[Albion] To Avoid Potter Bashing - The Staying Up Tracker - season 21-22 Final Update - 11 ABOVE

[Giraffe]

Interesting - I'd be surprised if Leeds get 39 points....that's 16 points from their next 12 games. I know they've had a tough run of fixtures recently, but they've only managed 8 points in their last 12 matches - and conceded 40 goals in the process. I'm also not sure whether we'll get to 41 points!

Not sure. They genuinely have had a tough run. With a new manager in place who will quickly coach on how to defend a corner, then I think they will get those points. They also actually have a very good record of beating the lower teams of which they have a lot of games left to play.

 

[super-seagulls]

As I predicted several weeks ago when many were ******* off over the performances, we will finish below the wankpuffins and a few points above the drop.

I predict there will be time for ******* off again soon.

 

[OzMike]

Liverpool, Spurs and Man City after Newcastle, thank god for that.
Points against the top teams seems to be a given this season !

 

[Giraffe]

Liverpool, Spurs and Man City after Newcastle, thank god for that.
Points against the top teams seems to be a given this season !

It’s ironic that actually we are more comfortable playing them. Bonus points galore this season whilst losing loads of points at home.

 

[Goldstone1976]

It’s ironic that actually we are more comfortable playing then. Bonus points galore this season whilst losing loads of points at home.

With two of those three games at home, it’ll be ‘interesting’ to see whether our good form against the big clubs or our poor form at home will prevail…

 

[Official Old Man]

The anual bet between me and my Palace mate looked won a few weeks ago. Checking both sets of fixtures it could well come down to GD, both teams on 41.
The only good news in a way is we can sit back and watch the big clubs at the bottom fight it out.

 

[Giraffe]

Interesting pattern of "slumping" in the last third of the season sadly.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Interesting pattern of "slumping" in the last third of the season sadly.

I would say this is an indication of post January transfer window (when we don't tend to do anything, and others strength, this year we weakened), and that our squad has limited depth when key personnel are missing. In the last 2 games, clearly not being able to field 3 centre backs in our chosen back 3 formation has really hurt us. I can now see why we didn't face too much competition to land Cucurella and Lamptey, simply stunning going forwards as they were vs Chelsea, but in a scrap in a back 4, badly exposed by Burnley and Villa. Would be interesting to go back over the previous season's and see who we were missing in this key period.

Hopefully though, the graphs suggest we will pick it back up again as the daffodils start to emerge.

 

[A1X]

Ouch.

 

[Giraffe]

I would say this is an indication of post January transfer window (when we don't tend to do anything, and others strength, this year we weakened), and that our squad has limited depth when key personnel are missing. In the last 2 games, clearly not being able to field 3 centre backs in our chosen back 3 formation has really hurt us. I can now see why we didn't face too much competition to land Cucurella and Lamptey, simply stunning going forwards as they were vs Chelsea, but in a scrap in a back 4, badly exposed by Burnley and Villa. Would be interesting to go back over the previous season's and see who we were missing in this key period.

Hopefully though, the graphs suggest we will pick it back up again as the daffodils start to emerge.

All good points. I do think bringing in some fresh faces does help the squad generally. Competition, more rotation, a competitive edge. A few of our bigger players that get picked regardless have looked a little like they are going through the motions in the last few games.

 

[Acker79]

I would say this is an indication of post January transfer window (when we don't tend to do anything, and others strength, this year we weakened), and that our squad has limited depth when key personnel are missing. In the last 2 games, clearly not being able to field 3 centre backs in our chosen back 3 formation has really hurt us. I can now see why we didn't face too much competition to land Cucurella and Lamptey, simply stunning going forwards as they were vs Chelsea, but in a scrap in a back 4, badly exposed by Burnley and Villa. Would be interesting to go back over the previous season's and see who we were missing in this key period.

Hopefully though, the graphs suggest we will pick it back up again as the daffodils start to emerge.

I have been thinking recently that it might be more a reflection of the approach. I think I've made the point on here before that when we face Palace it feels like we (potter and the players) treat it like just another match. Play our usual way, patient, disciplined. Chances will come if we just keep trying to play our game, don't force anything, etc. But Palace treat it like a derby that they have to win. They play with aggression and desire, and that fighting, "must-win" approach goes a long way in countering our pass, pass, pass, no obvious way through, recycle, pass again approach.

I think that possibly is a wider problem than just the palace games.

We don't often play with a 'must win' attitude. We play with the aim of implementing tactics and a game plan, and if we don't win we learn from it and move on. Don't get too low, when it doesn't work, don't get too high when it does (and it will work against some teams, some don't focus their desperation as well, some are hampered by coaches/managers who while desperate for a win are focused on shoring up defences, like Watford, some just assume they'll beat #teamslikeus so aren't so focused on fighting for it).

