[Albion] Potter critics: where do you think we should be in the league?

[Justice]

We don’t have one star player a player that other teams fear, the club are to cautious about signing a quality front man and tend to go with a hope it works out cheaper option. Nunez no interest from anyone else in the lad early doors and we minced about with crappy bids.

White can’t see a £30m player there should of sold and got a striker in.

 

[Seasidesage]

This condemns some of our biggest signings and our youth development.

Ali J has disappointed despite his own massively long thread being bounced in “I told you so” glee every time he completes a cross, but really he’s been a desperate waste of money. Ditto Locadia. But would you really say that about Maupay, 10 goals in his first PL season and 4 already this for 20 million? And Webster, a similar price, looking the best of our back three this season, chipping in with goals last season and skippering on Monday?

Trossard gets in your pluses (sort of) but for me is our most frustrating player. A full Belgian international who only turns up one in three games and can’t finish.

Meanwhile we have White, one of the Championship players of the season last season for nothing, although being played out of position and Connolly who just needs to learn to stay on his feet more (or dive better). If we’re saying our player development is making us soft centred as well as our signings, then we’re stuffed.

I do think we have signed far too many samey players, particularly as “attacking options”. You could play half the squad at 10 if you had to, yet Potter seems to want to attack mainly from wingback this season.


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This. Not sure where the myth of our poor recruitment has come from really? We have bought two 'failures' in Andone and Locadia and AJ is probably going the same way but against that we have Maupay, Webster, Bissouma,Alzate, Propper and of course Lamptey all of whom have been a success and would be worth more than we paid for them on the market. We have also developed White, Molumby and Connolly who are all going to be very good players at this level despite what some on here think. There are some very good players emerging behind them too like Roberts, Longman and Saunders all of whom have a chance at this level IMO.

We have played badly once maybe twice all season. Monday was shite even Potter's biggest fans would admit that but to ignore all of the good stuff going on to concentrate on 30 mins of crap football invalidates any argument these people have. We are 6 games in and probably 4 points behind where we could've reasonably expected to be. But we are also 4 points clear of the bottom three. It's too early to know what the direction of travel is...

 

[GT49er]

We haven't made the progress I would have hoped since promotion, and I don't blame Potter so much as the recruitment department (and the philosophy that underpins it) that has landed him with this unbalanced squad of largely not-bad-but-not-quite-good-enough players.

That seems to rather ignore the fact that we've changed the recruitment team during our time in the PL because it wasn't doing very well.

 

[zefarelly]

But we have one of the worst rates of converting chances into goals, also, we are good at limiting chances for the opposition, but they all seem to convert at a better than expected rate against us.
Something is missing, and personally I think it is passion. Someone needs to inject a bit more fire into the bellies of the players, it doesn't have to be Potter himself, but if it isn't, he needs to find the players/coaches to do that for him.

A Bez, or a Chas Smash on the sidelines . . .

GP is a Bit John Major MEH! I wonder how he is behind closed doors actuually getting on with it. having said that we don't want a BoJo manager.

 

[zefarelly]

We don’t have one star player a player that other teams fear, the club are to cautious about signing a quality front man and tend to go with a hope it works out cheaper option. Nunez no interest from anyone else in the lad early doors and we minced about with crappy bids.

White can’t see a £30m player there should of sold and got a striker in.

Whilst there is an argument for that, if we had done, knowing the Brighton way, we'd have Leeds at the top of the table and White in Garths TotW for 2 months straight and we'd have a Portugese whizzkid from the Swedish league 3 fror £25m and he's be partially blind with 2 left feet.

Moi, cynical?

 

[Taybha]

We are where are , remember where we were, and be thankful to the people that made it all possible.

Whingeing about our current situation is just laughable considering what we went through , so get a grip don't feed the trolls, and try thinking about all that's happened to this club before posting the constant negative energy sapping drivel .

#whingerslikeBrighton

 

[doogie004]

We are where are , remember where we were, and be thankful to the people that made it all possible.

Whingeing about our current situation is just laughable considering what we went through , so get a grip don't feed the trolls, and try thinking about all that's happened to this club before posting the constant negative energy sapping drivel .

#whingerslikeBrighton

Just don’t want to end up back there


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[Not Andy Naylor]

This condemns some of our biggest signings and our youth development.

