[Albion] Yes we have injuries but tactically that was garbage, again.

Jimmy Grimble · Apr 3, 2024

Hmmm I disagree. Tonight was RDZ being a pragmatic manager, which is what many have been seeking for a while.

He nullified Brentford’s strengths, kept us compact and created some decent-ish chances. To play like that away from home against a very well-drilled opposition is good management. Especially when you factor in two of his game changers are unavailable.

RDZ is still having to come up with attacking systems with only one proper wide player (who is massively inconsistent). This is not easy.

If we’re laying blame anywhere, I’m laying it on injury bad luck and the recruitment team for failing to address the issue (incorrectly in the Summer by signing Fati, and by signing no one in January).

Not on RDZ for me tonight.

dazzer6666 · Apr 3, 2024

A1X said:
Bar Mitoma and March, we don’t even have that many injuries TBH

Hinshelwood & Gilmour ?

Guinness Boy · Apr 4, 2024

A1X said:
Bar Mitoma and March, we don’t even have that many injuries TBH

But that’s the issue. Our two first choice wingers out.

We’d have won tonight with those two playing

warmleyseagull · Apr 4, 2024

BevBHA said:
It does make me wonder is RDZ is a great manager or just a good manager who had great players last year?

I wonder why you wonder. THE fateful day was beating Arsenal 2-1 at Emirates after a run of 7 games, 1 point and 1 goal. That was Caicedo's debut; we went on to take 16 points from final 8 matches and nearly qualified for Europe. Potter's part in that? He admitted later that he should have played Caicedo earlier.

All RDZ has done is inherit a team that had MC and Mac in it as the core of talent, add a lot of hot air and let it rip. He did get some improvement in players, notably Solly, but frankly has done little else substantively. Faffing at the back is buzzy but it doesn't really work; the good teams just shrug their shoulders and get on with their business, and the rubbish teams sit back and wait for a cock up.

IMO he is like Bielsa; one who can make a difference short-term but whose 100% dedication to the job becomes overpowering. I hazard a guess that he has pushed some players too far too quickly, perhaps even bringing about some of the injuries indirectly.

warmleyseagull · Apr 4, 2024

Guinness Boy said:
But that’s the issue. Our two first choice wingers out.

We’d have won tonight with those two playing

And against a team whose injury list is longer.

Jimmy Grimble · Apr 4, 2024

Guinness Boy said:
But that’s the issue. Our two first choice wingers out.

We’d have won tonight with those two playing

So can we say this season’s recruitment was poor? At best I’d say they made some decent signings but created an imbalanced squad.

It’s horrendous luck to lose both March and Mitoma, but only having one back-up winger who still needs time to develop and bed into English football in Adingra, and several attacking midfielders who ultimately look pretty poor when asked to play out wide isn’t ideal. I imagine they expected Fati would perform out wide but he’s clearly not got that in his locker anymore.

Herr Tubthumper · Apr 4, 2024

smiler said:
It's now sideways balls and not thrusting forward balls!

One only has to look how Ale Mac last Sunday. Lots of forward penetrating balls which Salah kept spurning….that was us last season.

Weststander · Apr 4, 2024

warmleyseagull said:
I wonder why you wonder. THE fateful day was beating Arsenal 2-1 at Emirates after a run of 7 games, 1 point and 1 goal. That was Caicedo's debut; we went on to take 16 points from final 8 matches and nearly qualified for Europe. Potter's part in that? He admitted later that he should have played Caicedo earlier.

All RDZ has done is inherit a team that had MC and Mac in it as the core of talent, add a lot of hot air and let it rip. He did get some improvement in players, notably Solly, but frankly has done little else substantively. Faffing at the back is buzzy but it doesn't really work; the good teams just shrug their shoulders and get on with their business, and the rubbish teams sit back and wait for a cock up.

IMO he is like Bielsa; one who can make a difference short-term but whose 100% dedication to the job becomes overpowering. I hazard a guess that he has pushed some players too far too quickly, perhaps even bringing about some of the injuries indirectly.

Did you regularly mention any of that in the 12 months to Sept 2023?

Or post your adoration for RDZ and generally revel in the glory?

studio150 · Apr 4, 2024

It must tell you that you are doing something right, when the home team take about 3 minutes to take each long throw as they are keen to kill the game.
RDZ has developed his tactics against teams that are good at counter attacking, and night felt very much like West Ham away, in that we ensured that we didn't concede by letting the opposition break quickly.

One of the late changes goes in and everyone is saying it's the perfect away performance.

Weststander · Apr 4, 2024

Herr Tubthumper said:
One only has to look how Ale Mac last Sunday. Lots of forward penetrating balls which Salah kept spurning….that was us last season.

Centre midfielders who drive teams forward, everything they do forward thinking, at the highest level …. are a dream for forwards and priceless.

Herr Tubthumper · Apr 4, 2024

Weststander said:
Centre midfielders who drive teams forward, everything they do forward thinking, at the highest level …. are a dream for forwards and priceless.

