[Albion] Diego Coppola (Italian CB)

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Spain 2008 and Barcelona 08/09 are the reason behind tippy tappy football. Big Sam in tears.

I think you've lost the point you're trying to make.

You have highlighted arguably one of the greatest club and national sides who defined that style of play. It's beautiful when they do it because they can.

It's not beautiful when West Brom try it. It's BORING.

The reason it's brilliant to watch when those teams did it is the pace, the movement, the awareness, the speed of pass. Messi, Xavi, Iniesta were all quite good....

Everyone trying to do it is SO SO dull

When the goalkeeper stands on the ball for 10 seconds waiting for someone to come near him so he can pass it to the CB.....who waits to be closed down before passing it back to the GK, I die inside.

You keep referring to the dinosaurs of long ball which is not what anyone is asking for a return to.

 

[PlayMoran]

I think you've lost the point you're trying to make.

You have highlighted arguably one of the greatest club and national sides who defined that style of play. It's beautiful when they do it because they can.

It's not beautiful when West Brom try it. It's BORING.

The reason it's brilliant to watch when those teams did it is the pace, the movement, the awareness, the speed of pass.

Everyone trying to do it is SO SO dull

Burnley, Southampton and others have done it well at Championship level. But have also been naive when it comes to PL level. There can be a balance between the two. Sometimes you do have to clear your lines or play over a press. But I have no desire to go back to pure chaotic football. Possession is important. The fundamental building block for successful teams.

The rise and interest in Brighton is because of their transformation under Potter, which was then improved on by De Zerbi and Hürzeler. Brighton have come a long way from the days of Hughton.

Swansea plummeted to The Championship not long after losing their identity by sacking Monk who continued on the work done by Martínez, Rodgers and Laudrup. Brentford need to be careful who they appoint to replace Thomas Frank.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Arsenal invincibles played the most beautiful football you will see, ever. Head tennis or not.

The problem with Arsenal is that they always try to walk it in.

 

[Justice]

Burnley, Southampton and others have done it well at Championship level. But have also been naive when it comes to PL level. There can be a balance between the two. Sometimes you do have to clear your lines or play over a press. But I have no desire to go back to pure chaotic football. Possession is important. The fundamental building block for successful teams.

The rise and interest in Brighton is because of their transformation under Potter, which was then improved on by De Zerbi and Hürzeler. Brighton have come a long way from the days of Hughton.

Swansea plummeted to The Championship not long after losing their identity by sacking Monk who continued on the work done by Martínez, Rodgers and Laudrup. Brentford need to be careful who they appoint to replace Thomas Frank.

FH hasn’t improved on RDZ or Potter ball.

 

[227 BHA]

FH hasn’t improved on RDZ or Potter ball.

have you forgotten how dire the football was under RDZ the last couple of months?

 

[Justice]

have you forgotten how dire the football was under RDZ the last couple of months?

Hardly surprising Europa league for the first time and a shed load of injuries to key players.

 

[Eeyore]

have you forgotten how dire the football was under RDZ the last couple of months?

It was after Christmas. Albion were only worsened by the three relegated teams. And during that period there were only two European matches.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Hardly surprising Europa league for the first time and a shed load of injuries to key players.

No it was a manager that gave up and the players followed suit. I‘ll cherish the RDZ highs but he shuffled out as a damp squib

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Whilst the implication is his personal stats aren't great in possession it's worth looking at how Hellas Verona actually play.

They had the lowest average possession (38%), the lowest passes attempted, the most cards, the most fouls committed, and the third lowest xG. This is not a team who were trying to entertain by playing a possession based attacking system, they were there to defend and Coppola was fabulous at that.

On Coppola's performance in that system: he received the most passes, he made the most passes (when the ball was live), took the most touches in the defensive and midfield third in his team. In the league, he ranks as the league leader for interceptions, 3rd for clearances, and 2nd for aerial duels won.

To me that speaks of a player who, in a limited system, is still comfortable enough on the ball and in possession but has prioritised his defensive responsibilities as per the team's needs and instructions. I think he'll be more than comfortable in our system and a real coup.

