[Albion] Yesterdays Game Just Reaffirmed My Opinion.

[warmleyseagull]

“Financial sustainability is a noble cause, but it is not the way to top 10 (yet at least). You can fudge and mudge as Burnley, Palace, Southampton, and even pre-Saudi have done (and, lets be honest, better then we have for 4 seasons) but it will get you in the end.”
......
I would sooner see my club financially sound , even if we should get relegated someday. Statistically that that is likely to happen to a smaller club. The clamour for a proven striker is understandable but the trouble is they are rarer than hen’s teeth and command a kings ransom.
Years back older players from top clubs would come but now they can go abroad and earn more. We are stuck with the bargain end of the transfer market and the hope that we unearth a gem.

Well, fine, but TB should not therefore bang on about being a top 10 club. On your basis, even if a gem is unearthed, he will be snapped up by one of the big boys, so it is pointless. If we have peaked at being a bottom 6 side with, perhaps, a fleeting season higher then let’s be honest about it.

 

[Springal]

Well, fine, but TB should not therefore bang on about being a top 10 club. On your basis, even if a gem is unearthed, he will be snapped up by one of the big boys, so it is pointless. If we have peaked at being a bottom 6 side with, perhaps, a fleeting season higher then let’s be honest about it.

TB doesn’t ‘bang on’ about it - he laid out a 5 year ambition signing when appointing Potter. It’s a bit childish to use this as a stick to beat him or demand he puts his hand in his pocket even more. Especially as I reckon he didn’t have the impact of covid and empty stadiums in his plan.

Last season Everton were top 10, this season they could go down. At the half way point this season we were 9th, now 13th and obviously struggling but we are not miles away but some of our own doing and some bad luck has put us close but not quite there yet

 

[warmleyseagull]

TB doesn’t ‘bang on’ about it - he laid out a 5 year ambition signing when appointing Potter. It’s a bit childish to use this as a stick to beat him or demand he puts his hand in his pocket even more. Especially as I reckon he didn’t have the impact of covid and empty stadiums in his plan.

Last season Everton were top 10, this season they could go down. At the half way point this season we were 9th, now 13th and obviously struggling but we are not miles away but some of our own doing and some bad luck has put us close but not quite there yet

You are too complacent, This is a relegation team. We are miles away. Some Elastoplast in the shape of late equalisers and good defensive performances (how we are missing Webster…) kept a good showing up to January but the stats don’t lie: 1 goal (by a defender) in last 7 games; 3 wins in last 26 League games; 4 goals from open play at home (one of which was OG). Potter is running out things to say, even saying now that the crowd shouting “Shoot!” is a distraction. He has done a good job in setting out a style of play but I sense he is also frustrated by the players’ inability to convert. That is a quality issue.

I don’t agree about luck; we were fortunate to beat Burnley, Brentford, and Leicester early on. Could easily be on 4 wins and 28 points with only one winnable game to play this season, and staring right down the barrel.

It is not childish to point out the inconsistency of stating an aim but not backing it with action. If TB simply has an aspiration, fine, but he stated more than that. Yes, relegation might be an unintended result of a 5 year plan, but, assuming we hang on this season, we shall be 3 years into this plan; perhaps you can explain how relegation in year 4 stacks up in the strategy.

TB has masterminded and funded an amazing turn of fortunes for this club. I just don’t feel confident that he has a strategy for taking it further. I might be wrong; I hope I am.

 

[Perkino]

90% of our play is fantastic to watch and we are unlikely to compete for a European spot in the near future. We fall somewhere in between two key groups, We are not Top 6 and not Relegation fodder. We are too inconsistent to predict our results and far too strong to worry about heavy defeats.

We have the flexibility and opportunity to bring in young talent and develop them knowing that our best & brightest players will be subject to bids from larger clubs. Preparing for such sales allows us to minimise the impact but ultimately we won't keep gems forever and we must find ways to cope without them.

