Graham Potter Thread

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

Just now, DDA said:

The defensive set up was a head scratcher but let's be real with ourselves here.. it nearly worked. This game was like a pre season game for Potter. He will watch the game back and see Azpi's deficiencies that led to the goal... (not being able to get tight to the free man) and If he doesn't change it for the next game, then yes, we should worry. It's his first game in charge and despite what alot of people are saying, we played better than the last few games under TT. The squad is lacking sevierly in midfield and attack and Potter isn't a a miracle worker. I don't think we will see vast improvements until next season in all honesty.. I feel we will have to be patient and hope for smaller improvements along the way.

It nearly worked bc our opponent was an Austrian clown team missing starters. This defence would get wrecked by the top half of the PL. this preseason game could cost us our place in the r16 of CL missing out, this is not a game to try out a slow, 70 yo cb pairing for whatever insights you may possibly get by  watching players who have been around forever for the umpteenth time. winning vs Salzburg does not require a miracle worker or drastic improvements. All it requires is the kind of performance that should be expected even by this squad. But GP tinkered in a very uninspiring way and it backfired. If he had played the likes of Broja, Gallagher,  halobab etc, fine, ballsy move but at least he builds for the future but today was presumably his idea of playing it safe and that selection was crap. One could argue he has no clue about his new team yet. 

[DDA 9,941]

1 hour ago, Magic Lamps said:

It nearly worked bc our opponent was an Austrian clown team missing starters. This defence would get wrecked by the top half of the PL. this preseason game could cost us our place in the r16 of CL missing out, this is not a game to try out a slow, 70 yo cb pairing for whatever insights you may possibly get by  watching players who have been around forever for the umpteenth time. winning vs Salzburg does not require a miracle worker or drastic improvements. All it requires is the kind of performance that should be expected even by this squad. But GP tinkered in a very uninspiring way and it backfired. If he had played the likes of Broja, Gallagher,  halobab etc, fine, ballsy move but at least he builds for the future but today was presumably his idea of playing it safe and that selection was crap. One could argue he has no clue about his new team yet. 

Like I said, the CB pairing was a little strange but the only logical explanation for it is that Azpi is the captain and he may have felt his experience could be vital along with the fact that KK has been hurrendous and Fofana is new to the team. 

If he had started KK or Fofana and they had a horror show, you and many others would have found a reason to moan.

[Blue Armour 4,448]

For Potter's sake I hope this team gets him a win in the next match.

Else we'll fall into a rut that I think he'll struggle to get us out of.

His decision to go with back 4 was bold, but the choice to go with 2 ageing CBs (even if Silva is the best of all our CBs) was a bit weird

Of course, the downside of a back 4 is that our wingbacks are no longer as aggressive as they used to be. Looking at James here.

And Cucurella needs to be benched. 

[lucio 5,418]

2 hours ago, DDA said:

Like I said, the CB pairing was a little strange but the only logical explanation for it is that Azpi is the captain and he may have felt his experience could be vital along with the fact that KK has been hurrendous and Fofana is new to the team. 

If he had started KK or Fofana and they had a horror show, you and many others would have found a reason to moan.

Experience counts for very little if your legs have gone. He used to be a great defender but his leadership sucks. 

[YorkshireBlue 3,279]

6 hours ago, Magic Lamps said:

It nearly worked bc our opponent was an Austrian clown team missing starters. This defence would get wrecked by the top half of the PL. this preseason game could cost us our place in the r16 of CL missing out, this is not a game to try out a slow, 70 yo cb pairing for whatever insights you may possibly get by  watching players who have been around forever for the umpteenth time. winning vs Salzburg does not require a miracle worker or drastic improvements. All it requires is the kind of performance that should be expected even by this squad. But GP tinkered in a very uninspiring way and it backfired. If he had played the likes of Broja, Gallagher,  halobab etc, fine, ballsy move but at least he builds for the future but today was presumably his idea of playing it safe and that selection was crap. One could argue he has no clue about his new team yet. 

This is a team that held AC Milan to a draw the same AC Milan that just smashed dynamo, you know that team that beat us the other week. I truly believe under TT we lost this game.

[manpe 10,861]

5 hours ago, DDA said:

Like I said, the CB pairing was a little strange but the only logical explanation for it is that Azpi is the captain and he may have felt his experience could be vital along with the fact that KK has been hurrendous and Fofana is new to the team. 

