[Albion] Lallana On Brighton Departure

[Klaas]

Going to be controversial here but was he really any good for us ?

Scored 3 goals in 95 appearances

Don’t remember many man of the match performances ?

Always injured ?

Rumoured to be 100k a week ?

His best contribution to BHAFC was not as a player but his excellent contribution managing/coaching the team with crofts between Potter and RDZ

Thoughts ?

Thought his best period was when De Zerbi came in. He was top drawer, and then he got injured.

 

[BiffyBoy]

Think he was pretty good for us, all things considered.

He made decent contributions in all three years that he was here, which was better than I predicted when he first signed here as a 33 year old.

You're right in that he should have scored more goals, but he did change / dictate games on his good days.

Would be VERY surprised if the club was giving him £100k/week.

But I think just like all these veteran signings, it's more to do with the development of our younger players, and general dressing room atmosphere, which it certainly seemed like he was influential in that regard over his time here.

Not an Albion legend, but probably deserves a clap for his contributions over some of our most successful seasons when we next see him.

Maybe not £100k but it had to have been close and we know he was a top earner at the club.

For both Lallana and Milner, I’d honestly rather have kept the wages vs the value they’ve added to the team.

If it’s about being a role model to the younger players, just hire them as coaches where we know the salaries will be a fraction of what they’re earning! There’s a reason why he’s gone back to Southampton as a player vs become a coach.

 

[John Byrnes Mullet]

Lovely guy but a waste of money as a player.

 

[The Optimist]

I’ve got feeling that the ‘veteran’ we get in to replace him will blow folks minds.

Just a hunch, or do you know something?

 

[Farehamseagull]

I am a big fan of Lallana, didn't score or create too many but his influence on the pitch was not measured in such. Kept the ball and moved it intelligently. Touch and intelligence was great and set up moves for others to get assists etc.

Love listening to him talking about football, look forward to listening to this podcast and hope he comes back to manage/coach soon.

Somewhat surprised I appear to be in a minority about this but football is so much about opinions

I’m with you, he was class.

I loved watching him play for us, he gave me more joy on the pitch than nearly any other player we’ve had. His touch and appreciation of space and positioning was on another level.

There were so many games where the difference in our performance with him on the pitch to off it was staggering. So many times our performance level dropped massively after he went off or improved hugely when he came on. Not all fans can see that though.

I just wish he hadn’t gone back there.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Obviously a big influence around the club and in games early on in his time here, but maybe (albeit with hindsight) a three year contract was a year too long, as he seemed to fall off a cliff this season playing wise. I'm surprised he got another year in the Prem, even if it is Southampton

 

[Hugo Rune]

Just a hunch, or do you know something?

100% hunch.

Powered by Naylor’s hint dropping!

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Thought his best period was when De Zerbi came in. He was top drawer, and then he got injured.

Yes those 10 minutes were superb

 

[Uh_huh_him]

There was one game, when he came on as a sub and then went off injured 5 minutes later.
That frames my memory of him every bit as much as his moments of class on the pitch.

He was an essential part of changing the culture at the club.
But he did not warrant taking up a place in the squad/payroll any more.

 

[el punal]

I’m with you, he was class.

I loved watching him play for us, he gave me more joy on the pitch than nearly any other player we’ve had. His touch and appreciation of space and positioning was on another level.

There were so many games where the difference in our performance with him on the pitch to off it was staggering. So many times our performance level dropped massively after he went off or improved hugely when he came on. Not all fans can see that though.

I just wish he hadn’t gone back there.

The Saints fans that I know are not over keen on him. When he left to go to Liverpool he apparently said something that left a sour taste in the mouth - think Dean Hammond when he left Brighton.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

The Saints fans that I know are not over keen on him. When he left to go to Liverpool he apparently said something that left a sour taste in the mouth - think Dean Hammond when he left Brighton.

