[Albion] Graham Potter - football genius

[Eric the meek]

A little honesty goes a long way.

I wouldn't be picking the 'low hanging fruit' all the time those who are only picking imaginary fruit refuse to acknowledge the actual fruit on the actual tree.


But that ship has well and truly sailed.

Indeed. I don't see the point of picking imaginary fruit. That was what Elon Musk was alluding to - wishful thinking.

Besides, you plant fruit trees for the next generation.
But perhaps the fruitfulness isn't about the fruit at all. It's about the gardeners. Bloom, Barber, Ashworth and Potter.

Perhaps we are only just beginning to enjoy the fruits of the garden. Oh bugger - I'm guilty of wishful thinking after all !

 

[Stat Brother]

Indeed. I don't see the point of picking imaginary fruit. That was what Elon Musk was alluding to - wishful thinking.

Besides, you plant fruit trees for the next generation.
But perhaps the fruitfulness isn't about the fruit at all. It's about the gardeners. Bloom, Barber, Ashworth and Potter.

Perhaps we are only just beginning to enjoy the fruits of the garden. Oh bugger - I'm guilty of wishful thinking after all !

We all are, we all think we can see 'it'.
I am certainly very excited by what next season has to offer.

But if, IF, all our dreams do come true those that dare be honest when the team was poor will again be turned upon.
While those who have championed imaginary goals, points, wins and league position will continue to 'yeah but' their way through this season as well.

 

[Machiavelli]

I see Arsenal playing him in front of the defence or in a back 5.

I don't. I think he'll play as the right-sided CB in a back four, probably alongside Gabriel.
Arteta tends to play four at the back.
I think, in the long term, he'll turn out to be a good signing for them. He's got a long future ahead of him.
As others have said, he's not that good in the air but I'm not sure that's quite so important in the PL any more, because there aren't that many strikers that are brilliant in the air (it's at set pieces that he's more likely to get shown up). The likes of Maguire and Dunk obviously excel on that front, but White is extremely rapid (unlike those two), strong, tenacious, reads the game very well for someone so young, a brilliant passer (long and short), and can also bring the ball out well.

 

[Machiavelli]

For a team that have a lot of problems in how they defend and that concedes goals (whatever that means anyway as all teams concede goals) Arsenal had the 3rd best defensive record last season, only Man City and Chelsea let in less. Their problems last season weren’t defensive.

Are you trying to say that our dirty intruders are clueless?

 

[Pavilionaire]

Brighton have played Leeds like a fiddle. I don't think they realise it even now.

That'll be the Leeds that brought White in, got promoted in his loan season, then finished above us in their first season in the Prem.

They had to be seen to bid for him just to appease their own fans. Indeed, they get mentioned more than us for making him the player he is, so plenty of benefits and goodwill splashback coming their way.

 

[Eric the meek]

We all are, we all think we can see 'it'.
I am certainly very excited by what next season has to offer.

But if, IF, all our dreams do come true those that dare be honest when the team was poor will again be turned upon.
While those who have championed imaginary goals, points, wins and league position will continue to 'yeah but' their way through this season as well.

Honesty when the team is poor is absolutely critical. If you don't accept you make mistakes, how will you ever learn from them?

But I'm excited about next season as well. We are continually improving the team, and I'm not actually worried about losing Ben White.

Consider this:
1) We didn't get thrashed. We have become hard to beat, and we compete in every game. That's a good basis.
2) Although we missed a shedload of chances, it means that we made a shedload of chances. We will of course have been working on our finishing.
3) The club is tightly run, and isn't afraid to make swift changes if they are deemed necessary (Maty Ryan).

Bring it on.

 

[vagabond]

Yup. Staying up for 5 seasons with a bottom 6 budget is a lot more difficult than coming top 10 once.

I seriously doubt many Sheffield fans are celebrating that 9th place two years ago and would probably much rather had consecutive 15-17th positions.

