Alireza Jahanbakhsh @ Brighton & Hove Albion | 2019-2020

[MR.S]

Potter Post game press conference.

https://youtu.be/HU8r1Wk-cDA

[Medzdidz]

Another good thing out of all of this is that Alireza will hopefully will carry on this confidence into the rest of the season and be fit and ready when we play our next World Cup Qualifier. That plus Saman’s ban finishing is good News and also the form of Rezai and Gholizadeh in Belgium.
Hopefully our boys in Portugal stay fit and carry on scoring and Azmoun is fine after the Winter break. What a conundrum for the new manager (whenever and whomever that may be) on who you play up front and around that area.

[Under Lahaf]

Looking at the goals and assists stats of the other offensive players, apart from Maupay, you really have to question what Potter was thinking to not even include Jahanbakhsh in his matchday squads. It's almost criminal to do that while you have a bunch of players unable to score more than 1 or 2 goals in 15-20 appearances.

WOW, I just checked the data and you are of course right! We shall see how it goes from here on! Trossard also has good numbers (compared to rest); 2 goals and 3 assists

[Malkay]

The obvious answer; and it’s one that a lot of people on here like to completely ignore as an option, is that maybe ARJ just wasn’t performing in training? It’s something none of us know the answer too. However when a lot of people on here moan about how Brighton have handled the season they don’t even consider the fact that a head coach with an excellent track record throughout his career has watched these players every day and then came to what he thinks is the best decision.

It's very plausible that could have played a part. I think the more realistic of us on here are under no illusion of that. Though I would counter that to say that Potter has been documented praising his work ethic and professionalism in his last two post match interviews. Then again, if he was unhappy with any aspect of his training it's unlikely that any manager would state that publicly... unless he's looking to offload him or his name is Jose Mourinho.

I'm probably more inclined to think it's because he was a work in progress during the time he was out of the squad and he wasn't versatile enough for the style of football that Potter wanted to play from the beginning of the season. ARJ is by trade a RW. In theory he can play anywhere in an advanced midfield position - AZ sometimes played him as an AM or second striker behind Weghorst - and any winger in the modern day game should be able to switch wings, as he did against Bournemouth... but he's most effective as a RW, which was why everyone on here was bemoaning Hughton's predominant use of him as a LWB last season. We were equally concerned by comments attributed to Potter earlier in the season about him being able to adapt to RWB. https://www.brightonandhoveindepende...khsh-1-9045168

Anyway, in terms of adapting to that style of play, we know he's not blessed with pace when compared with other similar positioned players in the league. It was evident last season that his defensive work leaves a lot to be desired. I'm not particularly impressed with his ball retention or positional play whenever I watch him. These are pretty damning elements of his game which inhibit him as being an automatic starter in every game outside of being massively in form, as he arguably is right now.

Nevertheless, to me he's one of the most technically gifted players at the club and can deliver final balls that offer pretty clear cut chances (oh man, to think how many of those Weghorst wasted), both of these attributes were highlighted by the quality of his goal and his would be assist for Maupay yesterday. That's what makes him unique to the team and if the coaching staff can adapt his game to eliminate or drastically reduce his poorer attributes and whilst maximising the talent he does offer, the Brighton fans are still yet to see the best out of him. I think Trossard on the opposite wing and Maupay upfront provides his best chance of affecting the game and chalking up goals and assists. The issue is that despite a lot of Iranian fan's consternation, they can't play a front 3 like that in every game and he can't start every week. Potter knows it, which is why he has tinkered so much all season.

People on this board are extremely harsh and snide about Potter and his performance as manager this season purely because of ARJ's lack of game time. I doubt a lot of those contributors are aware of how progressive a coach he is, hence his meteoric rise as a manager from the Swedish 4th division to the Premier League in less than a decade. Sure he's an ex-player like most managers but after a pretty unspectacular playing career to put it mildly, he went back to school and got a master's in "leadership and emotional intelligence". I suspect that comes into play in how he's retained his players since becoming BHA manager. He shipped out Knockaert, Andone, Locadia and Kayal from the first team. You can be sure that most, if not all, of those decisions are to do with attitude as much as ability. Knockaert was a key player for Brighton last season and at times it felt like Hughton built his attack around him but he was evidently a selfish, conceited player. If Potter didn't rate his personality, he didn't want him in his squad. ARJ appears to be a different situation. A record signing that had a poor season but a character he believed was still an asset to the team and that he could still yet get the best out of if given time with him?