Agree. Thankfully Salah fluffed his lines most of the time. Have you seen the Liverpool game on MOTD? The studio pundits analyse Ale Mac’s performance. Definitely worth a watch.

Weststander · Apr 4, 2024

Herr Tubthumper said:
Agree. Thankfully Salah fluffed his lines most of the time. Have you seen the Liverpool game on MOTD? The studio pundits analyse Ale Mac’s performance. Definitely worth a watch.

Yes. And referred to that here, after a poster said Macca’s completely overrated and was nothing special in the WC.

PILTDOWN MAN · Apr 4, 2024

Lalana offers Jack shit and if anyone even attempts to say otherwise tonight shows his issue he and Gross killed the game totally. The Chuckle brothers still exist, to me to you to me, oh f*** off do something. Turgid crap. Suddenly changed when we had a few players on at the end who looked forwards and attempted to beat what was in front of them. Another 10 minutes and we'd have won the game. Instead the ref only bothered counting one goalkick that took over a three minutes to take. Mind you we're just as bad change it up FFS.

Sometimes think RDZ is just Potter with unnecessary risks.

PILTDOWN MAN · Apr 4, 2024

macbeth said:
do not think it was tactically garbage at all. think we actually set up very well tonight and toney was fairly limited in terms of the damage we know he can cause us. not sure what else roberto could’ve done.

adingra has absolutely zero confidence right now, lallana plays an important role but next to no end product and joao pedro was isolated. the reason we are probably not making europe is because when you look at newcastle and west ham, they have their game-winners available (isak, gordon, kudus, paqueta). our one game-changing player is out for the season, and it’s tough for pedro to carry that can on his own every week.

i also think the experienced players were very disappointing going forward. veltman was infuriating and killed every attack down that side, groß was far from his best and did one cruyff turn too many, too often. and lallana somehow has absolutely zero composure in the 18 year area despite being very composed everywhere else

We played in the capital. Unlike your post.

Sarisbury Seagull · Apr 4, 2024

Yes obviously Mitoma, March and Mac Allister are always big losses but actually, the player I felt we missed most tonight was Trossard. In those types of tight away games where we’re struggling to break teams down, his touch of class, ingenuity and coolness in front of goal can make all the difference.

See Brentford away two years ago (plus Spurs, Arsenal, Wolves, West Ham etc away).

Still think he was a bit under appreciated by Albion fans generally.

Justice · Apr 4, 2024

Farehamseagull said:
Yes obviously Mitoma, March and Mac Allister are always big losses but actually, the player I felt we missed most tonight was Trossard. In those types of tight away games where we’re struggling to break teams down, his touch of class, ingenuity and coolness in front of goal can make all the difference.

See Brentford away two years ago (plus Spurs, Arsenal, Wolves, West Ham etc away).

Still think he was a bit under appreciated by Albion fans generally.

Arsenal would drop Trossard like a hot coal for Mitoma can’t agree with that one.

One Teddy Maybank · Apr 4, 2024

Won’t read the whole thread as no time…
But slow build-up, and constantly coming inside rather going down the line.

Very frustrating

One Teddy Maybank · Apr 4, 2024

Farehamseagull said:
Yes obviously Mitoma, March and Mac Allister are always big losses but actually, the player I felt we missed most tonight was Trossard. In those types of tight away games where we’re struggling to break teams down, his touch of class, ingenuity and coolness in front of goal can make all the difference.

See Brentford away two years ago (plus Spurs, Arsenal, Wolves, West Ham etc away).

Still think he was a bit under appreciated by Albion fans generally.

Trossard certainly had his moments, but last nights game was nothing like the one two seasons ago, and Trossard as he frequently did (as did the wider team of that period) would have struggled against the Brentford tactics.

Guinness Boy · Apr 4, 2024

Jimmy Grimble said:
So can we say this season’s recruitment was poor? At best I’d say they made some decent signings but created an imbalanced squad.

It’s horrendous luck to lose both March and Mitoma, but only having one back-up winger who still needs time to develop and bed into English football in Adingra, and several attacking midfielders who ultimately look pretty poor when asked to play out wide isn’t ideal. I imagine they expected Fati would perform out wide but he’s clearly not got that in his locker anymore.

It was much worse than I thought at the time the summer window closed.

Having seen Fati play at 10 and left wing for Barca I was very excited but he looks like a player who doesn’t want to get injured, rather than one who wants to do well. He’s in danger of being world class at 16 and playing for Wimborne Town at 25.

Enciso can also play wide but he’s better at CAM.

We have too many 10s and not enough wingers, a much worse midfield, two interchangeable and flawed keepers and iffy full back cover.

It might all click next season with players back, Baleba developed (he looked way better last night), Bart as permanent #1, hopefully a winger instead of Fati and Lallana and Milner either coaching or on the golf course. It’s not clicked this season.

bluenitsuj · Apr 4, 2024

Anyone that thinks we played well last night needs their head examined. Brentford sat back and allowed us to pass the ball sideways all night. Potterball at its best.

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[Albion] Yes we have injuries but tactically that was garbage, again.

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