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[Albion] Potterball, your opinions so far?



Bodian

Well-known member
May 3, 2012
14,245
Cumbria
Gross (we know), Trossard, Mooy, Alzate, all look like they will score goals this season. We've already got 4 from defenders. Agree that the rest of the team need to step up, and if Maupay and Connolly can both get in double figures we will be well on our way to 45+.

Even Propper had two shots on target on Saturday!
 




el punal

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2012
12,545
The dull part of the south coast
No, a lifelong red who has been watching them since the days of Jimmy Harrower under the managerial mediocrity of Phil Taylor, and is chewing his nails at the prospect of a first league title after 30 years (30 years FFS!) and who was rather relieved that we don't yet have that £50 million striker that would surely have defenestrated his team over the weekend.

This is the first time in the 30 years I have known him, btw, that all the kindly but patronising 'my second team, very fond of Brighton' platitudes went out of the window :lolol:

Interesting that attitudes to “l’il ol’ Brighton” are changing. From being relegation fodder, easy three points, Premier League make weights, we are now respected as being a good footballing side that play good football and are no mugs. Our attitude, as fans, are changing too. In our first season in the PL it was a case of survival, and hope we don’t get stuffed 5-0/6-0 by the so-called Big Six. Last season I was absolutely fuming when we lost 1-0 at home to Liverpool - a coming of age thing if you like. I truly believe that we are now capable, or very close to it, of being a match for ANY team in the League. That is not wishful thinking, and yes, we are far from the finished article but everyone can see that progress is being made slowly but surely. Heady days!
 


Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
Jul 23, 2003
37,339
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
Usually I’d say you’re right mate, but what you have to remember is that whoever is playing up front for us is playing in front of a midfield that doesn’t score, hasn’t scored and don’t look like they are ever capable of scoring a goal.

This means that if at least 2 of the two strikers and those playing just in behind total don't 40 between them. we'll be in big trouble. We'll likely have to find around 50 goals to be safely mid table. We’ll get fewer from the Centre Backs now Duffy is playing less.

The "playing in behind them" is critical. We need goals from Mooy / Gross / Trossard and Alzate and we should get them. This is what the fluid, possession based football can yield.

I don't buy the "fewer goals from centre backs" either. With three big lads in the team we should be causing chaos at set pieces. Dunk scored this week and missed a sitter, Duffy missed a sitter last week. To return to the Leicester point it is absolutely criminal to just hit a floaty cross to the edge of the area when we have 3 CBs and Evans is off the field. We don't need Mooy floating them in. We need Trossard hitting the balls like he does from free kicks and our team attacking both the first and second balls.
 
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Mackenzie

Old Brightonian
Nov 7, 2003
34,009
East Wales
I'm enjoying it. OK we're not winning every week, but at least we're losing with style.

:lolol:
 


Uncle Spielberg

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2003
43,093
Lancing
I we get 1 point from the next 2 games, quite possible and most likely outcome we will be 5 points worse off than last season and most likely in the bottom 3. The football is much better to watch but there is very little end product to it all and we are reluctant to test the goalie and have missed too many easy chances any decent premier league side would have scored. It is in the balance at the moment. The points total and league position is very disappointing
 




Jury still out. We seem to be conceding too many sloppy goals, fix that and I'd be a happy bunny -- really not convinced by the Duffy-less defence. Much prefer Maupay and Connolly as starters to Murray, so tick in that box. Mooy and possibly Alzate could be transformative to our workaday midfield so exciting possibilities there, another tick. We need to consistently get more out of Trossard though.

We need 22 points by New Year at minimum I reckon, which would be behind last year's total but at least with less of a knackered, transfer deal-screwed squad that Hughton had to put up with
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex
I'm not sure we have any players that don't make mistakes. He's being asked to play the ball out, so in all honesty that is ultimately the result of tactics, and Dunk and Duffy have made them too.

Don't disagree he's finding it tough, but I think a 'can't defend' conclusion is a bit early.
He's singlehandedly taken the title from City.
He's definitely more #TeamKlopp than #TeamPep.
 


symyjym

Banned
Nov 2, 2009
13,138
Brighton / Hove actually
I would describe the change of style as a Baptism of Fire to the squad and instead of playing within a comfort zone, Potter has to test every current player to their limit, which can only be done under real game conditions, not the training ground.

It's easier to build the style of football we want to see from the lower leagues as Bournemouth, Wolves and Sheffield United have done, and likewise when Swansea stepped into the Prem.

Trying to change to a more exciting and faster style while in the Prem is going to be tough because the whole squad has to be taught and players assessed, to move on or stay, and then who to bring in who is up to task.

Once we have a whole squad up to the task and singing from the same hymn sheet, the only players we have to teach are the new players coming in, and the players up to the task will also be able to help them too.

We have to remember that this is a transition stage and any future players brought in, Potter would probably oversee. I don't think Hughton had too much involvement in targeting new players and it wasn't really in his remit. Hughton probably had a final say but it was down to the club to get, who they thought, were the right players in. Hughton just managed them.

We know that Eddie Howe has a direct influence on all his signings, and because players like his style of play, he has easy pickings.

I am sure that Potter already has a list of players who won't make it into next season and he will recruit wisely.

I believe that if the Bloom is confident in bringing Potter in, he has to also back him fully, which he has with the contract extension, and that he has to be fully involved in recruitment from start to finish. The gamble is though, we could get relegated in the process but were already relegation candidates this season anyway.

