[Albion] The Great Albion Midfield Rebuild - Summer ‘24 edition

[Hugo Rune]

Last season, we slipped out of the top 6 and back below Palace.

This has obviously sharpened minds at the club. A new medical team has been imposed in an effort to sort the injuries problem out along with a new management and coaching set-up in the hope that sulking and moaning is eradicated.

In terms of playing staff, we now have some incredibly exciting options as cover for March and Mitoma on the wings. We won’t be caught short again in these areas.

However, it’s the midfield that is undergoing a complete transformation. Gone or going are Potter and RDZ picks. They seem to be being replaced by players who will fit into the sort of Hürzeler formations we saw at St Pauli. Goal scorers, passers and powerful units.

Confirmed outs
Lallana - Southampton, Free
Alzate - Free

Rumoured outs
Gilmour - Napoli - £8m - £12m
Groß - Dortmund - £6m - £8m
Moder - Leicester - £10m px
Dahoud - ?

Confirmed ins
Wieffer - Feyenoord - £25m
Yalcouye - IFK Göteborg - £6m

Rumoured ins
Gomez - Inter Miami - £12m
Gruda - Mainz05 £18m - £40m

Probable Continuing midfielders
Milner
Hinshelwood
Baleba
Enciso
Buonanotte


I believe it’s this position that could make or break our season. A midfield of ‘Great Grosses’ will surely see us back into the top 10, maybe with a sniff of Europe. But if we end up with a load of ‘duff Dahouds’ we’ll surely struggle to hit 11th again.

Thoughts?

​

 

[Weststander]

Mac, Gross and Caicedo were Albion perfection. Last season inevitably, ‘the engine room’ was so lacking defensively. Baleba the ray of light, whilst Hinshelwood looks the real deal. But a soft centre for opposition managers setting up with three powerhouses.

It’s interesting that the club are getting to grips with this so swiftly, in the one window. Potentially exciting times ahead.

 

[portslade seagull]

A season late but hopefully they get it right as we are still short of a bustling defensive midfielder

 

[A1X]

A season late but hopefully they get it right as we are still short of a bustling defensive midfielder

Part of me really does think there was a degree of complacency which set in last summer after the success of 22/23 and the fact we had been so lucky with key players remaining injury free. That’s what ultimately hurt us and it’s clear there’s been a mindset change as the OP outlines.

 

[Littlemo]

I think it would be a worry if both Gross and Gilmour leave. We’d be incredibly light on PL-level experience (or in Milner’s case PL-level legs) and we don’t know how well the new guys will adapt to the league and to FH’s style.

Letting the two starting midfielders from last season both leave is risky.

 

[Right Back]

It is starting to feel that Gross is saying. Totally agree with the Thread that midfield was the weakness last year. This was despite not that many injuries in midfield compared to other areas.

 

[Weststander]

Part of me really does think there was a degree of complacency which set in last summer after the success of 22/23 and the fact we had been so lucky with key players remaining injury free. That’s what ultimately hurt us and it’s clear there’s been a mindset change as the OP outlines.

Some say Chelsea’s very late coup in taking Caicedo was THE cause, upsetting the club’s plans. But then when someone posted a link yesterday when discussing another player, it also revealed a media report in early July 2023 that Caicedo was Chelsea bound. It was on the cards for a while. The BBC reported the interest in June. Presumably most at the club hoped Milner and Dahoud would provide defence and power in CM.

 

[chickens]

I think it would be a worry if both Gross and Gilmour leave. We’d be incredibly light on PL-level experience (or in Milner’s case PL-level legs) and we don’t know how well the new guys will adapt to the league and to FH’s style.

Letting the two starting midfielders from last season both leave is risky.

I agree with you to an extent, but the Baleba that finished the season seemed night and day different to his first few appearances, and Hinshelwood looked to me that he’d be an asset wherever he played.

It will be interesting to see if any of our younger players appear to be “filling out” physically. I agree we looked lightweight at times last season, and I’m wondering how the competing concerns of long injury lists and the need to be able to compete physically in the Premier League have affected our fitness training for this season.

With a new medical team in place I’d expect this to be a learning curve for them as well, but none of it is detracting from my excitement for the coming season. It really does feel like there’s a renewed focus on stepping up a level.

 

[Han Solo]

Other than the correction (bringing in Wieffer) of last summers "key midfield signing" Mohamed Dahoud, not all that much has actually happened yet. If Gross moves I guess Diego Gomez is replacing him in the squad. Along with Yalcouye maybe sticking around as a fringe player, that's probably it.

Less dramatic than last summer but better competition with Dahoud out (..?) and Wieffer in.

Other than Gilmour, who will probably start most games (unless Gross stay, which would change everything), competition looks wide open... and not in a bad way - plenty of talent.