Sounds a bit like a 21 year old Italian Lewis Dunk to me.

Ci sto!

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

No it was a manager that gave up and the players followed suit. I‘ll cherish the RDZ highs but he shuffled out as a damp squib

Big RdZ fan, but this pretty much nails it…

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Big RdZ fan, but this pretty much nails it…

Yep

same here, loved him, loved his style of play, but after the January window closed, he clearly gave up.

 

[227 BHA]

So my point stands - the football has definitely improved under Hürzeler

 

[227 BHA]

Hardly surprising Europa league for the first time and a shed load of injuries to key players.

And of course Hurzeler hasn’t had any injuries to deal with

 

[JBizzle]

Hardly surprising Europa league for the first time and a shed load of injuries to key players.

After Christmas we had two Europa League matches (one of which had RDZ embarrassingly outsmarted by a rookie manager, rendering the second match redundant. After that Roma match, we had 10 matches left, of which there were 6 losses, 3 draws and 1 win.

We've also had, statistically more injuries this season than last so using injuries as an excuse for RDZ applied more so to Huerzeler.

Don't get me wrong, I adored RDZ, but his attitude stank the place out after the transfer window. He went into a full on sulk. Not once has Fab moaned about transfers or injuries or injuries to transfers (i.e. all of them). He's just got on with the job.

Edit: Sorry, I didn't see that @227 BHA had already covered this more concisely!

 

[227 BHA]

….and Hurzeler has managed to do it all without the help of 27 different assistant coaches

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

So my point stands - the football has definitely improved under Hürzeler

Last few RdZ definitely, pre-24, not for me.

I think that is your point though re the final months - apologies

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

The difference between how RDZ dealt with the injuries and Hurzeler, is that Hurzeler had a much deeper squad, so was impacted less.

I don't think RDZ chucked the towel in. He just struggled to field a side.

I think the club have learned the lesson on this. Right now it looks like we'll be going into 2025/26 with an even bigger squad than the already very large one last season. We're factoring in, 10ish players on average out at a time I think, which given our experience of the last 18 months, is probably about right.

 

[Machiavelli]

….and Hurzeler has managed to do it all without the help of 27 different assistant coaches

But he has had a bigger squad. And done much better with it.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

The difference between how RDZ dealt with the injuries and Hurzeler, is that Hurzeler had a much deeper squad, so was impacted less.

I don't think RDZ chucked the towel in. He just struggled to field a side.

I think the club have learned the lesson on this. Right now it looks like we'll be going into 2025/26 with an even bigger squad than the already very large one last season. We're factoring in, 10ish players on average out at a time I think, which given our experience of the last 18 months, is probably about right.

Nobody who attended those final games could honestly believe this.

I'll never forget Bournemouth away. I've never watched a game like it, where things were so obviously OVER between a manager and the club. It was worse even than the 1-5 home defeat to Stoke at Withdean!

And whilst you could try to absolve RDZ of the blame, because we 'had' to resort to playing Offiah and O'Mahoney - we had Veltman, Webster, Moder, Baleba, Fati, Enciso, Lallana and Welbeck all on the bench!

https://www.11v11.com/matches/afc-bournemouth-v-brighton-and-hove-albion-28-april-2024-383994/

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Nobody who attended those final games could honestly believe this.

I'll never forget Bournemouth away. I've never watched a game like it, where things were so obviously OVER between a manager and the club. It was worse even than the 1-5 home defeat to Stoke at Withdean!

And whilst you could try to absolve RDZ of the blame, because we 'had' to resort to playing Offiah and O'Mahoney - we had Veltman, Webster, Moder, Baleba, Fati, Enciso, Lallana and Welbeck all on the bench!

https://www.11v11.com/matches/afc-bournemouth-v-brighton-and-hove-albion-28-april-2024-383994/

After, and possibly during, the Roma away game, RDZ seemed to be trying to prove a point to Tony about the weakness of the squad by:

1. Persisting with a playing style despite not having the players to execute it.
2. Playing kids to show hjow thin the squad was.

It was sad to see.