If the sacrifice is to go down, followed by ripping the Championship apart and being promoted as Champions, then continue in the Prem with a fast paced creative and competitive football, it will still have been worth the gamble.
 




blue-shifted

Banned
Feb 20, 2004
7,645
a galaxy far far away
I we get 1 point from the next 2 games, quite possible and most likely outcome we will be 5 points worse off than last season and most likely in the bottom 3. The football is much better to watch but there is very little end product to it all and we are reluctant to test the goalie and have missed too many easy chances any decent premier league side would have scored. It is in the balance at the moment. The points total and league position is very disappointing

Tough crowd
 


Billy the Fish

Technocrat
Oct 18, 2005
17,594
Haywards Heath
So I am happy, what I fear for and dont like is a VERY large number of fans who constantly loudly bitch about us playing out from the back. THIS IS THE COUNTER TO A PRESS AND IT IS WORKING. Humping the ball up the pitch is what they want you to do SO STOP SHITTING A BRICK AND DEMANDING IT LIKE A SHIT OLD MANAGER it just gives possession back ( see possession vs liverpool thats why ours was more)

Great post, funny because it's true :lolol:
 


blue-shifted

Banned
Feb 20, 2004
7,645
a galaxy far far away
I we get 1 point from the next 2 games, quite possible and most likely outcome we will be 5 points worse off than last season and most likely in the bottom 3. The football is much better to watch but there is very little end product to it all and we are reluctant to test the goalie and have missed too many easy chances any decent premier league side would have scored. It is in the balance at the moment. The points total and league position is very disappointing

I don’t see how comparing our points total to last season is a helpful comparison.

It’s not that usual to have the large difference between the first half and the second half of the season points totals and crucially, there is no reason to suspect that same drop off will happen again.

Far more meaningful to compare our points totals with the teams around us.
 




Blue Valkyrie

Not seen such Bravery!
Sep 1, 2012
32,165
Valhalla
I we get 1 point from the next 2 games, quite possible and most likely outcome we will be 5 points worse off than last season and most likely in the bottom 3. The football is much better to watch but there is very little end product to it all and we are reluctant to test the goalie and have missed too many easy chances any decent premier league side would have scored. It is in the balance at the moment. The points total and league position is very disappointing
Eh ?

We are currently 2 points up on last season's equivalent fixtures ( Villa away and Norwich at home not arbitrarily compared ).

We got 4 points from Wolves at home and Arsenal away last season, so 1 point would only take us to -1 in the running total comparison.
 


Uncle Spielberg

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2003
43,093
Lancing
I don’t see how comparing our points total to last season is a helpful comparison.

It’s not that usual to have the large difference between the first half and the second half of the season points totals and crucially, there is no reason to suspect that same drop off will happen again.

Far more meaningful to compare our points totals with the teams around us.

Which is looking worse week after week. I like the football but the end product is very poor. I am with Potter even if we fo down as the football last season was dire and I go to games to be entertained
 


Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
. The points total and league position is very disappointing

Given that we’ve played most of the top teams away from home now I’d say it’s a little disappointing rather than very to find ourselves in 16th.

I expected us to be in a relegation battle all season so can’t be too disappointed that we are. The plusses are so much better than the minuses imo, I suppose it depends on what you expected from a manager with no PL experience and only one season as an English manager.

Once we start playing teams around us again we’ll have a much better idea of where this season is going. After that gutsy performance on Saturday I am really looking forward to the next few games.
 




Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
Jul 23, 2003
37,339
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
I we get 1 point from the next 2 games, quite possible and most likely outcome we will be 5 points worse off than last season and most likely in the bottom 3. The football is much better to watch but there is very little end product to it all and we are reluctant to test the goalie and have missed too many easy chances any decent premier league side would have scored. It is in the balance at the moment. The points total and league position is very disappointing

Well, if we'd just not conceded the last minute goals to Burnley and Villa we'd have three more points and be 10th. I know ifs and buts are just that but seeing out a few of these games in the second half of the season will see us more than alright. Two weeks ago we were twelth. Since then we've played the top two in the country, sides that have only lost twice all season between them and we were away to Liverpool.

The bad thing for us is something I called out at the start of the season. We really needed the difficlut fixtures at the start as we weren't expecting much from them. Instead we've got a run that's included Man U and Liverpool away and Leicester at home. Our "easier" games were still while we were transitioning to the new style.
 


Coalburner

Active member
May 22, 2017
315
As Uncle Spielberg says, we seem reluctant to test the goalie. Nobody seems prepared to have a shot, preferring to give that responsibility to someone else. Have a go at goal - it will pay off eventually. we don't need to score the perfect goal, any goal will do.
 


blue-shifted

Banned
Feb 20, 2004
7,645
a galaxy far far away
Which is looking worse week after week. I like the football but the end product is very poor. I am with Potter even if we fo down as the football last season was dire and I go to games to be entertained

At the tail end of

Man U (a)
Leicester (h)
Liverpool (a)
Arsenal (a)

.....yes it is looking worse every week

After that the teams we still haven’t played are Wolves, Palace, Sheff Utd and Bournmouth.

No gimmies at all in this league, but I think our points total will be more accurately represent where we are after we have played everyone.
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex
Why are Albion fans surprised at the team being goal-shy?

They've been goal-shy for years what were any of you expecting with the arrival of one striker, the loss of two and another year under the belt for a third.
 




Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,455
Hove
Why are Albion fans surprised at the team being goal-shy?

They've been goal-shy for years what were any of you expecting with the arrival of one striker, the loss of two and another year under the belt for a third.

Goals For after 14 games:
2017 – 13
2018 – 16
2019 – 16

I demand more goals! :angry::angry:
 




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