[Albion] Potterball, your opinions so far?

[London Irish]

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.

I've got no data for this but always got the impression that the weaker bottom third teams tend to do worse in the second half than the first because of the accumulated demoralisation over a season of long stretches of games without wins. The well-known promoted team bounce is part of this, they do well initially but just get ground down eventually by the relentless ruthlessness of the quality of the league

 

[blue-shifted]

I've got no data for this but always got the impression that the weaker bottom third teams tend to do worse in the second half than the first because of the accumulated demoralisation over a season of long stretches of games without wins. The well-known promoted team bounce is part of this, they do well initially but just get ground down eventually by the relentless ruthlessness of the quality of the league

And what makes you put us as one of the weaker bottom third teams?

 

[Icy Gull]

I've got no data for this but always got the impression that the weaker bottom third teams tend to do worse in the second half than the first because of the accumulated demoralisation over a season of long stretches of games without wins. The well-known promoted team bounce is part of this, they do well initially but just get ground down eventually by the relentless ruthlessness of the quality of the league

You forget that our manager uses his understanding of human psychology, not many PL managers have this in their armoury

 

[blue-shifted]

I've got no data for this but always got the impression that the weaker bottom third teams tend to do worse in the second half than the first because of the accumulated demoralisation over a season of long stretches of games without wins. The well-known promoted team bounce is part of this, they do well initially but just get ground down eventually by the relentless ruthlessness of the quality of the league

That effect is more to do with squad sizes and depth of newly promoted teams and the increasing number of matches which need to be played when you get to this time in the season.

 

[Mellotron]

Results wise we are similar if not worse than the first part of last season. However it wasnt the first part of last season that did for us it was the end. I have just witnessed us out possess the European champions resulting in them looking scared of us toward the end at their own ground.

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)

Love this post.

 

[blue-shifted]

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.

Number of strikers isn’t the most important factor though is it.

There are factors working in both directions.

We are creating more good chances than last season(as evidenced by XG), because we are on the ball much more and way better at getting the whole team forward.

We aren’t scoring more though as Maupay and Connolly aren’t yet as good at finishing as Murray, Andone, and Gross were last season.

In neither season did the midfield contribute anything to the GF column. (ok only one or two)

 

[Bold Seagull]

We aren’t scoring more though as Maupay and Connolly aren’t yet as good at finishing as Murray, Andone, and Gross were last season.

Maupay already has as more league goals than Andone managed across 26 appearances. Gross has made 8 appearances, but I'll wager he will improve on last season's 3 goals.

Murray finished on 13 last season, Andone 1, Locadia 2.

Maupay and Connolly already have 7 goals between them, after 14 games. They're going to smash last seasons goals from forwards.

 

[Stat Brother]

Number of strikers isn’t the most important factor though is it.

It is when:-

One is injured.
One is too old.
&
One is misfiring

Because that then leaves you with the grand total of



None.

 

[Stat Brother]

Maupay already has as more league goals than Andone managed across 26 appearances. Gross has made 8 appearances, but I'll wager he will improve on last season's 3 goals.

Murray finished on 13 last season, Andone 1, Locadia 2.

Maupay and Connolly already have 7 goals between them, after 14 games. They're going to smash last seasons goals from forwards.

Kind of like the targets I set for myself.

smash last seasons goals from forwards is that code for 'still not very good'?

 

[Bold Seagull]

Kind of like the targets I set for myself.

smash last seasons goals from forwards is that code for 'still not very good'?

It's code for:
New player stepping up a level
New manager completely transforming style of play and tactics
Need a bit of patience to allow new ideas to transfer into actual goals
Despite that, results still very respectable

 

[Stat Brother]

It's code for:
New player stepping up a level
New manager completely transforming style of play and tactics
Need a bit of patience to allow new ideas to transfer into actual goals
Despite that, results still very respectable

Oh I'm with you brother, all the way.


It's the know nothing's thinking they can suddenly get blood from a stone, irrespective of the fact they haven't done it before and now have even less stones.


If only we still had Sam Baldock...


..said nobody ever.

 

[Bodian]

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

Although according to the [MENTION=3734]Giraffe[/MENTION] Tracker, we're bang on schedule and target for points given the teams we've played. And by the [MENTION=33965]FatSuperman[/MENTION] tracker, which is the comparison with the same games/teams as last year - we're a point ahead.

 

[London Irish]

And what makes you put us as one of the weaker bottom third teams?

Umm.... objective reality? We don't even make that at the moment, we are in the bottom fourth segment of the table

 

[boik]

Something the great psychologist Mr Potter alluded to in his interview is that the team didn't have enough self belief at the start of the match and let Liverpool into it from the off. I reckon if we get an away win against one of the big teams then the players will have a surge of confidence to take into future matches. We've shown we can compete with them at the Amex if they're not 100% on it. Palace think they can beat the big teams away because they have done it before. I'm confident we will get there.

 

[BensGrandad]

Much as I like the football that we are playing generally I am disappointed with the standard of our defending and feel that it is an area that we need to improve very quickly. If the truth was known I would have sooner we ground out a 0-0 draw at Anfield and again on Thursday at The Emirates, although we may nick a goal there, provided we do not give away 2.

 

[The_Viper]

Mixture of zonal/man to man marking at set pieces??

THIS. I bought this up in my latest podcast reviewing Liverpool. Potter has one of the worst records in the championship last season from conceding at corners. Whatever this Zonal/Man marking idea is I hate it. Despise it. We look all at sea constantly. Everything else I love, Potter is brilliant, he's done so much with so little and rather little time too. I hope we spend for him in January, we need to offload too so in theory we should have plenty to spend. But set piece marking? YIKES.

 

[oldboyroy]

Let's be honest we've now played city liverpool man u and Chelsea away include arsenal this week. That's 5 of so called big 6 away played spurs and Leicester at home only been hammered at city so in reality it's not too bad at all. Long way to go and it depends on points we take from rest of teams and the way we play we are giving top top teams a good game including liverpool the best team in probably Europe. We're learning and slowly improving to the point of becoming a top ten premier league club which is as good as anyone can hope for in 3 years

 

[vagabond]

Much as I like the football that we are playing generally I am disappointed with the standard of our defending and feel that it is an area that we need to improve very quickly. If the truth was known I would have sooner we ground out a 0-0 draw at Anfield and again on Thursday at The Emirates, although we may nick a goal there, provided we do not give away 2.

And pray tell... how many teams have successfully “ground out a 0-0 at Anfield?”

I’m all ears.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

I saw no progression at all in two years under CH in the PL, sounds harsh I know but true imo.

Believe it or not - for a promoted club with Brighton's budget - keeping the club in the PL is 'progression' - regression would have been getting relegated.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Much as I like the football that we are playing generally I am disappointed with the standard of our defending and feel that it is an area that we need to improve very quickly. If the truth was known I would have sooner we ground out a 0-0 draw at Anfield and again on Thursday at The Emirates, although we may nick a goal there, provided we do not give away 2.

To be honest, neither of Liverpool’s goals came from us being too open or attack minded. We were defending set pieces with most players behind the ball. These weren’t goals resulting from tactics, they were simply 2 wonderful balls into the box that we didn’t deal with against arguably the best defender in the world.