Regardless, the jury is still out on Potter's treatment of Jahanbakhsh in these past 5 months. I want to be upset at the fact that before Bournemouth he'd only played 22 minutes in the league all season, that he'd sat on the bench 4 times and not played (even when they were beating Spurs 3-0 after 65 minutes), that he didn't make so many matchday squads in favour of youngsters like Alzate and Connolly. But if his performance in the last couple of games is a response to that and if he stays at BHA, continues to feature in his natural position and this purple patch of performances continues (regardless of goals and assists), then it's hard to criticise the way he's been treated. He's unlikely to have just started performing like this in August or September (by all accounts he was dreadful on the RW playing against League One opposition in the cup in August). Players need to adapt to new managers and their philosophy. If his time out for the first half of the season has been to do so in order to play where he's best suited and now he's reaping the benefits, then I call that good management.

3 games until the end of the month. We should expect no less than him making the matchday squad / appearing in all 3 games and starting against Villa at home. My heart wants it to work for him. My head still says he should move in this window.

[inarsenewetrust]

The obvious answer; and it’s one that a lot of people on here like to completely ignore as an option, is that maybe ARJ just wasn’t performing in training? It’s something none of us know the answer too. However when a lot of people on here moan about how Brighton have handled the season they don’t even consider the fact that a head coach with an excellent track record throughout his career has watched these players every day and then came to what he thinks is the best decision.

another crappy unsatisfactory argument. You will have try again.

Potter himself has praised ARJ's attitude and application in training all season.

Now, for the sake of argument, lets say the other guys were performing better in training...Then does their measly, pathetic goalscoring and assist making records count for nothing? Its clear to see brighton have lacked quality in final action and decisive playmaking to go with their newfound meaningless amount of possession...

You have a brain buddy, please, use it. Based on what you have seen from these brighton players in ARJ's position :

- Trossard :2 goals 4 assists, I think should be a sure starter.
- Conolly : an energetic kid with good pace and pressing attributes and decent finish, but playmaking and football IQ not close to ARJs level at all
- Alzate : sometimes has indeed played RW with very little effect, zero goals zero assists. Not close to ARJs level technically or anything else. But physically a good player better at the RWB role.
- Gross : fell off so bad following first season, a lot to do with injury, but again his output is lower than ARJs right now despite way more mins
- Solly march : A headless chicken if there ever was one, 1 assist?

How can you say they are doing good enough in TRAINING to warrant him being left out of 18 for so many matches. Im not even saying start him (although after his last two games that would make most sense), but the disrespect to not even include him in 18, basically saying you are in no way part of my plans is clear and seems totally unwarranted.

Stats are not everything, but for offensive players, they must count for something. In fact they count for a lot. This group of players playing instead of him have been neither effective nor shown a lot of promise.

Their contribution so far was to get the team to two points above drop zone before ARJ's strong performances in the past week gave them some breathing space.

Now you can look with your own eyes at the statistics that matter, or you can mention training (which by the only evidence we have he is doing well in), or other meaningless points.

You can also just admit that potter made a mistake and labelled him as crap, never gave him a fair shot, which then is why people speculate that brighton were just trying to force him out of club in upcoming window.

[TM4LIFE]

Malkay really really nicely said, great post. Pretty much a level headed assessment of everything that's happened to this point and a good explanation of many of the reactions seen among Iranian fans.
This should be stickied to every page of this thread to save us some time that will inevitably be spent on arguments

[Nokhodi]

Jahanbakhsh getting a solid 2 minute shout out in the Guardian Football Weekly Podcast. They also commented on his "handsomeness" and "elegance".

[MR.S]

another crappy unsatisfactory argument. You will have try again.
Potter himself has praised ARJ's attitude and application in training all season.
Now, for the sake of argument, lets say the other guys were performing better in training...Then does their measly, pathetic goalscoring and assist making records count for nothing? Its clear to see brighton have lacked quality in final action and decisive playmaking to go with their newfound meaningless amount of possession...
You have a brain buddy, please, use it. Based on what you have seen from these brighton players in ARJ's position :
- Trossard :2 goals 4 assists, I think should be a sure starter.
- Conolly : an energetic kid with good pace and pressing attributes and decent finish, but playmaking and football IQ not close to ARJs level at all
- Alzate : sometimes has indeed played RW with very little effect, zero goals zero assists. Not close to ARJs level technically or anything else. But physically a good player better at the RWB role.
- Gross : fell off so bad following first season, a lot to do with injury, but again his output is lower than ARJs right now despite way more mins
- Solly march : A headless chicken if there ever was one, 1 assist?
How can you say they are doing good enough in TRAINING to warrant him being left out of 18 for so many matches. Im not even saying start him (although after his last two games that would make most sense), but the disrespect to not even include him in 18, basically saying you are in no way part of my plans is clear and seems totally unwarranted.
Stats are not everything, but for offensive players, they must count for something. In fact they count for a lot. This group of players playing instead of him have been neither effective nor shown a lot of promise.
Their contribution so far was to get the team to two points above drop zone before ARJ's strong performances in the past week gave them some breathing space.
Now you can look with your own eyes at the statistics that matter, or you can mention training (which by the only evidence we have he is doing well in), or other meaningless points.
You can also just admit that potter made a mistake and labelled him as crap, never gave him a fair shot, which then is why people speculate that brighton were just trying to force him out of club in upcoming window.

