[Football] This season I was wrong about...

[Seasider78]

Albion

Solly March - thought the left wingback role he would be a gap filler for the season but he proved me wrong by having his best season in an Albion shirt before the injury. Far from making up the numbers he has been a huge miss

Alzate - thought this would be his breakthrough season and would be a mainstay in our starting eleven but truth be told he has gone backwards.

Finishing position - predicted we would finish around 11th- 12th and well clear of trouble but for all of the reasons talked through on here numerous times just not happened. Will happily take that prediction into next season!


Football more widely
Thought Leeds would struggle more than they have maybe the gung-ho approach has some merit

West Ham - they all need to be drug tested



Life in general

The last year has taught me how much I take friends and family for granted and need to make more of a effort to see everyone more regularly.

 

[Change at Barnham]

I under-estimated how good Lallana and Welbeck are.
I expected Mac Allister to get more playing time.
I didn't see Ryan's demotion coming when the season started.
Veltman massively exceeded expectations.
Solly March was playing far better than I expected before injury.
Graham Potter is even more balanced than I thought he was.
I knew Bissouma could tackle but didn't realise he was THAT good.
I thought Maupay would get 15 goals.
I didn't expect Albion's performances to cause me so much anxiety and unhappiness.

Without the football on TV, lockdown would have been much, much worse.

 

[A1X]

Things I've been wrong about this season;

- I didn't think Potter had it in him to turn it around when we looked like a busted flush in December (and mid-January, and February)
- I thought we'd see hardly any of Lallana or Welbeck
- I thought Liverpool would be there or thereabouts again
- I thought I'd miss crowds in TV games far more than I have
- Leeds & Sheffield United, would have put them the other way round
- Thought Ben White would struggle and we were only playing him to prove a point
- When Potter laid into the fans I didn’t expect so many to support him so vociferously

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

Me too.

I thought Gross would be a bit part player by now. I am delighted to be proven wrong - he's been excellent for us.

I was right about Ryan - been saying for a while that he just didn't save enough shots - which after all is what a goalkeeper is supposed to do.

His save percentage this season was shocking but his save percentage in the 19/20 season was 68.3%, which put him at 11th, not amazing but hardly concerning.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Practically everything.

 

[Rookie]

Duffy - thought he’d destroy the Scottish league
Alzate - surprised he’s not pushed on. Next season could be a big one for him
Ali Mac - As above. Hopefully a good break and proper pre-season help
Goals - really thought we would smash someone 5 or 6

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm genuinely surprised so many people can remember what they predicted at the start of the season, or at least the number of things they predicted. I mean I might remember one or two things - I thought Southampton would really kick on after Christmas and that we'd have another really good cup run. But I really can't remember predicting (as opposed to hoping for) anything about particular players.

It helps when over half your wrong predictions are the same every year.







Newcastle will definitely be relegated next year.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I was wrong in my recollection about how many points we were deducted for the York pitch invasion, and consequently wrong to question the wisdom of it.

I was wrong in my expectation that we would smash a load of goals past someone any moment now. Any moment.

More later....there's a game on....

 

[Happy Exile]

A colleague reminded me the other day how confident I was that Trossard would shine this season. And how when in Feb we beat Liverpool to go 10 points clear of the drop I thought we'd comfortably get to mid-40 points.

 

[patchamalbion]

i had us finishing 13th....

i had us finishing above..Leeds

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

West Ham - thought they would be battling relegation again.

Liverpool - thought they’d finish 2nd.

Arsenal - I thought Arteta was the real deal and that they’d finish in the top 4!!!

Mourinho - thought he’d be sacked before Christmas.

 

[Tokyohands]

I laughed and gave my WHam supporting colleagues a load of shite when they appointed Moyes
I thought (hoped) Villa would go down.

I thought Japan would implement a super efficient vaccine roll out.
But the thing I really care about - I thought I'd be able to see my family this year

 

[Goldstone1976]

I thought that:

Maupay would get 15
Lamptey would storm the league
Maty would be untouchable
We’d get 43 points
Welbeck would prove to be a busted flush
PB would don the mustard sweater again

 

[DumLum]

I can be big enough to admit it, I was wrong about Potter. I was excited about his appointment and thought he was going to be great and take us to another level, but alas, I was wrong. He has turned out to be toilet.

A japanese toilet with a heated seat, remote controlled jet of warm water and dryer? The majority of us are very happy with Potter...at the moment.

 

[Questions]

I'm genuinely surprised so many people can remember what they predicted at the start of the season, or at least the number of things they predicted. I mean I might remember one or two things - I thought Southampton would really kick on after Christmas and that we'd have another really good cup run. But I really can't remember predicting (as opposed to hoping for) anything about particular players.

Ha........ I predicted you’d say that.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

I thought I was wrong once.

But I was wrong.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

1) Thought we would kick on a bit more with points and position. ( Around 13-14th and 42-45 points.....yes, I know we can still get 46 but realistically....? )
2) Definitely thought Pascal would be a bit player....fair play to that man.
3) Thought Trossard would ' kick on '....more goals, more assists, more consistency.
4) Didn't see the Ryan decision coming.

5) Had Burnley and Palace relegated with Fulham.
6) So wrong about Sheff U and WBA
7) Had Liverpool winning it again.
8) Didn't foresee WHU's season in a million years.

9) Thought I would hate endless televised football but zooming with friends has added a social side to it. Thought I would miss the Amex desperately. I have missed it but not as much as I thought.
10) Thought it was all about staying safe, getting through these months, readjusting again and planning for the future. Pubs, live football, friends, hugs. Then...bang....life comes along and kicks you in the you know where. You lose someone very special, a loved one, your world caves in and nothing much seems to matter anymore.

 

[Sussexscots]

Expected Maupay to kick on and score more. Wrong.

Expected Gross to make nothing but sub/cameo appearances. Wrong.

Expected to be back at the Amex by last Christmas. Wrong.

I was right about Ryan but didn't expect Sanchez to make the Goalkeeping position so comfortably and comprehensively his own.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Trossard....I thought he had something about him to be a very good footballer. Watching most of the games on TV I was wrong. He flatters to deceive.

Ryan. I thought he was undroppable but then in came Sanchez and he is a step up.

Veltman....I wasn’t sure about him, but IMHO he has been one of our best players we have had. Absolutely class player.

Potter.....I thought he would take us onwards up the league, but I think he is a very good coach, has an idea how the game should be played, but cannot adapt that when the players he has are not up to it. Spurs would be a very good fit for him with the talent they have. I suppose next year we can all start with the similar expectations of finishing above the bottom three.

TAU - what the point in all of that apart from encouraging a load of homophobic racist saffies infesting our boards?

 

[Iggle Piggle]

In terms of putting my money where my mouth was, I had match bets against Leeds, Palace and Newcastle (i.e that we would finish higher). Looks like I will lose the lot. Frustrating, as only Leeds should be anywhere near close and that ship has already sailed.