[Albion] Dull, dull, dull, have we now become the dullest team to watch in the EPL?

[Dr. No]

Calling [MENTION=34942]Dr. No[/MENTION]

No.

 

[DJ NOBO]

When we were good, Lamptey and Cucurella were destroying teams with their pace.
That’s doesn’t happen anymore, turning us from unpredictable and hard to stop, to slow and toothless.
That’s the biggest factor in our slump imo. Although there are obviously others.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I think the season has been written off already, don't you? But not getting a result against the bottom side would be very poor. You're right, we don't tend to win 'must win' games. This isn't a 'must win' game for the club, but it could be a 'must win' game for GP.

As with [MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION] on the other thread, we have to stop obsessing about managers.

Just look at what has been going on. We sold £63m worth of defenders in the last 2 windows. Both outstanding players in our ranks. We didn't replace at CB. We didn't add in attack, if anything we weakened there too with loans going out. These are the tools for a manager that prefers to play with 3 CBs and wing backs.

We haven't added a goal threat in any of the last 4 transfer windows. Again, it has been plainly obvious we lack goals. Do we honestly believe, and I know some on these boards do believe this, that you can just coach natural goal scoring instincts into players. News Flash: you can't, you can improve players through coaching, you cannot transform them, they bring with them their natural attributes and you work on improving and developing those.

And so we've had all 3 remaining out and out CBs injured over the winter, one still injured, Dunk probably came back too early because he had to. We weaken in Jan, our footballing director goes (I have no idea if that has effected anyone or not) and we're arguing over what the manager has done wrong. What about this elephant at the back of the room?

If Bloom lets GP go, then make no mistake unless things radically change then it will be more of the same. Maybe a honeymoon period bounce or something.

 

[Stat Brother]

As with [MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION] on the other thread, we have to stop obsessing about managers.

Just look at what has been going on. We sold £63m worth of defenders in the last 2 windows. Both outstanding players in our ranks. We didn't replace at CB. We didn't add in attack, if anything we weakened there too with loans going out. These are the tools for a manager that prefers to play with 3 CBs and wing backs.

We haven't added a goal threat in any of the last 4 transfer windows. Again, it has been plainly obvious we lack goals. Do we honestly believe, and I know some on these boards do believe this, that you can just coach natural goal scoring instincts into players. News Flash: you can't, you can improve players through coaching, you cannot transform them, they bring with them their natural attributes and you work on improving and developing those.

And so we've had all 3 remaining out and out CBs injured over the winter, one still injured, Dunk probably came back too early because he had to. We weaken in Jan, our footballing director goes (I have no idea if that has effected anyone or not) and we're arguing over what the manager has done wrong. What about this elephant at the back of the room?

If Bloom lets GP go, then make no mistake unless things radically change then it will be more of the same. Maybe a honeymoon period bounce or something.

Obsessing over the manager, you say, hmmmmmmm.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Obsessing over the manager, you say, hmmmmmmm.

Maybe we could just do a wife swap with Southampton for a season? Reckon that would tick boxes for both sets of fans.

 

[Smile]

I think a lot of "Potterball" is about being brave with the ball, playing high risk passes with quality. We've lost our confidence and the quality isn't there at all.

I think this is spot on and a huge part of what has happened. "Potterball" is all about confidence, we had lots of it not so long ago and we looked like world beaters, probably the best Brighton team ever.

 

[banjo]

Can I let you know after the Norwich game.

 

[Silverhatch]

I think a lot of "Potterball" is about being brave with the ball, playing high risk passes with quality. We've lost our confidence and the quality isn't there at all.

So we keep the ball as much as we can with easy passes to avoid risk. Then we lose it. Then the opposition score. Then they sit back and we do the same thing again.

Brighton turned up at Old Trafford and played stuttering United off their own park for 45 minutes. We played with supreme confidence and pinged the ball around them at pace. It was like watching Pep’s City. However, we did not score and 5 minutes of madness showed Potter and his team that overpowering quality and big club mentality is rarely bettered. I left Manchester utterly deflated at the task of trying to take on these behemoths - and the psychology of our team would suggest they feel the same way. We so NEED this international break to reset and recharge. The season is not lost… yet.

 

[worthingseagull]

Definitely yes - one goal in last 6 games. Even Norwich (whove also lost all 6) have scored 4 times that amount in the same time period

 

[Stat Brother]

I think this is spot on and a huge part of what has happened. "Potterball" is all about confidence, we had lots of it not so long ago and we looked like world beaters, probably the best Brighton team ever.

Funny how differently we all see the same thing.

I think you two couldn't be more wrong (but obviously that's fine).

For me Potterball is all about 'if we have the ball, they can't score.

Don't be brave.
Don't play the high risk pass.
Don't be confident.

Keep the ball.
Play chess with the opposition.
Pull them out of shape.

All the opposition have to do is hold their shape (or at least be close to their shape) and wait for the inevitable mistake.


I genuinely wish you guys were right - I just can't see it.

 

[raymondo]

Dunk made a few minor errors here and there but I think the defence are getting a bad rap they don’t deserve tonight. Look at the first goal, the defence were doing their jobs ok, it was the midfield trackers who let the guy get his shot away, Mac Allister I think. This is exactly the thing the Spurs defensive mids stopped us doing, blocking shots constantly. Same with the second goal, defenders entitled to believe Sanchez could have come out to close down the shot, it’s old man Kane not quicksilver Salah or Son FFS.
Generally the defenders handled the Spurs forwards well but were let down by others

If Sanchez had been awake, he should have got to the ball before Kane

 

[el punal]

Yes that’s the thing that gets me and I’m not sure why it’s happened. Last year when we weren’t getting points, I still loved watching us play and looked forward to every game. I don’t enjoy watching us play anywhere near as much this season and didn’t even when we were picking up points - I certainly don’t look forward to games at the moment either. The last few defeats have been entirely predictable in result and manner.

