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Cheshire1 Profile
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Season 19 / 20 Comments - The Potterball Era


Last season such a thread worked in bits, but if anyone wants to make a comment on anything season 19/20 this is the thread to do it rather than having loads of new threads with only one post. That said even this thread could only have one post, but it keeps the very feint heartbeat of the board going for anyone who pops in.

As soon as the last ball was kicked in season 18/19 it seemed a new management team had came in to replace the dismissed Chris Hughton. Chris was a gentleman and will forever be held in Albion folklore for what he achieved. However, the signs were that he had taken the club as far as he could, with poor results, a boring style, some even called it anti-football, rumours of a dressing room divided and players clearly lacking confidence.

And so it is welcome to season 19/20 Graham Potter and team. His achievements are impressive, his style a little unique, a coach that likes to work with the players, and a playing style that is attractive and aims for goals. No wonder the new approach is already being called Potterball.

Now the big question is can Potterball transform the team, which will mainly be made up of last years underachievers, so they can keep clear of the bottom three. The downside he has no Premier League experience and could his more attacking approach be an open defence to Premier League stars. Also can his project, which will take a few seasons to completely achieve, be delivered to some degree of success in less than a season?

Well that is the setting and in 9 months time we will know the answer. Did Tony Bloom's gamble pay off?.

Whatever, I am certainly looking forward to this season more than had Chris still been with us.






Last edited by Cheshire1, Jul/19/2019, 12:13 pm
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Keef Burton Profile
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Re: Season 19 / 20 Comments - The Potterball Era


Wise words fella. Chris was as decent as man as you will find but he was far too conservative in his tactics. We might become a Keegan-Era-Newcastle with many goals a game for each side. I think we'd prefer that. I genuinely believe we will see what the players are made of and all the miserable prats moaning about certain players will need to eat their words.

Bring it on.
Jul/29/2019, 9:47 pm Link to this post Send PM to Keef Burton
 
Cheshire1 Profile
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Re: Season 19 / 20 Comments - The Potterball Era


So two days before our season kicks off we hear:

1) That our new sponsorship deal with American Express takes us from the bottom three to the top six for sponsorship deals.

2) Our new vision is not just survival in the Premier League as last two seasons, but to eventually establish ourselves as a top 10 club.

And the Women's team as a top 4 club.

All this and a bright forward looking Head Coach in Mr Potter. Some seemingly good incoming players a squad that looks hungry to play and the new season really does promise something different from our last two.

The feeling has been described as cautious optimism. Will that mood continue, will depend on how the results go, as always.



Aug/9/2019, 8:17 am Link to this post Send Email to Cheshire1   Send PM to Cheshire1
 
Wedgee1 Profile
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Re: Season 19 / 20 Comments - The Potterball Era


Referring to your initial post, I don’t agree that last year’s players were “under-achievers”. Their group objective was to survive in the PL, and they did, so surely they are “achievers” no?

Referring to your initial post, I don’t agree that Potterball is intended to drive a “transformation”. I’ve listened to just about every interview GP has done since his appointment, and without exception he pays tribute to the good work and solid foundations of the previous administration, and he pays tribute to the group of players being a talented, hard-working bunch, who get on well professionally. From that base he then talks repeatedly about improvement of individuals. So, I think it’s more realistic to suggest GP is looking for evolution rather than a Potterball revolution. I can imagine he would hate that expression Potterball, because he repeatedly says it is not about him, it is about the group of players.

Very difficult early season to predict, we have a relatively simple start, so one would like to anticipate early points on the board, but it does not necessarily follow. I still think our fortunes in our first 6 games will rely mostly on our ability to continue a very tight ship at the back, which is by no means guaranteed given the alien nature of some formations. If we can keep it tight at the back, I honestly believe we have much more talent available now to get the ball forward quicker with style and numbers, and to cause real aggression and danger around the box, particularly Maupay and Andone being real nasty bastards to handle.

I’m positive about out chances this season. Reading most of the under-researched pundits predictions is quite frankly laughable. I would rather have seen AJ, JL and Hemed on the way out than Kayal, but there you go.

COYMS.
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Wedgee1 Profile
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Re: Season 19 / 20 Comments - The Potterball Era


I see ALL the mainstream 15 bookies are now offering odds of less than 2/1 on a BHAFC relegation. These odds are obviously not based on people’s opinions, they are based on real money bets, which are laid off in the market, so they are perhaps the truest picture of “put your money where your mouth is” predictions.