Very much this from what I heard

 

[kelvinnewman]

I know this Southampton move was influenced be being nearer family, but given Hürzeler doesn’t seem to have a team he’s bringing with him AL as a assistant would have been perfect continuity wise

 

[Flounce]

I know this Southampton move was influenced be being nearer family, but given Hürzeler doesn’t seem to have a team he’s bringing with him AL as a assistant would have been perfect continuity wise

He’ll have Crofts and Milner and with any luck Pascal will want some of the action and stay here. I think Pascal could very easily slip into the Lallana role and being German he could also advise FH on anything that might be lost in translation until he gets up to speed with colloquial English.

Maybe we kept Milner on because Lallana was leaving.

 

[Timbo]

Going to be controversial here but was he really any good for us ?

Scored 3 goals in 95 appearances

Don’t remember many man of the match performances ?

Always injured ?

Rumoured to be 100k a week ?

His best contribution to BHAFC was not as a player but his excellent contribution managing/coaching the team with crofts between Potter and RDZ

Thoughts ?

No he wasn't. I didn't get the love in on the last day either, the guys had millions out of the club and contributed very little. I'm actually amazed at 95 appearances, wonder how many of those were less than 10 minutes.

 

[Triggaaar]

I’d rather take a punt on 10 more wonderkids than Lallana or Milner type signings on stupid wages. Our model works, but this bit doesn’t.

How do you know it doesn't? They're not just here to play so how do you know they haven't helped our younger signings enough?

Otherwise we’ll become a breeding ground for big waged players showing off down at Donatello’s and not buying the fixed price menu.

That is clearly not what happens here

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I remember some excellent performances from Lallana, one at Wolves especially, with a goal and a superb cross for Mitoma. And you could hear him urging the players on in many games during lockdown, for example the 1-1 draw at Palace with Ally Mac's late equaliser.

And so many people within the club have spoken about the attitude and professionalism he brought behind the scenes.

 

[Baldseagull]

Was good to have, but a bit of a luxury. Seems to rate himself a bit much as a superior intellect and professional in the dressing room though, as if it was a massive favour he was doing us by being here.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

I’m with you, he was class.

I loved watching him play for us, he gave me more joy on the pitch than nearly any other player we’ve had. His touch and appreciation of space and positioning was on another level.

There were so many games where the difference in our performance with him on the pitch to off it was staggering. So many times our performance level dropped massively after he went off or improved hugely when he came on. Not all fans can see that though.

I just wish he hadn’t gone back there.

Totally agree with the above. His ability to read the game, talk our players through the match etc will be sorely missed. Spurs away this season stands out, even as he was walking off the pitch he was shouting out instructions to players. He wasn't switching off.

Obviously a big influence around the club and in games early on in his time here, but maybe (albeit with hindsight) a three year contract was a year too long, as he seemed to fall off a cliff this season playing wise. I'm surprised he got another year in the Prem, even if it is Southampton

He actually played more this season just finished, than his second season here, where he missed pretty much the entire second half of the season injured.

Stats below are for all competitions-

23-24 - 30 appearances (13 starts, 17 off the bench)
22-23 - 18 games (14 starts and 4 off the bench). He did score three goals and have two assists this season too.

However he averaged more mins per appearance in his second season.

23-24 - 951 mins played (32m per appearance)
22-23 - 835 mins played (46m per appearance)

 

[elwheelio]

I’ve got feeling that the ‘veteran’ we get in to replace him will blow folks minds.

John Rambo?

 

[Spiros]

I remember some excellent performances from Lallana, one at Wolves especially, with a goal and a superb cross for Mitoma. And you could hear him urging the players on in many games during lockdown, for example the 1-1 draw at Palace with Ally Mac's late equaliser.

And so many people within the club have spoken about the attitude and professionalism he brought behind the scenes.

Agree that a lot of what he did wasn’t easy to appreciate from the stand. The best I saw of him was in the 3-2 win over Man City when only about 8,000 of us were allowed in. All the time we were behind he was always involved in getting attacks started and you could hear him geeing up players everywhere. Once we got in front he dropped back and was the main voice organising defence right across the pitch as well as back to front. He was the manager on the pitch and you could much more of him than any of the coaches