So what actually is Potterball? The derogatory made-up word banded around by some in our fanbase as a reference to the style of play Graham Potter has adopted since his arrival as successor to Julen Lopetegui.
Under the chaotic Spaniard, we were a team who looked to be heading for deep trouble. Shipping goals on a regular basis – a team playing without any apparent structure or gameplan – employing tactics that were baffling everyone, not least the players, who looked to be going through the motions but not to having any trust or understanding of what the head coach wanted from them.
It clearly couldn’t continue. Something had to give – thankfully after what seemed like weeks of indecision the board finally acted. Lopetegui was ushered out and Graham Potter brought in.
We weren’t quite in the mess that David Moyes was brought in to salvage – twice. But we certainly weren’t in a good place and Potter had to find a way to steady the ship and take the heat out of what was potentially a disaster waiting to happen. Not just with the team but the club as a whole – including the fanbase.
The fact we now sit comfortably above the relegation zone with fears of the big drop banished for another season, is testament to Potter and what he has done in his time in charge.
It shouldn’t be forgotten that Potter’s reign is less than twelve weeks old but in that time he has changed the atmosphere at the club dramatically. The transformation in the team, the way they are organised, the way they are playing – the way they clearly believe and understand what they’re being asked to do couldn’t be more evident.
Under Lopetegui we conceded 39 goals in 20 league games – virtually two a game. We’ve played nine league games since Potter’s arrival with only nine goals conceded, perfectly underlining how far more organised and solid we are now at the back. The defensive frailties of the Lopetegui reign have been banished as they had to be.
But it appears that greater organisation leading to a more solid backbone is what’s upsetting some of our fans. Potterball, as they call it, isn’t what they want to see. Maybe a more gung-ho ‘Angeball’ would be more to their liking?
Although the last time I looked, Spurs were sitting on 33 points, exactly the same as us – and the natives around White Hart Lane were becoming increasingly restless with Postecoglou and his own style of ‘expansive’ play. Football fans eh – never satisfied!
Graham Potter clearly isn’t immune to the criticism coming from some sections of our fan base – although he’s certainly not likely to change his way of thinking just to suit them. Neither should he!
As he has said: “I apologise if things aren’t happening quicker than we want them to be, but I think when you see the players give everything, that commitment is there. I think that’s a real strong start point and foundation, then we obviously always want to look to improve.”
It’s completely unrealistic to expect a new manager to come in, wave a magic wand and suddenly get his team playing sexy football. Anyone who thinks that’s even remotely possible have little or no idea of the way real football works. The proper game – not an idealist, fictional version of it. In a perfect world and all that – but that’s not where we were. Potter’s task, first and foremost, was to address that!
The head coach has concentrated his efforts on making us more solid – harder to beat. That might not be to everyone’s liking but it was a necessity. Simply relying on outscoring the opposition is a nice thought – but it’s certainly not a practical alternative in the circumstance.
“If you rely on scoring two goals it’s difficult. You have to be stable defensively. We’ve done well with that. It’s not perfect but we’re improving,” he has said. And in a clear reference to the situation he found himself in with the loss of Michail Antonio and then Niclaus Fullkrug, Potter says: “We’ve had injuries at the top of the pitch so there’s a context to look at when you analyse things.”
And before anyone mentions Evan Ferguson, he was never going to arrive and be thrown straight in to solve our striker problem. Potter took him on board because there was never any serious prospect of us signing any of the many alternatives being bandied about at that time. They were simply there for social media to feast on.
Ferguson was seen as a useful addition to the squad – exactly how Potter is playing it.
I have no doubt when Graham Potter gets to influence our transfer dealings in the summer – supposing, of course, Sullivan will allow him to, and the little man doesn’t play his usual silly games pleading poverty and trying to portray himself as some kind of transfer wheeler-dealer with his favoured agents in tow – then I believe we will see a different approach to our football.
I saw someone at the weekend asking why can’t we play like Bournemouth and Brentford did in a highly entertaining encounter. Ignoring the fact Thomas Frank had been building his side for nine years, and although Andoni Iraola hasn’t been in charge at Bournemouth that long, he has had almost two years in the job, plus several transfer windows to create the team he wants.
Let’s judge Graham Potter when he’s had a bit more time, and a bit more influence. When it’s his team he’s working with and not some of the misfits of a previous era. Who knows ‘Potterball’ might actually turn out to be to our liking.
* Like to share your thoughts on this article? Please visit the KUMB Forum to leave a comment.
* Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the highlighted author/s and do not necessarily represent or reflect the official policy or position of KUMB.com.