[Albion] A summary of Albion’s 2020/21 season - authors of our own downfalls

Weststander · May 9, 2021

(I’m pro Potter incidentally).

Crikey we love to shoot ourselves on the foot, encapsulated by today’s events.

We’re 9th in the zzzzzz xG table, 5th on xPTS at 58 :lolol:

. Yet in reality, a long way from actually achieving that.

With just 8 wins, only the bottom 3 have fewer. Leeds have 15 FFS.

Dumb sending offs, allowing CP to counter attack in the last second for the winner, hopeless penalty kicks, keystone cops for the Sheffield Utd winner, missing a mountain of chances and half chances.

Sorry, over a season I’ll never blame VAR, refs or lady luck for our league position.

I can’t wait for this season to end, see a few upgrades arrive in the summer and then start afresh with full houses in August.

Stat Brother · May 9, 2021

There has been a pattern all season long.
A pattern to which I'll add failure to play both halves of the match in a commanding fashion.

I hope, and in fairness I do genuinely believe it to be so, that this is all part of GPott's learning curve.
So I don't expect his team to choke through next season as well.

But if they do, that'll be his downfall.

blue-shifted · May 9, 2021

Weststander said:
(I’m pro Potter incidentally).

Crikey we love to shoot ourselves on the foot, encapsulated by today’s events.

We’re 9th in the zzzzzz xG table, 5th on xPTS at 58. Yet in reality, a long way from actually achieving that.

With just 8 wins, only the bottom 3 have fewer. Leeds have 15 FFS.

Dumb sending offs, allowing CP to counter attack in the last second for the winner, hopeless penalty kicks, keystone cops for the Sheffield Utd winner, missing a mountain of chances and half chances.

Sorry, over a season I’ll never blame VAR, refs or lady luck for our league position.

I can’t wait for this season to end, see a few upgrades arrive in the summer and then start afresh with full houses in August.

Yeh, I think we'll look a different (and much more potent) side with Tariq and Solly back.

What happens with our striking options will define our season.

Traore showed the difference to a side that actual class in the final third can bring.

forumwayseagull · May 9, 2021

The team are so fragile. Its the same scenario every game, either start well, end poorly or other way round. Miss numerous chances and then regret it later on. And finally, if we are drawing going into the 90th minute we know we have the mindset to collapse and concede to a woeful goal. so utterly predictable.

vagabond · May 9, 2021

I’m going to leave today’s result off the table. Having to hang on with 10 men is not a fragile mentality issue. More physicality at this level.

But generally. Yes.

We are mentally weak. It’s definitely something we have to improve. I don’t know if it’s GP being a bit wet behind the ears at elite level, or having a very young squad, or a combination of both. But it needs to be improved next season. If we only changed half of our many draws (that I think we mostly dominated) to wins we’d be comfortably mid table.

Not the finished package yet, but I think most of us know that. We’ve shown we can improve other weaknesses. So hopefully we can improve further next season.

warmleyseagull · May 9, 2021

Weststander said:
(I’m pro Potter incidentally).

Crikey we love to shoot ourselves on the foot, encapsulated by today’s events.

We’re 9th in the zzzzzz xG table, 5th on xPTS at 58. Yet in reality, a long way from actually achieving that.

With just 8 wins, only the bottom 3 have fewer. Leeds have 15 FFS.

Dumb sending offs, allowing CP to counter attack in the last second for the winner, hopeless penalty kicks, keystone cops for the Sheffield Utd winner, missing a mountain of chances and half chances.

Sorry, over a season I’ll never blame VAR, refs or lady luck for our league position.

I can’t wait for this season to end, see a few upgrades arrive in the summer and then start afresh with full houses in August.

This. Foot shooting all season long. 23 points lost from winning positions, most in division; luckily Fulham are 2nd.

