[Albion] Still keeping the faith with Potter?

[Machiavelli]

One thing I have noticed over the years is that many football fans have a memory span of just one game.

I find it really odd - the last game and the last game only seems to be representative of the entire season to these fans, and also the sole indicator of what's going to happen for the remainder. In reality, every game is played under different circumstances and so it's far more useful to think about the season as a whole, rather than just the last one or two games.

For me, thinking about how great we've been this season, I have absolutely no concerns at all.

Shankly (?) said that football is a simple game, complicated by the opposition. The thing about the opposition is that it changes game-to-game, and each have their own strengths. The good thing about Potter is that he's finely aware of the different qualities of each and every opposition (I think this is one of the primary roles of Bjorn Hamberg), and he tweaks our set-up in order to address the particular strengths and weaknesses of our next opponent.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

That is a big plus for him as he is prepared to accept that he has made a mistake and try to change it even as early as half time but unfortunately it is happening too often and we do not recover to get points, which we did early season.

I'm 100% behind Potter, but when did we recover early in the season to get points? If anything our early season form was full of us dominating teams and not picking up as many points we should have (Southampton, West Ham, Burnley at home, Newcastle away).

I think there is a lot of expectation that Potter was going to deliver top 10 football straight away, he's had 1 transfer window so far and got our players performing a totally different style of football, with a lot more options to chance things when they aren't working. He'll be getting a clearer and clearer picture on where we need to strengthen and who we need to cut and I expect a lot of movement in the summer.

We've been competitive in a majority of games this season and should have enough about us to avoid the drop the next few games are key.

Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

[Seasidesage]

Bedwetters are out in force I see. We have just left a really tough spell of games Sheff U surprise package of the season, Spurs away, Chelsea H and Everton away with only one 'easier' fixture Bournemouth which we won in some style. We also picked up an unexpected point from Chelsea too. What exactly where some of you expecting from those games 12 points? 15? With the exception of Sheff U I'd say we could've taken something from both Everton and especially Spurs who we outplayed for spells of the game. Everton, we played poorly but still hit the bar and missed a great chance late on.

We now enter a period of playing teams in and around us, mostly at home. Can it go wrong? Course it can but why should it? If we can beat Bournemouth and draw with Chelsea our last two PL home games, why can't we beat Villa and get something at Bournemouth? It's not a gimmie by any means but if we play anywhere near our capabilities we can win both. I for one wouldn't trade places with either one of those clubs at this point...

Villa away, we win with 11 we were much the better side till the sending off. Bournemouth? 2-0 flattered them and they were as poor as anyone I've seen in a while.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Fully behind Potter.

I have a current 40 point projection for our final points return, and that relies on getting a total 3 points from the Villa and Bournemouth games.

So I can readjust that projection next Tuesday night, but I genuinely believe it will be an upwards adjustment.

Tuesday night is a good time to take stock.

Brighton beat Villa
Norwich beat Bournemouth
Brighton beat Bournemouth
Watford beat Villa.

...means the table will be awesome and we'll be in dreamland.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

I’m in-up to the makers plate.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Our away form is of great concern. Last 10 games 1 win 2 draws 7 defeats, 5 points. Not much improvement there. 50/50 whether we stay up or go down atm. I am sure Bloom did not consider for a second relegation would be an outcome when he signed Potter. Next 6 games will decide

 

[Icy Gull]

Our away form is of great concern. Last 10 games 1 win 2 draws 7 defeats, 5 points. Not much improvement there. 50/50 whether we stay up or go down atm. I am sure Bloom did not consider for a second relegation would be an outcome when he signed Potter. Next 6 games will decide

Really? He employed a manager with no PL experience to work with a squad who just avoided relegation and didn’t consider the fact that we might get relegated this season?

I’d say he took a considered gamble knowing it could go wrong. (Which it certainly hasn’t so far)

He should have had a word with Spence, clearly

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Same thoughts on Bernardo, you can’t beat a specialist fullback who can defend.

Yes Bernardo is streets ahead of Burn (who did well), but there is a complete difference of ability both offensively and defensively.



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[Moshe Gariani]

Really? He employed a manager with no PL experience to work with a squad who just avoided relegation and didn’t consider the fact that we might get relegated this season?

Quite. Bloom and Barber always acknowledge where the club is at and the possibility of relegation. Even in the “next phase”, which aims to establish us as a top 10 club, the threat will still be present most seasons.

This is a classic NSC thread!

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Really? He employed a manager with no PL experience to work with a squad who just avoided relegation and didn’t consider the fact that we might get relegated this season?

I’d say he took a considered gamble knowing it could go wrong. (Which it certainly hasn’t so far)

He should have had a word with Spence, clearly

Nope he brought Potter in to progress and push on to into mid table, not to be flirting with relegation. I think he would be utterly shocked and very disappointed if we went down especially after investing over £ 200 000 000 on the squad and giving Potter a 6 year contract. Let us make no mistake here relegation would be an utter disaster for the club and Bloom

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Our away form is of great concern. Last 10 games 1 win 2 draws 7 defeats, 5 points. Not much improvement there. 50/50 whether we stay up or go down atm. I am sure Bloom did not consider for a second relegation would be an outcome when he signed Potter. Next 6 games will decide

He must have considered relegation could be the outcome. You can't be 100% certain replacing a current manager with at least 4 seasons Premier League experience with a manager with 1 season in The Championship and a few in lower leagues abroad would be a success. It was a huge gamble to appoint a rookie manager at this level, even more of a gamble, in my opinion, than sticking to the status quo.
Potters appointment captured the imagination of the fans, including die hard Hughton fans who loved Potters attacking, exciting football. This is still evident but Potter and Blooms vision alone is no guarantee we will not be relegated. It was a gamble appointing Potter but a gamble Bloom thought he had little option to take if he wanted to progress with progressive football from youth to first team. We all hope it will work, I think it will but there is always a nagging doubt, as there must be in Blooms mind, it could all end up in relegation. That's is the nature of football, nothing is certain and everything is possible. It's great isn't it?