Personally I would take us at anything above 100/30 at this point, but 7/4 (which seems to be the median across the big 15 bookies) seems just far too short to be of value.
Aug/9/2019, 3:08 pm Link to this post Send Email to Wedgee1   Send PM to Wedgee1
 
Cheshire1 Profile
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Re: Season 19 / 20 Comments - The Potterball Era



Last season opening away match against Watford: 1-0


This season opening away match against Watford: 0-3


That will do nicely!



Aug/11/2019, 9:35 am Link to this post Send Email to Cheshire1   Send PM to Cheshire1
 
Keef Burton Profile
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Re: Season 19 / 20 Comments - The Potterball Era


So they can play decent football after all.

Must have been so frustrating for the squad too last season.
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Cheshire1 Profile
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Re: Season 19 / 20 Comments - The Potterball Era


And so we had our first home league test with Potterball (sorry Wedgee) and the verdict from the fans seems to be universal acceptance of the entertaining style.

Okay so we did not win and Potter joins number = plenty over years = many, since the last new Albion manager won on their home debut.

We also had the home debut of Premier League VAR. That element of the game that can have you rejoicing at scoring a perfectly good goal, only to crush you and suck all the joy out a few minutes later, when an offside infringement moves earlier is spotted!

But let's not take the we woz robbed verdict away from the football we are now seeing. Some results may not change, compared to playing Hughtondefenceball, but you have a feel that a number will.

So the fans are positive, the players look like they are enjoying their football. We look to have a new star in Trossard, and while not as new, Dan Burn what a player he is looking.

Roll on the next match.

Aug/19/2019, 10:18 am Link to this post Send Email to Cheshire1   Send PM to Cheshire1
 
Wedgee1 Profile
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Re: Season 19 / 20 Comments - The Potterball Era


I’ve watched GPs last three interviews, and th Fans Forum, and in each he makes a specific point of saying it’s not about me, so I would expect the Potterball thing to wither on the vine and die away. All it is, is players being allowed the licence to take calculated risks working together based on rehearsal. The first 22 names on the GP starting list in his first 2 games contained just ONE name not available to CH, and that was Trossard v Hammers. GP is getting a completely different tune out of the same resources, it just shows how strangled these players must have felt under CH, it shows why there was the senior player led revolt against playing style, and it shows precisely why TB pulled the trigger without a moments hesitation. CH was a very limited tactician and leader at top level. So refreshing to watch us pile forward in numbers with 16 attempts against The Hammers. Taken 4 points off teams who (at the outset at least) are not members of our relegation mini league.
Honestly, my trigger finger hovered over the cancel button for my season ticket at renewal time back in February, because I just could not watch it any more. But I renewed purely on one thought, that if CH has completely knocked the stuffing out of me as a 1975 fan, then surely he has knocked the same stuffing out of TB who started in the North Stand very soon after me, so surely TB will pull the trigger. CH may have managed the team at the highest level ever in our history, but I honestly think he is several miles away from being the best manager we have ever had. Tactically he could not make an on field decision, and was the easiest manger for opposition managers to out think and outmanoeuvre on the field, real time.
Aug/19/2019, 6:07 pm Link to this post Send Email to Wedgee1   Send PM to Wedgee1
 
Cheshire1 Profile
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Re: Season 19 / 20 Comments - The Potterball Era


It is always difficult to establish 'best manager' as some who did achieve like Micky Adams (first time) and Gus Poyet, did so in lower divisions against a backdrop at the time of difficult circumstances (Money a lack of and Withdean). In Gus's case he took us to the new ground and established the club in the Championship. In Micky's era we could only dream of a ground, but he had us believing and 'keeping the faith' after the awful 'Archer years' were still fresh in the memory

After a few season at the Amex we started to become regulars in the playoffs (apart from that Hyppia season) it was Hughton that achieved automatic promotion. In the championship CH, seemed to know the type of players he wanted, got the best out of them, built a good team work ethic and tactically won matches in an entertaining way. In fact everything that in the Premier he seemed to find hard to deliver.

Strange as it maybe our most successful manager in terms of highest place finish in the top flight was Mike Bailey. However, he did so having achieved nothing before and by playing a boring defensive style, that turned the fans off coming. No wonder he is never thought of as one of the Albion greats, despite his achievement!

All things considered, Mullery was probably our best manager, when you factor in results, promotions, team spirit, players, attendance and popularity with the fans. However, Hughton has to be up there in the mix, by fractions, never miles, in my book!

Wonder how Mr Potter will succeed in the best Manager Stakes, time will tell?


Aug/23/2019, 4:18 pm Link to this post Send Email to Cheshire1   Send PM to Cheshire1
 


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