We regularly get to 33 points and hover for a sustained period of time, a deeper more experienced squad may help but many fans would much rather see squad players like Duffy, Gross, Connolly move on and replaced by the likes of Roberts, Caicedo, Sarmiento

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

90% of our play is fantastic to watch

Is it ? Fantastic? Edge of seat stuff, crowd roaring and entertained?

90%?


Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

 

[Worried Man Blues]

A lot of our play is great, if any of our players scored some goals from the chances we create then we would all be happy (er) and futher up the league. But every player is missing no one is scoring at all!!

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

A good striker would have won us the game yesterday.

Calvert-Lewin?

 

[Jim in the West]

You are too complacent, This is a relegation team. We are miles away. Some Elastoplast in the shape of late equalisers and good defensive performances (how we are missing Webster…) kept a good showing up to January but the stats don’t lie: 1 goal (by a defender) in last 7 games; 3 wins in last 26 League games; 4 goals from open play at home (one of which was OG). Potter is running out things to say, even saying now that the crowd shouting “Shoot!” is a distraction. He has done a good job in setting out a style of play but I sense he is also frustrated by the players’ inability to convert. That is a quality issue.

I don’t agree about luck; we were fortunate to beat Burnley, Brentford, and Leicester early on. Could easily be on 4 wins and 28 points with only one winnable game to play this season, and staring right down the barrel.

It is not childish to point out the inconsistency of stating an aim but not backing it with action. If TB simply has an aspiration, fine, but he stated more than that. Yes, relegation might be an unintended result of a 5 year plan, but, assuming we hang on this season, we shall be 3 years into this plan; perhaps you can explain how relegation in year 4 stacks up in the strategy.

TB has masterminded and funded an amazing turn of fortunes for this club. I just don’t feel confident that he has a strategy for taking it further. I might be wrong; I hope I am.

Of course he has a strategy. But it's for the long term - hence why we are signing the likes of Sarmiento, Caicedo, Kowlowski, etc, etc. These guys are not (or were not) Premier League ready....but hopefully will be. Sarmiento already looks the business after just a couple of cameos. The U23s is packed full of promising youngsters - some of whom will hopefully progress in the same way as Sanchez and White. The strategy recognises that there is absolutely no way we can compete in the EPL by signing ready-made players (either the fee or the wages are beyond our means). We have to do it differently, and unfortunately that takes time. It also means we have to sell some of the brightest talent (or take advantage of situations like Burn/Newcastle) to become/remain sustainable.

And whilst you could argue we were fortunate to get a few victories earlier this season, there are plenty of other games we were unfortunate NOT to have won (Leeds, Newcastle, Arsenal, Norwich at home, for example - off the top of my head).

 

[usernamed]

A lot of our play is great, if any of our players scored some goals from the chances we create then we would all be happy (er) and futher up the league. But every player is missing no one is scoring at all!!

Our chances aren’t easy to convert chances. They count as a chance coz we got close enough to the opposition goal to have a shot, but they are usually through a packed penalty area with very little empty space.

I’d expect a decent conversion rate if we were creating the kind of chance where we’ve broken through a defence and we’re causing the opposition to scramble to close down space, but the kind of chances we’re creating can’t have a conversion prospect of more than 5% at best.

 

[Withdean11]

Our chances aren’t easy to convert chances. They count as a chance coz we got close enough to the opposition goal to have a shot, but they are usually through a packed penalty area with very little empty space.

I’d expect a decent conversion rate if we were creating the kind of chance where we’ve broken through a defence and we’re causing the opposition to scramble to close down space, but the kind of chances we’re creating can’t have a conversion prospect of more than 5% at best.

Glad someone else can see it. It seems obvious to me. It's why looking at stats is largely pointless.

 

[dazzer6666]

Glad someone else can see it. It seems obvious to me. It's why looking at stats is largely pointless.

Stats in isolation (ie shots), yes, but in context - our Xg for the game was 2.63 - from 31 shots, that confirms the chances were largely very difficult (particularly as the penalty will account for about 0.8 of the Xg total)

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Glad someone else can see it. It seems obvious to me. It's why looking at stats is largely pointless.

I think most of us are seeing it now to be honest.
There's still a few that think an upgrade on Maupay is the answer, but most understand the scale of upgrade, to put our 5% chances away, is way outside our budget.

