[Albion] What exactly would the next manager do that would make everything good?

[London Irish]

I’ll reassess when we are being out played, otherwise I’m team Potter even if we go down. TB may well feel differently so that may not happen

Illuminating, nothing more really to discuss between me and you because our terms of reference are so different, you are defining away any concept of failure

 

[Kosh]

To get beat, by any team at home in the premier league, by two goals would not count as one our worst results, in any division, ever. It wouldn't even make the top 100. Sheffield United might only have two points but that doesn't mean they are going to turn up and roll over for us. Man Utd beat them by only a single goal last week.

We were not lucky to not lose 2 - 0. They had two good chances... we had 4....I've read nothing from anyone who thinks we were lucky not to lose by 2

All the evidence doesn't point to an utter failure in the basics of attacking and defending. We can defend to some extent and attack to some extent. In fact we create a hat full of chances very game. We just can't take them. Can we improve in both areas? Yes of course. As can most of the teams in this division. So not all the evidence..it's just your opinion.

If drawing at home in the premier league is utterly unforgivable then maybe supporting this team is not for you. There will be much worse days than yesterday and worse seasons than this...

I was at Doncaster under Jimmy Case, which was worse granted but to try and defend that yesterday is ridiculous - what I meant was if they’d taken that gilt edged chance at 0-1 we would have sunk to a low not seen for many, many seasons.

Yep GP has an awful lot to do... he needs to start producing wins regularly or we are done - simple really.

Coaching some basics will do for me.

Yesterday was indefensible imho.

Utter footballing garbage - it was a must win and we very nearly lost to a team who are (were) on their knees and - down to 10 men for 60 mins... pathetic.

At least Welbz showed some desire, Sanchez looks solid... meh really given the circumstances of that ‘performance.’

 

[7oaksgull]

I was at Doncaster under Jimmy Case, which was worse granted but to try and defend that yesterday is ridiculous - what I meant was if they’d taken that gilt edged chance at 0-1 we would have sunk to a low not seen for many, many seasons.

Yep GP has an awful lot to do... he needs to start producing wins regularly or we are done - simple really.

Coaching some basics will do for me.

Yesterday was indefensible imho.

Utter footballing garbage - it was a must win and we very nearly lost to a team who are (were) on their knees and - down to 10 men for 60 mins... pathetic.

At least Welbz showed some desire, Sanchez looks solid... meh really given the circumstances of that ‘performance.’

But he doesn’t even need to start producing wins regularly to prevent us from being done. We have 28 games left. If we win 1 in 4 we’d gain another 21 points taking us to 33 points and they would some draws on top...I accept that we’ve only won 2 in the first 14 but feel we should have beaten Man U and Palace. Improvement is needed for sure but I don’t agree that things are as desperate as you imply.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I’ll reassess when we are being out played, otherwise I’m team Potter even if we go down. TB may well feel differently so that may not happen

This is how I feel, too.

We have had some odd records over the lears. For example, under Poyet, in our first game at the Amex we came back against Bumley to win. We then went around 2 years without ever coming back after conceding. Should we have got shot of Poyet for that?

And here we are in the EPL, one home win all year, yet otherwise good enough to be not in the bottom three.

Football is a funny old game.

The owner may well sack the manager. Who knows? My firm opinion is that the owner knows more about football than I do. And risk assessment. If Potter is still good enough for the owner he's good enough for me. It was the same situation with Hughton. If and when Potter goes I will be surprised but not bothered. Right now I'm happy he's here.

I am not particularly interested, therefore, in trying to second guess when Potter will be sacked, let alone agitate for it. The latter is quite wrong. If we had a shit owner I'd feel differently.

 

[portlock seagull]

Love the way the rose tints and hedgers are now turning on Potter! There’s no loyalty left in the game. Or shame

 

[Kosh]

But he doesn’t even need to start producing wins regularly to prevent us from being done. We have 28 games left. If we win 1 in 4 we’d gain another 21 points taking us to 33 points and they would some draws on top...I accept that we’ve only won 2 in the first 14 but feel we should have beaten Man U and Palace. Improvement is needed for sure but I don’t agree that things are as desperate as you imply.

