[Albion] Potter on why he played a young team

[hans kraay fan club]

Scenario 4 - Dan Ashworth wants to showcase what is a very talented group of youngsters to get them out on loan earning money for the club. Much in the same way that Chelsea have done in the last 5 or 6 years

Well if that were the case then he / we, ****ed it up badly.

Nobody learned anything about those players. The result won't be noticed. And none of them get to play again until January, if then.

If we really had the aim you suggest, then the intelligent thing to do would have been to play the most promising 3 or 4, in a competitive side, get a good result, get noticed, AND have another round in which to do the same again.

 

[el punal]

Of course, he doesnt know as much as you about the team situation - you know, status of injuries and sicknesses etc - going into the game yesterday, but since he picks the team I thought maybe it could be interesting to read anyway.

Potter was asked by The Argus whether his line-up was out of choice or necessity.

He said: “A bit of both, I would say. With Chelsea on Saturday, we have got a couple of lads sick, a couple of players who are recovering (from injury) and quite close but we just thought it was too soon for them to play.”

Source: The Argus

Okay - now, since 90% of the people here are complaining about last nights lineup, I'd like the experts in here to clarify some questions:

Scenario one - Graham Potter is telling the truth and there is a lot of injuries and some players have gotten sick

1. Which injured or sick players should have started the game?

2. Which players starting in the Newcastle game should also have started on Villa and then on Saturday against Chelsea? Who are the ones fit enough to play 3 games in one week feeling zero fatigue in the last of those games?

Scenario two - Graham Potter is lying - everyone is perfectly fit and capable - and is just trying to **** you and your club

1. ...why?

How about none of your business, and none of our business? Next?

 

[Gritt23]

It costs £15 to see a Conference South game. And you can't see the U23s for free against other top flight teams.

Against other top flight teams ...... who barely need to get out of 2nd gear because they have the game in the palm of their hand against a team who are completely outmatched.

Let's see how we do selling Cup games, especially League Cup games in the future under Potter, because we sent out a very loud and clear message last night. Personally, I won't be going anywhere near, as I go to watch us try to win a competitive game, not treat it like a pre-season friendly where the result doesn't matter, it's all about getting players some playing time.

Not for me, and I doubt I'm alone.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

It seems you have some insight to what players who were available and who wasnt, so what lineup would you have gone with.. or are you only speculating?

Yes - I speculate as well, but I think the team would be at least a tiny bit stronger if Potter actually had the possibility.

Like he says in the same article:

“Not really, not with the situation we have got.

“We are just going through that little phase at the moment.

“In the last round we were able to use a bit more experience and it would have been preferable, I suppose, to have had a couple more around.

“A couple were close but it just wasn’t worth the risk, really.”

I believe him, you dont - we are both speculating though.

You're being a bit silly, now, tbh.

We get that you have a slightly frightening obsession with our manager, but if you are going to hang around and join in with our community, you will need to learn to accept that not everyone is going to agree with every decision he ever makes.

if you can't understand that, then it would be better that you stick to your Swedish goat-fanciers forums instead.

As he says in the quote you've posted "it just wasn't worth it". There it is in a nutshell. Some of us feel that it was worth playing a semi-competitive side in a winnable 3rd round tie, in one of the two competitions we can actually compete in. You clearly don't. Potter doesn't either

At least we know the score, now.

 

[blue-shifted]

Against other top flight teams ...... who barely need to get out of 2nd gear because they have the game in the palm of their hand against a team who are completely outmatched.

Let's see how we do selling Cup games, especially League Cup games in the future under Potter, because we sent out a very loud and clear message last night. Personally, I won't be going anywhere near, as I go to watch us try to win a competitive game, not treat it like a pre-season friendly where the result doesn't matter, it's all about getting players some playing time.

Not for me, and I doubt I'm alone.

You're not mate. I haven't missed a home game in any competition in years, but I'm not going to any further cup games from now.

 

[rippleman]

This is an EXCELLENT and very valid point. Which makes all the statements about injury / illness forcing his hand more than a little glib, IMO.

But it wasn't just the players who were unavailable though was it? It was important to protect the fit first teamers and not risking them getting injured for the sake of playing in the micky mouse cup. I wouldn't have risked Connolly last night either when Maupay and the ol' fella have both had knocks.

The wide players are mostly all injured so he couldn't play Alzate either.

I'm not sure there would have been the upset if the tickets had been reasonably priced. Fans feeling fleeced to watch the kids play last night is perfectly understandable. Barber made a rickett over the pricing and he should admit it and apologise.

 

[Silverhatch]

Scenario 4 - Dan Ashworth wants to showcase what is a very talented group of youngsters to get them out on loan earning money for the club. Much in the same way that Chelsea have done in the last 5 or 6 years

Bingo! Shop window stuff. Blood two or three youngsters and it doesn't register. Send out the entire team of u18/23s to face Aston Villa then the (football) world will take notice. The academy (with another £15-20m just about to be invested in) needs to pay its way.

 

[Easy 10]

You're not mate. I haven't missed a home game in any competition in years, but I'm not going to any further cup games from now.

I umm'd and err'd about going last night, left it for a decision on the day but didn't bother in the end as I couldn't get away from work early enough for it not to be a bit of a rush job.

GP's team selection made me relieved that I didn't bother, and he's already made up my mind now for any future Cup games we may have under his stewardship.

 

[Gritt23]

You're not mate. I haven't missed a home game in any competition in years, but I'm not going to any further cup games from now.

