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[Albion] Graham Potter



Horses Arse

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2004
4,571
here and there
I don't hate the guy in the least. In fact I actually - on one level - admire the bloke for making a silk purse out of a sow's ear and providing generational wealth for his family. He's certainly put in the long hard mediocre miles. If anything I'm sneering at the dumb unthinking NSC echo chamber (and, to be fair, the media guys with endless column inches to fill) who just mindlessly parroted that the guy was 'clearly a talented coach' when he clearly wasn't :lolol:
He's a decent coach for sure, just not as good as he thought he was.

The improvement immediately on his arrival, the younger players getting their chance, landing punches against the elite, enjoying going to away games. Either thats a great coach or the previous one was utter shite (which I don't think is fair).

DeZerbi is so much better though.
 






Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
19,272
Born In Shoreham
Entitled to your opinion mate. But if it had not been for Potter laying the foundations we wouldn’t be where we are today, so pretty appropriate IMO.
Although RDZ did also get Sassuolo to the brink of the champions league. I don’t really think he needs any help tbh.
 


GallodiMare

Active member
Apr 14, 2023
156
Well, based on the fact that when he left we had 13 points from 6 games, (having beaten Man U, West Ham, Leeds and Leicester, drawn against Newcastle and lost to Fulham), 13/6 = 2.16 points per game, so at this stage having played 36 games we'd now be on 78 points (2.16 x36=78), three points behind Arsenal and with a game in hand. With Arsenal losing all their games now and us getting 4 points from 2 games, we'd finish 2nd on 82 points. The problem with that would be that we'd therefore qualify for champions league football, and I don't think we're quite ready for that yet, so thank goodness he left when he did.
Your numbers are undoubtedly correct, but as always numbers tell only a part of the story.

I'm no good at this, but I'd like you to do the same math for Potter's Chelsea, if you feel like it. Or where Chelsea were in the table when Tuchel left and where when Potter left. At the same time calculating the average points per game of one against the other.

This is to say that when a new manager arrives, once the tournament has started, you can't think that everything will be easy at first, especially if you have a game system that isn't exactly the same as the one adopted by your predecessor.

Without wanting to be critical of anyone (I’m not entitled to do), I'll make some considerations I think are fairly objective:

1) After only 6 games it is likely that you still have "healthy" players, not yet prone to injuries, fatigue and decline in physical and mental fitness.

2) RDZ's start was disastrous (2 points in 5 games, if I remember correctly). So much so that RDZ himself reminded Tony Bloom of this yesterday in the locker room, eliciting some laughs.

3) Losing a listless Trossard after a promising start on the one hand was a damage, on the other it allowed the coach to give the right space to an extraordinary player like Mitoma (one question: what did Mitoma do before RDZ: did he just warm up the bench?).

4) The same can be said for some 18-year-olds (Ferguson, Enciso, Sarmiento, Buonanotte). But also, at different age levels, for people like Undav, Gilmour and so on.

5) Can we compare the level of class in terms of human material that RDZ found in Brighton compared to what GP found arriving at Chelsea in terms of players?

6) Last year in UCL RDZ's modest Shakthar (a team lacking important players) lost 2-1 away to Real Madrid (who later went on to win the Cup) and drew 1-1 at home.

7) Shall we say a few words about Dunk (only now are your national newspapers starting to talk about him)? OMG! A total player who is much happier when he saves a goal than when he scores one. He would have been fine as a centre-back in any Italian national team. RDZ is not one devoted to defensiveness (this is a shortcoming in my opinion), nevertheless he understands the value of a defender through acquired knowledge.

I apologize for the length of my post.
 


Sid and the Sharknados

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 4, 2022
4,446
Darlington
Although RDZ did also get Sassuolo to the brink of the champions league. I don’t really think he needs any help tbh.
That was in his 3rd season (they also finished 8th in his 2nd, but 10points short). It was the Europa conference that they just missed out on.
In his first season there they finished on the same points total as the season before, while featuring in the 3 highest scoring matches (they won one of those 5-3, and lost the other two 2-6 and 3-5).
They did score 53 goals in 2018/19, almost double the 29 the season before.
 




Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
16,804
Fiveways
Your numbers are undoubtedly correct, but as always numbers tell only a part of the story.

I'm no good at this, but I'd like you to do the same math for Potter's Chelsea, if you feel like it. Or where Chelsea were in the table when Tuchel left and where when Potter left. At the same time calculating the average points per game of one against the other.

This is to say that when a new manager arrives, once the tournament has started, you can't think that everything will be easy at first, especially if you have a game system that isn't exactly the same as the one adopted by your predecessor.

Without wanting to be critical of anyone (I’m not entitled to do), I'll make some considerations I think are fairly objective:

1) After only 6 games it is likely that you still have "healthy" players, not yet prone to injuries, fatigue and decline in physical and mental fitness.

2) RDZ's start was disastrous (2 points in 5 games, if I remember correctly). So much so that RDZ himself reminded Tony Bloom of this yesterday in the locker room, eliciting some laughs.

3) Losing a listless Trossard after a promising start on the one hand was a damage, on the other it allowed the coach to give the right space to an extraordinary player like Mitoma (one question: what did Mitoma do before RDZ: did he just warm up the bench?).

4) The same can be said for some 18-year-olds (Ferguson, Enciso, Sarmiento, Buonanotte). But also, at different age levels, for people like Undav, Gilmour and so on.

5) Can we compare the level of class in terms of human material that RDZ found in Brighton compared to what GP found arriving at Chelsea in terms of players?

6) Last year in UCL RDZ's modest Shakthar (a team lacking important players) lost 2-1 away to Real Madrid (who later went on to win the Cup) and drew 1-1 at home.

