[Albion] Potter was a terrible coach at Swansea too

[Braggfan]

Yes, as I have said since we went toe to toe with City at the Etihad last season. We have enough academy players to make a fist of it with the ones who won’t be going. I know we’ll never win feck all but Potter’s football philosophy excites me and I have had so many high and lows following this club, this is the best position we have ever been in. Do I want a Big Sam grinding out results with attritional football to keep us up? Nah. I realise that others feel completely differently. I do believe that Potter will oversee the best ever Albion results and have absolute faith in him but accept we may go backwards before we get there. I hope we don’t go down obviously, but could I live with it, hell yeah.

Is there someone better out there? Of course there is but they won’t come to the Albion as we are at the moment.

Great post. Summarises my feelings as well.

 

[andy1980]

I agree, but I haven’t heard a single suggestion about a replacement who inspires me. It goes beyond just staying up for me. We could run with a CH style manager but that is a backward step long term imo. There are no “modern” managers available who could improve on GP as far as I can see. A knee jerk “get a new manager” is 100% not the solution.

If you can give me your suggestion we can discuss it? Please don’t tell me it’s not your job, if you want GP gone you need to have a suggestion on who replaces him, not just say not my job. Well imo anyway

I won't say its not my job to give you a name of a replacement manager, but at the same time I don't have a name of anybody. All I am sure of, is there must be people out there who are better, and I don't get why some of them wouldn't be interested.

I think the way Brighton are set up can be appealing to some ambitious managers.

I keep reading we have no divine right to play Premier League football, I 100% agree, but we have the right to fight to stay in the Premier League, and if we can get one of those managers who are better and keep to our values then we should get them.

 

[The Wizard]

Guess which team have conceded more from set pieces than us?

Leeds, oh no wait.. they are managed by the greatest coach in history aren’t they

I’m a firm believer that defending set pieces is the responsibility of players not coaches, we had the exact same problem before Potter joined, we conceded too many from them and couldn’t take one for toffee. I’m sorry but I don’t care what coaching you have, Dunk, Webster, White, Veltman, Burn for example against Wolves should be enough to deal with set pieces.

 

[Icy Gull]

I won't say its not my job to give you a name of a replacement manager, but at the same time I don't have a name of anybody. All I am sure of, is there must be people out there who are better, and I don't get why some of them wouldn't be interested.

I think the way Brighton are set up can be appealing to some ambitious managers.

I keep reading we have no divine right to play Premier League football, I 100% agree, but we have the right to fight to stay in the Premier League, and if we can get one of those managers who are better and keep to our values then we should get them.

Are you seriously suggesting that the players and the manager aren’t fighting to stay in this division? I couldn’t disagree more vehemently

 

[andy1980]

Educated guess, give me your suggestion

I really couldn't name you one. Maybe you are right, maybe that is why Bloom hasn't pulled the trigger but we shouldn't be happy or satisfied with it while it happens.

If we go down and Potter is still here next season then he has my full backing as that would mean our aim is to get promoted to the Premier league rather than stay in it, but now, as of today, until we either turn it around or fail then no Brighton fan should be happy.

 

[andy1980]

Are you seriously suggesting that the players and the manager aren’t fighting to stay in this division? I couldn’t disagree more vehemently

The only fight I have seen recently was when we were 3-1 down against Wolves. All I keep seeing is the players saying they believing they are good enough to stay up. Its a lot of talk and not a lot of fight. Playing nice football isn't fighting to stay up.

 

[MJsGhost]

Maupay has been out of form this season, but he has still scored six league goals and is on target for double figures again. From teams in the bottom half, only Bamford at Leeds, Wilson at Newcastle and Zaha at Palace have scored more goals than Maupay this season. Looking at teams in the bottom half last season, only Ings at Southampton, Wood at Burnley and Pukki at Norwich scored more than him. Maupay is in his second season in the top division and is three to six years younger than all of those named.

You'll note that one player who scored more than Maupay last season played for the side that finished rock bottom. It is a myth that everyone else in the division has strikers who score more than ours do. It is a myth that having one striker who scores a lot of goals keeps you in the division. The current frustration is that our dominance in games doesn't lead to the number of goals it feels like it should. We also concede a lot of goals from not many chances. This suggests to me that the quality of the chances we create is poor and the quality of the chances we concede is good. Maupay and the others will miss chances, but this is no different to their peers playing for other teams in the top division who are fighting the odds.