 

[tstanbur]

Some say Chelsea’s very late coup in taking Caicedo was THE cause, upsetting the club’s plans. But then when someone posted a link yesterday when discussing another player, it also revealed a media report in early July 2023 that Caicedo was Chelsea bound. It was on the cards for a while. The BBC reported the interest in June. Presumably most at the club hoped Milner and Dahoud would provide defence and power in CM.

Caicedo was always leaving after what happened in January. Chelsea’s first rejected offer was mid July

Moises Caicedo: Chelsea's £70m bid for Ecuador midfielder rejected by Brighton

Brighton signed Moises Caicedo from Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle for £4.5m in 2021; the 21-year-old is now valued at around £100m by the south-coast club; Brighton rejected two bids for the midfielder from Arsenal in January, the biggest of which was £70m

www.skysports.com

 

[Questions]

I’m a tad worried. That is my default position. So all is well.

 

[Weststander]

Caicedo was always leaving after what happened in January. Chelsea’s first bid was mid July

In a Telegraph piece in Aug/Sept 2023 gushing with praise for Chelsea’s transfer operations, I think they said it’d been mapped out since February 2023. Starting in secret dealings with Caicedo’s agents.

 

[tstanbur]

In a Telegraph piece in Aug/Sept 2023 gushing with praise for Chelsea’s transfer operations, I think they said it’d been mapped out since February 2023. Starting in secret dealings with Caicedo’s agents.

Opening bid 70m (same as what was rejected from Arsenal in January). They ended up paying £115m.

Would love to see quite how they gushed about that!

 

[Han Solo]

Caicedo was always leaving after what happened in January. Chelsea’s first rejected offer was mid July

Moises Caicedo: Chelsea's £70m bid for Ecuador midfielder rejected by Brighton

Brighton signed Moises Caicedo from Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle for £4.5m in 2021; the 21-year-old is now valued at around £100m by the south-coast club; Brighton rejected two bids for the midfielder from Arsenal in January, the biggest of which was £70m

www.skysports.com

Roberto also told everyone in May that Caicedo deserved to play in a better club. Whatever the club wanted, its not easy to go back on that. But probably would have left anyway given the massive fee in the end.

 

[tstanbur]

Roberto also told everyone in May that Caicedo deserved to play in a better club. Whatever the club wanted, its not easy to go back on that. But probably would have left anyway given the massive fee in the end.

All points to an agreement in January that if he stayed he could leave in the summer *

* But if it’s Chelsea we will pull their pants down and cable tie them to their shoes first

 

[Han Solo]

All points to an agreement in January that if he stayed he could leave in the summer *

* But if it’s Chelsea we will pull their pants down and cable tie them to their shoes first

Yup. Which was a fair deal. Roberto wasn't wrong - if we're going to be honest, Caicedo was too good to stay.

 

[Hotchilidog]

I’m excited by the changes. We’ve been aggressive in recruitment and I believe our midfielders will be asked to a different job to the one demanded by RDZ so trying to compare this Albion team to last years’ is redundant.

 

[Weststander]

I’m excited by the changes. We’ve been aggressive in recruitment and I believe our midfielders will be asked to a different job to the one demanded by RDZ so trying to compare this Albion team to last years’ is redundant.

To 2023/24.

But what job was demanded of Caicedo and Mac in 2022/23? Win ball, destroy opposition attacks, get the ball forward to other game-changers.

 

[Lewes Punk]

Last season, we slipped out of the top 6 and back below Palace.

This has obviously sharpened minds at the club. A new medical team has been imposed in an effort to sort the injuries problem out along with a new management and coaching set-up in the hope that sulking and moaning is eradicated.

In terms of playing staff, we now have some incredibly exciting options as cover for March and Mitoma on the wings. We won’t be caught short again in these areas.

However, it’s the midfield that is undergoing a complete transformation. Gone or going are Potter and RDZ picks. They seem to be being replaced by players who will fit into the sort of Hürzeler formations we saw at St Pauli. Goal scorers, passers and powerful units.

Conformed outs
Lallana - Southampton, Free
Alzate - Free

Rumoured outs
Gilmour - Napoli - £8m - £12m
Groß - Dortmund - £6m - £8m
Moder - Leicester - £10m px
Dahoud - ?

Confirmed ins
Wieffer - Feyenoord - £25m
Yalcouye - IFK Göteborg - £6m

Rumoured ins
Gomez - Inter Miami - £12m
Gruda - Mainz05 £18m - £40m

Probable Continuing midfielders
Milner
Hinshelwood
Baleba

I believe it’s this position that could make or break our season. A midfield of ‘Great Grosses’ will surely see us back into the top 10, maybe with a sniff of Europe. But if we end up with a load of ‘duff Dahouds’ we’ll surely struggle to hit 11th again.

Thoughts?

​

Isn't Gruda a winger though?

 

[Hugo Rune]

Isn't Gruda a winger though?

He has played in a number of positions but his showreels suggest that he could be very effective in the centre.