If he had started KK or Fofana and they had a horror show, you and many others would have found a reason to moan.

It's not as if Fofana hasn't played for us already, he's not that new.

80 and 40 million € center-backs sitting on the bench while two over the hill ones play, baffling. I can kinda see what he was trying to do, but it is NOT the way forward, especially in the Prem.

[DDA 9,941]

56 minutes ago, manpe said:

It's not as if Fofana hasn't played for us already, he's not that new.

80 and 40 million € center-backs sitting on the bench while two over the hill ones play, baffling. I can kinda see what he was trying to do, but it is NOT the way forward, especially in the Prem.

Agreed. Fofana needs to be starting. 

[DDA 9,941]

5 hours ago, Blue Armour said:

Cucurella needs to be benched. 

He was one of the best players on the pitch last night bar acting like a cocker spaniel on cocaine for their goal.

[Blue Armour 4,448]

25 minutes ago, DDA said:

He was one of the best players on the pitch last night bar acting like a cocker spaniel on cocaine for their goal.

I don't deny his attacking talents. Links up play very well, and a good eye for a pass.

But I'm not convinced he is defensively sound. At least compared to Chillwell.

When the team is leaking goals, and hasn't found the right combination for a defensive setup, I'm not sure if I would pick him over Chillwell. 

[Blue Armour 4,448]

1 hour ago, manpe said:

It's not as if Fofana hasn't played for us already, he's not that new.

80 and 40 million € center-backs sitting on the bench while two over the hill ones play, baffling. I can kinda see what he was trying to do, but it is NOT the way forward, especially in the Prem.

Agreed, even though I'm surprised at how easily a veteran defender like Azpilicueta was left ball watching to let an attacker get behind him like that.

Its even more ridiculous when you think about it. It took two massive cock-ups by our two most experienced defenders to lead to their goal. What are the odds..

At the other end, we seem to miss from positions that are easier to score from. Can't make this up.

Maybe someone needs to do what that former Liverpool striker Bruce Grobbelaar did by peeing on the goalposts at Anfield to lift their title curse. Even if it worked for only 1 year, lol.

[Vegetable 830]

Some will do an incredible acrobatics too excuse him, but let's face it - no company will pay for multi million manager for him to have time and stroll around building the team. He is paid to deliver solutions. 

Boehly may be madman, but one don't spend 250 mil in half panic window just to scrap it and start over 3 days later, with letting go CL football and league result, because we build grassroots now. BS. 

I wonder how people think he will improve mentality in the dressing room that lacked respect for freaking Conte and Lampard. Some "most expensive X in history" are in this room and perhaps they will ask themselves who tf is Potter, so he needs to prove himself with either some wicked philosophy or knowledge or charisma (and he seems to lack personality a bit for now) fast or it will not go well - massive task for someone like him. 

The pressure is on the guy and we will see what will come from it. 

[Superblue 6,372]

For me he has to work on the intensity we play at when we have the ball. 

We've got caught into a cycle where we dominate possession game after game without doing nearly enough with the ball. It goes back and sideways far too often and recycled to the other side of the pitch and back again. Too many players take one or two too many touches on the ball for us to be penetrable and far too many times players have the opportunity to cut a player or two out and just pass direct to a team mate in space to get the ball up the pitch quicker and choose not to.

I genuinely think it's a confidence thing more than anything. Whilst we were never an expansive team under Tuchel, up to December/January last year we did play with more intensity and more 'zip' in our game. Since then it's just become far too safe and slow. Too many players seem content to play within themselves and not enough are willing to take responsibility.

I hate to admit it too but when you have Kovacic struggling for full fitness and Kante never seemingly fit, you lose so much drive through the middle of the pitch. For me that has to be the priority moving forward, to find players to rebuild that midfield.

I'd happily take our possession stats dropping a couple of percent if it meant us trying to force the ball up the pitch in a more direct manner at times, or someone being willing to take on a shot in and around the box. 

I genuinely think Potter will get a tune in time out of the squad, and it might take just a gradual build up of steady results to rebuild what seems a really fragile confidence amongst the group but at present he does have a tall order on his hands.

 

[Reddish-Blue 2,509]

2 hours ago, Vegetable said:

Some will do an incredible acrobatics too excuse him, but let's face it - no company will pay for multi million manager for him to have time and stroll around building the team. He is paid to deliver solutions. 