We are actually the third highest scorers of the teams in the bottom half: Palace have scored 22 to our 21 and Leeds have scored 30. Everyone else has scored less. Burnley have scored only 9! The strikers will not get us relegated. Losing matches we should draw and drawing matches we should win will get us relegated. That responsibility is a team one. Karen Carney was right in saying that our game management is a big issue. What we are really crying out for is a leader on the pitch. We have a lot of good young technical players, but nobody who seems to know what to do to best nullify the threat from the opposition and to how to ensure that his teammates do it. Fans are crying out for a new Glenn Murray when we would probably be better off with a new Radostin Kishishev

Maybe they are crying out for Glenn's ability to relieve pressure by providing an outlet and/or having the nous to win a soft foul so we can regroup and get out of our third of the pitch...?

I think your comment about Kish is spot on though - an old head to settle some nerves, calm everyone down when we're under pressure and see games out (or at least break this habit of conceding so soon after we score).

He's a different kind of player, but Lallana's got the experience and we seem less brittle when he's on the pitch (no idea if the stats would back that up), so we need him fit ASAP in my opinion. He's still no Kish or Jimmy Case!

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

I keep reading we have no divine right to play Premier League football, I 100% agree, but we have the right to fight to stay in the Premier League, and if we can get one of those managers who are better and keep to our values then we should get them.

When Potter was hired I pointed out that his reputation was not warranted, particularly what he did in Sweden. That being said - an overvalued reputation does not necessarily mean he is not or will not develop into a good manager. The big problem at the moment is that he does not appear to be able to get the team out of the funk it is in - and there are some very tough games coming up in the next month.

The issue with your statement is who would you consider 'one of those managers who are better and keep to our values' who should be hired to replace Potter?

 

[el punal]

Well! Well! Eleven pages on this thread and other threads as well on Potter’s competence. Not even half the season gone and the executioners are sharpening their axes. Time for a little reminder, when Chris Hughton took over in January 2015 after the calamitous Hyypia regime ended. It’s fair to say Chris’s brief was probably along the lines of “just make sure that we don’t get relegated and then next season build for the future”. Seems fair enough to me as we were going to win sod all that season anyway. But to some on this board that wasn’t good enough. We couldn’t score for toffee but we were scraping points for survival - but Hughton’s knockers were definitely to the fore.

The following season we did rebuild, we just missed out on a deserved promotion but gained the ultimate reward a year later. I don’t seem to remember too many “ Hughton out “ posts during that time.

So now back to Potter. At the beginning of this season, and when he took over in 2019, our football was a breath of fresh air - exhilarating sometimes and everyone was raving about it. At the moment the team is struggling with injuries, bad luck, poor individual performances and, in my view, a lack of confidence. Instead of castigating Potter and the players we should be encouraging them - unfortunately not in person at the Amex or on away trips at present - but at least on social media et al.

You never know, a couple of good wins on the bounce and life will be so much rosier. In the meantime can we lay off Potter and the players until the business end of the season so they can show they can turn things around. And for those of you that want Potter gone there’s always Sam Allardyce - I can’t see him staying long at the other Albion.

 

[andy1980]

When Potter was hired I pointed out that his reputation was not warranted, particularly what he did in Sweden. That being said - an overvalued reputation does not necessarily mean he is not or will not develop into a good manager. The big problem at the moment is that he does not appear to be able to get the team out of the funk it is in - and there are some very tough games coming up in the next month.

The issue with your statement is who would you consider 'one of those managers who are better and keep to our values' who should be hired to replace Potter?

I haven't got a manager in mind. I just think there has to be people out there who are better. The only thing I currently have against Potter is his ability to get us to win enough games to stay up. I think he is doing a good job with everything else.

