[Albion] Roberto De Zerbi - JOINS AS NEW HEAD COACH (4 year contract)

[Green Cross Code Man]

From the article;

‘ It is a far cry from the days when Steve Gritt was greeted with incorrectly spelt graffiti scrawled all over the walls of the Goldstone Ground, reading “Grit believes Bellotti bulshit”.’

Thanks, had read the article earlier but forgotten the quote about Gritt. Was looking for De Zerbi graffiti! Doh!

 

[driller]

Does anybody know the answer to this?

In this article from joining shaktar he says he wants to improve his level of English.

https://shakhtar.com/en/news/2021/may/26_news/26_roberto-de-zerbi_interview/

 

[Silverhatch]

Possibly, but you can also see where quite a few can fit quite nicely. Gross and Macallister are good in tight position and can change the speed of passing. I've not seen enough of Estupinan yet but Veltman will be excellent in that fullback role.

Dunk and Webster both used to remain patient in possession- as are the whole team really, the amount of times we slow it down, keep possession and wait for the right moment to go.

Trossard and March currently do exactly what his wingers have done. High and wide and then cutting in. You could argue Mitoma and perhaps Lamptey could get in on that too.

My biggest gap would be the striker. In Caputo and Berardi he had relatively clinical striking options. Not sure we have it.

The one thing we will not struggle with is one-touch, possession-in-tight-spaces football! We’re about as good as City as playing that game. The concern, if there is any, is that GPott appeared to have worked out (after 3 years with the “Group”) that we needed to move the ball quicker and be more direct in order to wrong-foot the press away from home and the massed-ranks at home. Weir will be involved in how to apply some continuity from GP to RDZ.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

In this article from joining shaktar he says he wants to improve his level of English.

https://shakhtar.com/en/news/2021/may/26_news/26_roberto-de-zerbi_interview/

“Eeees complicated”

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Sounds like our type of guy:

https://football-italia.net/from-gu...y-not-know-about-new-brighton-coach-de-zerbi/

 

[B-right-on]

In this article from joining shaktar he says he wants to improve his level of English.

https://shakhtar.com/en/news/2021/may/26_news/26_roberto-de-zerbi_interview/

Which means he's got a certain level of English rather than "learn to speak English". And he was there about a year so plenty of time.

 

[Baldseagull]

Looking at his time at Sassuolo, without any context of players in or out.

Season one - 11th with 43 points - 9 wins- 16 draws- 13 losses
Season two - 8th with 51 points - 14 wins -9 draws - 15 losses
Season three - 8th with 62 points - 17 wins -11 draws -10 losses

That first season looks similar in results to Potters first 2 seasons here, also had a -7 goal difference, similar to our -6 in Potters second season, but much better than Potters -15 in his first.
The volume of goals is markedly different though, they scored 127 goals in their last 2 seasons under De Zerbi, that is 5 more than in 3 seasons of Potter, in a same 38 game season.
The season before he went there Sassuolo scored 29 and conceded 59, his first season there they scored 53 and conceded 60. They conceded even more the second season, but ended up with a goal difference of +6.
We could be in for a goal fest, for the glass half empty guys though, this could mean we are picked for TV more often, and therefore even more messed around fixtures.

 

[Mellotron]

Does this mean we’re allowed to buy strikers again?

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Sounds like our type of guy:

https://football-italia.net/from-gu...y-not-know-about-new-brighton-coach-de-zerbi/

Thanks, I enjoyed that. Perhaps we should be thanking Guardiola for any endorsement of our club he might have given.

 

[Baldseagull]

Ah right, I hadn’t heard of that. I’m guessing the International Sportspersons Scheme can work a bit quicker than the general one as the club seem to be hoping he will be in place for Liverpool.

There should be less documentation required and therefore be quicker, the club will already be an approved "sponsor", and the FA will endorse a manager with his experience no problem, it may take longer for some of his assistants if the FA needs to check their history at all.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Sounds like our type of guy:

https://football-italia.net/from-gu...y-not-know-about-new-brighton-coach-de-zerbi/

Decent human being.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Right, own up; who was the graffiti artist ?

https://www.wearebrighton.com/newsopinion/brighton-appoint-roberto-de-zerbi-as-new-head-coach/

I like the bit about his fiery character. We’ve had a good few years of blandness from our managers. Sounds like de Zerbi will shake things up a little.