Ali J has disappointed despite his own massively long thread being bounced in “I told you so” glee every time he completes a cross, but really he’s been a desperate waste of money. Ditto Locadia. But would you really say that about Maupay, 10 goals in his first PL season and 4 already this for 20 million? And Webster, a similar price, looking the best of our back three this season, chipping in with goals last season and skippering on Monday?

Trossard gets in your pluses (sort of) but for me is our most frustrating player. A full Belgian international who only turns up one in three games and can’t finish.

Meanwhile we have White, one of the Championship players of the season last season for nothing, although being played out of position and Connolly who just needs to learn to stay on his feet more (or dive better). If we’re saying our player development is making us soft centred as well as our signings, then we’re stuffed.

I do think we have signed far too many samey players, particularly as “attacking options”. You could play half the squad at 10 if you had to, yet Potter seems to want to attack mainly from wingback this season.


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Well, I did qualify my Trossard remark with 'in flashes.'

My criticism was of recruitment, not development. I didn't mention Connolly, Dunk or White (or Molumby) because I think they're all pluses. Solly March is endlessly frustrating, but didn't cost us anything so gets a pass.

But I can't see Webster as a £20m player, although I admit I may have a blind spot there. Yes, Maupay scored 10 goals but he had the chances to get 15 easily, and as I have said many times before, he finds new ways not to score every week. Propper, Mac Allister, Ali J, I see people on here desperately trying to find positives in their performances all the time, but honestly I don't share their optimism. Ally Mac may well improve in time, but the Premier League is unforgiving. He'd probably benefit more from being on loan back at Boca than sitting on our bench.

Your 'samey players' remark could also apply at the back. White is keeping Alzate out of the side because we've got so many central defenders that Potter has to cram in. Why did we spend even £900,000 on Veltman when we really didn't need another centre back? Because he was good value at a bargain price? That's the logic Mrs Andy Naylor uses at car boot sales. Bernardo can play right back if we need cover for Lamptey.

 

[herecomesaregular]

But we have one of the worst rates of converting chances into goals, also, we are good at limiting chances for the opposition, but they all seem to convert at a better than expected rate against us.
Something is missing, and personally I think it is passion. Someone needs to inject a bit more fire into the bellies of the players, it doesn't have to be Potter himself, but if it isn't, he needs to find the players/coaches to do that for him.

That's not the moneyball way though is it - don't buy the player who scores 3 out of 4 chances, sign the player that scores 1 out of 10 because he's better value in that he's got himself in a scoring position 10 times (and is, crucially for us, a much cheaper buy).

 

[Guinness Boy]

Well, I did qualify my Trossard remark with 'in flashes.'

My criticism was of recruitment, not development. I didn't mention Connolly, Dunk or White (or Molumby) because I think they're all pluses. Solly March is endlessly frustrating, but didn't cost us anything so gets a pass.

Fair enough on both points. I read the "soft centred" more than the non-criticism of development.

But I can't see Webster as a £20m player, although I admit I may have a blind spot there.

In the pre-Covid market he was certainly worth that, IMO, Others disagree so he does split opinion. It's a game of them, after all.

Yes, Maupay scored 10 goals but he had the chances to get 15 easily, and as I have said many times before, he finds new ways not to score every week.

You'd get on very well with my mate who I travel to games and sit with at games when we were allowed, and now watch together on telly or text each other during them. I see Maupay's goals. He sees his misses. He is frustrating but you have to be there to miss. Plus, on Monday, he never should have been given the chance to miss - Lallana should have shot.

Propper, Mac Allister, Ali J, I see people on here desperately trying to find positives in their performances all the time, but honestly I don't share their optimism. Ally Mac may well improve in time, but the Premier League is unforgiving. He'd probably benefit more from being on loan back at Boca than sitting on our bench.

Your 'samey players' remark could also apply at the back. White is keeping Alzate out of the side because we've got so many central defenders that Potter has to cram in. Why did we spend even £900,000 on Veltman when we really didn't need another centre back? Because he was good value at a bargain price? That's the logic Mrs Andy Naylor uses at car boot sales. Bernardo can play right back if we need cover for Lamptey.

Yes, agree with all this. We seemed to sign Veltman just because he became available and we'd been sniffing rather than through any real other reason. Having Dunk suspended and still playing White in midfield is lunacy. Ally Mac isn't going to learn much playing for 10 minutes a game, except for how little it means to score against them up the road with no fans present. Propper is too slow for Potter ball and my Ali J thoughts are all over his thread.

