[Football] Where it all started going wrong?

[Napper]

We were probably playing at our peak v Utd , Chelsea , Newcastle - 3 points

Palace was a drop in performance but still us playing well - 1 point

West Brom was a drop in performance but played poorly - 1 point

Everton - played shit - 0 points


Bottom line is , with the squad we have , we have to play at our peak and the opposition be slightly off it to get anything. Any drop in form from us will result in a thumpings and no points. This is where Potter needs to earn his money. We might get nothing at Tottenham but we can't dip into bad form and negative mindsets as that would see us down over a season.

West Brom should of been a springboard for us to have an average start to the season.

Was a crucial game and a shambles on the pitch and with the team selections / approach. As a result we are now in a dangerous place morale wise.

Potter has a lot of work to do

Ideal world you would want the Burnley game next at a sold out Amex. Spurs away with no fans isnt ideal for anyone.

Keep the faith

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Well, I enter some words in a post and submit. Much the same as you, but mine contains an opinion. Your posts, consistently, are without thought and content.

How about I enter some words and then post & submit this:

In my opinion I think you are a condescending dickhead

That contains opinion, thought and content.

Oh, in case you missed it you didn't answer my question #64

That's your consistent bit.

 

[Return of the Rev]

In football you win, draw and lose. You go up down and sometimes stay where you are, it's all going as it should enjoy

 

[Machiavelli]

I think everyone must admit our form has dipped from the first few games where we were unlucky not to get anything against top sides.

For me the decline has been Potter feeling he has to act to avoid conceding from set pieces as we did all too much at the beginning of this season.

His answer was to bring in Burn at left back. Now I love the man but he's not a full back, he's a centre back. He's let Townsend have a free cross leading to the penalty at Palace. He's gone missing way out of position for the goal yesterday and he's let many crosses come in against him as well.

He's also decided to move White into defensive midfield. Whilst I think he's played well defensively, he's very inexperienced to be playing that role at the moment.

The result of these changes is that we look half the side we were at the start.

He needs to go back to the team and formation that was playing so well at the beginning of the season.

Not sure how this thread has developed, but I'd agree with this assessment. I like the personnel and formation that played in the first few games, but it does leave us open to set pieces (note, Newcastle started Carroll to take advantage of this, but we smashed them; Everton are just much better, and more astute at ramming home that advantage).

 

[Peteinblack]

It's funny you ask. He became manager of a Premier League club following success at a lower level, but it was a step too far. He then had various jobs and didn't do very well in any of them, with the exception of being back at the level he was exception at in League 2 with Port Vale. I'm not saying Graham Potter is a modern day Micky Adams, but history might show it to be.

Micky has quit football management altogether, claiming that he lost motivation and enthusiasm. He now runs a 'football consultancy' firm, whatever that is!

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/former-port-vale-boss-micky-703177

 

[Arkwright]

For me it hasn't "gone wrong" we have been competitive all season bar a poor second half against WBA.

At times inexperience shows when we give the ball away cheaply in key positions which was costly against Everton and Chelsea.

I do think our team selection has been wrong when we only play one striker, we look so much better with two up top, hopefully Wellbeck is the answer, only time will tell.

 

[SeagullDubai]

Right from the start we looked shabby, sorry but there is no other word for it. It seemed as if it had the importance of a Sunday afternoon stroll in the park. We rightly should have lost that match just because of a complete lack of passion only two players earnt their wages Lamptey and Lallana. The rest didn't even get out of bed

I would add March to that very small list. I felt that he team expected WBA to rollover and decided to adopt an over 60s walking football style.


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[SeagullDubai]

One up front is a problem because we never get the ball in the box enough. To be fair to Maupay, there just isn't the service.

As I see it, March and Alzate lose the ball and faff about outside the box for too long. March keeps needing an extra touch or getting the ball caught up in his feet.