also in preseason he was doing well before he mysteriousley got droped from the squad the last 1-2 games. Lol att People using goals/match as a statistic. Goals/minutes is closer to reality.

[KeonKish]

I genuinely believe that potter misjudged ARJ.
I don't think that potter is a bad manager, nor do I believe that he acted with any malice toward ARJ.

ARJ had not played with confidence or truly shown himself in prior matches. I can say this with confidence because I know how he plays when confident, and I know the type of intelligent play and attacks he produced every single game at AZ.

Sometimes in football, there are times like this where you finally get your chance, and you seize the opportunity.

I think that ARJ has seized his opportunity in these last two matches, proven his quality, and made an extremely strong argument for why he should be playing games for brighton. Now, potter has a tendency to change up his lineups and switch players from starting to sub, which isnt a problem. ARJ showed his effectiveness agaisnt a weaker team and against one of the biggest teams as well, this way, nobody can claim that his performance was a fluke nor can they claim that it wasn't done against a strong team.

In 22 minutes against chelsea
He served a goal on a silver platter for maupay, who, most of the time would have scored from that.
He made a good pass to conolly in the box, which also could have been converted, albeit was much more difficult.
He scored possibly the best goal that brighton fans have ever seen as well.

I've seen his competition
Out of all of the attackers, it seems that only Maupay and Trossard have produced anything significant in terms of goals/assists

We will see going forward if potter changes his mind about ARJ, after these two games, I don't think ARJ is likely to leave, he has found his confidence again and that's all that matters, he will produce on the pitch and he will flourish under potters system.

I honestly do really rate potter as a coach, I think brighton will do increasingly better with time and also think that ARJ will become a major player for brighton in the second part of the season.

So far, NO player has had the productivity or impact that he has had in only 120 minutes.

I really don't think there's any real justification for Ali not getting any minutes prior to this, likely just that potter was wrong about him, but that's sure to be in the past now.

[Salar]

15 min interview on the Brighton website with him guys, just published. You need to register to watch.

[O-ZoNe]

Apologies if repost

10 big questions from a busy New Year's Day in the Premier League

https://www.thescore.com/eng_fed/news/1918086

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[ashegetoop]

OMG! Poor guy has scored a goal so what? A Nice one but still is not a miracle. Let him do his normal performance and stop this none sense pushing.



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[Futbaldoost]

OMG! Poor guy has scored a goal so what? A Nice one but still is not a miracle. Let him do his normal performance and stop this none sense pushing.



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Thank you for being the party pooper of the decade so far

Go ARJ!

[KeonKish]

OMG! Poor guy has scored a goal so what? A Nice one but still is not a miracle. Let him do his normal performance and stop this none sense pushing.



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Haji are you okay?

This dude literally scored in two consecutive games and performed well besides the goals.

This is despite not getting any minutes in the last few months.

There are attacking players on the team who have played more than 10 games with less goals.

[KasraKhan]

A few random points after reading the recent posts:

1) I don't agree that JB was poor defensively last year. He always put in a massive defensive shift under Hughton covering well for Montoya, Bong, Bernardo and Bruno to the detriment of his offense. Further, JB played for eight years under the defensive master mind by the name of Carlos Quieroz. CQ instilled defensive discipline, focus, and tactical awareness into JB (like he did with the rest of TM).

2) I also lament the fact that some users always bring up his lack of pace. So what? It's like complaining a Porsche isn't a good car because it doesn't have 4x4 capabilities. Pointing out JB's lack of pace to justify his exclusion overlooks and minimizes his countless other valuable attributes (vision, passing, technique, football IQ, teamwork, goal scoring, etc.). You know who has pace? Anthony Knockaert. How'd that work out for BHA?