[Albion] Stop this false nine nonsense now

[Kosh]

Spot on.



And there we have it. "Know your place".

It's incredible. Whenever fans of big clubs come out with that classic "we should be beating teams like Brighton" this board takes mass offence, revels in our smallness and laughs at the hubris of the fallen giant. And the psychology of that is actually "aha, but we've arrived and you don't even know it".

Then when we claim we should be winning against, or at least competing against, teams who have a) not won all season or b) lost the last 5 then we're suddenly entitled.

That makes no logical sense whatsoever.

The bottom line is that the club has said we need to move to the next level (and, by inference, now, not in 2028). Bloom has said we should be a regular top ten team. Not me. The bloke who pays for it.

Ironically (he wrote of a fan of over 40 years) because that's what Mid Sussex Malcolm who used to have a box at Chelsea expects. I'd still go home and away in League 2.

And here we are heading for another 40 points and 16th place season that will have the easily satisfied clapping like seals whilst regurgitating our possessions stats and the fact that Sarmiento has moved on, because he's now watching the game from a slightly better seat than mine instead of banging in a hat trick against West Ham U23s.

Spot on - I agree with the riposte and sentiment.

 

[Kosh]

I'll continue to discuss this subject with those I find it interesting to discuss it with. When you are frustrated everything tends to be black or white and it is difficult to have some kind of calm exchange of perspectives when that happens.

Hang on... is there a backhanded compliment in there somewhere ?

You sentimental old bugger

Lol.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I know, and to a degree so was mine.

The system worked well against Liverpool and 2nd half against Man City but not against Newcastle who sat back and Villa who let us have the ball deep but then squeezed the space. That's not so much an experiment as two bad decisions in a row. Yesterday a particularly bad one in front of a loud and big away turn out who'd all probably forked out over £100 on the day out and were rewarded by us not turning up - which was exactly the main charge against Hughton.

I think, if I can interject into the Swansman back and forth, that if GP wants to try this system and thinks it might be good for us, that he is allowed to give it a couple of games to try it out, rather than ditch it the first time we have a bad half playing this system. I think he is allowed to do that without everyone jumping down his throat.

In the final reckoning we can all see it didn't work against Villa. But for the best part of the match it stymied Villa, who were at home with an obvious new manager incentive and a first choice XI. We didn't create the chances we wanted, but their defence was very good on the day. This game was never going to be straightforward whatever the system or personnel. I was hugely frustrated and annoyed at times. But despite that I can see what the underlying plan was, and I think it's important to recognise that.

I reckon this system now goes back to the training pitch and won't be seen in a game for a while. But I won't be surprised to see it reappear, and if it works then, these two games will have been valuable.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Anyway, my main point is we should not be in this position. I correctly predicted Welbs would miss about half the season, and our beloved leaders chose to do **** all about it in the summer. Having failed to do **** all about it for around 2 years previously.

Chelsea signed Romelu Lukaku for £97.5m and so far he's scored 3 PL goals. Identifying and signing an available striker who is willing to move is one thing; guaranteeing they will add goals to the side is impossible, even for those clubs with near-limitless funds.

 

[El Presidente]

Chelsea signed Romelu Lukaku for £97.5m and so far he's scored 3 PL goals. Identifying and signing an available striker who is willing to move is one thing; guaranteeing they will add goals to the side is impossible, even for those clubs with near-limitless funds.

This is NSC though, we have the power of hindsight and that can guarantee goals.

 

[schmunk]

This is NSC though, we have the power of hindsight and that can guarantee goals.

There's only one way to guarantee goals:

 

[b.w.2.]

Chelsea signed Romelu Lukaku for £97.5m and so far he's scored 3 PL goals. Identifying and signing an available striker who is willing to move is one thing; guaranteeing they will add goals to the side is impossible, even for those clubs with near-limitless funds.

But we have a publicly stated target which we will not achieve if we fail to sign a striker. Time to put up or shut up


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[b.w.2.]

I dont know the exact tactical instructions Potter gave against Newcastle and Villa so I'll stick with arguably/possibly. Especially against Newcastle I think its hard to put it down to tactics, I dont think Potter gave the guys the instruction to give the ball away to the opponents over and over again in the second half.

Maupay on his own usually goes invisible. He is a team player, not a solo one - he cant outmuscle players, he cant outpace them, he cant dribble them. He can outthink them and outwork them but those qualities mainly count when you pair him with someone. He has looked a lot better playing next to Welbeck or even next to Connolly, but Welbeck is injured and I'm not sure what GP/you/Aaron and/or his babes have done with him but he is obviously not in contention right now. Think we'll see Maupay start against Leeds though unless there's some secret reason he isnt starting.

I know you love Potter Swanny, and so do I, but we all make mistakes, and he has in the last two games. Let’s just hope he gets it right against Dirty Leeds


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[GT49er]

Chelsea signed Romelu Lukaku for £97.5m and so far he's scored 3 PL goals. Identifying and signing an available striker who is willing to move is one thing; guaranteeing they will add goals to the side is impossible, even for those clubs with near-limitless funds.

I suppose if Chelsea agreed to cover the bulk of his wages, we could offer some game time to develop him for them, for, say, half a season?

 

[A1X]

Everything about today’s game for me screams two up front IMHO

 

[Stat Brother]

Hoping Beatrix returns to the false 9 on Wednesday and esp Saturday.


It turns out I prefer:-

not scoring by never looking like scoring.

As opposed to

Not scoring by shooting every 6 minutes and never looking like scoring.

 

[big nuts]

We played a pretend 9 tonight, even worse.