[Albion] The masterstroke of dropping Potterball

[Weststander]

Burnley we had exactly the same shots (16) as this season and more possession (67%) so actually it was nothing like that. The referee changed the game with the ridiculous handball that he missed.

The other games were terrible admittedly, but Bournemouth hit us on the break early on and we were chasing the game, but some of that was also down to a distinct lack of quality. Potter quickly realised this and moved the poor players on or didn’t play them. Stains both sides were awful, it certainly wasn’t a lesson, it was Bissouma being careless - arguably we were as bad this season albeit with 10 men.

Cardiff was pure garbage.

But Hughton kept us up, Potter has taken us forward, but the achievement was keeping us up in that first season.

Pleased we’re going in the right direction and thankful for the foundation Hughton laid.


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Burnley took a two goal lead, that’s enough for victory in most similarly placed PL match ups. We were comatose from the beginning, a trademark of so many matches last season. Yet again having to chase the game. There’s no knowing if being robbed of a pen stopped us gaining a glorious home draw against Burnley.

Other than at West Ham and the odd lovely surprise such as the win at CP, we were garbage away from home for two seasons. Thousands travelling with hope of at least competing, but almost every time a deep block, Alamo defending, gifting possession back, an isolated striker, not in games.

Southampton - Redmond destroyed us yet again, past lessons not learnt, no action taken to alter that obvious flow mid match. Thousands in the crowd could see it, why not the manager? The same with Mendez Laing, Ryan Fraser, Dwight O’Neil ... game management inertia.

Supporters started skipping home games.

Potter’s come in, started all over again with a completely different strategy and match tactics. Brave, adventurous, he has a vision. Chalk n cheese to the dross over those months at home and two seasons of travelling away. TB’s decision almost made for him.

 

[Hastings gull]

An isolated centre forward, always crowded out by two giant CB’s, receiving hoofballs from his 10 deep-lying colleagues 50 yards away.

Yes, it was very much like that.

Awful football. Stains, Burnley, Bmuff and Cardiff teaching us on our own patch how to play winning football on the deck with pace, power and a midfield. Not to mention being outplayed on the road at an assortment of opponents.

Feb to May 2019 was dire, it’s no wonder that TB made his mind up with several games to go.

Yes, fully agree.My son-in-law dislikes Stevens with a passion ( I am not bothered either way!) but even he accepts that the many back passes were due to the fact that there simply was no one up front to whom he could pass, so concerned were we with defending.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Burnley took a two goal lead, that’s enough for victory in most similarly placed PL match ups. We were comatose from the beginning, a trademark of so many matches last season. Yet again having to chase the game. There’s no knowing if being robbed of a pen stopped us gaining a glorious home draw against Burnley.

Other than at West Ham and the odd lovely surprise such as the win at CP, we were garbage away from home for two seasons. Thousands travelling with hope of at least competing, but almost every time a deep block, Alamo defending, gifting possession back, an isolated striker, not in games.

Southampton - Redmond destroyed us yet again, past lessons not learnt, no action taken to alter that obvious flow mid match. Thousands in the crowd could see it, why not the manager? The same with Mendez Laing, Ryan Fraser, Dwight O’Neil ... game management inertia.

Supporters started skipping home games.

Potter’s come in, started all over again with a completely different strategy and match tactics. Brave, adventurous, he has a vision. Chalk n cheese to the dross over those months at home and two seasons of travelling away. TB’s decision almost made for him.

Suggest you watch Burnley again we battered them until Montoya switched off.
Redmond is a good player who did the same this season as well, no shame there.

I hear what your saying, but there is more than one way of playing football. Hughton was more defensive because he had little other option, but equally because that was what he excelled at. It kept us up against the odds, so good enough for me.

I think Potter has learnt a lot this season and post COVID, we have a better balance, other than not scoring the Leicester game we were brilliant.