Fair enough stuff... I'm obviously not impressed with yesterday but I'm not directly agitating for a change of manager - However we do need to be more flexible in our approach to winning games - if for example, getting balls in the box from wide areas will reap rewards (like yesterday) then do it.. from the get go, not waiting until 10 mins from the end of a winnable game vs 10 men at home... that is a failure of leadership imho.

GP can still win me round, but I need to see tangible proof he's learning those lessons - as he consistently tells us they (he and the team) should be.

The problem for me is too many fans dressing up relative failure as success - the definition of success for GP (based on how he was sold to us) is to provide an evolution in style (getting better) with an improvement in our standing in this division - not happening.

1 out of 2 is okay, but if the 1 represents championship football next season - I do wonder how many fans will actually still be backing GP as they seem to claim right now.

Yesterday remains a low point in his tenure and imho he needs to back up his lesson learning prose with fight and points over Christmas...

Over to you Graham.

 

[portlock seagull]

If we were being thrashed or totally outplayed I’d agree with you. Leicester apart we have been let down by shit finishing, so we are making the openings. We have also been let down by shit keeping and deflections. How is changing the manager going to change that. I am very happy that Potter seems to have potentially sorted the keeper problems, with a frankly brave decision. Lack of quality up front cannot be used as a stick to beat him with imo, although you and plenty seem to be doing it.

Where do you stand on managers being responsible for signing players that do or don’t work out incidentally? Is anything down to Potter in this area?

 

[Seasidesage]

Most of the stuff being speculated on its impossible to know. We can't know if the players are playing for him, if he shows enough passion or even does shooting practice. The one area I do think he needs to re-evaluate is the constant changes to the starting XI. This week it made some sense but the lack of continuity can't help...

 

[Icy Gull]

Where do you stand on managers being responsible for signing players that do or don’t work out incidentally? Is anything down to Potter in this area?

I suggest Potter has been given responsibility for signing players.... but can only shop at Poundland. Not complaining but it’s just where we are

Give Potter quality players and we’d easily be top 10...imo

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

Where do you stand on managers being responsible for signing players that do or don’t work out incidentally? Is anything down to Potter in this area?

Potter is head coach, signing players is Ashworth's department.

 

[Kosh]

I suggest Potter has been given responsibility for signing players.... but can only shop at Poundland. Not complaining but it’s just where we are

Give Potter quality players and we’d easily be top 10...imo

So as that's unlikely to happen, why appoint him based on the harsh reality of our status? especially as we clearly intend to utilise the academy (untested) more and more... if he needs proven quality, and he's not alone there, perhaps he's the wrong man, in the wrong place at the wrong time... a bit like Robert Fripp joining East 17?!?

I bet he wouldn't have stayed another day.

 

[Icy Gull]

So as that's unlikely to happen, why appoint him based on the harsh reality of our status? especially as we clearly intend to utilise the academy (untested) more and more... if he needs proven quality, and he's not alone there, perhaps he's the wrong man, in the wrong place at the wrong time... a bit like Robert Fripp joining East 17?!?

I bet he wouldn't have stayed another day.

Wow, you don’t think that Potter is using as many academy players as he can get away with?

We may get more applications than you can shake a stick at for the manager’s job so who could we realistically have got who would have done a better job?

I have yet to hear a single realistic suggestion other than Eddie Howe (who imo is not the man for the job as he needs BIG backing) but whenever I ask the detractors who we should get to replace Potter it always ends up “not my job, it”s the clubs” . Fine but these same people are quite happy to pass opinion on everything the club is doing wrong

We are a low budget club (comparatively speaking) playing in a pool of mega budget clubs but we are supposed to be as good as them? We are where we are because we are small time. I EXPECT a relegation struggle every season and that’s what we get but I see potential in Potter and what the club are doing, we are sailing close to the wind every season but we are going in the right direction imo.

I am keeping the faith but accepting of the fact that we may not have enough to stay up this season

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

As we all know and can see for our own eyes, Potter has changed our team and general passing skills for the better since he arrived, no denying it.

So where is the problem?

It is complex because of it being a combination of many things where the sum of all the parts don't make a whole, nothing like it in fact.

Ryan was reliable and had been very competent, but this season he's flopped badly, perhaps missing vital family connections, who knows?

The defence as a whole is still ok but lacks the ability to shut teams out like it once did, perhaps now Sanchez is in goal this will help their confidence.

Midfield is too slow and pedestrian in the transition from back to front, hence the forwards tend to face more players blocking their way than they should.

