4 hours ago, Zeta said:

Let's not forget it was only about 2 weeks ago we got thrashed 0-5, and had looked awful every week. A couple of decent games doesn't change that. 

I think that's the aberration rather than the norm.

We've had some good results on either side of that match.

• 6-0 win against Everton.
• 2-2 draw away against Aston Villa (probably should have won it in the end).
• 2-0 win against Spurs.
• 5-0 win against West Ham.

The results that annoy me the most were our draws against Burnley and Sheffield United.

Does Cucurella invert change everything? 

Nope, this is the first half against villa. Same exact structure as when Cucu invert. 

1st pic, palmer  drop to pick up the ball as pivot which mean Caicedo get forward. 

2nd pic, Caicedo - Conor pivot with Palmer n mudryk as 10.

There is slight change in deep build up  when we transition from defensive  to offensive shape but once it is settled, it is very similar

 

 

1 hour ago, Bob stark said:

Does Cucurella invert change everything? 

Nope, this is the first half against villa. Same exact structure as when Cucu invert. 

1st pic, palmer  drop to pick up the ball as pivot which mean Caicedo get forward. 

2nd pic, Caicedo - Conor pivot with Palmer n mudryk as 10.

There is slight change in deep build up  when we transition from defensive  to offensive shape but once it is settled, it is very similar

 

 

Sure, the same basic structure. I think what we have benefited the most from is mostly where other players can now take up positions

1: as Cucu is no longer wide, Mudryk is in charge of the entire left side thus playing wider and deeper. This gives him more room to run into. 
2: as Cucu takes part of the pivot we can afford to keep Palmer higher, even if we release Gallagher or Caicedo to roam forward. As a result we keep Palmer where he has the most influence, and we get more often deep runs from midfield which makes us less static and predictable

 

But yeah, I suspect mentality, attitude and now confidence has as much or more to do with our upturn than Cucu inverting  - interesting though as it is

Well, it changes in that we now have three in midfield during the transitions, which means that we can put more offensive bodies when we start the attack and we don't get caught out with Caicedo as the only midfielder when we are transitioning into defensive mode.

30 minutes ago, AndyDowsleftflank said:

Sure, the same basic structure. I think what we have benefited the most from is mostly where other players can now take up positions

1: as Cucu is no longer wide, Mudryk is in charge of the entire left side thus playing wider and deeper. This gives him more room to run into. 
2: as Cucu takes part of the pivot we can afford to keep Palmer higher, even if we release Gallagher or Caicedo to roam forward. As a result we keep Palmer where he has the most influence, and we get more often deep runs from midfield which makes us less static and predictable

 

But yeah, I suspect mentality, attitude and now confidence has as much or more to do with our upturn than Cucu inverting  - interesting though as it is

I rewatch the game a bit to get that screenshot.

The key here is actually Mudyrk. It looks better because with mudryk playing max width mean he has less responsibility on both side of the ball.(the less touch he get the better the team look 🫣🫣) 

His movement off the ball and on the ball on the offensive end is just so bad. 

Cucurella also benefit because as dm he has less responsibility offensively. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 7, 20242 yr by Bob stark

One thing I don’t understand is that if the club are demanding European football but they actually can’t meet European FFP, what’s the point in demanding it? I get being up the table but we’re unlikely to be able to meet FFP due to the hotel sale not being recognised so we’d likely have to forfeit anyway - unless there’s some clever accounting going on. 

Sources close to the club, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, talk about underwhelming training methods. (@SJohnsonSport @TheAthleticFC)

57 minutes ago, JM7 said:

One thing I don’t understand is that if the club are demanding European football but they actually can’t meet European FFP, what’s the point in demanding it? I get being up the table but we’re unlikely to be able to meet FFP due to the hotel sale not being recognised so we’d likely have to forfeit anyway - unless there’s some clever accounting going on. 

Seems like something they made up because they made their mind up on Poch before our upturn in form. So much for the end of season evaluation

2 hours ago, Bob stark said:

I rewatch the game a bit to get that screenshot.

The key here is actually Mudyrk. It looks better because with mudryk playing max width mean he has less responsibility on both side of the ball.(the less touch he get the better the team look 🫣🫣) 

His movement off the ball and on the ball on the offensive end is just so bad. 

