[Albion] What do you think our style of football is?

[boik]

It was perhaps an illusion but Palace playing fast one touch passing seemed to emphasise that we don’t, but slow it down and take another touch or two. But when we do move fast - Pedro’s flick for Mitoma in the first half - we look much more dangerous.

Not the Palace I watched. I thought they were very functional and efficient, but I don't remember any nice passing moves or patterns of play. Their goals certainly didn't come from any of that.

 

[Han Solo]

If that is indeed true, then FML, how f'ing BORING. That means TB is essentially the owner & manager, just virtually.

What did you think? Do you think we just randomly hire managers and whatever they like is what we go with?

So if Tony, instead of looking at data and playing style, just pulled some flavour-of-the-month name out of a hat and it turns out to be a catenaccio manager who wants to get eleven men behind the ball and defend on counter-attacks... do we then sack every single youth coach in the club since they've been brought in to produce players for a possession-oriented team?

Do we sign 23 players who fits into the managers (most likely leaving within 2-3 years) ideas and who then needs to be shipped if the next name in the hat turns out to be a gung ho-attack manager?

Every sensible club on the planet has an idea about how to play that goes way beyond the manager. We sign managers that fits our style because its much easier than rebuilding the entire club and squad every second or third season.

 

[TugWilson]

Haphazard, chaotic.

We`re not that organised

 

[Oh_aye]

Not the Palace I watched. I thought they were very functional and efficient, but I don't remember any nice passing moves or patterns of play. Their goals certainly didn't come from any of that.

Indeed. My biggest gripe yesterday was how easy they beat us without ever needing to be anything other than ok.

One legged albino Hughes and that other string bean having the run of the midfield without needing to break a sweat.

 

[dippy2449]

Style of play goes out of the window as soon as you lose momentum as witnessed by the Spuds game, points dropped (Wolves, Stains & Leicester) and yesterdays 20 min collapse.
The momentum would have been regained if LD had put that header in at the start of the second half but unfortunately it just made Henderson feel an air of invincibility and lost more momentum.
I am not sure that any data model can account for drooping shoulders and heads down.

 

[chickens]

What did you think? Do you think we just randomly hire managers and whatever they like is what we go with?

So if Tony, instead of looking at data and playing style, just pulled some flavour-of-the-month name out of a hat and it turns out to be a catenaccio manager who wants to get eleven men behind the ball and defend on counter-attacks... do we then sack every single youth coach in the club since they've been brought in to produce players for a possession-oriented team?

Do we sign 23 players who fits into the managers (most likely leaving within 2-3 years) ideas and who then needs to be shipped if the next name in the hat turns out to be a gung ho-attack manager?

Every sensible club on the planet has an idea about how to play that goes way beyond the manager. We sign managers that fits our style because its much easier than rebuilding the entire club and squad every second or third season.

Agree completely, yet our current manager clearly wants to set up with either a high back four or a back three with wingbacks.

What do you think happens next, a rebuild of our defensive options or a change of head coach?

 

[dippy2449]

Aggravated by injuries at the back and not having the defenders to play his preferred 3 at the back system. Trying to integrate so many new players at once has not helped especially as many have been injured.
He’s going to have to make very tough decisions and the January transfer window needs to address the need for better and more mobile defenders. Hope he gets the right support.

Isn't that called "transiting"? which seems to have been the B+HA state for the last two years. I reckon give FH a little time, there is a good squad of players he just needs to put the right pegs in the right holes.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

Yesterday felt like a version of the earlyish bad Potter side, in that the passing/getting into the final 3rd was so slow, by the time it was so slow, Mitoma would pick it up and have no space to work with, same for Pedro and Rutter, and they all kept the ball too long.

Played into Palace's hands. Was similar v Southampton, Fulham and Leicester too. Worrying

 

[Han Solo]

Agree completely, yet our current manager clearly wants to set up with either a high back four or a back three with wingbacks.

What do you think happens next, a rebuild of our defensive options or a change of head coach?

Rebuild of defense is certainly in the pipeline no matter the coach. Contracts running out, players getting old, Van Hecke going to a big club if he can refind form etc. I'm expecting a revolution in that area next summer where we replace half of our defenders.

Head coach... well, don't think we're likely to sack him pretty much no matter what. Do think he'd walk though if he was in a ~10 game winless spell like a few times in the Potter days or if we had a very long run of mediocre results like last season. I don't think he has the experience to cope with the pressure from something like that and would wave the white flag in those scenarios. But hopefully (and probably) this won't happen.

 

[Kosh]

Style of play goes out of the window as soon as you lose momentum as witnessed by the Spuds game, points dropped (Wolves, Stains & Leicester) and yesterdays 20 min collapse.
The momentum would have been regained if LD had put that header in at the start of the second half but unfortunately it just made Henderson feel an air of invincibility and lost more momentum.
I am not sure that any data model can account for drooping shoulders and heads down.