When we have throw-ins and free-kicks in and around the middle third of the pitch, why do we tend to throw or pass the ball backwards and give up valuable ground?

The forwards are not scoring which is vital to their confidence and also that of the teams. Reasons behind this are because most of them aren't competent enough at this level, pressure is growing on them and every game we have is only making it worse. The balls into them are fairly good on many occasions, but for whatever reason they miss fairly simple headers, screw the ball wide with the goal at their mercy, or make no attempt to shoot when the opportunity arises.

Dead ball situations are abysmal as we have all witnessed.
Corners that hit the first defender or overshoot the whole pack, and don't get me started on our short corner routines.
Free-kicks also lacking conviction or purpose.
Dan Burn should be a massive threat in the box at corners etc, but for some reason appears to only jump 2 inches higher than his actual height, WTF!!

One solution would see a growing number of fans sacking Potter, you can easily make a case for that at this moment in time.

The way forward as I see it is to buy, buy, buy.
Buy that bleeding forward or two that we have evidently needed for many years, like a Giroud or someone of a similar stature, plus maybe one other if funds allow.

Midfield is Bissouma's and Lallana's to run...and I mean RUN lads.

With a few tweaks and the right STRIKE FORCE this team can go upwards from here, but it needs money spent and decisive action by those at the helm.

If we don't turn this corner soon it'll be too late to return that vital player confidence

I'll save all that writing. Those with ball in front of goal shoot or header on target with competence. Solved, we create far too many guilt edged changes for us to be where we are. The issue is those missing. That's it.

 

[portlock seagull]

I suggest Potter has been given responsibility for signing players.... but can only shop at Poundland. Not complaining but it’s just where we are

Give Potter quality players and we’d easily be top 10...imo

That’s the rub though isn’t it? Win and he’s a genius. Lose and it’s Poundland/what do you expect/no one else can do better blah blah.
Hence my original question.

Poor Potter doesn’t get any say in who comes in seemingly. Isn’t responsible for their failings. And can’t improve then either. Sure is a unique set up. I’m only glad we’re certainly better than 3 other teams and have never been in the relegation zone. Otherwise I’d be worried from now until May.

 

[Icy Gull]

That’s the rub though isn’t it? Win and he’s a genius. Lose and it’s Poundland/what do you expect/no one else can do better blah blah.
Hence my original question.

Poor Potter doesn’t get any say in who comes in seemingly. Isn’t responsible for their failings. And can’t improve then either. Sure is a unique set up. I’m only glad we’re certainly better than 3 other teams and have never been in the relegation zone. Otherwise I’d be worried from now until May.

I worry from the first game of the season and have done for four seasons

I’d strongly disagree that he hasn’t improved players. Bissouma, March, Alzate, Webster, have all improved. The style is unrecognisable from when he took over but we are short on forward quality and luck this season

 

[Kosh]

Wow, you don’t think that Potter is using as many academy players as he can get away with?

We may get more applications than you can shake a stick at for the manager’s job so who could we realistically have got who would have done a better job?

I have yet to hear a single realistic suggestion other than Eddie Howe (who imo is not the man for the job as he needs BIG backing) but whenever I ask the detractors who we should get to replace Potter it always ends up “not my job, it”s the clubs” . Fine but these same people are quite happy to pass opinion on everything the club is doing wrong

We are a low budget club (comparatively speaking) playing in a pool of mega budget clubs but we are supposed to be as good as them? We are where we are because we are small time. I EXPECT a relegation struggle every season and that’s what we get but I see potential in Potter and what the club are doing, we are sailing close to the wind every season but we are going in the right direction imo.

I agree; he is using the academy players - as is his clear remit from above. What you said; was that if we could chuck ££££ on players (much like his rise in Sweden) GP would have us top 10, yes... but so would countless other coaches/managers. If he's a luxury coach, who needs money to succeed in this division, then he's clearly never going to bring us the progress his appointment promised... You seem to be fixcated on the fiction that GP is some kind of miracle worker, who we are blessed to have - perhaps, perhaps not. Whilst you're suggesting other critics can't offer alternatives, yet you seem to be implying by the same token that there simply are none... That GP is a one off and, as I say, no one else could do any or much better...

I disagree, he could be doing better... he should be, according to the gospel on here... he should be able to get this team to perform, he isn't, or all too regularly isn't.