What has changed? Did we prefer playing behind closed doors?

I will say the more games we play without White and Webster has made me realise even more just how crucial they both were defensively and from an attacking point of view for us last season. I find it a bit depressing having to watch Dunk and Duffy together at the back again after the privilege of watching the back 3 of White, Dunk and Webster last season. We need our best defender and most important player (and should be captain) Webster back ASAP.

I go along with most of your points, however, I will say that some of our football this season has been an absolute pleasure to watch. The two games against Chelsea and away to Liverpool as examples.

I must admit I don’t know why or how from steamrolling Watford a month ago that we’ve ended up as such a lacklustre outfit. I can only hope that Potter and his coaching staff can use this two week break, until we play Norwich, to improve the team’s morale and confidence. Maybe this will be the time to introduce some our promising development players to inject a bit more pace and energy into the side - God knows we need it just to save us from watching any more of the turgid displays of recent weeks.

 

[portslade seagull]

GP is happy though as we are winning the possession league

 

[Farehamseagull]

I go along with most of your points, however, I will say that some of our football this season has been an absolute pleasure to watch. The two games against Chelsea and away to Liverpool as examples.

I must admit I don’t know why or how from steamrolling Watford a month ago that we’ve ended up as such a lacklustre outfit. I can only hope that Potter and his coaching staff can use this two week break, until we play Norwich, to improve the team’s morale and confidence. Maybe this will be the time to introduce some our promising development players to inject a bit more pace and energy into the side - God knows we need it just to save us from watching any more of the turgid displays of recent weeks.

Oh yes absolutely there have been a few excellent individual performances this season but I don't think we've been anywhere near as consistently good as we were last season. It was picked up on here earlier this season by a few posters even when we picking up points - I think Bozza even started a thread about it.

As you say the decline recently has been rapid though. I do think Webster's absence is the main reason but it can't be the only one. Something else seems amiss, mentally we seem shot to pieces - as I've said elsewhere I get the impression everything is a bit stale so I'd like a bit of a squad change in the summer. I'm fully behind Potter though as I've seen more than enough over the three years to prove he is an excellent coach.

 

[Justice]

As with [MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION] on the other thread, we have to stop obsessing about managers.

Just look at what has been going on. We sold £63m worth of defenders in the last 2 windows. Both outstanding players in our ranks. We didn't replace at CB. We didn't add in attack, if anything we weakened there too with loans going out. These are the tools for a manager that prefers to play with 3 CBs and wing backs.

We haven't added a goal threat in any of the last 4 transfer windows. Again, it has been plainly obvious we lack goals. Do we honestly believe, and I know some on these boards do believe this, that you can just coach natural goal scoring instincts into players. News Flash: you can't, you can improve players through coaching, you cannot transform them, they bring with them their natural attributes and you work on improving and developing those.

And so we've had all 3 remaining out and out CBs injured over the winter, one still injured, Dunk probably came back too early because he had to. We weaken in Jan, our footballing director goes (I have no idea if that has effected anyone or not) and we're arguing over what the manager has done wrong. What about this elephant at the back of the room?

If Bloom lets GP go, then make no mistake unless things radically change then it will be more of the same. Maybe a honeymoon period bounce or something.

I was surprised at the time so many didn’t think we would miss BW most teams tend to miss a £50m player.

 

[Stat Brother]

I was surprised at the time so many didn’t think we would miss BW most teams tend to miss a £50m player.

I think we are missing White because we are missing Webster.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I was surprised at the time so many didn’t think we would miss BW most teams tend to miss a £50m player.

After a shaky start he's one of the reasons this young Arsenal team have shot up the table.

BW; I guess they had a justified plan that Duffy would come back and they'd have Dunk, Webster, Burn and Duffy across the 3 CB positions with Veltman as extra cover. Selling Burn without bringing anyone in just left us obviously weak, Webster getting injured has completely derailed us.

Top 10 sides don't do what we have just done over a few windows. Sides happy with survival do what we've done.

 

[zefarelly]

That was fu**ing deathly dull.

Potter plays great football? Not any more he doesn't.

Examples:

Just before half time Trossard has the opportunity to launch a break down the left, turns back inside instead, dribbles backwards, loses it and eventually Kane gets a free kick twenty yards out. March. Every flipping time he either loses out on a 50-50 due to pace or gets clear, turns back and launches a lovely five yard pass backwards or backwards diagonal. It's painful and obvious.

Lots and lots of square five yard balls while we waited for Spurs to get back in formation. They were so far quicker and direct in possession.

We have a bunch of players who CANNOT play this football, Duffy cannot play this football, Hello Sanchez, you're not Ederson, why not ping one of those lovely passes behind the full back like you did in the first 10 mins against Liverpool. March cannot play this football. Maupay barely gets any chances these days yet seems to be the sort of player who needs a quick instinctive ball in to score, Give him any longer than a second to think about it and he makes a complete balls up of it. Mac Allister has no idea who to play the forward pass to. Veltman is a poor pastiche of when Bruno used to find impossible line balls down the right.

Change the players or change the coach. What's cheaper? Or settle for THIS? I genuinely don't know the answer any more.

Judging by a half empty stadium the answer is turn it of and go do something less boring instead.

 

[Seasider78]

One thing I noticed last night is every Tottenham player was playing one or at most two touch football whereas all our play is 3-5 touches. This combined with the absence of ANY player now driving into space or running with the ball means the opposition is always set up comfortably behind the ball.

We must be one of the easiest sides in the league to prepare for and play against at the moment

 

[nicko31]

I think we are missing White because we are missing Webster.

And Burn I'm afraid