Sorry for doing the multi quotes thing - just made it easier to tie back to specific points.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

This. Not sure where the myth of our poor recruitment has come from really? We have bought two 'failures' in Andone and Locadia and AJ is probably going the same way but against that we have Maupay, Webster, Bissouma,Alzate, Propper and of course Lamptey all of whom have been a success and would be worth more than we paid for them on the market. We have also developed White, Molumby and Connolly who are all going to be very good players at this level despite what some on here think. There are some very good players emerging behind them too like Roberts, Longman and Saunders all of whom have a chance at this level IMO.

We have played badly once maybe twice all season. Monday was shite even Potter's biggest fans would admit that but to ignore all of the good stuff going on to concentrate on 30 mins of crap football invalidates any argument these people have. We are 6 games in and probably 4 points behind where we could've reasonably expected to be. But we are also 4 points clear of the bottom three. It's too early to know what the direction of travel is...

It's not a myth is it.

Bad signings:
Montoya £6m- binned
Bernado £8m- rarely features
Mooy £3.5m - binned
AJ - £17m awful return
Locadia - £14m shocking
Button £1m - pointless
Andone £5m - binned

Not bad signings:
Izquierdo £14m - horrible run of injuries
Trossard £14m- erratic and very similar position to Gross (and now Lallana)
Vetmann £1m (not needed, we had tried to bring him in under Hughton when we didn't have a million centre backs)
Macallister £8m had to be rushed back from Boca because we didn't have enough good attackers. For the future
Propper £10m - good player, can't score now out of favour
Maupay - £20m for 10 goals and a lot more mosses, it's more of a hit than a miss but it's
Webster - did we need to blow £20m on w centre back, no. Very sketchy last year, better after lockdown
Bissouma £8m - lots of potential, good dribbler and has scored 2 x v good goals

Very good signings - Lamptey, er...

As has been said, we don't have many players that could be deemed dangermen or would get in the side of many top 10 teams. It's a side picked on how they fit into a style, rather than in how many points they will get.

We've spent a lot for not a lot

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[Guinness Boy]

Very good signings - Lamptey, er...


We've spent a lot for not a lot

Very good? Lamptey, Gross, Lallana and possibly Welbeck. Circa 4 million for the four of them combined.

I'd stick Ryan somewhere between good and very good.

Everyone wanted Mooy signed up at Christmas because he's just had an absolute stormer against Bournemouth and was also instrumental in us beating Spurs 3-0. Only went down hill once we'd made him permanent and had a release clause for China rather than us binning off.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

Very good? Lamptey, Gross, Lallana and possibly Welbeck. Circa 4 million for the four of them combined.

I'd stick Ryan somewhere between good and very good.

Everyone wanted Mooy signed up at Christmas because he's just had an absolute stormer against Bournemouth and was also instrumental in us beating Spurs 3-0. Only went down hill once we'd made him permanent and had a release clause for China rather than us binning off.

Oh yes Ryan and Gross have been great, I started this just looking at the Ashworth Potter era and got distracted.

Lallana? Jury's out, we've given a 3 year deal to a man who can only manage an hour against one of our relegation rivals 6 days before our next game.

Good player and personality yes, good signing? Time will tell.

Mooy had about 6 good games. Just because everyone wanted to sign him, doesn't mean he was a good signing.

Despite the much talked about 'record points total' we have made little improvement in 4 seasons, largely because of underwhelming recruitment.

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[Guinness Boy]

Oh yes Ryan and Gross have been great, I started this just looking at the Ashworth Potter era and got distracted.

Lallana? Jury's out, we've given a 3 year deal to a man who can only manage an hour against one of our relegation rivals 6 days before our next game.

Good player and personality yes, good signing? Time will tell.

Mooy had about 6 good games. Just because everyone wanted to sign him, doesn't mean he was a good signing.

Despite the much talked about 'record points total' we have made little improvement in 4 seasons, largely because of underwhelming recruitment.

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I'd say Mooy probably only had three or four good games but they were all while he was on loan - my point was many wanted him signed on that basis, me included. He went downhill once he was secure in a contract.

Other teams' fans rated Lallana the second best deal of the whole window on social media.

Ultimately, only time will tell this season. If Lallana and Welbeck work out, if Mauapy suddenly starts taking chances just because he's got Welbeck on the bench even, then we should start getting the results to match our performances. Now teams have worked out Lamptey at RWB could square peg Veltman play at RB in a four and push Lamptey up more?