I would like to see GP prove me wrong, truly... that faith is beginning to wane however.

Unless we're going Hollywood in our approach, then maybe he really is the best there is... I certainly wouldn't advocate our friend from Bournemouth as a replacement... So yes, it's tough to find and alternative...

I'd just like people to admit that results like yesterday, given the circumstances and opposition, are hardly a ringing endorsement of Graham and his managerial skills.

And yeah... you know what: he might, just might not be the best there is for our club...!

I don't want to fight, have a decent Christmas Icy x

 

[SEWDONIM]

...and where does that stem from?

Not entirely sure what your ellipsis is for.

It's pretty clear what point I'm trying to make.

 

[Machiavelli]

I think, in general, "agree" is probably the last thing we're doing. Looking on the in/out thread it's around 52/48 so very similar to Bre....oh, you know what I mean. It's a divided fan base at the moment. Good for NSC traffic but, in some ways, bad for support. Can you imagine what it would be like on here if our 23K odd season ticket holders had just sat through an entire calendar year watching only one win? In some ways Potter is lucky it's been BCD.

There were similarly robust disagreement on one of my whatsapp groups post game. Some are very strongly Potter in, others (me included now) in the out camp.

Perhaps you are correct that many in the "out" camp would also agree we are creating chances and that many would not be in the out camp had those chances been taken. But the question on this thread isn't "in or out" - it's what would you do differently. And I managed to list six things. Six things I'd change.

Now, I'm a fan. I played pub league and I have a level one coaching badge. I'm not fit to lace Potter's boots. But if only half of what I've seen is correct then an opposing professional coach with a team of analysts is going to have a field day on us.

Yesterday, Wilder called the change correctly when he brought on Burke, who was an instant menace, and when they went down to 10 he called it correctly again by packing the middle of the park and forcing us wide, playing on the break on the second ball. The xG might show we deserved more but Sheffield United backed their centre backs and forced us out wide. Potter essentially out-thought by a man with two league points all season.

I'm stunned that's not ringing more alarm bells.

Right, I'm responding to you, because your view differs from mine, and I know I'll get an intelligent response, so first a few comments, then a few questions.

A) I'm not really convinced with your six suggestions (despite, I think, giving you a thumbs up earlier today), which certainly don't amount to six criticisms of Potter, but I'll go through all of them (they're at the bottom of this post):
1) fair play. Although I'll add: this has been a big problem this season (although, strangely given the personnel, it wasn't last season). I think the Ryan>Sanchez move is responding to this. Ditto bringing in Moder in Jan.
2) you might be right although both Lamptey and March are tailor-made for those roles and they've been amongst the top three players we've had all season. You move to a back four, I think you'll neuter that in a single stroke (it might well bring other benefits). Your using Liverpool as a comparison doesn't exactly fill me with confidence: how about an example from a comparable team?
3) Lallana, incidentally, went badly missing yesterday, but there's literally zero point of planning a way of playing around his availability -- do you not agree? (And this ought to undermine your whole position.)
4) not only is Burn not a left back, he's not a PL player. He's shit in the air. Gives it all, and is a good guy, but not good enough. Beyond Bernardo, we also don't have a LB in the squad, and Potter doesn't fancy him. March is a great LWB, but not a LB. He was culpable for the goal yesterday, all over the place, and there was a carbon copy of it just a few minutes ealrier. And this ought to further question your formation suggestion.
5) I think you're right on this, and this might just be the most damning aspect on Potter. I will turn to the OUT group if he's lost the players. There are one or two worrying signs on this front. But the way the players can demonstrate that they really believe in the club, its philosophy, the owner, the board and the manager, that could start showing it on the pitch.
6) Agreed, I suspect Potter agrees too. I'm not entirely sure Bloom agrees though. And that just raises the question, what's a new manager going to achieve? ...

B) ... just a year ago, Bloom gave Potter a six year deal. He'll have to pay that off. Presumably, he'll also have to pay off his coaching staff too. That's a lot of money to spend.

C) I get you saying it, but I think you're OTT in saying he was out-thought by a manager with two points (if you were being really acerbic you could have pointed out that his points total had been doubled in a day). Last season, that manager got an unfancied team a top ten finish. He's not some f&^%ing idiot.
I know this is becoming somewhat tiresome, but there's a disjuncture between our XG and our goals/points. This is another way of saying 6), but it's got everything to do with 6) and not Potter OUT. Yesterday, there were a couple of truly awful 'finishes' from Connolly and AJ. It's not Potter's fault. They were free headers from two or three yards out.