Yes, but a good coach - a strong motivator a winner in the dressing room can and should remedy a cure for drooping shoulders and heads down... Great coaches do both sides of the game exceedingly well, average coaches do both okay... poor coaches don't, and it's those who fail more often than not.

As for Fabian... it's nearing a time where his own actions are going to determine which pile he ultimately ends up in.

 

[tstanbur]

It’s Potterball without the defensive strength.

200 million spent, far more available players, sold nobody and we are worse than last season

Nothing like Potterball.

Potterball had multiple clear cut chances to score nearly every match (even when the results were shit and we didn't win at home for 900 years before the usual suspects pipe up).

Potterball with some of the attacking players we have now would be goals galore!

 

[Kosh]

Rebuild of defense is certainly in the pipeline no matter the coach. Contracts running out, players getting old, Van Hecke going to a big club if he can refind form etc. I'm expecting a revolution in that area next summer where we replace half of our defenders.

Head coach... well, don't think we're likely to sack him pretty much no matter what. Do think he'd walk though if he was in a ~10 game winless spell like a few times in the Potter days or if we had a very long run of mediocre results like last season. I don't think he has the experience to cope with the pressure from something like that and would wave the white flag in those scenarios. But hopefully (and probably) this won't happen.

I tend to agree, especially that a defensive rebuild is (as you point out) nearing inevitable.... I guess playing to our strengths you go gung-ho, we've got the forward ballers... the issue is, that level of naivety stretches and already creaking defence... a level of pragmatism is required otherwise the 3-1 4-2 losses are going to pile up and fast.

If that becomes the reality, I'm not so sure Fabian will be around to benefit from our newly recruited defensive stars...

 

[Flounce]

Nothing like Potterball.

Potterball had multiple clear cut chances to score nearly every match (even when the results were shit and we didn't win at home for 900 years before the usual suspects pipe up).

Potterball with some of the attacking players we have now would be goals galore!

I was thinking more of the ponderous build up play and shit final ball into a crowded area. The hoof ball from defence is a new thing though

 

[tstanbur]

I was thinking more of the ponderous build up play and shit final into a crowded area

Well you don't remember it correctly then, you're not the only one.

Most matches had lots of decent chances to score, usually not taken

"Based on chances created, Brighton should have scored close to 27 (26.9 xGF) goals at home, but have managed just 12 – a staggering underperformance."

- https://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/just-how-unlucky-are-brighton/189504

 

[Han Solo]

Well you don't remember it correctly then, you're not the only one.

Most matches had lots of decent chances to score, usually not taken

"Based on chances created, Brighton should have scored close to 27 (26.9 xGF) goals at home, but have managed just 12 – a staggering underperformance."

- https://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/just-how-unlucky-are-brighton/189504

That we were playing excellent football and creating a lot of chances we couldn't score was the common truth until September 2022 when people decided that the truth is no good and needs to be replaced with one where we were a defensive, cowardly team passing the ball sidewards for 90 minutes.

Get with the times!

 

[dippy2449]

Yes, but a good coach - a strong motivator a winner in the dressing room can and should remedy a cure for drooping shoulders and heads down... Great coaches do both sides of the game exceedingly well, average coaches do both okay... poor coaches don't, and it's those who fail more often than not.

As for Fabian... it's nearing a time where his own actions are going to determine which pile he ultimately ends up in.

This is FB's first season in English football let alone the EPL. I have no doubt that he is learning and will of course make mistakes as do even the great coaches motivators and people managers. Please name a "a good coach - a strong motivator a winner in the dressing room" that could have prevented the collapse against Leicester? FB had set them up to win, the game was won but the players lost concentration and gave away momentum. I see this as a string of results that FB and the players will work through and learn from.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

It is a good question as it’s not entirely obvious and seems to have changed as the season has gone. Chaosball probably the closest description but I don’t think we’ve got the right players to even play that!

I’m Fabian in at the moment as I think he needs time and has shown some signs of promise as well as some mistakes and I don’t think he’s been helped with the squad he’s been given but the team does need to show some cohesion soon I think.

What I do think is interesting is this is the most unified NSC has been about a manager, and not in an entirely good way, that I can remember for a while! There is a level of uncertainty across the board that wasn’t there during RDZ, Potter and even Hughton’s time.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Abstract expressionism

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Style, philosophy, dna.

The way i would think about this is that strategy doesn't exist in a vacuum. The opponents are doing everything to stop us doing what we want to do.

When we're playing well we may be able to enforce our will and our strategy will be clear. When our opponents are on top, it's much harder to see.

1970 Brazil and 2010 barca consistently had a discernable style as they were far better than every opponent. We're not.

If you're struggling to find a quick description for our style, that doesn't necessarily point to managerial failure. It just means this is a bloody tough league

 

[7dialssouthpaw]

spineless