he's pressed so plays it back again, and in 5 secs from Gross being in a great position to swing ins cross with players up there, it's back with Sanchez, who also pressed kicks long and a Newcastle player heads it.

It mattered not last night, but a few more risks in decent positions may not go amiss

A few more one touch passes is all it needs.

Our 2nd against Saints is a great example. Veltman to Lallana to Welbeck to Trossard. All one touch passes that cut them open.

 

[Timbo]

Sanchez - 7 - Did have much to do but also didn't put a foot wrong. His passing was the only thing he had to get right and he did it very well

He really did, amazing to see he completed 30 passes yesterday despite seemingly hardly seeing the ball.

He was always on for the pass as well, a couple of times when we were in the final third we would smash the ball back to an out of shot Sanchez, 30 yards out of his goal, and then turn it straight round and go again through the middle.

As others have said though, musn't get too excited. Nothing more than a glorified training match.

 

[Seasidesage]

Sanchez 6 -- Did he touch it?
White 7 -- Quality made some good inroads going forward 1st half
Dunk 7 -- Dominated without trying and stepped forward at times to good effect.
Veltman 8 -- What a steal. What a player.
Gross 7.5 -- Not sure he is entirely comfortable there but doing a good job none the less. Could have done with a few more Cruyff turns mind
Bissouma 8 -- Dominated the midfield
Lallana 8.5 -- Class at the heart of all our best moves.
Moder 7 -- Be interested to know what his instructions were as he was everywhere. Work in progress clearly but looks a player.
Welbeck 9 -- Everything he did had quality about it. Top Quality goal, top quality performance MOM
Trossard 8 - Great goal. Flatters to deceive at times. This wasn't one of them, buzzed around linked play and a great finish to boot.
Maupay 8 -- Gets way too much unjustifed stick on here. Needs a target man to play off for me although he could not have been further way from Welbeck last night, worked his socks off and took his chance with aplomb. Did well.


Potter - Tactics mugged Bruce off and showed the chasm in coaching ability between them. Split strikers worked so well I wonder if we will see it again? Newcastle were awful and we will have tougher days but this is a top class coach make no mistake about it. Our shortcomings and we still have plenty are around the quality of our options rather than how we are set up.

 

[Machiavelli]

It is just you, no one starts at 10.. a starting point is neutral. Sanchez had little to do but didn't quite get to Fraser's attempt. His distribution was very good and looked assured on the ball. Par for the course.

Sanchez 6

Everyone else had a largely positive impact on the game producing a winning result.

Veltman 8 Assist
Dunk 7
White 7
Gross 7 Assist
Bissouma 7
Lallana 8
Moder 8
Trossard 9 Goal, Assist
Welbeck 8 Goal
Maupay 7 Goal

Nicely put in aligning scores with goals and assists, although you've obviously supplemented it with other criteria. I also thought Tross was MotM, although most don't. It wasn't just the goal and the assist though, it was:
-- these were the most important goals and assists (for the first and second goals respectively)
-- Tross did so much more to make that first goal: the brilliantly timed run, and the turn and carry past Clark; and the finish which was fairly similar to Welbeck's but better in my view: the angle was a tad tighter, he hit it harder, he hit it such that it bounced just in front of the keeper
-- he also timed another brilliant run to receive that nicely floated ball Gross played from the right touchline to set up Maupay in the first half
-- to me, we should focus on what's happened since Tross has been moved into that central number ten/false nine role in the past game and a half. That's coincided with us winning all three halves of the game.

 

[Machiavelli]

Not really. You are the one advocating giving a keeper 10 out of 10 when they have absolutely nothing to do. It's the international break next week and England have a couple of pub teams with the strong likelihood Jordan Pickford wont touch the ball. A statue in goal would make no difference, he could take a chair and paper if he wanted to

Pickford : MOTM 10. Nothing to do.

Perfect logic, although one of your premises is dodgy (which doesn't affect the logic): Pickford's out injured, so will have to attend to his chair and paper away from the pitch(es)

 

[Machiavelli]

Veltman has become such an asset. He can seemingly play left or right CB, left back, right back and right wing back with the ease, confidence and ability of someone who has played their all their life. He’s so calm and also a great going forward. There’s strong competition for POTY but he’s up there for me.

If I was Potter I’d give him a go at RWB in a late season dead-rubber so he can complete his defensive set.

Agree about PotS, and versatility. He's making a late run for it. This has been helped that three of the four previous candidates have been out injured for a while (ie Lamptey, March, Webster -- Bissouma is the other one, whose form has dropped over the past month or so but, thankfully, not last night).

 

[WATFORD zero]

As well as we played last night, and we did play very well, Newcastle were awful.

That said, I think Potter is really starting to get us playing in a manner that can get results, and not just look pretty. Now if he would only increase the tempo we play at, because we are still a bit plodding, and when we do up the tempo we create far better goalscoring opportunities.

To be fair to Potter, I think we had that tempo with Lamptey and March wide together with Webster breaking forward from centre back. With those three out, he has had to seriously re-think the way we play because we don't have like for like replacements, but it is certainly coming back

 

[Originunknown]

Nicely put in aligning scores with goals and assists, although you've obviously supplemented it with other criteria. I also thought Tross was MotM, although most don't. It wasn't just the goal and the assist though, it was:
-- these were the most important goals and assists (for the first and second goals respectively)

Such an important contribution from Trossard, nice assist from Veltman but he had it all still to do.

