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[Albion] De Zerbi







Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
29,841
Hove
Not sure this one is down to succession planning. Rather, excellent recruitment. We interviewed the best available candidates and gave the best one the job (who also didn't require compensation).
Did we interview anyone else? I was under the impression RDZ was our man and that’s who we went after and didn’t do any other interviews.
 


Uh_huh_him

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2011
10,827
The job Potter has done for us, is to coach the squad into being tactically intelligent players.
We can change formation mid-game without having to take detailed instructions from the coach.
This has made De Zerbi's job easier.
He doesn't have to get the players up to speed and receptive to new ideas, they're ready made for him to express his ideas.

Game by game you can see the players improve with the quicker direct passing style De Zerbi wants.
It's been very impressive so far.
 


Weststander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 25, 2011
64,401
Withdean area
Likewise, it’s incredible. I reckon he was on Tony’s wish list all along…..but out of our league whilst he was at Shaktar with CL football. Tony’s body language at the initial press conference was quite telling. Very careful planning over the long term but with rapid, opportunist movement when necessary. Textbook.
TB …. you’ve got to love him.

Generous, positive, an opportunist (in a good way), Albion to the core.
 










Horses Arse

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2004
4,571
here and there
The job Potter has done for us, is to coach the squad into being tactically intelligent players.
We can change formation mid-game without having to take detailed instructions from the coach.
This has made De Zerbi's job easier.
He doesn't have to get the players up to speed and receptive to new ideas, they're ready made for him to express his ideas.

Game by game you can see the players improve with the quicker direct passing style De Zerbi wants.
It's been very impressive so far.
Absolutely, without Potter, DeZerbi would have struggled to implement what he has. In fact, without Potter I don't see DeZerbi being interested in coming here. He could see how Potters work gave him a great opportunity to progress this team, that's why he's here. In addition to the great structure here, which was a key reason for Potter succeeding.

We are looking better now than under Potter, it looks like an upgrade to me. I'm very shocked to be thinking/saying that.

Perhaps the timing was perfect all round?
 




Surf's Up

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2011
10,200
Here
Absolutely, without Potter, DeZerbi would have struggled to implement what he has. In fact, without Potter I don't see DeZerbi being interested in coming here. He could see how Potters work gave him a great opportunity to progress this team, that's why he's here. In addition to the great structure here, which was a key reason for Potter succeeding.

We are looking better now than under Potter, it looks like an upgrade to me. I'm very shocked to be thinking/saying that.

Perhaps the timing was perfect all round?
Still early days but I think you may be right!
 


Uh_huh_him

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2011
10,827
Absolutely, without Potter, DeZerbi would have struggled to implement what he has. In fact, without Potter I don't see DeZerbi being interested in coming here. He could see how Potters work gave him a great opportunity to progress this team, that's why he's here. In addition to the great structure here, which was a key reason for Potter succeeding.

We are looking better now than under Potter, it looks like an upgrade to me. I'm very shocked to be thinking/saying that.

Perhaps the timing was perfect all round?
I'm going to enjoy it for now but will defer judgement until next season.

The style is exciting to watch, but also risky.
It's entirely possible that we are getting some joy with it because the other coaches aren't clued up to it yet.

Once Potter started getting plaudits for our style of play, it didn't take long until clubs worked out, we had no answer to the low block.
It could well be that a similar tactic could undo the effectiveness of De Zerbi-ball
 














Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
50,773
Faversham






Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
50,773
Faversham
I'm going to enjoy it for now but will defer judgement until next season.

The style is exciting to watch, but also risky.
It's entirely possible that we are getting some joy with it because the other coaches aren't clued up to it yet.

Once Potter started getting plaudits for our style of play, it didn't take long until clubs worked out, we had no answer to the low block.
It could well be that a similar tactic could undo the effectiveness of De Zerbi-ball
The only one that seems to work at the moment is feigning injury in order to disrupt our play.

My solution would be to run a training session each week where we practice our best moves, then randomly interrupt the session repeatedly by having the assistant manager blowing a whistle while BDZ holds his hamstring, calling for First Aid.
 
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Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
50,773
Faversham
He did call him a world class manager
I stand corrected.

I happen to agree with that, too.

In fairness I think he was asked to compare Potter and Klopp. At the time (before clippety became a spectacle-free spectacle) that would have been a bit of a starter for ten (as they say on University Challenge - look it up, you'll love it :wink:)
 


Swansman

Pro-peace
May 13, 2019
22,320
Sweden
I stand corrected.

I happen to agree with that, too.

In fairness I think he was asked to compare Potter and Klopp. At the time (before clippety became a spectacle-free spectacle) that would have been a bit of a starter for ten (as they say on University Challenge - look it up, you'll love it :wink:)
Overall I think Lallana has had a lot of luck (?) with the managers he's had a chance to work with and he seems a sucker for soaking up every bit of knowledge. "Teachers pet" in Liverpool, "teachers pet" under Graham, and now "teachers pet" again.

If he can take the best parts of De Zerbi, Potter, Klopp, Rodgers, Pochettino and of course Alan Pardew, he can become a complete monster of a manager in the future.
 


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