 

[andy1980]

Well! Well! Eleven pages on this thread and other threads as well on Potter’s competence. Not even half the season gone and the executioners are sharpening their axes. Time for a little reminder, when Chris Hughton took over in January 2015 after the calamitous Hyypia regime ended. It’s fair to say Chris’s brief was probably along the lines of “just make sure that we don’t get relegated and then next season build for the future”. Seems fair enough to me as we were going to win sod all that season anyway. But to some on this board that wasn’t good enough. We couldn’t score for toffee but we were scraping points for survival - but Hughton’s knockers were definitely to the fore.

The following season we did rebuild, we just missed out on a deserved promotion but gained the ultimate reward a year later. I don’t seem to remember too many “ Hughton out “ posts during that time.

So now back to Potter. At the beginning of this season, and when he took over in 2019, our football was a breath of fresh air - exhilarating sometimes and everyone was raving about it. At the moment the team is struggling with injuries, bad luck, poor individual performances and, in my view, a lack of confidence. Instead of castigating Potter and the players we should be encouraging them - unfortunately not in person at the Amex or on away trips at present - but at least on social media et al.

You never know, a couple of good wins on the bounce and life will be so much rosier. In the meantime can we lay off Potter and the players until the business end of the season so they can show they can turn things around. And for those of you that want Potter gone there’s always Sam Allardyce - I can’t see him staying long at the other Albion.

That is when he should be backed. He needs to turn things around. He and the team needs to build that siege mentality.

 

[Stato]

Maybe they are crying out for Glenn's ability to relieve pressure by providing an outlet and/or having the nous to win a soft foul so we can regroup and get out of our third of the pitch...?

I think your comment about Kish is spot on though - an old head to settle some nerves, calm everyone down when we're under pressure and see games out (or at least break this habit of conceding so soon after we score).

He's a different kind of player, but Lallana's got the experience and we seem less brittle when he's on the pitch (no idea if the stats would back that up), so we need him fit ASAP in my opinion. He's still no Kish or Jimmy Case!

You're spot on about GM's nous. He knows game management and would be more of an asset back here helping to train our young strikers than sitting on Watford's bench. Its his decision though I suppose.

My main point is that, although the strikers don't have the best figures in the division, they also do not have the worst. Between them Maupay, Connolly and Welbeck have scored 10 league goals this season. By my reckoning, Liverpool and Tottenham's central strikers have scored many more, West Brom's and Burnley's far less. Among the other 16 teams we're pretty much in the middle for goals scored by strikers. What we don't have is midfielders weighing in with a good number. Whereas the much feted Ollie Watkins has actually played more minutes and scored the same number of goals as Maupay, he is supported by 5 from Grealish, 5 from El Ghazi and 3 from Traore. Our nine midfielders to have had minutes this year have scored seven between them.

 

[Pint of Ale and a Burger]

Yes, as I have said since we went toe to toe with City at the Etihad last season. We have enough academy players to make a fist of it with the ones who won’t be going. I know we’ll never win feck all but Potter’s football philosophy excites me and I have had so many high and lows following this club, this is the best position we have ever been in. Do I want a Big Sam grinding out results with attritional football to keep us up? Nah. I realise that others feel completely differently. I do believe that Potter will oversee the best ever Albion results and have absolute faith in him but accept we may go backwards before we get there. I hope we don’t go down obviously, but could I live with it, hell yeah.

Is there someone better out there? Of course there is but they won’t come to the Albion as we are at the moment.

Yes I agree with all of this .
The only other manager I can see that would fit into our strategy is pep Guardiola and I can't see that happening.
The problem today is because of FIFA games,overhyped TV coverage of rich clubs and supermarkets everyone wants everything instantly.
Unfortunately FIFA games are not real life,the top clubs are at the top because they are swimming in money and people pop in a shop and buy a nice fresh packet of apples they forget the tool and hard work it took to make those apples and get them on the supermarket shelf.
To grow apples we need to have the right soil,the right amount of water and the right amount of sunlight,the conditions have to be right and only then do we see the apples.
Top clubs just go and Wade into the best orchard and pay for the best apples but we can't do that.
But I am convinced that we are developing our own orchard and potter is key to that but it will take time for us to grow the best apples.