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[One Teddy Maybank]

Spurs away, despite a lot of ‘oooh we almost nicked a draw, we were unlucky’ comments, was for me embarrassing. Attack after attack after attack, and whilst we defended resolutely, all we did was hoof the ball upfield to usually literally no-one (Spurs often had none of their own players in their own half because they didn’t need any either) time after time. It was like watching a rugby defensive kick ‘into space’.

I call it good defending.
On a different day we could have got something Andone missed a chance as did others at the end.


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[dazzer6666]

I call it good defending.
On a different day we could have got something Andone missed a chance as did others at the end.


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The defending WAS good, but that’s all there was. I also recall it was something like the seventh consecutive game we’d failed to score in......seven games !

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

The defending WAS good, but that’s all there was. I also recall it was something like the seventh consecutive game we’d failed to score in......seven games !

Our forwards were dire though.....
They were Champions League finalists [emoji2]


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[um bongo molongo]

Spurs away, despite a lot of ‘oooh we almost nicked a draw, we were unlucky’ comments, was for me embarrassing. Attack after attack after attack, and whilst we defended resolutely, all we did was hoof the ball upfield to usually literally no-one (Spurs often had none of their own players in their own half because they didn’t need any either) time after time. It was like watching a rugby defensive kick ‘into space’.

Also the nadir for me. Despite B’Muff and Cardiff being so bad, Spurs away was just so depressing

 

[AZ Gull]

Also the nadir for me. Despite B’Muff and Cardiff being so bad, Spurs away was just so depressing

I visited the UK for Easter, so the only games I got to see live that season were Wolves away, Spurs away and the Newcastle home game. Whilst I could appreciate the fact that we picked up two (sorely needed) points from those games, the football was awful (and it was only the second-half of the Newcastle game that I saw Albion make any attempt to play attacking football whatsoever). Anti-football, indeed.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Possesion being down probably due to playing 3 big teams and a team who you rightly say a different approach suited.

I think the number one aspect of Potterball is adaptability and people have just taken it as being keeping the ball because compared to our old tactics (which suited our position, squad etc. at the time but needed moving on from when the situation suited) it's the obvious stat difference and the only way was 'up'.

CH did play much more attractive stuff in the Champ though so shouldn't be blamed too harshly. I think the not playing youngsters thing counted against him more than anything and perhaps not taking risks in games sometimes when one might be the best approach.

 

[nickjhs]

At times it has simply been too hot to play a high tempo passing/pressing game.

Oh please, you've got to be kidding.

 

[nickjhs]

As has been said Potter has the ability to change tactics and get the most out of the players. It was no surprise to me that the team came out of lockdown in a very positive state mentally whilst other teams have struggled. The huge difference between GP and CH is that even if he does go for a more defensive counter attacking style the aim is still to win the match, there has never been a match under Potter where it was obvious he was going for a draw. Love his style and have done since the first time I did a Google search for him after he was appointed. While we are so fortunate to have GP and he deserves all the accolades he gets, the applause should really be aimed at Bloom, he clearly does his research and is prepared to back the results of the research.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Oh please, you've got to be kidding.

Leicester. 30 degrees. Arsenal home - sunny and mid 20s.

I've lived all over Asia and played football in Taiwan when it's been 30 or over. Our tournament games were generally 20 minutes with rolling subs and still less intense than Sunday league games back home. But if you want to test it then I suggest you wait for the Aussie summer and spend 90 minutes chasing something the speed of Vardy round an open field on a sunny day

 

[Weststander]

As has been said Potter has the ability to change tactics and get the most out of the players. It was no surprise to me that the team came out of lockdown in a very positive state mentally whilst other teams have struggled. The huge difference between GP and CH is that even if he does go for a more defensive counter attacking style the aim is still to win the match, there has never been a match under Potter where it was obvious he was going for a draw. Love his style and have done since the first time I did a Google search for him after he was appointed. While we are so fortunate to have GP and he deserves all the accolades he gets, the applause should really be aimed at Bloom, he clearly does his research and is prepared to back the results of the research.

Good post.

Tony Bloom delivers again.

PL rookie Graham Potter is doing pretty well.