Boehly may be madman, but one don't spend 250 mil in half panic window just to scrap it and start over 3 days later, with letting go CL football and league result, because we build grassroots now. BS. 

I wonder how people think he will improve mentality in the dressing room that lacked respect for freaking Conte and Lampard. Some "most expensive X in history" are in this room and perhaps they will ask themselves who tf is Potter, so he needs to prove himself with either some wicked philosophy or knowledge or charisma (and he seems to lack personality a bit for now) fast or it will not go well - massive task for someone like him. 

The pressure is on the guy and we will see what will come from it. 

The dressing room problem is because we don't let players go when they want to go. 

Players like Pulisic and Ziyech should have been allowed to leave in this window, get rid of the toxic attitude from the team and re-build with players that want to be here.  Even Azpi was meant to be sold but then the club refused to let him go to Barcelona because they trumped us and got the players we originally wanted. 

 

[Reddish-Blue 2,509]

1 hour ago, Superblue_1986 said:

For me he has to work on the intensity we play at when we have the ball. 

We've got caught into a cycle where we dominate possession game after game without doing nearly enough with the ball. It goes back and sideways far too often and recycled to the other side of the pitch and back again. Too many players take one or two too many touches on the ball for us to be penetrable and far too many times players have the opportunity to cut a player or two out and just pass direct to a team mate in space to get the ball up the pitch quicker and choose not to.

I genuinely think it's a confidence thing more than anything. Whilst we were never an expansive team under Tuchel, up to December/January last year we did play with more intensity and more 'zip' in our game. Since then it's just become far too safe and slow. Too many players seem content to play within themselves and not enough are willing to take responsibility.

I hate to admit it too but when you have Kovacic struggling for full fitness and Kante never seemingly fit, you lose so much drive through the middle of the pitch. For me that has to be the priority moving forward, to find players to rebuild that midfield.

I'd happily take our possession stats dropping a couple of percent if it meant us trying to force the ball up the pitch in a more direct manner at times, or someone being willing to take on a shot in and around the box. 

I genuinely think Potter will get a tune in time out of the squad, and it might take just a gradual build up of steady results to rebuild what seems a really fragile confidence amongst the group but at present he does have a tall order on his hands.

 

I'd be shocked if we're not splashing the cash on a midfielder in January.  The current setup just doesn't work and there's every chance Kante/Jorginho walk on a free at the end of the season just like Rudiger. 

 

[Superblue 6,372]

10 minutes ago, Reddish-Blue said:

I'd be shocked if we're not splashing the cash on a midfielder in January.  The current setup just doesn't work and there's every chance Kante/Jorginho walk on a free at the end of the season just like Rudiger. 

I really hope we see a bit of Zakaria soon. If he's another Saul fair enough, but his profile is different, I don't expect to see him struggling with the pace and certainly not the physicality in the league.

He feels like a natural fit with the current players we have to slot in when Kante isn't playing so we still have a solid midfielder in the centre to help break things up. 

[Special Juan 28,141]

17 days until we play again, great, just great.

[ZAPHOD2319 4,819]

We need Zakaria to be a hit. I have read from Jacobs, who seems to get his info straight from Boehly, they are telling the potential Sporting Directors that there will be £300m to work with for players. We better find a legit right winger.

[Superblue 6,372]

28 minutes ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

We need Zakaria to be a hit. I have read from Jacobs, who seems to get his info straight from Boehly, they are telling the potential Sporting Directors that there will be £300m to work with for players. We better find a legit right winger.

To be honest I'm fed up with this narrative of having huge sums of money to spend and throw at the team.

If the owners are serious about a long term plan then you have to start somewhere and be willing to follow through when times are hard. This isn't new, the club has tried to do this before with the appointments of people like AVB, Sarri and Lampard where we've looked to change the style or culture away from something that has served us well over the years but shown signs of going stale. However as soon as things became difficult the club always pushed the panic button and reverted to type.

This ownership need to not only rebuild the whole structure, but then give it time and space to bear fruit. From what is being reported they are willing to do this, and we have no track record to suggest they won't so can only hope.

