[Albion] Squad evolution not revolution

fosters headband · Jun 2, 2019

Stat Brother said:
Because we were 10th and the manager said he didn't want any more players for the first team squad.

I have no idea why this is so difficult.

I say it again, I cannot understand a premier league manager in his right mind, not wanting to strengthen what he already has and in fact agreeing to weaken the squad, by two players specifically brought in to strengthen our Premier league squad.
PR bs

Dirk Lehmann's Python · Jun 2, 2019

NSC makes me laugh.

Amongst other things you could be lead to believe:

All the U23s that have done sod all in their cup appearances are suddenly going to be up to the Premier League because we're going to be playing attacking football

We need more experience... but need to totally get rid of the one player who has scored goals regularly for us in the Prem.

Similarly we need to get rid of our player of the season because he won't fit the Guardiola style we're suddenly going to play.

All the signings that weren't good enough under Hughton weren't good enough because we played defensively and not because they weren't very good.

Sensational bollocks even by NSC standards.

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One Teddy Maybank · Jun 2, 2019

Stat Brother said:
Because we were 10th and the manager said he didn't want any more players for the first team squad.

I have no idea why this is so difficult.

Perhaps because the options on offer were poor?

None of us know.

I also don’t know why this is so difficult [emoji2]

Edit - we both know Murray’s legs started to go in November. If you and I can see it I’m sure Chris/Others could. Surely he’d want to sign someone to see us over the line....?

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Stat Brother · Jun 2, 2019

fosters headband said:
I say it again, I cannot understand a premier league manager in his right mind, not wanting to strengthen what he already has and in fact agreeing to weaken the squad, by two players specifically brought in to strengthen our Premier league squad.
PR bs

But that's a question for Mr Hughton not one concerning the current squad and how it evolved.

The Optimist · Jun 2, 2019

Wilko said:
The top ten misquotes by British people are as follows:

1) A damp squid (a damp squib)

2) On tender hooks (on tenter hooks)

3) Nip it in the butt (nip it in the bud)

4) Champing at the bit (chomping at the bit)

5) A mute point (a moot point)

6) One foul swoop (one fell swoop)

7) All that glitters is not gold (all that glisters is not gold)

8) Adverse to (averse to)

9) Batting down the hatches (batten down the hatches)

10) Find a penny pick it up (find a pin pick it up)

I thought that no. 7 was “all that glistens is not gold”. I think I knew all the others.

Who is saying “nip it in the butt” wtf would that involve?

LamieRobertson · Jun 2, 2019

The Optimist · Jun 2, 2019

The Optimist said:
I thought that no. 7 was “all that glistens is not gold”. I think I knew all the others.

Although I appear to have completely made that up. Also glitters has been used as long ago as 1687.

Stat Brother · Jun 2, 2019

One Teddy Maybank said:
Perhaps because the options on offer were poor?

None of us know.

I also don’t know why this is so difficult [emoji2]

Edit - we both know Murray’s legs started to go in November. If you and I can see it I’m sure Chris/Others could. Surely he’d want to sign someone to see us over the line....?

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You would have thought so, but still not the oddest decision.
That being still doggedly playing Murray despite all the evidence suggesting not too.

One Teddy Maybank · Jun 2, 2019

Stat Brother said:
You would have thought so, but still not the oddest decision.
That being still doggedly playing Murray despite all the evidence suggesting not too.

Yes very true as well

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dazzer6666 · Jun 2, 2019

Super Steve Earle said:
I reckon Potter and co will have a field day with some of our younger players at his disposal. Evolving the likes of Connolly, Gyokeres, Molumby, Ostigard, Sanders etc plus Mac Allister and the other loanees, maybe even Tau and Arce, will surely see him like a kid in a sweet shop.

Behind Enemy Lines said:
I hope you’re right but it’s a big jump. What the team really needs now is more Premier League quality players.

I think it’s a bit of both of these. Bolster the squad with some genuine PL experience (where this year’s transfer spend will go mist likely) and start using what we have, including the promising youngsters. Looking at his background, this is absolutely made for Potter’s methods. Exciting times......

Publius Ovidius · Jun 2, 2019

dazzer6666 said:
What about squib ? Can you have them fried in breadcrumbs with garlic mayo and lemon juice ?

GT49er · Jun 2, 2019

fosters headband said:
Very much this
I do have my fears over this go with youth from a previous nightmare appointment of a manager who made his name with youth players in Norway. George Curtis was brought in to bring through youth players at the Albion and it was a complete disaster. I think I am correct in saying Curtis was the only Albion manager responsible for two consecutive relegations, so pardon me if I don't get carried away with this enthusiasm to quickly bring youth through

Not so much a failure of youth - more a case of Curtis' football philosophy making Hughton's approach at Wolves and Tottenham recently look positively gung-ho.

