[Albion] To Avoid Potter Bashing - the staying up tracker - season 2019-2020 Game 38 UPDATE

[Gritt23]

Defensively, we were horrendously vulnerable to the counter-attack under the old system. Almost every goal we conceded at home last year was on the counter-attack, and probably the year before too. We were amazingly well drilled when falling into defensive positions, but terrible at stopping counter-attacks.

We weren't good at the "tactical foul" that Man City employ so well. That little push, or obstruction deep in the opponents half that rarely gets a booking, but is very effective at stopping the counter-attack. I saw a stat during the summer of the average time between losing the ball and committing a foul. All the top teams were at the top, and we were 20th!

 

[Silverhatch]

Actually think we're better off than we would have been playing in a similar fashion to last season. It appears that the PL is even more fast-paced and expansive this season. The shut up shop mentality appears to have been ditched in most cases (not sure that there are many defensive units that can even do this anymore given the high, athletic press of most sides). As someone else said, this campaign might see a couple of well run clubs going down (given the lack of apparent basket cases). We're definitely in the mix but so are - many - other clubs.

 

[Bozza]

We weren't good at the "tactical foul" that Man City employ so well. That little push, or obstruction deep in the opponents half that rarely gets a booking, but is very effective at stopping the counter-attack. I saw a stat during the summer of the average time between losing the ball and committing a foul. All the top teams were at the top, and we were 20th!

...although Man City have lost their best defender who deployed the tactical foul on Webster, putting him out for six months and writing off City's title chances (if the weekend's media hyperbole is to be believed).

 

[Icy Gull]

Enjoying the ride and stress levels low in comparison to last year. I believe in playing football this way whilst accepting we may not be good enough at it. 10 men behind the ball is not for me however successful it may be in keeping us in this division. It's not my millions at risk.

 

[Seasidesage]

I find myself for possibly the first time in my 40 odd years watching the Albion conflicted. Normally by now I can reasonably be sure where the season is headed. Struggle or promotion we rarely used to do anything in between! This time the results tell me relegation really, but the performances say something else. I thought Saturday was our worst performance of the season but we still should've won. Saints and West Ham better side, and City we played well undone by the quality of their finishing. The performances are good but goals when we are on top is going to be the problem.

I can't decide if we are top 10 or cannon fodder

 

[Machiavelli]

We weren't good at the "tactical foul" that Man City employ so well. That little push, or obstruction deep in the opponents half that rarely gets a booking, but is very effective at stopping the counter-attack. I saw a stat during the summer of the average time between losing the ball and committing a foul. All the top teams were at the top, and we were 20th!

Interesting stat, and you're right.

 

[Bold Seagull]

...although Man City have lost their best defender who deployed the tactical foul on Webster, putting him out for six months and writing off City's title chances (if the weekend's media hyperbole is to be believed).

Watching Stones and Otamendi against Norwich, maybe not hyperbole at all....

 

[Giraffe]

Never ceases to amaze me how few people get the logic of this tracker. It’s not one man’s predictions - it’s not even predictions really, just a way of using last season’s table to guide which are the more difficult fixtures. Looking at the run of games coming up it’s hard not to agree we should be worried, though I do feel we’re playing better than the results. I make an adjustment in my head to the logic in the tracker based on where I think sides will finish this year. For example, I think West Ham will be top 10 so a point at home is “on track” (I’d have Wolves and Watford as bottom 10 sides this year). Using that logic I have us 3 points down on where we need to be, which seems about right based on failing to beat Burnley and Saints at home who are both poor teams and will finish bottom half for sure.

Yep I agree. That’s a fair assessment and a bit of a worry. I do think though we have the look of a team now that is more unpredictable than the last two seasons and therefore just as capable of springing a good surprise result wise as we are at dropping points at home to Burnley and Saints.

 

[Machiavelli]

Yep I agree. That’s a fair assessment and a bit of a worry. I do think though we have the look of a team now that is more unpredictable than the last two seasons and therefore just as capable of springing a good surprise result wise as we are at dropping points at home to Burnley and Saints.

Moi aussi

 

[spence]

I find myself for possibly the first time in my 40 odd years watching the Albion conflicted. Normally by now I can reasonably be sure where the season is headed. Struggle or promotion we rarely used to do anything in between! This time the results tell me relegation really, but the performances say something else. I thought Saturday was our worst performance of the season but we still should've won. Saints and West Ham better side, and City we played well undone by the quality of their finishing. The performances are good but goals when we are on top is going to be the problem.

I can't decide if we are top 10 or cannon fodder

Come on Sausage, top 10 sides have a solid feel about them. We don't. Successful teams are built from the back. This is one area we look so vulnerable it's frightening.
We are creating chances but again we lack real competition up top. I personally feel we are weaker than last year in attack. Loving the look of Maupay though and Connolly. Just don't think they have enough experience yet to see us safe. Both have great potential.
We do have good defenders at our club. I just don't buy into Potter's ideas at this level. As soon as i saw all 4 of them playing against Burnley alarm bells rang for me. He is trying to keep them all happy and it feels at a cost.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Come on Sausage, top 10 sides have a solid feel about them. We don't. Successful teams are built from the back. This is one area we look so vulnerable it's frightening.
We are creating chances but again we lack real competition up top. I personally feel we are weaker than last year in attack. Loving the look of Maupay though and Connolly. Just don't think they have enough experience yet to see us safe. Both have great potential.
We do have good defenders at our club. I just don't buy into Potter's ideas at this level. As soon as i saw all 4 of them playing against Burnley alarm bells rang for me. He is trying to keep them all happy and it feels at a cost.

