7 hours ago, Bob stark said:

This will be an interesting hire. Madrid usually has more success hiring manager like ance, mou or zidane type rather than somebody like Tuchel

Zidane was only hired because he was a former player and club legend, on a merit basis, Tuchel would be more qualified than him for the Madrid job since he has won the CL which is one of the expectations at Madrid

Brighton CEO Paul Barber (who is also Boehlys friend) on Potters time in Chelsea:

"It's been hard for a few weeks because we would still see Graham as a friend, I mean he was my neighbour for three years so you know we got to know each other very well and worked together very well.

Graham has a process the way he works, he has a particular style of working with players and sometimes - very often actuallly - say that that takes time, it takes timr to get his systems and his processes into the way the players train every day and play every week. Very often that is best established during a pre-season. He went into Chelsea a month into the season and in the last transfer window they bought a lot of new players, so the work he'd done between September and January to a large extent almost had to start again from scratch.

It will always take tim if you're working with top clubs with very high expectations to achieve the results that the fans expect and at (close your eyes if you're a snowflake) Chelsea its a bigger club than Brighton in terms of the history and the success that they've had and because of that the expectations are higher, so the pressure on Graham is higher and the demand for quicker better results is there all the time.

In my experience, he's calm, confident in his ability, he's a very good person to the players so the players will respect him for the values that he has, and I can't speak for Chelseas owners or board but certainly in our case at Brighton we gave him the time that he needed to get his methods across and three seasons into it, we finished in our highest ever position in the league. That in itself is testament to what he can achieve.

With all due respect to the players we've got, which is excellent, you know Chelsea are able to spend much higher sums of money on players that are the finished article quicker. So you know, if he's given time working with some of the worlds best players, who knows whats possible there?"

Interesting he says so and leads me to believe Boehly is also aware. You and Potter may well be stuck with each other for a while.

1 minute ago, SwedishEntity said:

You and Potter may well be stuck with each other for a while.

Hey there Swansman 🙂 

Sadly we know ... we're resigned to him being here for a long time ... sarcasm and humour has been the best way to cope with it up to now LOL ... 

Hopefully at some point the penny will drop with Boehly and we'll be able to hire someone as manager who is capable of getting his team accumulating actual goals and points at a level befitting of the player investment and history of the club.

Quite telling that almost none of the Brighton fans would ever want Potter back now that they've seen what De Zerbi can do with the same resources (minus Trossard of course), and all without a pre-season as well !

Virtually every single manager/CEO at a club ahead of us will say whatever necessary for us to stick with Potter. 

It's in their best interest. 

Edited March 21, 20233 yr by Sconnie Blue

38 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Hey there Swansman 🙂 

Sadly we know ... we're resigned to him being here for a long time ... sarcasm and humour has been the best way to cope with it up to now LOL ... 

Hopefully at some point the penny will drop with Boehly and we'll be able to hire someone as manager who is capable of getting his team accumulating actual goals and points at a level befitting of the player investment and history of the club.

Quite telling that almost none of the Brighton fans would ever want Potter back now that they've seen what De Zerbi can do with the same resources (minus Trossard of course), and all without a pre-season as well !

Hi

Yeah be great if Boehly did that. Not the best thing for you obviously; if he or any owner would listen to you, you would have a new manager and new squad every week rather than every six months.

Of course they don't want him back - they're doing fine (with the team he built and coached) and he is perceived as having betrayed them. Not many in PSG would have wanted him Tuchel back six months after he got sacked either, is that "telling" in the sense that it makes him a bad coach?

 

 

42 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Virtually every single manager/CEO at a club ahead of us will say whatever necessary for us to stick with Potter. 

It's in their best interest. 

I find this notion un true tbh. Us fans do that sort of sh*t but by in large the people working in the game are respectful of eachother.

Fergie and Jose were sucking each other off at every avaliable opportunity yet I bet Fergie was doing cartwheels when Mou left this league (likewise Fergie retiring just before Jose arriving back here).

10 hours ago, Frankie8Lampard said:

Zidane was only hired because he was a former player and club legend, on a merit basis, Tuchel would be more qualified than him for the Madrid job since he has won the CL which is one of the expectations at Madrid

I am not talking about their background or pedigree. It is about how they manage a team. 

 

Edited March 22, 20233 yr by Bob stark

17 hours ago, SwedishEntity said:

Of course they don't want him back - they're doing fine (with the team he built and coached)

Seem to be doing a lot better than "fine" no?