GT49er · Jun 2, 2019

fosters headband said:
I say it again, I cannot understand a premier league manager in his right mind, not wanting to strengthen what he already has and in fact agreeing to weaken the squad, by two players specifically brought in to strengthen our Premier league squad.
PR bs

We'd strengthened the squad in the summer - what was needed was to strengthen the team. No point in buying players just to fill up the 25 man squad if they're no better (or even as good) as what we'd already got. Anyway, we can only pick 11 for the team, with 7 on the bench, so more than a quarter of the squad isn't even involved in the match day; 23 players - plus youngsters - is plenty to choose from.

In one way, Potter's arrival has changed nothing - we still need to buy quality players to improve the first team now, not to flesh out the squad with bodies.

TSB · Jun 2, 2019

Ouch!

Machiavelli · Jun 2, 2019

fosters headband said:
But we did spend a reported £13 million in the January window, only to lend them ( 3 players ) back to their clubs, so I still can't get my head round why we as a club were prepared to handicap our own manager by not giving him the total amount of players allowed. If Hughton agreed to those signings instead of spending that money to strengthen the squad he deserved sacking

I'd be willing to go with 23 in the squad again next season on the proviso that there's a substantial increase in quality of three or four players. Hughton was conservative with his selection anyway, and was reluctant to risk too many players (especially from the DS), and even when he did, they had to be thoroughly indoctrinated with how to play his system, so I can see him being comfortable with a 23 man squad. I suspect Potter might be more adventurous in trying out more players, especially from the DS but, because of this (ie it expands the pool of options way beyond the named squad members), he might even be entirely happy going into the season with a 23 man squad.

Weststander · Jun 2, 2019

Blue Valkyrie said:
There is no reason to believe Tony holds a vote. If a manager makes a good case for a player, within the budget maximum, there is no evidence to suppose the club would insist on an alternative.

Didn’t the club reveal a couple of years back that the quadrumvirate of TB, PB, PW and CH ultimately decide on each transfer?

Which would make sense when they’re making an investment of up £17m plus a contract worth say £7.8m, out of a finite budget.

Weststander · Jun 2, 2019

Rohan Ince's Python said:
NSC makes me laugh.

Amongst other things you could be lead to believe:

All the U23s that have done sod all in their cup appearances are suddenly going to be up to the Premier League because we're going to be playing attacking football

We need more experience... but need to totally get rid of the one player who has scored goals regularly for us in the Prem.

Similarly we need to get rid of our player of the season because he won't fit the Guardiola style we're suddenly going to play.

All the signings that weren't good enough under Hughton weren't good enough because we played defensively and not because they weren't very good.

Sensational bollocks even by NSC standards.

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Excellent points. Which will be borne out by seeing some quality players being brought in over the next 3 windows.

Tom Hark Preston Park · Jun 2, 2019

Evolution is what clubs, including the Albion, always used to do in the Summer no? Tweak the core side and hopefully strengthen it in key positions. The Albion's patently lost it's way a bit in that respect. Too much cash splashed with too little thought. Doubt CH ever even knew what his first choice eleven was. Which in turn, with a few honourable exceptions, made the side look and play like a collection of strangers.

b.w.2. · Jun 2, 2019

Well, we need to ‘evolve’ by getting a new RB, striker, and genuine competition for Gross... at least!

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Super Steve Earle · Jun 2, 2019

Tom Hark said:
Evolution is what clubs, including the Albion, always used to do in the Summer no? Tweak the core side and hopefully strengthen it in key positions. The Albion's patently lost it's way a bit in that respect. Too much cash splashed with too little thought. Doubt CH ever even knew what his first choice eleven was. Which in turn, with a few honourable exceptions, made the side look and play like a collection of strangers.

A first choice eleven evolves too. I would suggest CH would have picked this eleven as his first choice subject to fitness:

Ryan
Bernardo
Dunk
Duffy
Montoya
Stephens
Propper
March
Gross
Murray
Knockaert

Bruno and Bong returned to add experience and maturity at a difficult time for the team, but Montoya and Bernardo were CHs preference in my view. Bissouma was making a case, but not yet a trusted lieutenant. So whilst I am not an apologist for CH I think it's unfair to suggest he didn't have a first choice eleven. Jahanbaksh and Izzy might have become fixtures but for form and injury, but this season wasn't for them.

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