7) Shall we say a few words about Dunk (only now are your national newspapers starting to talk about him)? OMG! A total player who is much happier when he saves a goal than when he scores one. He would have been fine as a centre-back in any Italian national team. RDZ is not one devoted to defensiveness (this is a shortcoming in my opinion), nevertheless he understands the value of a defender through acquired knowledge.

I apologize for the length of my post.
Mitoma only had the six games under Potter, having spent last year on loan at USG. I don't think he started under Potter, but came off the bench regularly, and wowed the fans (not sure if he got goals or assists in that period).
When RDZ arrived, I think that coincided with a Welbeck injury, so Trossard played as the central striker/false nine (remember his hat-trick against Liverpool), which opened up a space on the left wing for Mitoma to start.
 




GallodiMare

Active member
Apr 14, 2023
156
Your numbers are undoubtedly correct, but as always numbers tell only a part of the story.

I'm no good at this, but I'd like you to do the same math for Potter's Chelsea, if you feel like it. Or where Chelsea were in the table when Tuchel left and where when Potter left. At the same time calculating the average points per game of one against the other.

This is to say that when a new manager arrives, once the tournament has started, you can't think that everything will be easy at first, especially if you have a game system that isn't exactly the same as the one adopted by your predecessor.

Without wanting to be critical of anyone (I’m not entitled to do), I'll make some considerations I think are fairly objective:

1) After only 6 games it is likely that you still have "healthy" players, not yet prone to injuries, fatigue and decline in physical and mental fitness.

2) RDZ's start was disastrous (2 points in 5 games, if I remember correctly). So much so that RDZ himself reminded Tony Bloom of this yesterday in the locker room, eliciting some laughs.

3) Losing a listless Trossard after a promising start on the one hand was a damage, on the other it allowed the coach to give the right space to an extraordinary player like Mitoma (one question: what did Mitoma do before RDZ: did he just warm up the bench?).

4) The same can be said for some 18-year-olds (Ferguson, Enciso, Sarmiento, Buonanotte). But also, at different age levels, for people like Undav, Gilmour and so on.

5) Can we compare the level of class in terms of human material that RDZ found in Brighton compared to what GP found arriving at Chelsea in terms of players?

6) Last year in UCL RDZ's modest Shakthar (a team lacking important players) lost 2-1 away to Real Madrid (who later went on to win the Cup) and drew 1-1 at home.

7) Shall we say a few words about Dunk (only now are your national newspapers starting to talk about him)? OMG! A total player who is much happier when he saves a goal than when he scores one. He would have been fine as a centre-back in any Italian national team. RDZ is not one devoted to defensiveness (this is a shortcoming in my opinion), nevertheless he understands the value of a defender through acquired knowledge.

I apologize for the length of my post.

Mitoma only had the six games under Potter, having spent last year on loan at USG. I don't think he started under Potter, but came off the bench regularly, and wowed the fans (not sure if he got goals or assists in that period).
When RDZ arrived, I think that coincided with a Welbeck injury, so Trossard played as the central striker/false nine (remember his hat-trick against Liverpool), which opened up a space on the left wing for Mitoma to start.
Well said. I was just asking a question, aside from Mitoma: where were GP's eyes when he saw Enciso and Ferguson in the training camp? Do you think they ever took the field under GP?
 




Sid and the Sharknados

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 4, 2022
4,446
Darlington
Well said. I was just asking a question, aside from Mitoma: where were GP's eyes when he saw Enciso and Ferguson in the training camp? Do you think they ever took the field under GP?
All of them started together in the league cup against Forest Green this season under Potter.
 


Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
24,031
Well, based on the fact that when he left we had 13 points from 6 games, (having beaten Man U, West Ham, Leeds and Leicester, drawn against Newcastle and lost to Fulham), 13/6 = 2.16 points per game, so at this stage having played 36 games we'd now be on 78 points (2.16 x36=78), three points behind Arsenal and with a game in hand. With Arsenal losing all their games now and us getting 4 points from 2 games, we'd finish 2nd on 82 points. The problem with that would be that we'd therefore qualify for champions league football, and I don't think we're quite ready for that yet, so thank goodness he left when he did.
Problem is, only one of those matches was a win in a match northing was expected from. And that against a Manchester United team rather at sixes and sevens at the start of the season. Whether things would have been the same come February is another matter.

The noticeable thing about RDZ is that Albion, after the poor start, always recovered after a loss. From what I can see, every match we lost after that period was followed by a win. I don't think that would have happened under Potter.
 
















nickjhs

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Apr 9, 2017
1,334
Ballarat, Australia
I remember feeling absolutely gutted when Potter and his coaching team left.

I have thought today though - would we be finishing the season where we are had they stayed?

Impossible to answer but I'm really not sure
Agreed, but this in no way excuses him for the manner in which he left, that would be like thanking Putin for invading Ukraine and making RDZ available
 








Nobby

Well-known member
Sep 29, 2007
2,650
Can I just say that I never liked the guy.
Always came across as a bit supercilious - a bit meh - a bit smug.
In terms of the contribution and impact on this club of getting us into Europe, here’s my take on it - just my opinion like.

Poyet. 0.5% - To second tier from third tier
Then mouth got too big

Hughton 5% - saved second tier status and then first tier and maintenance
Then Cashworth needed to earn his keep

Potter - 0.5% - maintained first tier and utilised better squad
Then believed the hype

De Zerbi - 5% - European qualification - built on all the above - and took us to the stars



Lord Tony Bloom 75% - without him, would we still be in League 1?

The balance - us lot, Sir Dick Knight, Micky Adams, and everyone upstairs



Just my opinion like
 


Cheeky Monkey

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2003
23,169
Less is more, people. We no longer have attention spans in the Internet Age, plus most of us have got early/late onset dementia. Bozza, can you introduce a Twitter style post word count limit?
???
 


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