[Albion] So its clear many expect nothing less than to beat ManU followed by winning at Everton...

[Whitechapel]

The thing about a dichotomy is there are two sides to the story. On the one hand we have . . .

Sorry, I have to nip out for a bit. My will to live just sneaked out through the bathroom window and legged it up the road. Back in a mo....

Actually good sense like yours seems to be winning tonight

Right (clears throat) Potter OUT! Sack the bard*. We are not CONTENT, and it's our RIGHT to, er, say that. Yes.

*Sorry [MENTION=528]attila[/MENTION], mate. You have to go.

I have absolutely no idea what half of this means, but I quite like you HWT so I'll agree.

 

[Weststander]

To be fair, you're probably right. I should have made the fact that I know our fanbase is probably par for the course more obvious in my first post. I guess I suffer from a less severe example of the Goldstone/Priestfield problem I posted about. I'm still thinking about when we were at Withdean and our fanbase all pulled in one direction (in general) because we had to, just to keep the club alive. Becoming a bigger, more successful club is always going to attract more people you disagree with, simply by the laws of probability.

Although as I've said, my view is incredibly skewed by the fact I used a forum (footballfourms.net) where our fanbase included Spence, Perseus, Sir Albion & Steve Foster advertising his prediction league. When you consider that, it's no f*cking surprise I'm used to other fanbases f*cking hating ours.

Part of the fanbase has certainly evolved very quickly, with one-way-traffic hatred on NSC against several big northern clubs over the last 4 years, whilst clubs such as Arsenal and Chelsea (despite the racists and oaths in the latter’s fanbase) get a nearly free ride. My guess is that affection elsewhere for the Albion will diminish, as we get increasingly arrogant as a collective, and hate more and more big clubs.

 

[London Irish]

Another thread title that simply doesn’t get it. We don’t expect to win against the top clubs but we expect to give them hard games, not present them with goals, gift-wrapped

 

[Weststander]

Another thread title that simply doesn’t get it. We don’t expect to win against the top clubs but we expect to give them hard games, not present them with goals, gift-wrapped

Pointed out elsewhere that only the Reece James and Rashford goals this season in the PL and the LC against Manure, weren’t caused by avoidable blunders.

Normally loyal Potter is now starting to open up about the effect of our errors on results.

 

[The Fits]

Another thread title that simply doesn’t get it. We don’t expect to win against the top clubs but we expect to give them hard games, not present them with goals, gift-wrapped

Exactly LI. There is a few of the more long standing members on NSC saying similar.
Nobody is expecting miracles and we all remember where we came from. But a bit of ****ing spine, please!

 

[The Fits]

Pointed out elsewhere that only the Reece James and Rashford goals this season in the PL and the LC against Manure, weren’t caused by avoidable blunders.

Normally loyal Potter is now starting to open up about the effect of our errors on results.

Interestingly though, Potter criticised the defending on the James goal- shouldn't have let him get a shot away.
So even the 97-1 shot is out fault.

 

[portlock seagull]

Agreed. There seem to be some hugely deluded fans about at the moment who seem to think that we deserve to be beating the big teams simply because we have been in the league for a few seasons.

Or maybe getting a result even, away from home? Yes, I don’t thing that’s beyond expectations since we arrived given that other clubs have done it.

Played v Pts
Everton 4-0
United 4-0
Liverpool 3-0
City 3-0
Chelsea 3-0
Spurs 3-0

So we’ve had 20 matches away against these bigger teams so far and not collected a single point. In most we’ve not scored a goal. And in some barely registered a shot never mind one on target that’s really troubled the keeper. Can we do better? I bloody hope so. Should we expect more? Yes, I don’t see why not. Does that expectation translate into thinking we’re entitled to get such results? No, sorry if that doesn’t conveniently fit your ‘bed wetting’ narrative. Am I tired of listening to likes of you constantly offering up the same boringly glib excuses season after season? Absolutely!

 

[Easy 10]

That is a really lame and patronising post, are you a club apologist? All the games this season we could have got something with a little bit more quality on the pitch. Fans aren’t blind we notice things like Wilson winning Newcastle three more points in a game they probably would of drew or lost last season, why because they invested in bit of quality to get them goals, a club we came up with tbh they will be as safe as houses.

Is that the same Newcastle who we absolutely RIPPED a new one for the other week (Wilson included) ? The same Newcastle who beat a feeble Burnley today, a team who have lost every game this season ? They made Saint Maximan look like a world-beater. Tariq reduced him to tears and got him binned off.

I wouldn't be singing Newcastle's praises TOO highly just yet. We've got beat against Man U, Chelsea and Everton, and certainly in the first 2 games we've been MORE than decent, but got on the wrong side of some bad luck, ropy decisions, and some true quality individuals who will punish you. Standards dropped today against a quality Everton team that are flying - it happens. But you don't have to be a club apologist. Just use your own eyes and apply some frigging perspective.

 

[BadFish]

This team is young and clearly a work in progress. We seem to have settled on a team and formation after much tinkering last year.

We've given Chelsea and Man U scares and comprehensively beat our direct rival away. Yes we were disappointing against Everton and clearly we need to work on a couple of things defensively. The fact remains though, I think this season will be a good one, I'm excited to see what it young team can do.

The best two games are a better barometer.

Sent from my Redmi Note 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Hu_Camus]

I have absolutely no idea what half of this means, but I quite like you HWT so I'll agree.

Don't beat yourself up, neither does he.....and agreed , he is likeable but basically harmless, although I'd never leave him alone with matches.

 

[Whitechapel]

Or maybe getting a result even, away from home? Yes, I don’t thing that’s beyond expectations since we arrived given that other clubs have done it.

