[Albion] Dull, dull, dull, have we now become the dullest team to watch in the EPL?

[drew]

Zero shots on target, a midfield that pretty much fails to produce chances for our striker. An over confident goalkeeper that doesn't have any competition for the position.

We have an uncanny knack of turning attack into defence. Free kicks on the edge of the last third normally, within a couple of passes, end up at the feet of Sanchez. Players seemingly focused on possession rather than moving the ball forward and an inability to shift the ball quickly.

Losing the will.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Oh great another dull thread.

 

[Weststander]

Yes.

The unlucky xG team of 2020/21 have morphed into predictable, one paced plodders in every department.

Shite at all set pieces, no pace other than Lamptey, a dream to counter attack against around statues, row Z specialists led by the incredibly hapless Bissouma, no leaders on or off the pitch.

 

[macbeth]

not sure about dull, certainly the most predictable though

 

[Farehamseagull]

Yes.

The unlucky xG team of 2020/21 have morphed into predictable, one paced plodders in every department.

Shite at all set pieces, no pace other than Lamptey, a dream to counter attack against around statues, row Z specialists led by the incredibly hapless Bissouma, no leaders on or off the pitch.

Yes that’s the thing that gets me and I’m not sure why it’s happened. Last year when we weren’t getting points, I still loved watching us play and looked forward to every game. I don’t enjoy watching us play anywhere near as much this season and didn’t even when we were picking up points - I certainly don’t look forward to games at the moment either. The last few defeats have been entirely predictable in result and manner.

What has changed? Did we prefer playing behind closed doors?

I will say the more games we play without White and Webster has made me realise even more just how crucial they both were defensively and from an attacking point of view for us last season. I find it a bit depressing having to watch Dunk and Duffy together at the back again after the privilege of watching the back 3 of White, Dunk and Webster last season. We need our best defender and most important player (and should be captain) Webster back ASAP.

 

[Milano]

How can we be anything other than predictable with Maupay and Welbeck as our only 2 senior strikers?
I think the Mwepu and Webster injuries have been unfortunate and have hurt us.
I don’t get why Moder is no longer starting, we look far more of a threat with him on the pitch.

I can’t get past the striker situation though. Not acceptable IMO.

 

[Guinness Boy]

That was fu**ing deathly dull.

Potter plays great football? Not any more he doesn't.

Examples:

Just before half time Trossard has the opportunity to launch a break down the left, turns back inside instead, dribbles backwards, loses it and eventually Kane gets a free kick twenty yards out. March. Every flipping time he either loses out on a 50-50 due to pace or gets clear, turns back and launches a lovely five yard pass backwards or backwards diagonal. It's painful and obvious.

Lots and lots of square five yard balls while we waited for Spurs to get back in formation. They were so far quicker and direct in possession.

We have a bunch of players who CANNOT play this football, Duffy cannot play this football, Hello Sanchez, you're not Ederson, why not ping one of those lovely passes behind the full back like you did in the first 10 mins against Liverpool. March cannot play this football. Maupay barely gets any chances these days yet seems to be the sort of player who needs a quick instinctive ball in to score, Give him any longer than a second to think about it and he makes a complete balls up of it. Mac Allister has no idea who to play the forward pass to. Veltman is a poor pastiche of when Bruno used to find impossible line balls down the right.

Change the players or change the coach. What's cheaper? Or settle for THIS? I genuinely don't know the answer any more.

 

[um bongo molongo]

Yes that’s the thing that gets me and I’m not sure why it’s happened. Last year when we weren’t getting points, I still loved watching us play and looked forward to every game. I don’t enjoy watching us play anywhere near as much this season and didn’t even when we were picking up points - I certainly don’t look forward to games at the moment either. The last few defeats have been entirely predictable in result and manner.

What has changed? Did we prefer playing behind closed doors?

I will say the more games we play without White and Webster has made me realise even more just how crucial they both were defensively and from an attacking point of view for us last season. I find it a bit depressing having to watch Dunk and Duffy together at the back again after the privilege of watching the back 3 of White, Dunk and Webster last season. We need our best defender and most important player (and should be captain) Webster back ASAP.

I agree that the loss of White, Webster (for a lot of the season) and now Burn has completely changed how we play. It’s why managers value CBs who can bring the ball out so much - it moves the opposition around and creates spaces. With Dunk and Duffy they can sit back and watch them pass it sideways and wait for the hopeful punt forward.

 

[Jeremiah]

Our goalie tries to liven it up though !

 

[Milano]

Our captain was woeful tonight, actually worse than Duffy IMO, our worst player tonight, sad to see.