 

[Icy Gull]

I think we should bring back the chant from the dark days to ;lighten the mood on match days

"We're shit and we know we are"

We can also bring back the Richie Barker chant the next time we score a goal. Let's say it's gonna be Maupay

"Maupay scored a goal he scored a goal, Maupay scored a goal" (substitute the name of whomever scores it) with much hilarity and jumping around

Oh the good old days eh?

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Our chances aren’t easy to convert chances. They count as a chance coz we got close enough to the opposition goal to have a shot, but they are usually through a packed penalty area with very little empty space.

I’d expect a decent conversion rate if we were creating the kind of chance where we’ve broken through a defence and we’re causing the opposition to scramble to close down space, but the kind of chances we’re creating can’t have a conversion prospect of more than 5% at best.

At the moment I'd settle for a deflected shot through the middle of the penalty area, but nothing is going right at the moment. Even out best (?) player Biss doesn't endanger any keeper we should be capable of bending or dipping one in occasionally!

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

I think most of us are seeing it now to be honest.
There's still a few that think an upgrade on Maupay is the answer, but most understand the scale of upgrade, to put our 5% chances away, is way outside our budget.

Very much so. In fact what is needed is some decent support for Maupay, to partner him or replace him when out of form. Looking at the stats he is 18th on the list of Premiership strikers this season which is none too bad. I believe he has a year on his contract to run in the summer and more to the point is whether he is going to sign an extension or whether we are going to be looking for a replacement. Someone who even matches his scoring record will be hard to find. He is an instinctive striker scoring from difficult chances and missing far easier ones which can be infuriating.

 

[zefarelly]

I think we should bring back the chant from the dark days to ;lighten the mood on match days

"We're shit and we know we are"

We can also bring back the Richie Barker chant the next time we score a goal. Let's say it's gonna be Maupay

"Maupay scored a goal he scored a goal, Maupay scored a goal" (substitute the name of whomever scores it) with much hilarity and jumping around

Oh the good old days eh?

What about some silky Dave type songs, or a play on Nogan

No no
no no no no
no no no no
No goals Brighton

actually that might not work.



He shot, he missed, it can't be Peter Ward. ?

 

[b.w.2.]

Build-up IS too slow, but the PRIMARY problem is EXACTLY as the OP states, and I am sick of the naysayers.

 

[portlock seagull]

90% of our play is fantastic to watch..,

No. No it really isn’t. Maybe switch the ratio?

 

[warmleyseagull]

Of course he has a strategy. But it's for the long term - hence why we are signing the likes of Sarmiento, Caicedo, Kowlowski, etc, etc. These guys are not (or were not) Premier League ready....but hopefully will be. Sarmiento already looks the business after just a couple of cameos. The U23s is packed full of promising youngsters - some of whom will hopefully progress in the same way as Sanchez and White. The strategy recognises that there is absolutely no way we can compete in the EPL by signing ready-made players (either the fee or the wages are beyond our means). We have to do it differently, and unfortunately that takes time. It also means we have to sell some of the brightest talent (or take advantage of situations like Burn/Newcastle) to become/remain sustainable.

And whilst you could argue we were fortunate to get a few victories earlier this season, there are plenty of other games we were unfortunate NOT to have won (Leeds, Newcastle, Arsenal, Norwich at home, for example - off the top of my head).

I get that; oven ready PL players are hard to find and costly to sign and keep. What I just can't quite get my head round is how the club can be a consistent top 10 team based on 'hopefullys' making it. Perhaps it was a claim too ambitious, and unwise. Perhaps it was foresight in that running clubs in a more financially sound way will have to be the way due either to economic necessity or to FFP enforcement. But as things stand, it seems we have peaked at a level somewhat below the better established clubs like Palace and Southampton, and some way below top half.

It is frustrating, as virtually everything is right with THE one big exception. It is not just about strikers; why do we not have a Cornet (6 goals in 18 games for really crap side) or a Gallaher (8 in 26)? This huge bit of the jigsaw just isn't in place.