Sort of agree with you there [MENTION=30242]spence[/MENTION]. We look a bit flimsy and vulnerable. Tho on the plus side we're not (yet?) playing like we're scared of our own shadows - even Stephens is getting with the Potter programme - and we've shipped out a couple of liabilities up front in favour of livelier options. Maybe it'll be enough, maybe it won't. But it's already far better to watch than much of last season's anti-football excrement. IMHO like.

 

[Mellotron]

Checked this tracker and our first 3 home predicted results I’m already out. One persons ridiculously slanted view on our season start.

To be fair to [MENTION=3734]Giraffe[/MENTION], it's not his viewpoint. It's an algorithm.

 

[Bold Seagull]

To be fair to [MENTION=3734]Giraffe[/MENTION], it's not his viewpoint. It's an algorithym.

Only 3 years in and people still don't get it.

 

[PHCgull]

We weren't good at the "tactical foul" that Man City employ so well. That little push, or obstruction deep in the opponents half that rarely gets a booking, but is very effective at stopping the counter-attack. I saw a stat during the summer of the average time between losing the ball and committing a foul. All the top teams were at the top, and we were 20th!

we could have used one of them in the 90th minute against Burnley

 

[Machiavelli]

Only 3 years in and people still don't get it.

I've just given you a thumbs up, but I might have jumped the gun: who doesn't get it?

 

[The_Viper]

Come on Sausage, top 10 sides have a solid feel about them. We don't. Successful teams are built from the back. This is one area we look so vulnerable it's frightening.
We are creating chances but again we lack real competition up top. I personally feel we are weaker than last year in attack. Loving the look of Maupay though and Connolly. Just don't think they have enough experience yet to see us safe. Both have great potential.
We do have good defenders at our club. I just don't buy into Potter's ideas at this level. As soon as i saw all 4 of them playing against Burnley alarm bells rang for me. He is trying to keep them all happy and it feels at a cost.

Genuine question, with Montoya and Bernardo both injured, would you have preferred the formation we had or Bong and possibly Max Sanders? Maybe? Playing at right back. If he made the decision to please everyone its one thing, but both our wingbacks were out. It seems fine to me. Oh, and we were 90 seconds and one VAR calamity away from winning.

 

[AZ Gull]

Genuine question, with Montoya and Bernardo both injured, would you have preferred the formation we had or Bong and possibly Max Sanders? Maybe? Playing at right back. If he made the decision to please everyone its one thing, but both our wingbacks were out. It seems fine to me. Oh, and we were 90 seconds and one VAR calamity away from winning.

The Max Sanders who has been on loan at AFC Wimbledon for the last two weeks?

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lense]

At the start of the season I was genuinely concerned that we might have hit the end of September with a solitary point as the team were trying to adapt to a new pattern of play. The fact that we have 5 is a real bonus for me, but to see the way that we have been competitive fills me with some confidence that we have a real chance of doing well - tinged with the stark reality that without goal-scorers we will struggle, as will any side. Others have pointed out that we may be better placed to spring the odd surprise, and we certainly look as though we could create more chances, but I think it is more likely that we will win more games vs. the teams around us than previously, punctuated by some hefty defeats to the top sides. I'm excited/concerned in equal measure, which is how it should be I guess.. others might quote lack of goals which is undeniable, but, without checking the stats, it feels as though we are creating better opportunities/missing better chances through open play than last season whilst not yet contributing through set pieces? That feels as though it could improve - whereas with so few clear-cut chances last season, again perception, it looked tricky to see how we could improve. If all else fails, maybe we are due some huge slices of luck soon cant remember the last time we got a real break!

 

[Machiavelli]

At the start of the season I was genuinely concerned that we might have hit the end of September with a solitary point as the team were trying to adapt to a new pattern of play. The fact that we have 5 is a real bonus for me, but to see the way that we have been competitive fills me with some confidence that we have a real chance of doing well - tinged with the stark reality that without goal-scorers we will struggle, as will any side. Others have pointed out that we may be better placed to spring the odd surprise, and we certainly look as though we could create more chances, but I think it is more likely that we will win more games vs. the teams around us than previously, punctuated by some hefty defeats to the top sides. I'm excited/concerned in equal measure, which is how it should be I guess.. others might quote lack of goals which is undeniable, but, without checking the stats, it feels as though we are creating better opportunities/missing better chances through open play than last season whilst not yet contributing through set pieces? That feels as though it could improve - whereas with so few clear-cut chances last season, again perception, it looked tricky to see how we could improve. If all else fails, maybe we are due some huge slices of luck soon cant remember the last time we got a real break!

https://experimental361.com/2019/09/17/scatter-graphics-premier-league-17-sep-2019/

 

[Miami Seagull]

The tracker has kept me sane through our first two seasons in the premier league, and throughout we have remained on course, or within a point or two of being on course. This is the first time I can remember us being this far below par. Its a worry, the tracker has so far proved a very reliable and useful measuring tool. We need to catch up these next few games or we will find ourselves in trouble.