[Albion] Locadia Today

[Super Steve Earle]

Poor multi millionaire Locadia - couldn't even make the grade at the stepping stone. He must be miserable, oh, wait a minute, I meant living the dream in America and probably never needs to work again!

 

[Swansman]

Being fair we can take off the loan fees from Cincinatti and Hoffenheim and the unknown amount of wages that those 2 clubs contributed.

Think at least Cincinnati paid 100% or TB wouldnt have accepted the long duration of the loan.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

“Locadia earns 2.32 million euros per year. This makes him by far the highest paid Dutchman in the competition”

Just pause and reflect on that figure for a second - then further reflect on the chain of abject failure that enabled it to happen

 

[b.w.2.]

We have made some sh1t striker signings but Big Jurg must be right up there with the very worst. I will drive him to Twente! [emoji6]


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[One Teddy Maybank]

His one saving grace (and for his undoubted shitness, it shouldn't be forgotten) was that lovely finish at Millwall without which we wouldn't have enjoyed a day at at Wembley in the FA Cup.

He has contributed pretty much nothing else. Comparisons with the VERY disappointing Ali J are actually unfair on Ali J. At least he's worked hard to stay on the fringes of the squad. Locadia just bottled it and went whinging to the press when it became obvious he wasn't doing enough. Since then, his career has nosedived. He is rubbish.

They are but the common and most important point is that neither have delivered and IMO are expensive flops.

I realise I may be in a minority but overall I think we’ve not been particularly successful with our recruitment.

Of course there are some gems though Gross, Webster, Bissouma, Lamptey, Veltman.

Arguably our recruiting of younger players and then nurturing them is better.


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[Hugo Rune]

We have made some sh1t striker signings but Big Jurg must be right up there with the very worst. I will drive him to Twente! [emoji6]


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Not the Best signing we have ever had, not even a particularly good one but we have had some awful strikers that have been much much worse.

Any player scoring 3 EPL goals for us just can’t get that label. He actually had a few good games like this one:
https://youtu.be/G9tMuvIFyps

If you think that he is up there with Leon Best, you are re-writing history in order to give Big Jürg a big kick.

 

[Beanstalk]

Not the Best signing we have ever had, not even a particularly good one but we have had some awful strikers that have been much much worse.

Any player scoring 3 EPL goals for us just can’t get that label. He actually had a few good games like this one:
https://youtu.be/G9tMuvIFyps

If you think that he is up there with Leon Best, you are re-writing history in order to give Big Jürg a big kick.

Yes, whole different world to Best, Akpom et al.

We horrifically overpaid in hindsight but these things happen in football. Get rid, take the loss, move on to the next expensive gamble!

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Not the Best signing we have ever had, not even a particularly good one but we have had some awful strikers that have been much much worse.

Any player scoring 3 EPL goals for us just can’t get that label. He actually had a few good games like this one:
https://youtu.be/G9tMuvIFyps

If you think that he is up there with Leon Best, you are re-writing history in order to give Big Jürg a big kick.

We have, but if you think value for money, and expectations he is near the bottom for me.


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[B-right-on]

They are but the common and most important point is that neither have delivered and IMO are expensive flops.

I realise I may be in a minority but overall I think we’ve not been particularly successful with our recruitment.

Of course there are some gems though Gross, Webster, Bissouma, Lamptey, Veltman.

Arguably our recruiting of younger players and then nurturing them is better.


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So you list 2 mega flops and then list 5 excellent signings without even mentioning others like Mac Argie, Tross as well as Welbs and Lallana, not even mentioning emerging talents like Zeqiri, Moder and Caicedo, and our recruitment has not been 'particularly successful'.

Erm, OK.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

So you list 2 mega flops and then list 5 excellent signings without even mentioning others like Mac Argie, Tross as well as Welbs and Lallana, not even mentioning emerging talents like Zeqiri, Moder and Caicedo, and our recruitment has not been 'particularly successful'.

Erm, OK.

I could add Schelotto, Bernardo, Montoya, and some others. Remember VFM.

Don’t disagree re Lallana.

Trossard, MacAllister can you categorically say they are success, I’d throw Maupay in as well, because they haven’t achieved anything near the consistency of those I mentioned - so no they are not IMO.

I would also suggest Caciedo, Zeqiri and Moder are unproven, and are in the nurturing category i mentioned. (Have to say very hopeful re Moder).

If you feel they are a success, I’d be interested to know what you are basing it on given Caciedo has yet to play. Erm ok [emoji6]


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[Blue Valkyrie]

Any recruitment team is doing well if they get 60% hits 40% misses. Most players will fit into an "OK" category between the 2 extremes.

I think we exceed this yardstick quite comfortably.

Kemy, Elvis and Locadia aside, we have done pretty well all in all.

 

[Machiavelli]

They are but the common and most important point is that neither have delivered and IMO are expensive flops.

I realise I may be in a minority but overall I think we’ve not been particularly successful with our recruitment.

Of course there are some gems though Gross, Webster, Bissouma, Lamptey, Veltman.

Arguably our recruiting of younger players and then nurturing them is better.


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You're the only sane one in that minority. Bizarre claim.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

You're the only sane one in that minority. Bizarre claim.

Thanks [emoji3526] I think.

But looking at my quote and I know you and I debate Trossard, can you hand on heart say that those players are a resounding success?

It doesn’t mean they won’t be of course, and the younger players none of us know.

I don’t mind being in a minority - I will be interested how Brentford progress with a similar statistic based purchase model. [emoji2]


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[Uh_huh_him]

One factor that rarely gets mentioned is the fact that the Albion are becoming a more attractive proposition.
At the time we signed Big Jurgs and Jahanbaksh, we were fishing in a very different pond to the current recruitment team.