I don't know where this puts me in the debate but my concern is that we have a kind of all rounder team. When cricket teams first started to have separate test and one day sides many of the one day sides would be the liquorice all sorts. Batsman who rarely got 100s but could get a quick 40 and bowl two or three overs of slow medium or off spin. Seamers who'd never get 5 for but could be relied on to knock 20 or so from number 8. I think, because of the fluidity of the tactics that Potter plays that is what he wants. And when it works - Newcastle away this season, Spurs at home last - it's great. When it doesn't - second half on Monday - it looks very average. Nevertheless, these cricket sides soon developed stars within their all sorts and I'll stick with thinking that Lamptey is, Dunk was, Lallana should be, Bissouma should be and Maupay can be.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'll add to my seering insight that GPott just might not be lucky, with he might actually be too smart for the job, or worse still:-

Think he's too smart for the job.


Now unlike some I'm quite happy with a tinkerman in charge.
I like the unpredictability of selection and I like the intelligence he exudes.

But back to the initial point, for that to pay off (most recently we had 'after studying palace I made the White switch') he needs it too work.

If it's not working or he keeps getting out coached, at la Monday, he might as well dumb it down a little and KISS a few games.
Take a step back in order to progress.

 

[zefarelly]

We are where are , remember where we were, and be thankful to the people that made it all possible.

Whingeing about our current situation is just laughable considering what we went through , so get a grip don't feed the trolls, and try thinking about all that's happened to this club before posting the constant negative energy sapping drivel .

#whingerslikeBrighton

We didn't whinge when we were shit in the 90's . . . 90 minutes singing and ranting was all you needed.

 

[zefarelly]

I'll add to my seering insight that GPott just might not be lucky, with he might actually be too smart for the job, or worse still:-

Think he's too smart for the job.


Now unlike some I'm quite happy with a tinkerman in charge.
I like the unpredictability of selection and I like the intelligence he exudes.

But back to the initial point, for that to pay off (most recently we had 'after studying palace I made the White switch') he needs it too work.

If it's not working or he keeps getting out coached, at la Monday, he might as well dumb it down a little and KISS a few games.
Take a step back in order to progress.

Agreed, I think we've discussed this before, there are times when being a smart arse doesn't work and you just need to knuckle down and get a job done. . . GP did a bit of that post lock down and we secured safety, he'll be needing to do it again soon if we don't pick up a few points.

 

[The Fits]

Agreed, I think we've discussed this before, there are times when being a smart arse doesn't work and you just need to knuckle down and get a job done. . . GP did a bit of that post lock down and we secured safety, he'll be needing to do it again soon if we don't pick up a few points.

Couldn't agree more with this and stat above. Sometimes you just need to play your best players in their best position and not worry about the opposition too much. I definitely think Potter currently thinks he's a little smarter (or experienced if we are being kind) than he is.
The problem really starts when we start getting less points tinkering than subscribing to the above. At that point you start to wonder what the point of it is.

 

[Justice]

We are where are , remember where we were, and be thankful to the people that made it all possible.

Whingeing about our current situation is just laughable considering what we went through , so get a grip don't feed the trolls, and try thinking about all that's happened to this club before posting the constant negative energy sapping drivel .

#whingerslikeBrighton

Whilst we all know the history and many of us here have lived and breathed it when do we move on from little old Brighton and stop using it as an excuse? We have players on £50k plus a week millions spent on players not even at the club. The club has moved on and so should the supporters.

A multi million pound squad earring millions a year and what we aren’t allowed to criticise poor performances because we once played home games at Gillingham

 

[Swansman]

Youngest team in the league, players will improve every day, results will be shaky and inconsistent for the time being - for those unable to see context and a wider picture the reward (results) are still a year or two from significant progress.

The club is well run and the future is bright regardless of what happens - even if Potter would be sacked or the club would be relegated, it will still be fine in the long run.

Short term... people are exaggerating the supposed problems and especially in comparison with other teams. Reading this thread, you would imagine that there is a set of happy fans supporting a flawless club somewhere. There isnt. Everyone is complaining about their team, and everyone is complaining about the same things: goalkeeper doesnt save every ball, defenders sometimes loses out in duels, midfielders make bad passes, strikers doesnt score on every opportunity they get, players are not "passionate" enough, club didnt sign enough/good enough players... same story everywhere. Football in reality and in the minds of the supporters are two widely different things