Like you I am a Potter believer but am critical of two things: taking 2 points from 6 matches against relegated teams (and scoring two goals in the process); and the obvious fragility in the side once ahead. Never mind striker, sort those two things and mid table at least beckons.

Mo Gosfield · May 9, 2021

forumwayseagull said:
The team are so fragile. Its the same scenario every game, either start well, end poorly or other way round. Miss numerous chances and then regret it later on. And finally, if we are drawing going into the 90th minute we know we have the mindset to collapse and concede to a woeful goal. so utterly predictable.

Its that fragility that showed again today. Going from near total control to defeat. Thats why top half talk is ludicrous. We give the ball away over and over again and in the final third, we overplay all the time. One touch too many, one turn too many or just a poor quality ball in. Its ok being tippy tappy in two thirds of the pitch but not where it really matters. Too much goes to waste and breaks down. We have to keep searching for the right blend of players in offensive positions, who are going to be more direct, more instinctive and a bit more clinical.

TottonSeagull · May 9, 2021

Very frustrating season. Close to be being a decent side. We have hardly been out played by anyone but have shot ourselves in the foot so many times!
If we can toughen up mentally we will be fine next year!

Jeremiah · May 9, 2021

warmleyseagull said:
This. Foot shooting all season long. 23 points lost from winning positions, most in division; luckily Fulham are 2nd.

Like you I am a Potter believer but am critical of two things: taking 2 points from 6 matches against relegated teams (and scoring two goals in the process); and the obvious fragility in the side once ahead. Never mind striker, sort those two things and mid table at least beckons.

I also think that Potters inability to adjust or out-think the opposing manager in the second half in most matches is a major problem. How many times this season have we seen a completely different Albion turn up in the second 45 minutes. The conceding of late goals is now almost a certainty.

HalfaSeatOn · May 9, 2021

It should have been 3 points in the bag. Decision making and fine margins. That 18 year old would probably have mucked it up.

Deadly Danson · May 9, 2021

Weststander said:
(I’m pro Potter incidentally).

Crikey we love to shoot ourselves on the foot, encapsulated by today’s events.

We’re 9th in the zzzzzz xG table, 5th on xPTS at 58. Yet in reality, a long way from actually achieving that.

With just 8 wins, only the bottom 3 have fewer. Leeds have 15 FFS.

Dumb sending offs, allowing CP to counter attack in the last second for the winner, hopeless penalty kicks, keystone cops for the Sheffield Utd winner, missing a mountain of chances and half chances.

Sorry, over a season I’ll never blame VAR, refs or lady luck for our league position.

I can’t wait for this season to end, see a few upgrades arrive in the summer and then start afresh with full houses in August.

Agree with all that but if, in the first match next season, we dominate, miss chance after chance and lose in the 90th min I'm not sure I'm going to last the season!

Weststander · May 9, 2021

Deadly Danson said:
Agree with all that but if, in the first match next season, we dominate, miss chance after chance and lose in the 90th min I'm not sure I'm going to last the season!

I want Maupay to stay, but I’m praying that Tony buys a quality striker this summer.

If not, why will the same old change?

jimhigham · May 9, 2021

It is just the weirdest season. By and large, I really enjoy watching us play now and yet, paradoxically, I so often want to scream.

I genuinely think the whole team needs the break. It’s been a demanding season, with matches coming thick and fast. For all the progress in terms of style, we’ve been in the relegation dogfight towards the end of the season and I imagine that has to be mentally draining on the players.

Hope they have a great holiday. In their homes.

Uh_huh_him · May 9, 2021

The number of points dropped from winning positions is a stark statistic and will be viewed as one of the more important factors in our final league position.
I would hope that Potter will be seeking to resolve this in much the same way he has strengthened our overall defending, which was a worrry during the first third of the season.

Much as people like to mock his we will take this and learn from it soundbites, it is a true reflection of how he coaches.
In regards to our defending it has certainly yielded results.

I'm confident we will improve in this area next season.