- Legit in the running for Top 4.
- Taken them to Wembley for a FA-Cup semifinal v United.
- Successfully managed a transition to a back 4 system.
- Embarrased Potter in their head to head.
- Scored more goals in first 25 games than Potter did over a full season last year.
- Doing all this while integrating teenagers in Colwill & Ferguson.

De Zerbi is essentially doing what we hoped Potter would be doing here. Elevated Brighton to new levels, transitioned to a new system, trusted youth and scored a lot of goals.

7 minutes ago, OriginalS said:

Seem to be doing a lot better than "fine" no?

- Legit in the running for Top 4. Potter also had them in top 4 
- Taken them to Wembley for a FA-Cup semifinal v United. Played Boro, Stoke, Grimsby and the worst Liverpool team in years 
- Successfully managed a transition to a back 4 system. Just a system, not sure why this would be celebrated
- Embarrased Potter in their head to head. Agreed
- Scored more goals in first 25 games than Potter did over a full season last year. First 25 games on the back of Potter's squad
- Doing all this while integrating teenagers in Colwill & Ferguson. Potter brought both of these players to Brighton

De Zerbi is essentially doing what we hoped Potter would be doing here. Elevated Brighton to new levels, transitioned to a new system, trusted youth and scored a lot of goals.

Depends which way you look at it though, surely?

1 minute ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Depends which way you look at it though, surely?

Not sure what you are doing here because none of your points make sense.

For example:  First 25 games on the back of Potter's squad

Yes, which would only highlight that De Zerbi is getting far more out of them no? And Ferguson and Colwill got next to no time on the pitch when Potter was there.

Potter had them in and around the Top 4 in August/September when every team can be all over the place as it's so early on. This time last season they were in 13th.

 

 

17 minutes ago, OriginalS said:

Not sure what you are doing here because none of your points make sense.

For example:  First 25 games on the back of Potter's squad

Yes, which would only highlight that De Zerbi is getting far more out of them no? And Ferguson and Colwill got next to no time on the pitch when Potter was there.

Potter had them in and around the Top 4 in August/September when every team can be all over the place as it's so early on. This time last season they were in 13th.

 

 

Last season is irrelevant, can only judge them on this season. Potter had them in top 4, nothing to show that wouldn't have continued under Potter. Just shows what a good job Potter did building such a good squad and the start he gave them this season.  

Which other point did you struggle to make sense of? I'll break it down for you. 

Edited March 22, 20233 yr by RIP Mourinho

6 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Last season is irrelevant, can only judge them on this season. Potter had them in top 4, nothing to show that wouldn't have continued under Potter. Just shows what a good job Potter did building such a good squad and the start he gave them this season.  

Which other point did you struggle to make sense of? I'll break it down for you. 

It's not irrelevant though because it doesn't matter where you are after 5 games. Ultimately what matters is where you end up in the end and for that you got to look at a full season or at least until over the halfway point so you have a real indication. They got off to a very fast start in 21/22 as well only to go on a very extended run of losses/draws which is very similar to what we've seen here with us.

I don't have much time for the other things as I gotta go. But there have been several here that's been clamouring for a system change for example and De Zerbi have achieved that there while Potter failed at his attempt with us. Both tried to implement the 4-2-3-1 and only one succeeded.

35 minutes ago, OriginalS said:

It's not irrelevant though because it doesn't matter where you are after 5 games. Ultimately what matters is where you end up in the end and for that you got to look at a full season or at least until over the halfway point so you have a real indication. They got off to a very fast start in 21/22 as well only to go on a very extended run of losses/draws which is very similar to what we've seen here with us.

I don't have much time for the other things as I gotta go. But there have been several here that's been clamouring for a system change for example and De Zerbi have achieved that there while Potter failed at his attempt with us. Both tried to implement the 4-2-3-1 and only one succeeded.

Since that season there were new signings plus an entire summer of pre-season, so it is irrelevant. De Zerbi picked up where Potter left off.

What's so good about a back 4? We have the best 2 wing backs in the world and won the CL with a back 3. Don't see an issue staying with it.

 

25 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Since that season there were new signings plus an entire summer of pre-season, so it is irrelevant. De Zerbi picked up where Potter left off.

What's so good about a back 4? We have the best 2 wing backs in the world and won the CL with a back 3. Don't see an issue staying with it.

 

Why spend £120 million on 2 new wingers if you don’t want to play them ?

1 minute ago, Aussie79 said:

Why spend £120 million on 2 new wingers if you don’t want to play them ?

Where's he said he doesn't want to play them? We've got 9 players fighting for 2/3 positions

A back 4 would be the ideal, but until our attack get sorted out properly and banging in goals, then all it would do is remove our most potent players currently from the attack.