And now the questions:
i) the most important one: what is your expectation for the club, its position this season, and where it will be over the next few years?
ii) who do you want Bloom to spend an awful lot of money on in bringing in to 'salvage' things?
iii) why do you want Bloom to abandon his reputation for loyalty that he's so successfully nurtured under his chairmanship?
iv) Potter is part of the long-term vision of the club -- and he's blooded so many players from the DS (I could go on about this) that Bloom has invested so much money in as part of his strategy to continually improve it -- and one that Bloom has (thus far, at least) backed the manager.




1) Set pieces (spot on [MENTION=2437]DJ NOBO[/MENTION] ) as they are dire at both ends of the pitch
2) Not convinced 3 / 5 at the back is right. To an extent we have been forced into it by a lack of proper left back but four at the back with a holding midfielder would cover a lot of the breaks straight through us. Good analysis on MOTD on Liverpool (yes I know) who play a 4 but get Henderson to cover when one of the full backs goes high - so you could still use Lamptey in an attacking way. We could buy a specific CDM in the January window but there are plenty at the club who could do a job there in the meanwhile
3) Play Lallana as a "10" behind two strikers. So I'm looking at a 4-1-2-1-2 before you accuse me of Mike Bassetry.
4) Related to 2, realise that Dan Burn is not a left back.
5) Instil a bit of leadership, willing and confidence. I thought that was Potter's shtick. We look rudderless

With the tools we need:

6) Build the side around a new, proven striker.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Right, I'm responding to you, because your view differs from mine, and I know I'll get an intelligent response, so first a few comments, then a few questions.

A long one so I’ll have to do that thing of breaking the quotes up. But this is a good discussion that I’m happy to have in an intelligent manner (the same with one of the other mods who really doesn’t agree with me). I’m less pleased when Plooks starts yet another thread about pant pissing. It’s not constructive.
I was on The Albion Roar this week though kept mostly quiet as the other guest was Henry Winter and he’s the sort of guy you shut up for. Some of the below was discussed in more detail and I don’t necessarily disagree with you on bits of it.

1) fair play. Although I'll add: this has been a big problem this season (although, strangely given the personnel, it wasn't last season). I think the Ryan>Sanchez move is responding to this. Ditto bringing in Moder in Jan.

I agree. I said on the show Sanchez was brought in to deal with set pieces at one end. The set pieces at the other
end are still well towards the bottom of the stats league though. Let’s see what Moder does.

2) you might be right although both Lamptey and March are tailor-made for those roles and they've been amongst the top three players we've had all season. You move to a back four, I think you'll neuter that in a single stroke (it might well bring other benefits). Your using Liverpool as a comparison doesn't exactly fill me with confidence: how about an example from a comparable team?

Our defensive record has been worse under three at the back and we seem to just shoehorn White in for the sake of it. We need an alternative. Not everyone is Henderson of course but all I’m saying is it’s fairly easy for someone to cover for a forward thinking full back. TAA and Robertson are attacking weapons in a four. That, at the end of the day, is just tactics. Our players aren’t under 10s.

3) Lallana, incidentally, went badly missing yesterday, but there's literally zero point of planning a way of playing around his availability -- do you not agree? (And this ought to undermine your whole position.)

But when he’s available then “10” is his best position. Again covered off in more detail on the show. I think we should be more flexible on set up and I thought that was Potter’s strength but the formation part of “guess the lineup” is getting very predictable.

4) not only is Burn not a left back, he's not a PL player. He's shit in the air. Gives it all, and is a good guy, but not good enough. Beyond Bernardo, we also don't have a LB in the squad, and Potter doesn't fancy him. March is a great LWB, but not a LB. He was culpable for the goal yesterday, all over the place, and there was a carbon copy of it just a few minutes ealrier. And this ought to further question your formation suggestion.

Agree on Burn. No idea why Potter doesn’t fancy Bernardo but are you sure it’s not because he doesn’t suit a style and formation that isn’t really working, based on goals conceded?