Forget the big name signings, we need to be targeting the next big thing and getting them on board. That period where we scouted and recruited the likes of Azpi, Hazard, Oscar, De Bruyne, Courtois, Lukaku, Salah over a short period was a real golden situation which we completely wasted. I want to see us pluck a couple of signings like that where most of us who aren't named @Vespersay 'who's that?!' but once they're here we can all see how they fit like a glove in our team. I have high hopes over Slonina from what I've seen of him. Hopefully we get a couple more similar to that to start rebuilding back up because there is no quick fix here. I personally think Potter needs at least this season and next to sort this squad, weed out those not good enough to be here, and make a couple of key, intelligent signings in critical positions on the pitch.

The links to the likes of Campos and the Salzburg Director of Football for me are positive because they've been used to working from stricter and tighter budgets and still unearthing gems. For me we need that as a fresh approach more than someone armed with hundreds of millions just going immediately to the top aisle to shop.

[Vesper 30,219]

16 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

more than someone armed with hundreds of millions just going immediately to the top aisle to shop.

This is a true danger, as the very top shelf players likely are mostly beyond our grasp due to Real, Barca, Bayern, and lately PSG (especially with Francophone players), plus at times Citeh and finally (not always, and they tend to unearth gems as well) der Kloppmeuster scouse vermin simply being more attractive destinations and having greater pull IF they truly want a player.

We then may drop down from the very top yet pay very top PRICES

By 'truly top' I mean the top 4 or 5 at every position

We have ONE player who qualifies, Reece at RB and he is a Chels academy product

Thibaut Courtois
Jan Oblak
Alisson   
Ederson  
Gianluigi Donnarumma
    
Rúben Dias    
Marquinhos
Milan Skriniar    
Matthijs de Ligt
Virgil van Dijk  (and dropping atm)

  
Alphonso Davies
Theo Hernández   
Andrew Robertson  
Nuno Mendes  

Achraf Hakimi  
Reece James
Trent Alexander-Arnold  (his defence is shit or he would be top)  
João Cancelo  (insane drop off after the top 4 RBs atm)
 

Joshua Kimmich    
Declan Rice   
Aurélien Tchouameni
Rodri    
Nicolò Barella  (Kante is too often injured now)

Jude Bellingham
Pedri  
Frenkie de Jong  
Gavi
Federico Valverde    

   
Kevin De Bruyne   
Christopher Nkunku
Bruno Fernandes 
Bernardo Silva  
Jamal Musiala

 

Kylian Mbappé
Vinicius Junior   
Rafael Leão
Neymar 
Luis Díaz   

Mohamed Salah    
Federico Chiesa
Bukayo Saka 
Serge Gnabry
Moussa Diaby   

 

Erling Håland 
Karim Benzema
Robert Lewandowski   
Harry Kane      
Dušan Vlahović
Victor Osimhen 
Lautaro Martínez  
Gabriel Jesus 
João Félix
Darwin Núñez

[Superblue 6,372]

1 hour ago, Vesper said:

This is a true danger, as the very top shelf players likely are mostly beyond our grasp due to Real, Barca, Bayern, and lately PSG (especially with Francophone players), plus at times Citeh and finally (not always, and they tend to unearth gems as well) der Kloppmeuster scouse vermin simply being more attractive destinations and having greater pull IF they truly want a player.

We then may drop down from the very top yet pay very top PRICES

By 'truly top' I mean the top 4 or 5 at every position

We have ONE player who qualifies, Reece at RB and he is a Chels academy product

Based on some of those on your lists in the wide and attacking positions I definitely think Sterling enters that same conversation but on the grander scheme you're right. Compare that to 12-15 years ago when we probably had bare minimum 8 - 10 players that would have been bracketed like that.

I don't even want to be paying big money for some of those players anyway. Most of our big buys end up complete busts anyway. I'd much rather start seeing more considered and measured signings in the future. I'm not necessarily against any of the players we signed this summer but besides Sterling, we've probably overpaid on the rest. It was a difficult situation this summer and I can understand what we've done and why we've done it but moving forward it's completely unsustainable dropping a couple of hundred million each summer. We've got some good components within the squad but are missing in a couple of key areas that could really transform us from struggling to make top 4 currently, to comfortably making it which should be the first aim before we have aspirations of catching City. I just hope we get things in place as soon as possible to support the new manager moving forward.

If he's given time, great but he also needs the right support too and that's not just in transfer budgets.