[Albion] Season changing result? So many positives.

[nwgull]

I noticed that yesterday was Zamora’s 40th birthday (feel old?), which made me realise that it was exactly the same date that we got that 1-0 away win at a cold snowy Blackburn in 2016, which was the turning point in that season. Let’s hope this proves to be the same.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

By basically playing HughtonBall

You are joking? I think you're confusing defending well with being defensive. We ptressed, sometimes with three players, from the front (as discussed in The Times today), we played out from the back and transitioned quickly (for once you might say). Hughton did none of that.

 

[Hugo Rune]

You are joking? I think you're confusing defending well with being defensive. We pressed, sometimes with three players, from the front (as discussed in The Times today), we played out from the back and transitioned quickly (for once you might say). Hughton did none of that.

This.

Burn decided to play right wing in the first half for a brief period, it totally confused Leeds and led to a move where Tross hit the bar.

Hughton would simply have not allowed Burn to have moved into that position.

 

[Springal]

2.5 years he’s been working in England now and still can’t speak the lingo. Genius my arse.

He can speak it, but not confident enough to speak to the press in it for fear for Mis-quoting.

I don’t think Poch ever spoke in English to the press at Southampton did he ?

 

[Bry Nylon]

And no 5th yellow for Lewis Dunk. Did we mention that yet?

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

One positive (and admitedly it was because Leeds had no one in midfield) I spotted was Webster (and White) driving forwards. It's such an effective way to transition and overloads the defence. Gone are the days of Dale's infinite sideways passes.

 

[wunt be druv]

It was a very good performance and a great three points, but it was still only against one of the smaller clubs (Leeds) in the Premier league, we have put in some decent performances against the big teams and when we finally get the wins we deserve, I think that will be the major turning point.

 

[marlowe]

But he's the new Messiah isn't he?

If Bielsa is the new Messiah then yesterday Potter was the new Pontius Pilate....or Potertius Pilate.

 

[The Optimist]

And I think we're the first team to adhere to the no-hugging rule! #GoodBoys

Apparently we didn’t adhere to it, they even have a photo of the hug.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55690772

 

[Guinness Boy]

- A rare clean sheet. Masterful defence. Just one goal conceded in a pair of away games.
- Every Albion starter a 7 to 10 out of 10.
- Maupay with a timely confidence boost. He looked so confident and relaxed after the goal.
- The timing of Potter’s subs was spot on. Really pleased for him above all else.
- No diving in to a team of cheats looking for pens.
- 17 points and an excellent GD. We needed this so much.

Boy that second half dragged.

Happy 2021!

Hopefully that is the turning point. All of the above are good positives.

It may simply be we executed the plan better. Looking at the line up at the start I questioned why BDB was in there again against a side who I expected to move the ball with pace and also why we had no midfield. However, we played beautifully in the spaces and seemed to want the ball much more than them. My first thought on seeing five centre backs in a starting 11, with two of them out of position, is always WTF. But maybe, just maybe, we're always supposed to play like that and the players, up to now, have been slightly off it.

If we're adding more pace with the two Polish lads it really is quite an exciting second half of the season in prospect. I wasn't thinking that at half time against Wolves.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

Hugely significant result. Need to kick on now rather than have it be another false dawn like the last 2 wins

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[whosthedaddy]

Amazing what a good result can do for our fans, it was all doom and gloom for the past weeks on NSC, it's a nice gear change keep it up.

 

[maltaseagull]

MacAllister has arrived - two good performances. So many great performances today. My concern - Percy could t hold the ball up and gave it away so many times, he needs to get better at that.

I thought he did that very well against City.(Percy that is)

 

[The Mole]

I noticed that yesterday was Zamora’s 40th birthday (feel old?), which made me realise that it was exactly the same date that we got that 1-0 away win at a cold snowy Blackburn in 2016, which was the turning point in that season. Let’s hope this proves to be the same.

That was also the debut for some player called Knockaert... wonder what happened to him?

 

[nwgull]

He can speak it, but not confident enough to speak to the press in it for fear for Mis-quoting.

I don’t think Poch ever spoke in English to the press at Southampton did he ?

Still pretty shit for a so-called genius. Look how well Maupay spoke English when he first came to The Albion after just 2 years in England. I also remember Venables giving a press conference in fluent Spanish prior to England v Spain in Euro 96, and that was about 10 years after his 3 season stint as Barca manager.

 

[nwgull]

That was also the debut for some player called Knockaert... wonder what happened to him?

Knockaert's debut was actually the Tuesday before against Rotherham. We lost 0-2, which left us in serious danger of dropping out of the top 6, and Hughton apparently went ballistic at the players in the dressing room after.

 

[Weststander]

Hopefully that is the turning point. All of the above are good positives.

It may simply be we executed the plan better. Looking at the line up at the start I questioned why BDB was in there again against a side who I expected to move the ball with pace and also why we had no midfield. However, we played beautifully in the spaces and seemed to want the ball much more than them. My first thought on seeing five centre backs in a starting 11, with two of them out of position, is always WTF. But maybe, just maybe, we're always supposed to play like that and the players, up to now, have been slightly off it.

If we're adding more pace with the two Polish lads it really is quite an exciting second half of the season in prospect. I wasn't thinking that at half time against Wolves.

I was gutted to see Bissouma omitted and very concerned about Burn. A gamble by Potter, the fans outcry if that’d back fired would’ve been huge. Fair to him, he planned and executed it masterfully, my fears proved misplaced.

I think the TV team praised it mid game as a solid back 5, allowing the other 5 to attack at will.

I’ve been pro Potter throughout, but that’s been tested recently. I’ve agreed with much of your well reasoned arguments the other way, particularly the dearth of EPL wins, that is what being a fan is always about, shirley. My slightly different argument was that club recruitment had failed to give Potter all the tools he needed to turn chances into goals and stop defensive calamities down our left.

I’m very happy, fairly optimistic, we have so much to look forward to. With the quality of Lamptey, Bissouma, Lallana and Welbeck not even in that starting 11.

 

[SEWDONIM]

And we've got Lamptey to return!

And now reinvigorate by a new contract... oh yes.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

It is. I said during the week on one of the many negative threads that I felt we were on the verge of something special and really kicking on.

Today is just the start!

I know you shouldn’t quote your own post, but I think I was onto something here when I posted this on the 16th January! This is really special!

Potter is just fantastic.