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Our away form is of great concern. Last 10 games 1 win 2 draws 7 defeats, 5 points. Not much improvement there. 50/50 whether we stay up or go down atm. I am sure Bloom did not consider for a second relegation would be an outcome when he signed Potter. Next 6 games will decide

Our away form has been poor throughout our PL stay.

GP’s biggest drawback is similar to Hughton’s the lack of offensive quality at his disposal.



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[Icy Gull]

Nope he brought Potter in to progress and push on to into mid table, not to be flirting with relegation. I think he would be utterly shocked and very disappointed if we went down especially after investing over £ 200 000 000 on the squad and giving Potter a 6 year contract. Let us make no mistake here relegation would be an utter disaster for the club and Bloom

All true but to suggest Bloom didn’t consider relegation with an unproven manager would make him a simpleton

 

[dazzer6666]

I can't read The Athletic, but I would question in what way he argues that our home form has dipped. What is he comparing it with? If it's last season, he's wrong. If it's earlier this season, it's not comparing like with like. If it's 2017/18, it's negligible and why is that relevant?

Points per game in home matches:

2019/20: 1.45 (Nov to Jan 1.33 - played 4 of the top 7, Aug to Oct 1.6 - played 0 of the top 7)
2018/19: 1.21
2017/18: 1.52

https://twitter.com/andynaylorbhafc/status/1216975873687130112?s=21

 

[*Gullsworth*]

All true but to suggest Bloom didn’t consider relegation with an unproven manager would make him a simpleton

That made me laugh so much. I tried saying the same in my post previous but you summed it up in one clear sentence.

 

[Bob'n'weave]

GP has brought exciting football and we go into the second half of the season with plenty of hope, for me, more than this time last season.

Our worst performances have seen us look a bit lost and de-motivated which I find puzzling as GP is armed with his emotional intelligence degree. Passion, playing for the shirt etc, is that something you can get a PHD in?

My sheets are dry though and i'm looking forward to every game. UTA.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

Our away form is of great concern. Last 10 games 1 win 2 draws 7 defeats, 5 points. Not much improvement there. 50/50 whether we stay up or go down atm. I am sure Bloom did not consider for a second relegation would be an outcome when he signed Potter. Next 6 games will decide

Bloody hell Gareth...you’re deliberately missing the fact that none of us believe...well, very few of us believe, that THIS Albion team are going to go on a catastrophic defensive siege mentality run like the one that we endured under Chris last term.

If we do go down (which we won’t) it will at least be with all guns blazing.

 

[Swansman]

Nope he brought Potter in to progress and push on to into mid table, not to be flirting with relegation. I think he would be utterly shocked and very disappointed if we went down especially after investing over £ 200 000 000 on the squad and giving Potter a 6 year contract. Let us make no mistake here relegation would be an utter disaster for the club and Bloom

Mid table long term, yes. This season was always going to be a relegation fight. Bloom would obviously be disappointed, but probably not shocked - he seems like a clever guy and I'm sure there's a plan how to handle things if Brighton gets relegated. There's a lot of shit owners out there without a sense of realism, but I dont think that is the case with Bloom. As for Potter and his 6 year contract I wouldnt be too surprised if he was kept even if relegation came true (of course depending on how that relegation came about).

 

[Swansman]

Our worst performances have seen us look a bit lost and de-motivated which I find puzzling as GP is armed with his emotional intelligence degree. Passion, playing for the shirt etc, is that something you can get a PHD in?

Ask any manager what the most common misconception among fans is and most if not everyone would say "that players are not fighting, not motivated" etc. Its incredibly uncommon. Almost every player at this level is obsessed with winning and/or not losing. And its hard not giving your all with 30 000 people on the stands and millions of people watching on TV. Motivation (in games, training is different) is almost never an issue unless you come from a period of extreme success or hate your club/manager/teammates (i.e. United squad vs Mourinho).

"Lost" I can agree with, there's been a few games and parts of games where some or a lot of players dont seem to know what to do or coop with opponents doing things different than they are "supposed to". But the more Potter learns about PL and the more stuff he teaches the players, this should gradually go away.

 

[Machiavelli]

Our away form is of great concern. Last 10 games 1 win 2 draws 7 defeats, 5 points. Not much improvement there. 50/50 whether we stay up or go down atm. I am sure Bloom did not consider for a second relegation would be an outcome when he signed Potter. Next 6 games will decide

Your selectivity is something else. We've played 11 away games, so you've missed out on another win (against Watford). Two wins out of 11 does actually constitute an improvement from the past two seasons, when our away form has been poor.
And, in contrast to you, I'm sure Bloom did consider relegation might be an outcome when he signed Potter, and that we'd be in a fight to avoid relegation, although I'm entirely unsure what you mean by a second relegation.