 

[Wardy's twin]

I agree that the loss of White, Webster (for a lot of the season) and now Burn has completely changed how we play. It’s why managers value CBs who can bring the ball out so much - it moves the opposition around and creates spaces. With Dunk and Duffy they can sit back and watch them pass it sideways and wait for the hopeful punt forward.

So why the f*ck did we sell Burn when he had started showing how good he was as a CB who could bring the ball forward. When you play three CBs and that is the basis for how the rest of the team is set out you need 5 of them to counter losses through injury and suspension....

 

[Invicta]

Dull, predictable and pointless (literally) football. Need to try a total change of team, tactics, tempo and attitude vs Norwich or it's going to be toxic.

 

[Pevenseagull]

You know those TV series on Netflix the start off brilliant.
Then after a while they become predictable but at the same time strangely comforting.
And then they just become a bit shit.
And then you see there's 9 episodes left.

 

[crookie]

Zero shots on target, a midfield that pretty much fails to produce chances for our striker. An over confident goalkeeper that doesn't have any competition for the position.

We have an uncanny knack of turning attack into defence. Free kicks on the edge of the last third normally, within a couple of passes, end up at the feet of Sanchez. Players seemingly focused on possession rather than moving the ball forward and an inability to shift the ball quickly.

Losing the will.

Yes

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[Weststander]

Yes that’s the thing that gets me and I’m not sure why it’s happened. Last year when we weren’t getting points, I still loved watching us play and looked forward to every game. I don’t enjoy watching us play anywhere near as much this season and didn’t even when we were picking up points - I certainly don’t look forward to games at the moment either. The last few defeats have been entirely predictable in result and manner.

What has changed? Did we prefer playing behind closed doors?

I will say the more games we play without White and Webster has made me realise even more just how crucial they both were defensively and from an attacking point of view for us last season. I find it a bit depressing having to watch Dunk and Duffy together at the back again after the privilege of watching the back 3 of White, Dunk and Webster last season. We need our best defender and most important player (and should be captain) Webster back ASAP.

Your last para isn’t a hindsight post. You, me and many other nsc laymen last season pointed out that key strength from our instinctively ball playing CB’s. It was critical to our creative play, for the first time in our EPL years we too could counter attack at pace. A few people here rubbished White as a shite defender and that Arsenal had been robbed, missing the point.

Perhaps summer recruitment should look at our CB’s, we’ve gone from feast to famine in the blink of an eye.

 

[Farehamseagull]

Our captain was woeful tonight, actually worse than Duffy IMO, our worst player tonight, sad to see.

He was awful wasn’t he?! Looked really nervous and uncomfortable out there, strange and worrying to see as he’s been out of form for a while now. Some of his passing was diabolical. Like for Sanchez, it can’t be easy for him having to play in a defence that includes Duffy who’s all over the show but he is our captain and a very experienced player, he needs to step up.

We really do need Webster back ASAP.

 

[Milano]

He was awful wasn’t he?! Looked really nervous and uncomfortable out there, strange and worrying to see as he’s been out of form for a while now. Some of his passing was diabolical. Like for Sanchez, it can’t be easy for him having to play in a defence that includes Duffy who’s all over the show but he is our captain and a very experienced player, he needs to step up.

We really do need Webster back ASAP.

I think we just need Duffy NOT in the team TBH. It’s not his fault but he destroys the way we can play. I’m sure if Lamptey was fit enough to play two games in a week then Veltman plays CB tonight.

I still maintain that the club have let Potter down this season - in the summer failing to find a striker better than Maupay and then January failing to replace Burn having made the very questionable decision to let Burn leave. Thus promoting Duffy back to first choice back up and making a back 3 very difficult to field. Webster’s injury was unfortunate and also totally predictable.

 

[Dibdab]

March. Every flipping time he either loses out on a 50-50 due to pace or gets clear, turns back and launches a lovely five yard pass backwards or backwards diagonal. It's painful and obvious. .

March does that because he has no right foot. He should not play on that side of the pitch as he cant deliver without slowing down play. The kid did well at LWB last season. If anything play him in front of Cucurella and Trossard on the right. It's baffling management.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

Well i had a bit of a wobble in lockdown and figured my mental health was at rock bottom because a quite good Albion side had gone to shit, little did i imagine they'd be even worse when everything had opened up and we actually looked like being quite good.

Can we go back to empty ground and maybe 5 allowed subs so our manager can go back to being not quite as shit again please?

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[Doonhamer7]

I didn’t really want to go tonight as I knew it would be the same as last game, I was unfortunately proved right! What was it that Einstein said insanity is doing the same thing again and agin and expecting a different result. Anyway be positive we might get a point at next home game just have stop Norwich scoring!