What graffiti?

From the article;

‘ It is a far cry from the days when Steve Gritt was greeted with incorrectly spelt graffiti scrawled all over the walls of the Goldstone Ground, reading “Grit believes Bellotti bulshit”.’

I know who it was. A good friend and Albion fan through and through. Not the best speller though

 

[heathgate]

Great news…. The club say he was their first choice and they believe his playing style to be what we want. He has some time during the break to settle in albeit that many of the squad will be away…
Edit… I am glad we have not stolen somebody else’s manager, I guess the fans of Shaktar Donetsk have other things to worry about.

I think that even if we did steal a manager mid season,...it cant be helped or blamed,... we were in a position where we had no choice... put there by Chelsea and Potter.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Bozza]

Right, own up; who was the graffiti artist ?

https://www.wearebrighton.com/newsopinion/brighton-appoint-roberto-de-zerbi-as-new-head-coach/

Details here: https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/showthread.php?211351-Brighton-vs-Hull-City-1996

I remember it well - I'd been in Australia for a little over 3 months and the Albion had not won a home game in the whole time I'd been away. I landed in the UK that morning and was picked up by my then girlfriend (later wife, still later ex-wife). Whilst she was waiting for me at Heathrow, her father was doing the spray painting at the back of the West Stand whilst his daughter (my sister-in-law for a while) kept watch on Old Shoreham Road. He actually made a typo (a sprayo?) - mis-spelling 'believes'.​

 

[brighton_tom]

Certainly seems like this guy has a clear vision of the formations and style he wants to play. If the good attacking play he showed at Sassuolo/Shaktar can be implemented here, whilst maintaining our decent defensive record, then we could be onto a winner.

 

[Baldseagull]

Sounds like our type of guy:

https://football-italia.net/from-gu...y-not-know-about-new-brighton-coach-de-zerbi/

A "money can't buy everything" quote in there from him regarding a position with Bologna, because he wasn't happy to take the job with the circumstances of the prior managers departure. Sort of statement I was hoping for from Potter. Right now though I am excited at the possibility that we may have just upgraded.

 

[Seagull58]

I had reservations about how our squad would handle the new managers style, in particular our defence. But, upon reflection, they should be able to adapt without too much trouble.

Much of De Zerbi's system will translate easily from Potters.

However, De Zerbi doesn't like his FBs to advance beyond the halfway line. Nor does he like his CBs to go on marauding runs.

Dunk should be ok, but Webster will need to rein in those line breaking dribbles.

Joel Veltman and Pervis are both defensive full backs with a decent touch under pressure, so will suit De Zerbi's system. Neither really excel as overlapping fullbacks, but Tariq Lamptey will need to adapt. My guess is he will probably be converted into a winger as his blistering pace will be wasted if he cant run at the opposition.

One player who will love the new system is Alexis Mac Allister. As will Billy Gilmour. From what I've seen of him, he loves to draw pressure from the opposition, inviting players to commit to a challenge before turning away effortlessly and laying off the ball. That game against England he was sublime.

I've gone from sceptical to opptomistic and think this season will be a lot of fun.

I read that he likes to switch to 2-4-4 in attack. I don't see how he can do that without the fullbacks moving into the attacking half

 

[Seagull58]

Good article re De Zerbi’s tactical approach

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/a...at-sassuolo-2020-21-tactical-analysis-tactics

Our squad is a great fit for his tactical approach: -
Estupinan, Webster, Dunk, Veltman
Mac Ali Caicedo
Trossard/Mitoma Gross/Mwepu March/Lamptey
Welbz/Undav

 

[dazzer6666]

Our squad is a great fit for his tactical approach: -
Estupinan, Webster, Dunk, Veltman
Mac Ali Caicedo
Trossard/Mitoma Gross/Mwepu March/Lamptey
Welbz/Undav

Think Enciso might get a decent run as well, plus Sarmiento when fit. Exciting times.

 

[Motogull]

I'm pleased the vacancies have been filled and look forward to him moving the club onwards and hopefully upwards.

TB will no doubt have built in another tasty buy out clause.

Most importantly is key squad members bond with him and don't miss GP so much. We need a happy training ground.