Incidentally whilst I think Trossard probably shaded the player ratings with Lallana almost tied for top dog.. for me MOTM would have been Moder. The professionalism of the performance in a high pressure game from a young player being asked to do a job outside of his position, on a full home debut in the PL; in that context he was MOTM for me.

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

To be fair to Potter, I think we had that tempo with Lamptey and March wide together with Webster breaking forward from centre back. With those three out, he has had to seriously re-think the way we play because we don't have like for like replacements, but it is certainly coming back

Tempo is quicker passing not players.

 

[dazzer6666]

The Gross and Moder positions were inspired. It was a bit like City with Cancelo, we almost created new positions for then and Newcastle didn’t have a clue how to counter it.

...that, plus Maupay and Welbeck playing so wide and Tross in the middle just behind them. Potter totally outwitted Bruce and he had no clue how to deal with it.

 

[dazzer6666]

Sanchez 6 -- Did he touch it?
White 7 -- Quality made some good inroads going forward 1st half
Dunk 7 -- Dominated without trying and stepped forward at times to good effect.
Veltman 8 -- What a steal. What a player.
Gross 7.5 -- Not sure he is entirely comfortable there but doing a good job none the less. Could have done with a few more Cruyff turns mind
Bissouma 8 -- Dominated the midfield
Lallana 8.5 -- Class at the heart of all our best moves.
Moder 7 -- Be interested to know what his instructions were as he was everywhere. Work in progress clearly but looks a player.
Welbeck 9 -- Everything he did had quality about it. Top Quality goal, top quality performance MOM
Trossard 8 - Great goal. Flatters to deceive at times. This wasn't one of them, buzzed around linked play and a great finish to boot.
Maupay 8 -- Gets way too much unjustifed stick on here. Needs a target man to play off for me although he could not have been further way from Welbeck last night, worked his socks off and took his chance with aplomb. Did well.


Potter - Tactics mugged Bruce off and showed the chasm in coaching ability between them. Split strikers worked so well I wonder if we will see it again? Newcastle were awful and we will have tougher days but this is a top class coach make no mistake about it. Our shortcomings and we still have plenty are around the quality of our options rather than how we are set up.

Sanchez made more passes than ANYONE in the Newcastle team.

 

[Seasidesage]

Sanchez made more passes than ANYONE in the Newcastle team.

With his FEET

I take you point though. My God Newcastle were awful. That has to be the most damming statistic imaginable on their performance...

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

I'd give up if I were you! Some people just don't get it. For what it's worth, Sanchez was excellent tonight, gobbled up anything that came near him, displayed great positioning and always looked confident. He seemed to enjoy playing keep ball in the last ten minutes too. Good solid game, easily an 8 imo.

On a couple of occasions, when under a little pressure or being closed down, he dragged a clearance with his right foot along the ground out to Veltman on the left (might be called hooked in golf parlance). Both got to their man, but it looks a bit like a pattern and I think if I was in the opposition, I'd be looking to close that out ball. Could be very dangerous place for us to give away possession.

He's a crackingh keeper - but just because it wasn;t exploited doesn't mean it's not a weakness.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

With his FEET

I take you point though. My God Newcastle were awful. That has to be the most damming statistic imaginable on their performance...

Agreed. for anyone who likes vitriol simply look in one one of their fans' forums.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Perfect logic, although one of your premises is dodgy (which doesn't affect the logic): Pickford's out injured, so will have to attend to his chair and paper away from the pitch(es)

The other flaw is that Pickford doesn't strike me as a chair and papers man anyway. He'd be more likely to be angrily pacing the penalty area, clapping his gloves continously whilst shouting "come on" loudly as we put the 5th past some Liechtenstein post man.

 

[peterward]

Sanchez made more passes than ANYONE in the Newcastle team.

....

 

[Machiavelli]

The other flaw is that Pickford doesn't strike me as a chair and papers man anyway. He'd be more likely to be angrily pacing the penalty area, clapping his gloves continously whilst shouting "come on" loudly as we put the 5th past some Liechtenstein post man.

Pickford is the perfect successor to Joe Hart. Both get ridiculously hyped up and are error-prone.
For England's sake, you'd hope that Southgate recognises that Pope and Henderson are safer options.

 

[Milano]

On a couple of occasions, when under a little pressure or being closed down, he dragged a clearance with his right foot along the ground out to Veltman on the left (might be called hooked in golf parlance). Both got to their man, but it looks a bit like a pattern and I think if I was in the opposition, I'd be looking to close that out ball. Could be very dangerous place for us to give away possession.

He's a crackingh keeper - but just because it wasn;t exploited doesn't mean it's not a weakness.

Or he can see the whole pitch in front of him, I get the impression if a pass wasn’t on he wouldn’t try it. His distribution is light years ahead of Ryan, as is his handling, dealing with crosses and overall presence. Don’t forget he made a bad error v Leicester, he’s played less that 20 EPL games, he could have folded but instead it’s like it never happened. We have a goalkeeping gem on our hands.
The ONLY question mark IMO is how does he handle the pressure when crowds are back, I get the feeling he’ll be fine.