Furthermore crosses into the box are not an option as we are overwhelmed by defenders who are at least 5 foot 9 inches


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[Surf's Up]

We were probably playing at our peak v Utd , Chelsea , Newcastle - 3 points

Palace was a drop in performance but still us playing well - 1 point

West Brom was a drop in performance but played poorly - 1 point

Everton - played shit - 0 points


Bottom line is , with the squad we have , we have to play at our peak and the opposition be slightly off it to get anything. Any drop in form from us will result in a thumpings and no points. This is where Potter needs to earn his money. We might get nothing at Tottenham but we can't dip into bad form and negative mindsets as that would see us down over a season.

West Brom should of been a springboard for us to have an average start to the season.

Was a crucial game and a shambles on the pitch and with the team selections / approach. As a result we are now in a dangerous place morale wise.

Potter has a lot of work to do

Ideal world you would want the Burnley game next at a sold out Amex. Spurs away with no fans isnt ideal for anyone.

Keep the faith

I agree, Potter's managerial credentials are going to be severely tested over the coming weeks. He can only play the hand he has been given and as stated above with the squad we have we have to play at our peak to get results and we don't seem able to do that for much more than 45 minutes. We've sprung a leaky defence and have a toothless attack. He also needs to acknowledge and learn from his mistakes too.

 

[Machiavelli]

Burn could have done better for the last 2 goals we’ve conceded.
Personally I’d prefer to see White back in defence, with Veltman and Webster, retaining March as the LWB and resist the urge to use Burn at LB. Alzate and Bissouma have been building a good relationship in midfield, the constant moving of personnel can’t help form or consistency surely?

Glad I'm not the only one. Burn's a top pro, but I just think we play better without him. That same line-up, but with Alzate for Burn, that's when we played our best football, and it looks about our best starting 11. Ideally rest the front three as was immediately pointed out in this thread, as we've got some options there, and there aren't too many 'stand-out'/perma-fit players.

 

[junior]

A poor performance or result against burnley and i think we should be looking to replace Potter. Everyone slags managers like Bruce, but he's getting the job done and they will be nowhere near relegation at the end of the season.

 

[Mike Small]

Potter has transformed the club in terms of its playing style, bringing in younger players and only a few months ago led the club to its highest ever Premier League points total.
This year - we've had 6 games, aren't in the bottom three, have been inconsistent - which is frustrating - but also shown signs of terrific play and our defeats have been by Everton, Chelsea and Man Utd.
He's got a tough job to pick up the pace but its the Premier League - he's certainly capable of doing it and has the squad to do it. TB is not "too nice" to put him under any additional pressure or god forbid sack him - he'd be ridiculous to do so.

Agree with a lot of what you have said but this ‘transformation’ has not massively ‘transformed’ our fortunes. Yes highest placing but after being subjected to that second half V WBA alongside the inability to beat Villa, Sheffield United, Palace, Watford, Newcastle, Burnley at home etc etc (someone else posted this list) is poor. We’re not getting 9 points from North London this year. You don’t know whether TB isn’t too nice enough to sack him anymore than I do. My comment was based on him not wanting to sack Hyypia for sometime and on reflection he admits he should have done it sooner. Should he sack Potter? No. But that second half was disgraceful (not the result. 1-1’s happen). IMO Potters comments today about fans expecting to win because we are Brighton is I’ll judged at best. If I thought we’d get a reaction from what he says to the players after that game then fine but I doubt this very much. I would be very surprised if we beat Spurs or Burnley. This Potter, as a Brighton fan, IS now what I expect after watching how soft and nice you have made us.

 

[chaileyjem]

Agree with a lot of what you have said but this ‘transformation’ has not massively ‘transformed’ our fortunes. .

Agreed. He didn't take us into Europe or the top 10 but last year was still our best ever finish in the Premier League and our best ever finish in football for nearly 40 years. The improvement was self evident.

 

[chaileyjem]

Everyone slags managers like Bruce, but he's getting the job done and they will be nowhere near relegation at the end of the season.

What job ? Newcastle had 3 more points than Brighton last season so effectively Bruce did more or less the same job as Potter - and Potter didn't have £40m to spend on strikers. This season they have er, 3 more points than us - after 6 games - mostly because they beat Burnley. And er lost 3-0 to Brighton. Or perhaps you forgot.