Mancgull · May 9, 2021

1-0 away from home is never comfortable. To compound it, today we played the last 40 minutes a man down.

However, an interesting/annoying statistic is the number of times we concede late on. We’ve also got lucky a few times late on too....Fulham and Everton at home and Wolves at home are three that stand out. Why is this? Is it lack of game management or a tiredness due to our expansive style of play that is more physically demanding on us than the opposition. Is it mental fragility or a tactical issue, or is a lack of fitness which then impacts on our concentration, focus and ability to make the right decisions? Or is it a combination of all of them.

I don’t know but I think that if we are to progress we need to be able to grind out results better, on a more consistent basis. I doubt we are going to be a top ten team next season but I’d like to see us pick up more points and get nearer to the mid 40/50 point mark.

I’m sure that Potter will think this through when he reflects at the end of the season.

timbha · May 9, 2021

Mancgull said:
1-0 away from home is never comfortable. To compound it, today we played the last 40 minutes a man down.

However, an interesting/annoying statistic is the number of times we concede late on. We’ve also got lucky a few times late on too....Fulham and Everton at home and Wolves at home are three that stand out. Why is this? Is it lack of game management or a tiredness due to our expansive style of play that is more physically demanding on us than the opposition. Is it mental fragility or a tactical issue, or is a lack of fitness which then impacts on our concentration, focus and ability to make the right decisions? Or is it a combination of all of them.

I don’t know but I think that if we are to progress we need to be able to grind out results better, on a more consistent basis. I doubt we are going to be a top ten team next season but I’d like to see us pick up more points and get nearer to the mid 40/50 point mark.

I’m sure that Potter will think this through when he reflects at the end of the season.

Generally agree. We seem to tire at the end of some matches. Today Maupay could hardly raise a trot at the end. This highlights our relatively weak bench in that we have little in reserve to come on and make a difference. I can’t remember the last time one of our subs came on and made a real impact.
We rode our luck in the last 20 mins today but to give Wolves credit they had kept their match winner in reserve to hit us when we were at our most vulnerable.
Our absentees, March, Lamptey, Veltman and Lallana didn’t get a mention today. Just imagine how different it would have been with them in the squad today.

Jeremiah · May 9, 2021

Mancgull said:
1-0 away from home is never comfortable. To compound it, today we played the last 40 minutes a man down.

However, an interesting/annoying statistic is the number of times we concede late on. We’ve also got lucky a few times late on too....Fulham and Everton at home and Wolves at home are three that stand out. Why is this? Is it lack of game management or a tiredness due to our expansive style of play that is more physically demanding on us than the opposition. Is it mental fragility or a tactical issue, or is a lack of fitness which then impacts on our concentration, focus and ability to make the right decisions? Or is it a combination of all of them.

I don’t know but I think that if we are to progress we need to be able to grind out results better, on a more consistent basis. I doubt we are going to be a top ten team next season but I’d like to see us pick up more points and get nearer to the mid 40/50 point mark.

I’m sure that Potter will think this through when he reflects at the end of the season.

I'd rather hoped he would have thought this through before now. It is a recurring theme that even I can see.

Surf's Up · May 9, 2021

You've thought that, what with Potter being an expert in Emotional Intelligence etc., getting the team individually and collectively to toughen up mentally would be a cakewalk. Obviously it isn't and maybe he's not quite the finished article re the old psycho babble either

Questions · May 9, 2021

We still have a soft underbelly with this team but I don’t know why. If you individually check list the players they all seem pretty strong mentally and physically. It’s better than last year in terms of quality but even allowing for our absence of Dunk today I thought we conceded ground far to quickly and went into siege mode straight away.

blue-shifted · May 9, 2021

But it's all about the second goal isn't it.

We're coming under pressure because we're not finishing games when well on top. Today not the best example, but it's happened many times

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[Albion] A summary of Albion’s 2020/21 season - authors of our own downfalls

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