 

[Falmer Wizard]

Maupay spent very little time in the penalty area last night. He needs to get back to the basics - play in the penalty area where he's going to get himself chances and goals. We have plenty of players hanging around outside the box just looking to make a safe pass - what we need is someone in the penalty area to feed. The most thrust in the team came from White from right back, he was taking risks with the ball and trying to make something happen. Arguably there wasn't enough of that last night.

You can blame the pitch but the individuals needed to take more responsibility. I was very disappointed in Jahanbakhsh and Mac Allister last night. They weren't playing in positions they want to, but they had plenty of chances to get on the ball and make something happen in the game. They failed to do so and I was very disappointed by them both.

I agree regarding the two players mentioned however the rest of the team did not show any style that would give them anything to play up to despite the fact we were matched against a club from a lower league

 

[andy1980]

Yes I agree with all of this .
The only other manager I can see that would fit into our strategy is pep Guardiola and I can't see that happening.
The problem today is because of FIFA games,overhyped TV coverage of rich clubs and supermarkets everyone wants everything instantly.
Unfortunately FIFA games are not real life,the top clubs are at the top because they are swimming in money and people pop in a shop and buy a nice fresh packet of apples they forget the tool and hard work it took to make those apples and get them on the supermarket shelf.
To grow apples we need to have the right soil,the right amount of water and the right amount of sunlight,the conditions have to be right and only then do we see the apples.
Top clubs just go and Wade into the best orchard and pay for the best apples but we can't do that.
But I am convinced that we are developing our own orchard and potter is key to that but it will take time for us to grow the best apples.

Wow, Guardiola is the only manager better than Potter who will fit into our strategy? If that is true then we should keep potter, but I can't believe that. I can't name anyone else but I can't believe that in the whole world there is only one person better than Potter all things considered.

It is not about FIFA games or wanting everything now, It about believing that we should fight to keep what we have now. I haven't lost faith in Potter because he isn't getting us into top 10 or europe. I have lost faith in Potter because I think he will get us relegated. I don't want something we haven't already got, I don't want to loose what we have.

 

[Bry Nylon]

...people pop in a shop and buy a nice fresh packet of apples they forget the tool and hard work it took to make those apples and get them on the supermarket shelf.
To grow apples we need to have the right soil,the right amount of water and the right amount of sunlight,the conditions have to be right and only then do we see the apples.
Top clubs just go and Wade into the best orchard and pay for the best apples but we can't do that.
But I am convinced that we are developing our own orchard and potter is key to that but it will take time for us to grow the best apples.

But until then we're stuck with a bunch of Granny Smiths and a couple of lemons.

 

[Springal]

Guardiola ? Not sure there is much coming through the City ranks into the First Team. Phil Foden has had a very difficult path, and even now is fairly 50/50 despite some very good performances.

 

[el punal]

That is when he should be backed. He needs to turn things around. He and the team needs to build that siege mentality.

Yep, I agree with that. I also agree that he needs to turn things around - he’s probably more aware of that than anyone else. I’m still positive about Potter, I just wish others were as well.

 

[vagabond]

Yep, I agree with that. I also agree that he needs to turn things around - he’s probably more aware of that than anyone else. I’m still positive about Potter, I just wish others were as well.

There’s plenty of us who are.

 

[MJsGhost]

You're spot on about GM's nous. He knows game management and would be more of an asset back here helping to train our young strikers than sitting on Watford's bench. Its his decision though I suppose.

My main point is that, although the strikers don't have the best figures in the division, they also do not have the worst. Between them Maupay, Connolly and Welbeck have scored 10 league goals this season. By my reckoning, Liverpool and Tottenham's central strikers have scored many more, West Brom's and Burnley's far less. Among the other 16 teams we're pretty much in the middle for goals scored by strikers. What we don't have is midfielders weighing in with a good number. Whereas the much feted Ollie Watkins has actually played more minutes and scored the same number of goals as Maupay, he is supported by 5 from Grealish, 5 from El Ghazi and 3 from Traore. Our nine midfielders to have had minutes this year have scored seven between them.

Solly 2, Gross 2, Biss 1, Trossard 1 and...?

Doesn't make great reading does it?

To be fair to Trossard, he could have had a hattrick against Man U and was very unlucky to have that goal disallowed against Wolves. He was woeful last night though - looked like he kept trying to do too much on his own