Without James and Chilwell rampaging up the sidelines, we have been totally toothless attacking, and don't even look like scoring. When we've tried a back 4 you can see James and Chilwell falter at the halfway line, too scared to go on, as their defensive duties far out way their attacking ones.

If the front line and attacking midfielders worked properly together, James and Chilwell would then be an added threat for the opposition to worry about.

De Zerbi wouldn't be my first choice, but he's a massive upgrade over Potter that's for sure. Then again Steve Cooper also massively outperformed Potter at Swansea, so I think Potter might just be a poor coach. 

What do you guys think Guardiola would say about Potter's Chelsea?

Edited March 22, 20233 yr by Drogba1

36 minutes ago, Drogba1 said:

What do you guys think Guardiola would say about Potter's Chelsea?

But I thought Pep only praises managers who he thinks are sh*t and wants to stay to elimate a competitor? That's been the going narrative multiple times in this thread.

I know this will fall in unpopular opinion territory right now but i like a lot of what I've seen largely since pretty much West Ham away (exceptions Spurs and Saints).

Yes there's things Potter has to nip in the bud sharpish like not bringing on Gallagher as a blanket sub when in the lead (against Dortmund and Leicester it was the correct call against Everton it very much was not) but I feel the patterns of play are slowly developing and I really enjoyed the first hour against Everton.

46 minutes ago, Argo said:

I know this will fall in unpopular opinion territory right now but i like a lot of what I've seen largely since pretty much West Ham away (exceptions Spurs and Saints).

Yes there's things Potter has to nip in the bud sharpish like not bringing on Gallagher as a blanket sub when in the lead (against Dortmund and Leicester it was the correct call against Everton it very much was not) but I feel the patterns of play are slowly developing and I really enjoyed the first hour against Everton.

You did not like what you saw vs Southampton? Curious, I heard I heard Munks reaction was different.

Little wonder Todd wants to make this appointment work when you add this sum to any compensation. I'm not sure how we came to the conclusion that he was worth that amount to appoint.

2 hours ago, Argo said:

I know this will fall in unpopular opinion territory right now but i like a lot of what I've seen largely since pretty much West Ham away (exceptions Spurs and Saints).

Yes there's things Potter has to nip in the bud sharpish like not bringing on Gallagher as a blanket sub when in the lead (against Dortmund and Leicester it was the correct call against Everton it very much was not) but I feel the patterns of play are slowly developing and I really enjoyed the first hour against Everton.

Part in bold is just too much of a red flag for me. 
 

First, expecting to control the midfield by adding Gallagher, a player who can barely control a football let alone against a press, still baffles me and even more so that Potter continues to do it. At least bring on a player that can retain the ball so we don’t constantly give away possession and invite pressure. I question Potter’s in game management in matches we need to be on the front foot. 
 

Second, reverting to a pragmatic set up with 30 minutes to go, when there is virtually no need and against some pretty poor opposition at home, doesn’t instill any confidence in me to believe we can challenge City under Potter. It’s cowardice and I fear Potter doesn’t understand the heights we need to reach to challenge City. 

And this isn’t even considering the notion we are only looking better with the injection of individual quality now on the pitch, playing in a system they are already familiar to. 

 

Edited March 22, 20233 yr by Sconnie Blue

2 hours ago, Argo said:

I know this will fall in unpopular opinion territory right now but i like a lot of what I've seen largely since pretty much West Ham away (exceptions Spurs and Saints).

Yes there's things Potter has to nip in the bud sharpish like not bringing on Gallagher as a blanket sub when in the lead (against Dortmund and Leicester it was the correct call against Everton it very much was not) but I feel the patterns of play are slowly developing and I really enjoyed the first hour against Everton.

Personally I just think that's the quality of our players we spent 600m on shining through, even a half-decent manager would have got top 4 with this lot easily. But hopefully I'm wrong. It does feel like a case of when he gets sacked though, rather than if.

1 hour ago, Sconnie Blue said:

And this isn’t even considering the notion we are only looking better with the injection of individual quality now on the pitch, playing in a system they are already familiar to. 

Out of the starters that faced Everton over half either barely played under Tuchel (Fofana, Kouli, Kepa) or didn't atall (Badiashille, Enzo, Felix).

1 hour ago, Drogba1 said:

Personally I just think that's the quality of our players we spent 600m on shining through, even a half-decent manager would have got top 4 with this lot easily. But hopefully I'm wrong. It does feel like a case of when he gets sacked though, rather than if.

Maybe, but then on the same basis doesn't he deserve some benefit of the doubt for pre the window? Some of the lineups we were forced to play at times were utter poverty.