Cucurella also benefit because as dm he has less responsibility offensively. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, Mudryk’s just not a good player. Lacks most of the basics. He is extremely quick, so running through from deeper is something he actually CAN do. He will not be in the team long term though, too much missing in his game

1 hour ago, JM7 said:

But I thought our squad was terrible and the coach had no chance of getting them to play well, or consistently? How is this possible.

1 hour ago, JM7 said:

Sources close to the club, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, talk about underwhelming training methods. (@SJohnsonSport @TheAthleticFC)

Seem they are briefing so when they sack him they have all this information out to control the narrative.

These training methods are so underwhelming that the players haven’t down tools and are fighting for him.

1 hour ago, JM7 said:

One thing I don’t understand is that if the club are demanding European football but they actually can’t meet European FFP, what’s the point in demanding it? I get being up the table but we’re unlikely to be able to meet FFP due to the hotel sale not being recognised so we’d likely have to forfeit anyway - unless there’s some clever accounting going on. 

Lots of people are taking anonymous sources as fact. 

Impossible to know anything for certain, but I am pretty sure if we sack Poch it will backfire on us. 

You cant sack a coach for these results. 

All fingers point to De Zerbi too if we sack Poch. 

I think he’s a goner. Between what he said over the last week and the leaks coming out, seems quite likely he’s done.

12 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

All fingers point to De Zerbi too if we sack Poch. 

Yikes. Bit of a one trick pony. However can't be too harsh on the guy - look at the squad he's got to work with - Danny Welbeck as the main striker.

That slimy lizard has sold the crown jewels, replaced them with cheap tat from Argos, pocketed the cash and left De Zerbi to pick up the pieces. Very poorly run club who have had their taste of success (1 season as Europa League whipping boys) before disappearing back into obscurity.

43 minutes ago, Gordon Bennett said:

Yikes. Bit of a one trick pony. However can't be too harsh on the guy - look at the squad he's got to work with - Danny Welbeck as the main striker.

That slimy lizard has sold the crown jewels, replaced them with cheap tat from Argos, pocketed the cash and left De Zerbi to pick up the pieces. Very poorly run club who have had their taste of success (1 season as Europa League whipping boys) before disappearing back into obscurity.

All the best managers adapt, even Pep. 

De Zerbi never does. In the same school of thought as Bielsa. 

Really hope we don’t sack Poch and bring in De Zerbi. It would be absolutely ridiculous. De Zerbi hasn’t shown enough. Poch is a proven PL manager (not perfect but good enough for where we are). 
 

57 minutes ago, JM7 said:

Really hope we don’t sack Poch and bring in De Zerbi. It would be absolutely ridiculous. De Zerbi hasn’t shown enough. Poch is a proven PL manager (not perfect but good enough for where we are). 
 

Agreed, but would fit in with the haphazard way, added to the all things Brighton love-in, this regime have gone about things. 

1 hour ago, Sconnie Blue said:

All the best managers adapt, even Pep. 

De Zerbi never does. In the same school of thought as Bielsa. 

What adaptation could he even make? Their current squad is terrible with all the injuries

Whilst Poch seems to have got us playing good football with Cucu inverted, it is good to remember that he randomly diverted from the good set up we were playing in pre season as well

 

Not to mention the fact that it took him 10 months to try and implement a tactic City/Arsenal have been using for years

 

His tactical nous is extremely questionable, and it is very possible he diverts away from this system as well.

33 minutes ago, Drogba1 said:

What adaptation could he even make? Their current squad is terrible with all the injuries

Letting things happen is just a bit of naivety and stubbornness. They still have their CBs and Midfield in tact yet they are being carved through like butter given the expansive game De Zerbi has them continuously playing. Never once tried to cut out the suicide passing from the back despite the poor form they are in. They constantly invite pressure. 

In his defense it really isn't a good team on paper and De Zerbi clearly has his head elsewhere but even then De Zerbi is very much a live by the sword die by the sword type of manager. 

 

2 hours ago, Drogba1 said:

What adaptation could he even make? Their current squad is terrible with all the injuries

Stop with the ridiculously high energy pressing game that's not helping his teams injuries.

2 hours ago, Drogba1 said:

What adaptation could he even make? Their current squad is terrible with all the injuries

Stop the “jumping off a cliff” football. The perfect illustration of this was the first leg against Roma they were getting carved open time after time and what does he do keep playing the same way. You need to recognise when it’s not your day and not get battered shut up shop.
He continued with high pressure passing out from the back game and continued to get caught out.