It's a very sad reality, but perfectly understandable. This is the aspect to last night which seems to have been completely lost on the club.

We are loyal fans, we support them through thick and thin. Whether it was season tickets at Gillingham, the Hereford game, or march to protest about something. We've all been there together. But don't insult us by saying this was the best side we could put out, or charging for a competitive game, when we are going to essentially throw it.

We've all largely accepted weakened teams in Cup competitions, and where the line is drawn between acceptable and unacceptable is hard to definitively state. But when 6 starters aren't even listed on the back of the programme. When the Club app doesn't even have a name in their database again 4 of the squad numbers announced in the starting line up. When the scoreboard doesn't even attempt to announce the side with pictures of the players, because they presumably just didn't have them to hand. Then that's over the line for a great many people, I'd guess.

 

[NooBHA]

Well if that were the case then he / we, ****ed it up badly.

Nobody learned anything about those players. The result won't be noticed. And none of them get to play again until January, if then.

If we really had the aim you suggest, then the intelligent thing to do would have been to play the most promising 3 or 4, in a competitive side, get a good result, get noticed, AND have another round in which to do the same again.

I don't suggest anything. I have no insight into what went on behind the scenes.

I just offered it up as a thought of what maybe happened

 

[blue-shifted]

I umm'd and err'd about going last night, left it for a decision on the day but didn't bother in the end as I couldn't get away from work early enough for it not to be a bit of a rush job.

GP's team selection made me relieved that I didn't bother, and he's already made up my mind now for any future Cup games we may have under his stewardship.

For me the worst part was having to turn around to my 7 y/o son after the line ups came up to tell him we're going to lose. Not what you want to have to do when you're trying to indoctrinate someone. He's bloody knackered at school today because I kept him up late at the game. There's probably thousands of little stories of lost goodwill

 

[Easy 10]

But when 6 starters aren't even listed on the back of the programme. When the Club app doesn't even have a name in their database again 4 of the squad numbers announced in the starting line up. When the scoreboard doesn't even attempt to announce the side with pictures of the players, because they presumably just didn't have them to hand. Then that's over the line for a great many people, I'd guess.

When Sky Sports News were showing the lineups, they did a graphic of the Villa players on the pitch, all in their positions.

When it came to the BHA lineup they didn't bother, as nobody had a scooby who anyone was, or what position they'd play. Jim White had a right old chuckle over it with the bloke doing our match updates.

 

[hampshirebrightonboy]

.This is NSC, of course we know best and always have done

Win or draw at Chelsea and all will be tickety-boo, lose badly and the inquest will get intense

Yeah, let's put a load more pressure on the Chelsea game - I'm sure they need it

 

[oneillco]

No need to be so spikey. it's a just football forum - people present exaggerated versions of themselves and their opinions.

Anyway, I suspect there are many more than 10% that, like me, were perfectly happy with the line up.

I almost went, but didn't in the end. If I had, it would have been to get a glimpse of our younger and fringe players playing in a real, senior game to see how they got on. As such I'd have been delighted! Could hardly ask for any more.

Sounds like we did Ok, and a few did very well including a couple we didn't know much about before. So all good.
Would have liked to win as well, but it was hardly critical and we could have fielded a stronger team, with associated risks, and still not won.
Good luck to Villa.
Except for Terry. Terry can f*ck off.

I think you can be chirpy about it because you didn't go; a lot of us who did turn-up left feeling very dispirited, particularly after having to listen 3,000 fat Brummies taking the p1ss for 90 mins.

 

[Easy 10]

But it wasn't just the players who were unavailable though was it? It was important to protect the fit first teamers and not risking them getting injured for the sake of playing in the micky mouse cup. I wouldn't have risked Connolly last night either when Maupay and the ol' fella have both had knocks.

The wide players are mostly all injured so he couldn't play Alzate either.

I believe we *could* have put a more competitive lineup on the pitch last night, had the desire been there. Players can get injured in games, they can get injured in training, they can get injured wrapping cars round lampposts, you can't wrap them in cotton wool.

If Cup games are now going to be for academy players and never 1st teamers, then the Club need to announce this up front.

 

[Gritt23]

When Sky Sports News were showing the lineups, they did a graphic of the Villa players on the pitch, all in their positions.

When it came to the BHA lineup they didn't bother, as nobody had a scooby who anyone was, or what position they'd play. Jim White had a right old chuckle over it with the bloke doing our match updates.

Can't blame them, how are they supposed to know when our own app was at a loss.

 

[crabface]

I umm'd and err'd about going last night, left it for a decision on the day but didn't bother in the end as I couldn't get away from work early enough for it not to be a bit of a rush job.

GP's team selection made me relieved that I didn't bother, and he's already made up my mind now for any future Cup games we may have under his stewardship.

This is exactly the predicament i had about going, and exactly the way i feel about future cup games. You are not on your own.

 

[perseus]

Anyone who uses the word 'gotten' who isn't American is immediately discredited.

ill-gotten ?

 

[Icy Gull]

Yeah, let's put a load more pressure on the Chelsea game - I'm sure they need it

I doubt the players give a moment’s thought to what a bunch of internet geeks think

 

[highflyer]

I think you can be chirpy about it because you didn't go; a lot of us who did turn-up left feeling very dispirited, particularly after having to listen 3,000 fat Brummies taking the p1ss for 90 mins.

That's a fair point. You could hear them on the radio and it must have been pretty bloody annoying!