They may not have been unparallelled successes, but overall the recruitment team have done a superb job.

 

[vagabond]

Any recruitment team is doing well if they get 60% hits 40% misses. Most players will fit into an "OK" category between the 2 extremes.

I think we exceed this yardstick quite comfortably.

Kemy, Elvis and Locadia aside, we have done pretty well all in all.

Correct. I’d probably say recruitment overall since we’ve been in the PL has probably been 80% successes. Which is probably a pretty good average compared to many clubs.

Some of our successful signings have been very, very good in terms of value for money, potential ability and potential profit. Veltman, Tross, Lamptey, Webster, Burn, Gross, Maupay, MacAllister, Alzate, Moder, Biss. And then the high profile veterans Welbeck and Lallana.

All clubs have some transfer flops. There’s more than enough credit in the bank with our clubs recruitment to accept a couple (Locadia and to a lesser extent AJ).

 

[albionalbino]

Correct. I’d probably say recruitment overall since we’ve been in the PL has probably been 80% successes. Which is probably a pretty good average compared to many clubs.

Some of our successful signings have been very, very good in terms of value for money, potential ability and potential profit. Veltman, Tross, Lamptey, Webster, Burn, Gross, Maupay, MacAllister, Alzate, Moder, Biss. And then the high profile veterans Welbeck and Lallana.

All clubs have some transfer flops. There’s more than enough credit in the bank with our clubs recruitment to accept a couple (Locadia and to a lesser extent AJ).

We must have some of the most successful recruitment rates in the PL.
I'd add Suttner and arguably Andone, Balogun, Bernardo and Schelleto to our list of flops. All had their moments in the sun but failed to establish themselves in the team.
Very few compared to most teams and we've built a new team of successful transfers mixed with development squad breakthroughs.

 

[AlbionInUs]

I'd add Suttner and arguably Andone, Balogun, Bernardo and Schelleto to our list of flops. All had their moments in the sun but failed to establish themselves in the team.

I’d argue that even some of these weren’t flops. Balogun (FREE, 12 apps), Schelloto (£2.7m, 32 apps), Andone (£5.4m, 30 apps, 6 goals). They didn’t establish themselves properly in the first team because you they weren’t expected to. ~£3m (oftentimes) does not buy you Premier League qualitity. These signings all provided much needed depth at relatively cheap prices.

 

[albionalbino]

I’d argue that even some of these weren’t flops. Balogun (FREE, 12 apps), Schelloto (£2.7m, 32 apps), Andone (£5.4m, 30 apps, 6 goals). They didn’t establish themselves properly in the first team because you they weren’t expected to. ~£3m (oftentimes) does not buy you Premier League qualitity. These signings all provided much needed depth at relatively cheap prices.

Fair point. Schelotto and Balogun in particular acquitted themselves very well whilst waiting for an opportunity.
The problem with Andone and AJ is more about expectation. Both arrived with good reputations and potentially offered so much but delivered so little.

Plenty of other players have signed for us since promotion and not come near the first team, but because we didn't expect them to, they're not considered flops
(Normann, Dreyer, Mlakar, Mateju etc).

 

[B-right-on]

I’d argue that even some of these weren’t flops. Balogun (FREE, 12 apps), Schelloto (£2.7m, 32 apps), Andone (£5.4m, 30 apps, 6 goals). They didn’t establish themselves properly in the first team because you they weren’t expected to. ~£3m (oftentimes) does not buy you Premier League qualitity. These signings all provided much needed depth at relatively cheap prices.

Exactly. They were bought as 'bench warmers' at bargain basement prices compared to 'PL quality' players and did their job as part of the squad at that time - namely to keep us up and able to progress forwards where we can build to a better squad. How far do you want to go? Is Dave Propper a flop because he now longer fits into our first team as a regular? Duffy?

Different to a 'flop' and in the PL Era, I'd say only Locadia and AJ fit into that category.

 

[Machiavelli]

Thanks [emoji3526] I think.

But looking at my quote and I know you and I debate Trossard, can you hand on heart say that those players are a resounding success?

It doesn’t mean they won’t be of course, and the younger players none of us know.

I don’t mind being in a minority - I will be interested how Brentford progress with a similar statistic based purchase model. [emoji2]


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If you're expecting every signing to be 'a resounding success', then that's where your problem lies. Equally, you expect us to have a 15+ goal a season striker when they're as rare as hen's teeth in a bottom half PL team. I see a club and a first team squad that's improving slowly, gradually, sustainably, and all the personnel in the key positions performing admirably. Bloom does too, which is what matters.
Trossard has 11 goals in 2 seasons. For a wide forward in a bottom half PL team, that's a good return. Ditto Maupay's 18 (he did have a disappointing second season, but that's not enough to dismiss his contribution for a c£16-20m forward who, at 24, has serious re-sale value, if that's what we want/need to do).
As others have said, add in Lallana and Welbeck (outstanding six goal return -- all from open play -- from c20-25 appearances, not all 90 minutes). Equally, Burn and Mac Allister have contributed when called upon.
Moder, Zeqiri, Caicedo and probably Karbownik all look like astute additions at this early stage with us.
And also Propper, Ryan, Izquierdo have all assisted us stabilise in the PL, which is some feat (ask Fulham, for instance) and, to a lesser extent, Bernardo and Montoya.

Ali J and, especially, Locadia have been expensive, with limited returns -- although I've always been impressed with Ali J's commitment (he just doesn't have the physical attributes for the PL IMO).
Overall, I'd give our recruitment a 8/10
Finally, Andone's a decent player, and could still achieve for us in the PL, provided he's got his head right.