Spot on.

Will be very interesting how Leeds perform this year. Second season syndrome is a genuine thing. At this level managers and teams will be found out if they’re exploitable.

Let’s not forget we were the draw specialists in the league. And most of those we battered the opposition. Change even Half of those draws to wins and we’re top 10.

Fine margins.

 

[Weststander]

I don't. I think he'll play as the right-sided CB in a back four, probably alongside Gabriel.
Arteta tends to play four at the back.
I think, in the long term, he'll turn out to be a good signing for them. He's got a long future ahead of him.
As others have said, he's not that good in the air but I'm not sure that's quite so important in the PL any more, because there aren't that many strikers that are brilliant in the air (it's at set pieces that he's more likely to get shown up). The likes of Maguire and Dunk obviously excel on that front, but White is extremely rapid (unlike those two), strong, tenacious, reads the game very well for someone so young, a brilliant passer (long and short), and can also bring the ball out well.

In the England warm ups, White stood out head and shoulders above the other CB's in my blue-tinted opinion as being a natural playing out from the back, with a great pass and with superior anticipation of danger.

I think he'll earn a load of caps.

 

[GT49er]

Club has to play a delicate balancing act in these situations. Whilst we don't want our best players to leave, they have their price and to deny the opportunity to go to a big club is detrimental to the player and squad moral in the short term. Further to this it also has implications when trying to recruit young talent at youth level as we are starting to prove a pathway to the first team and beyond is realistic at BHA which could give us a competitive edge against some of the London clubs with a history signing hundreds of talented youngsters who never make it. I suspect part of the reason behind CH's departure, despite an awful last 4 months results wise in his final season was the fact that he was never likely to play youth the way GP has. CH was a tremendous manager for us but he no longer fit the plan that TB has for us in taking young talent, nurturing it and then selling for huge money.

Good luck to Ben, I hope it works out for him and he becomes an England regular too. He has behaved impeccably to be honest and should be held as a role model to young players when these situations arise, both this summer and last. Clearly has some good people around him advising him who can see the big picture.

..... like his agent? ,,,,,, cough.

 

[GT49er]

This is very much how I see it. To my mind he is not sufficiently commanding at a centre back in a back four. In fact he may even get decent game time as a right back. I believe the club are right to take advantage of what I see as 'media hype' to get a fee of around £50million.

Remind me, how many did Leeds play at the back when White was there?

 

[Postman Pat]

Just out of interest is Alex Cous on here?

Just featured in this piece https://totallybuzzed.co.uk/buzzed-footie/2021-22-premier-league-preview-brighton/ in a pre-season preview and said this about GP.

"I do think he is not as adaptable as he could be and does not vary his tactics often enough, but we lack the depth in some areas to do this."

Also - Beating the ‘big’ teams is something we also struggle with.

As a team that failed so badly against the bottom 7 sides last season beating the big teams was not our issue.

 

[JBizzle]

We would never offer £25m+ for a player who has only had 1 year of championship football. His development over the last 2 years has been incredible and my biggest fear is he could've been sold next summer for significantly more. However allowing him to leave sets a precedent on fees we will listen to and opens up an opportunity to repeat the process with players in the future, I wish him all the best and hope is gets plenty of game time

On that note, I see Palace have spend £18m on a player with 1 season Championship experience (albeit 50-odd games)

 

[Bakero]

Just out of interest is Alex Cous on here?

Just featured in this piece https://totallybuzzed.co.uk/buzzed-footie/2021-22-premier-league-preview-brighton/ in a pre-season preview and said this about GP.

"I do think he is not as adaptable as he could be and does not vary his tactics often enough, but we lack the depth in some areas to do this."

Also - Beating the ‘big’ teams is something we also struggle with.

As a team that failed so badly against the bottom 7 sides last season beating the big teams was not our issue.

I just had a look at his twitter and saw no indication that he's a Brighton fan https://twitter.com/AlexCous