[Albion] Sanchez coming to claim crosses

[Munkfish]

Not only does he come for crosses, but hes very old school in his approach, you very rarely see him try and punch a ball. im not even sure i can remember him punching a ball.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I don't think I've seen the video of that as I'm not sure it was on the highlights. Anyone got a link to it??

Biggest compliment was that Leicester specifically put a man on him to obstruct and hinder him on set pieces. I've no doubt that a decent coach like Roberts will be giving him some appropriately aggressive tactics to counter stuff like that (coz 'keepers rarely get penalised for anything in their own box).

I thought I'd seen it on the club's match highlights, but double-checked and it wasn't there.
It might have been posted by the club as a separate clip in the days after the game.

Can't find it though.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Not only does he come for crosses, but hes very old school in his approach, you very rarely see him try and punch a ball. im not even sure i can remember him punching a ball.

Do you think this is his decision or Potter's?

There's way more attacking possibility from a keeper catching. I wonder if GP sees it as a way of launching quick attacks?

 

[Lincolnshire Seagull]

Whoseever decision, it is great to see

 

[Stato]

Sanchez became #1 before Christmas 2020.
The Albion remained 16th and 17th right through till May.

So no matter how correct the decision is, it's not and never will be "The only difference between bottom half Brighton, and top half Brighton, is Sanchez in goal".

Statistically, the statement is actually not that far off. Between the beginning of last season and the middle of December we averaged approx. 0.833 points per game, after that our average went up to 1.192 points per game. Our points average after Sanchez took the shirt extrapolated across a whole season would have left us 12th. Not quite top half, but not far away from it. Working out an average points per game over all of his 34 league games for Brighton and multiplying it to reflect a 38 game season would give us just over 51 points, which would have been enough for a top half finish in 7 of the last 10 seasons.

Of course, as you indicate, the difference is not as simple as the post makes out, but, considering it was a sweeping generalisation, it does surprisingly stand up to some analysis.

 

[Stat Brother]

Statistically, the statement is actually not that far off. Between the beginning of last season and the middle of December we averaged approx. 0.833 points per game, after that our average went up to 1.192 points per game. Our points average after Sanchez took the shirt extrapolated across a whole season would have left us 12th. Not quite top half, but not far away from it. Working out an average points per game over all of his 34 league games for Brighton and multiplying it to reflect a 38 game season would give us just over 51 points, which would have been enough for a top half finish in 7 of the last 10 seasons.

Of course, as you indicate, the difference is not as simple as the post makes out, but, considering it was a sweeping generalisation, it does surprisingly stand up to some analysis.

Sanchez is obviously an upgrade in position.
The team felt like it was in a false position last season, much of which was self inflicted, irrespective as to whom was in goal.
Over the next few weeks we'll have a better idea if it's in an equally false a position now.

I'm not entirely sure the original point was a sweeping generalisation, which is why I picked up on it, and the poster subsequently doubled down.

It really isn't as simple as Sanchez = higher in the table.

Had the poster written words to the effect of 'of all the reason's the team is now top half and not bottom half, Sanchez has to be biggest percentage', we wouldn't be here now, because that would undoubtedly be true.

But what isn't true is "The only difference between bottom half Brighton, and top half Brighton, is Sanchez in goal".

Plenty of other positions have also improved over the last year.

Centre midfield, #10, occasionally right back and now left back.


The whole package, bar one area, is the difference between bottom half Brighton and top half Brighton, none more so than keeper.

 

[Stato]

The whole package, bar one area, is the difference better bottom half Brighton and top half Brighton, none more so than keeper.

I agree with all you said. There's obviously no way something like that could be tested in isolation. The third more points per game is a very impressive improvement from the final third of 2020 to 2021 and all involved are to be congratulated. We have actually gone from approx 0.8 ppg with Mat Ryan, to 1.2 with Sanchez in 2020/21 to >1.8 in the first eight games of this year. Obviously the latter is a very small sample and things will balance out as we start to play more of the better sides, but what a ride for now.

To get back to the subject, its also very pleasing that the keeper who has helped contribute to that improvement came from our academy. He's the only keeper to have started a league match for any side in the division this season who is an academy graduate of their club.

 

[dazzer6666]

Interesting to see where he is in the ‘save’ stats compared to taking crosses - he’s 15th. Shows how good the defence in from of him have been in limiting shots on target.

https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/saves

 

[Munkfish]

Do you think this is his decision or Potter's?

There's way more attacking possibility from a keeper catching. I wonder if GP sees it as a way of launching quick attacks?

I suspect it’s down to the goalkeeping coach. The fact he then can come and claim crosses like this, allows potter to utilise Sanchez’s ability to come for crosses.

 

[dazzer6666]

I thought I'd seen it on the club's match highlights, but double-checked and it wasn't there.
It might have been posted by the club as a separate clip in the days after the game.

Can't find it though.

It’s not even in the extended highlights…..bit odd really. I jumped up and celebrated that take like a goal !

 

[herecomesaregular]

[video]https://tenor.com/view/robert-sanchez-brighton-and-hove-albion-gif-20231285[/video]

 

[Bodian]

It’s not even in the extended highlights…..bit odd really. I jumped up and celebrated that take like a goal !

My neighbours were quite worried that something had happened in our house with all the yelling - until they checked their phones to see if there was some football or something!

 

[GT49er]

[video]https://tenor.com/view/robert-sanchez-brighton-and-hove-albion-gif-20231285[/video]

Imperious! Thank you for that.

 

[GT49er]

I think he is very close to being a world class goalkeeper, I think his athleticism, ball skills and distribution are right up there. If there is one area for improvement I actually think he could be a little more consistent about when he decides to come and claim a cross and when he remains on his line. A phenomenal keeper, who we are unlikely to be able to hold on to the way he is playing.

Of course there is always room fr his improvement - but already his improvement in terms of consistancy and decision making as improved exponentially since his Forest Green days. After initially wowig the fans there he eventually lost his place by coming for crosses and through balls - his eyes saw balls that his body just couldn't reach!

 

[Motogull]

Yeah I commented on it after Norwich... getting this reply:



But its not a basic job. There is no basic job while playing top level football.

Collecting crosses demands a variety of technical, physical and psychological skills and Sanchez is top notch in all those departments.

The best goalkeepers will rarely have to do fantastic saves (though its good if they are capable) because before they need to do it, they've dealt with it in some other manner: intercepting through balls, collecting crosses, not leaving dangerous rebounds, positioning yourself in the goal properly... all these things are as or more important than the glorious highlight reel saves.

It might look easy and it might look basic but its sort of like Cruyff said: ”playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.”

Hopefully the club can keep him for another two or three years. Wouldnt be possible with some outfield equivalent but goalkeepers are a bit easier to hold on to.

Your English is a bit too good.

You are Joe Wilkinson aren't you?

 

[GT49er]

Your English is a bit too good.

You are Joe Wilkinson aren't you?