5) I think you're right on this, and this might just be the most damning aspect on Potter. I will turn to the OUT group if he's lost the players. There are one or two worrying signs on this front. But the way the players can demonstrate that they really believe in the club, its philosophy, the owner, the board and the manager, that could start showing it on the pitch.
6) Agreed, I suspect Potter agrees too. I'm not entirely sure Bloom agrees though. And that just raises the question, what's a new manager going to achieve? ...

Fine. Re 6) maybe he’d make the case better. We always hear this line from our manager / head coach that they are happy with the attacking options when they shouldn’t be. I think Bloom likes a yes man.

B) ... just a year ago, Bloom gave Potter a six year deal. He'll have to pay that off. Presumably, he'll also have to pay off his coaching staff too. That's a lot of money to spend.

Relegation would be more expensive, especially if Covid is still doing the business.

C) I get you saying it, but I think you're OTT in saying he was out-thought by a manager with two points (if you were being really acerbic you could have pointed out that his points total had been doubled in a day). Last season, that manager got an unfancied team a top ten finish. He's not some f&^%ing idiot.
I know this is becoming somewhat tiresome, but there's a disjuncture between our XG and our goals/points. This is another way of saying 6), but it's got everything to do with 6) and not Potter OUT. Yesterday, there were a couple of truly awful 'finishes' from Connolly and AJ. It's not Potter's fault. They were free headers from two or three yards out.

I didn’t make my point clear enough. I’m saying I think the bloke with two points is a better manager.
And now the questions:

i) the most important one: what is your expectation for the club, its position this season, and where it will be over the next few years?

If we keep Potter we’ll go down. Each year depends on the previous one TBH and no one can be certain of long term plans in the current climate.

ii) who do you want Bloom to spend an awful lot of money on in bringing in to 'salvage' things?

That’s up to him. Not my job. But as I said on another thread he will have alternatives lined up in case Potter quits. Hopefully a chunk on a striker who works out.

iii) why do you want Bloom to abandon his reputation for loyalty that he's so successfully nurtured under his chairmanship?

You say loyalty but none was shown to CH. Again this is covered in a lot of detail on AR. Winter feels we acted with “cowardice” and his defence of that position is robust and interesting.

iv) Potter is part of the long-term vision of the club -- and he's blooded so many players from the DS (I could go on about this) that Bloom has invested so much money in as part of his strategy to continually improve it -- and one that Bloom has (thus far, at least) backed the manager.

I think the long term strategy is correct and back Bloom in that 100%. I’ve become less than convinced that Potter is the right man to lead it.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Wow, you don’t think that Potter is using as many academy players as he can get away with?

We may get more applications than you can shake a stick at for the manager’s job so who could we realistically have got who would have done a better job?

I have yet to hear a single realistic suggestion other than Eddie Howe (who imo is not the man for the job as he needs BIG backing) but whenever I ask the detractors who we should get to replace Potter it always ends up “not my job, it”s the clubs” . Fine but these same people are quite happy to pass opinion on everything the club is doing wrong

We are a low budget club (comparatively speaking) playing in a pool of mega budget clubs but we are supposed to be as good as them? We are where we are because we are small time. I EXPECT a relegation struggle every season and that’s what we get but I see potential in Potter and what the club are doing, we are sailing close to the wind every season but we are going in the right direction imo.

I am keeping the faith but accepting of the fact that we may not have enough to stay up this season

You're missing the point that Potter was brought in because he'd coached misfits in Sweden and a youth team level squad at Swansea (supposedly) and got relative success. But, points and results wise he's doing no better than Hughton with a stronger squad. He's achieving the opposite of what he came in for at the moment. That said....

I worry from the first game of the season and have done for four seasons

I’d strongly disagree that he hasn’t improved players. Bissouma, March, Alzate, Webster, have all improved. The style is unrecognisable from when he took over but we are short on forward quality and luck this season

I agree. I think there's a post from me somewhere on here saying he'd improved exactly those players. But you're talking about two defenders and a CDM, while Alzate went missing from the squad just as people were realising how good he was. He has not improved the attackers. [MENTION=16159]Bold Seagull[/MENTION] says you can't. I say you can't when your entire outfield coaching staff are ex defenders. Ironically though, while he has made March one of our biggest attacking threats, he is also our biggest defensive liability because he doesn't have the pace relative to Lamptey to get back and has a habit of hanging a leg out when he's tired.