Played v Pts
Everton 4-0
United 4-0
Liverpool 3-0
City 3-0
Chelsea 3-0
Spurs 3-0

So we’ve had 20 matches away against these bigger teams so far and not collected a single point. In most we’ve not scored a goal. And in some barely registered a shot never mind one on target that’s really troubled the keeper. Can we do better? I bloody hope so. Should we expect more? Yes, I don’t see why not. Does that expectation translate into thinking we’re entitled to get such results? No, sorry if that doesn’t conveniently fit your ‘bed wetting’ narrative. Am I tired of listening to likes of you constantly offering up the same boringly glib excuses season after season? Absolutely!

Our away form against the big teams certainly needs addressing, but excluding Arsenal and including Everton in that list is one of the most blatent attempts at twisting the facts you'll ever see.

 

[portlock seagull]

Our away form against the big teams certainly needs addressing, but excluding Arsenal and including Everton in that list is one of the most blatent attempts at twisting the facts you'll ever see.

Really, it’s not. Remember Everton are going to win the CL according to the excuses lauded yday on here, so fairs fair. plus I’ve included six top teams, twenty matches and a possible 60 points. 1 point. 1 point, not even 3, is what I’m suggesting. Not ten, 20 or even a dizzy half I.e. 30. Nope, a solitary point. Yet still they come, in their droves to defend and excuse. I’ve dug my heels in to simply make the rose tints look the idiots they are for again and again coming up with excuses, despite comparisons to other clubs of similar standing, and all because because of their losers mentality. They cannot abide being wrong even in the face of facts. A criticism of the club, even a small one, cannot be tolerated. They defend the indefensible because they’re losers, with a losers mentality. They applaud defeat. Hope for 17th. Trot out the same old after we lose again and again at certain clubs. Aspire to nothing, and don’t seem to release another duck isn’t something to be cherished. But broken. In a word, they’re losers!

 

[maffew]

Its all very standard I find
Exactly the as most clubs we've a broad spectrum of fans. A fair few who think we are better than we, should be beating teams like Everton, some in cloud cuckoo land.
The vast majority Id say are realists and know our place.
Then theres a few, miserable pessimistic sods who just like a moan and probably do in real life too and a top 6 finish wouldnt be enough as they would pick the games and lay fault with individuals which cost us a champions league place.
Exactly how it should be

 

[Weststander]

Of course we would beat chelsea and man utd and everton with more quality on the pitch. OBVIOUSLY. Are we going to be able to afford or attract that quality? Absolutely not. So that is an incredibly dumb statement.
As for Newcastle, look at who they played. Also we hammered them. So I don't see the point.
We can decide if we have the quality to win games we would have drawn last season when we get to play teams around us.

You’re thinking in terms of attack. We now have creativity, but can’t afford to spend £20m plus on a striker, who’d hopefully turn a few more of our chances away. Fair enough, it’s TB’s money and strategic plan.

But ignoring the porous defence. We’re never going to beat Chelsea, Everton or Manure 5-4 or 4-3. The defensive calamities including allowing free headers are costing us. Sort that out and we could be a comfortable mid table team. If you disagree about shooting ourselves in the foot, then read GP’s comments after these last two heavy losses. He didn’t eulogise about the purported brilliance of the opposition, instead he expressed annoyance/disappointment about our errors.

Full marks for frankness imho.

 

[rogersix]

Really, it’s not. Remember Everton are going to win the CL according to the excuses lauded yday on here, so fairs fair. plus I’ve included six top teams, twenty matches and a possible 60 points. 1 point. 1 point, not even 3, is what I’m suggesting. Not ten, 20 or even a dizzy half I.e. 30. Nope, a solitary point. Yet still they come, in their droves to defend and excuse. I’ve dug my heels in to simply make the rose tints look the idiots they are for again and again coming up with excuses, despite comparisons to other clubs of similar standing, and all because because of their losers mentality. They cannot abide being wrong even in the face of facts. A criticism of the club, even a small one, cannot be tolerated. They defend the indefensible because they’re losers, with a losers mentality. They applaud defeat. Hope for 17th. Trot out the same old after we lose again and again at certain clubs. Aspire to nothing, and don’t seem to release another duck isn’t something to be cherished. But broken. In a word, they’re losers!

put fifty million pound in the pot then, you loser

 

[Ethelwulf]

.. with the reserves knocking United out of the cup for good measure. And fair play I say, it's good to dream and set your expectations high. I want that to.

But with these expectations firmly set, and put clear inability to achieve it at present, how do we go about it?

Buying a team is the quickest route, but I worry we're not on a financial par with those clubs. Buying and paying players who routinely best Bernardo Silva, Pogba, and Rashford one week, followed by James Rodriguez and Richarlison the next, and have the strength in depth for the second string to march on in the cup, would set us back a cool half a billion or more.

We could try the tactic of playing a couple of big stoppers at the back who ping it forwards for a big guy up front, some good crossers on the wings and none of this passing it around or wing backs nonsense. Get it forward, put it in the mixer. get stuck in, lot of passion, winning formula, don't know what's hit them. I've a feeling that's been tried quite a lot in football history, however, and with or without the half a billion it doesn't get the consistent results anymore that it used to.

I guess that leaves the idea of developing youth, signing young players with potential and pairing them with a progressive coach who let's them develop and learn from their mistakes. Unfortunately this isn't an instant solution to the problem, there will be good days and bad days along the way with mistakes getting punished. And there's always the likelihood of the best players getting poached.

But I think to meet the expectations of routine back to back wins over such teams as Man Utd and Everton, its probably a sound option for us and I'd like to give it a go a bit longer before we go back to the drawing board.

Super fan alert