It feels like it could be an explanation for why so many teams in poor runs of form desperate for a result usually manage to get them against us. Burnley knew they were running out of games to get out of the bottom 3, villa on a run of one win in seven wanting to arrest that slide. Man Utd, Spurs supposedly in disarray needing results.

As we approach the end of the season, the table starts to take shape, teams get more desperate - points to stay in the title race, points to stay up, get to Europe, and so we tail off as we face more teams who are approaching the game with must-win attitude.

 

[Giraffe]

I have been thinking recently that it might be more a reflection of the approach. I think I've made the point on here before that when we face Palace it feels like we (potter and the players) treat it like just another match. Play our usual way, patient, disciplined. Chances will come if we just keep trying to play our game, don't force anything, etc. But Palace treat it like a derby that they have to win. They play with aggression and desire, and that fighting, "must-win" approach goes a long way in countering our pass, pass, pass, no obvious way through, recycle, pass again approach.

I think that possibly is a wider problem than just the palace games.

We don't often play with a 'must win' attitude. We play with the aim of implementing tactics and a game plan, and if we don't win we learn from it and move on. Don't get too low, when it doesn't work, don't get too high when it does (and it will work against some teams, some don't focus their desperation as well, some are hampered by coaches/managers who while desperate for a win are focused on shoring up defences, like Watford, some just assume they'll beat #teamslikeus so aren't so focused on fighting for it).

It feels like it could be an explanation for why so many teams in poor runs of form desperate for a result usually manage to get them against us. Burnley knew they were running out of games to get out of the bottom 3, villa on a run of one win in seven wanting to arrest that slide. Man Utd, Spurs supposedly in disarray needing results.

As we approach the end of the season, the table starts to take shape, teams get more desperate - points to stay in the title race, points to stay up, get to Europe, and so we tail off as we face more teams who are approaching the game with must-win attitude.

All of that is fair but I'd argue about not having any fight. When we go 1-0 down away from home we show plenty.

The issue for me is scoring goals when on top. We rarely go ahead, but when we do we generally win the game. It's fundamentally getting that first goal that is the problem for me. Saturday was a good example. We started well enough, the crowd was up for it, but then we misfired and couldn't score, Villa got one and we seemed to shrink back into the horseshoe tactic of playing the ball round the back and up and down the wings with no threat into the box. Score a goal when on top and it's a different game.

 

[Acker79]

All of that is fair but I'd argue about not having any fight. When we go 1-0 down away from home we show plenty.

The issue for me is scoring goals when on top. We rarely go ahead, but when we do we generally win the game. It's fundamentally getting that first goal that is the problem for me. Saturday was a good example. We started well enough, the crowd was up for it, but then we misfired and couldn't score, Villa got one and we seemed to shrink back into the horseshoe tactic of playing the ball round the back and up and down the wings with no threat into the box. Score a goal when on top and it's a different game.

I'm sure there is fight there, but as you say it comes out when we're already a goal down. Showing when we do play with more aggression we can get goals. Which often will coincide with a a lessening of fight from our opponents because they're in a good position. They've achieved and perhaps subconsciously ease off a bit. The teams that don't ease up tend to for a reason - Burnley took the lead at home and still lost to us, that would sting and be in their minds, spurs had let leads slip in a lot of matches before us.

Perhaps talk of fight and aggression is the wrong way to frame it. Perhaps its risk aversion. Drilling control and patience means if you spot a slight gap you're concerned about not 'forcing it' so you patiently wait, the gap disappears and you play it back recycle the ball, and try again. Whereas when you're "desperate" (playing 'with fight', or trying to get back into the game), you think 'there's a gap, I'm going for it' and you make it happen, and we need to work on spotting chances that are worth taking a risk on rather than passing up and waiting for better.

 

[Giraffe]

Back to level. Didn't see that coming 4 games ago. Not sure what has gone wrong really.

 

[Bodian]

Eek. Oh dear. Oh deary dear.

Just 4 ahead now.

Traditional last third of the season collapse coming?

It's the falling away graph that concerns me.

 

[stss30]

We've flatlined and it looks like it'll be a fair old while until we pick up our next points. Can't say I'm particularly looking forward to the next two home fixtures given how we play at the Amex - could be another big hit to our morale & goal difference

 

[A1X]

Eek indeed

 

[Giraffe]

The full league table (ahead of Liverpool v West Ham). Five points clear of the drop zone.

 

[Giraffe]

It's the falling away graph that concerns me.

This one? Yes pretty telling.

 

[zefarelly]

I don't think we'll get to 40 points.

Potter needs a kick in the bollocks.