[Albion] This summer’s squad rebuild

Han Solo said:

Well, I said already in the beginning of the transfer window that at least £100m would be spent.




I know I was tempted to write "a £100m transfer deficit" but chickened out to "spend at least £100m".

I understand its completely surreal to most, but to a newer pair of eyes everything pointed to a shopping spree.

Things were already strongly leaning in that direction, and when Everton got their point deduction in November, it was clear the market would change completely (for a while... things will be back to normal). The general assumption that the financial fairness-systems were going to result in fines, transfer bans or - worst case - not competing in European competitions was one thing. When it turned out they're actually going to take points away if you don't keep your finances in check, well that was not really expected and a real game changer.

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severnside gull said:

last season - particularly having sold Cucurella/Caicedo/MacAllister the media (and us) talked about how he sustainability of our “buy cheap to sell dear” model, citing the likes of Southampton who had followed the same path and slowly (or not so slowly) declined. There was an expectation that we had peaked and would slide down the leagues as others before us. In pre-season we were many pundits favourites to be in the mix for relegation.

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Triggaaar said:

Maybe it's just a case that some of our targets have become available and others haven't.

It's probably good to sub pacey ball carriers during a game, whereas we don't need to with central defenders. Taking off Minteh/Adingra and bringing on a fresh replacement is hard for the opposition. Doing that all over the pitch could be really hard. But yes, we could do with backup in more defensive rolls.

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Iggle Piggle said:

Against Everton, I thought the pace and movement of the front 4 was world class at times. Defensive midfield - Well, let's just say it wasn't anywhere near that level.Since that game (alright, we'd technically signed Gruda by then) we seem to have signed 2 more attacking players but will probably have Grandad in midfield against United.

It’s very exciting. It's also very WTAF. As I say, I have absolute trust in the people making the decisions but I've totally lost the plot on where everyone fits in.

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Whoislloydy said:

Assume you’re referring to O’Riley when you said we seemed to have signed 2 more attacking players. O’Riley is a midfielder, not a forward. Literally played one game as CAM last season. He’s a box to box midfielder with the defensive stats to back it up.

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Iggle Piggle said:

Against Everton, I thought the pace and movement of the front 4 was world class at times. Defensive midfield - Well, let's just say it wasn't anywhere near that level.Since that game (alright, we'd technically signed Gruda by then) we seem to have signed 2 more attacking players but will probably have Grandad in midfield against United.

Its very exciting. It's also very WTAF. As I say, I have absolute trust in the people making the decisions but I've totally lost the plot on where everyone fits in.

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Change at Barnham said:

But because we always had two wide players plus Pedro and Welbeck playing more centrally, it meant that Wieffer and Milner were left with a very large and spacious midfield to defend.

But the risk and reward of playing in such an attacking formation on this occasion paid off.
Any criticism of Wieffer and Milner has to take their workload into account.

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Johnny RoastBeef said:

I think our buying what looks like a top heavy squad of attacking players is heavily influenced by the introduction of the 5 substitute rule, plus the development of live in match player tracking, by systems such as Catapult GPS vests.


Defenders aren't as likely to be substituted tactically, and Goalkeepers tend to only be swapped out in game when injured.


So that leaves, between 6 and 7 outfield players, playing in the midfield and attacking areas, who are the focus of those 5 available substitutions.


Hurzeler wants us to play a very high intensity press out of possession and a very quick transition from back to front in possession.


That will put huge strain on our attacking players, so the capacity to switch most of them for fresh players of equal ability mid game, in every match, makes perfect sense.


Consistent intensity for 90 minutes and hopefully fewer injuries will theoretically give us more than just a marginal gain.

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Machiavelli said:

This needs to be more widely recognised. We'll be playing 15 or 16 every game. The front seven (ie, not the GK, 2xCBs and DCM -- or DCM/CB hybrid) will probably play a maximum of 60 minutes. We'll start with intensity and finish with intensity. This is the (new) way.

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Iggle Piggle said:

I agree that the full backs and the Centre mid are a bit exposed in the current set up. I'm not sure how much the pre season and Everton have taught us. The next 2 games, however, are the real acid tests for where we really are. My fear - hopefully unfounded - is those gaps you mentioned will get exposed by more ruthless teams than Everton.

I'll stop being a pessimist for now and enjoy being top of the league and the plethora of signings we are currently making.

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Machiavelli said:

I fully agree that Wieffer gave the ball away too much in the first 20 mins plus for the 'penalty', but you're way too down on him. Can I suggest that you just give him a chance over the next few games? He's just come back from a long-term injury (and would have got in the Dutch Euros squad without it) and has moved from the Eredivisie to the PL, which will require an adjustment (note though he's also played for the national team and in European football).

If he's as bad as you're making out, I'd suggest that we'll struggle big time this season. This is because that FH, etc seem to be placing an awful lot of trust in him (who his direct replacement in the squad is is beyond me), and that he's the most crucial player in the whole squad. He provides the structure -- @Han Solo in his youtube vid (which isn't as good as his football-related posts) noted that we had three players back to provide the defensive structure, one of which was Wieffer.

He wasn't that good against QPR, but was really good against Villareal and, beyond those first 20 mins and the 'penalty' (which a better team would have punished us for), he was great against Everton. Allow him to adjust, which he showed clear signs of doing during the Everton game.

He's brilliant at finding a pass. He plays the normal sideways/return to CB passes that a DCM should. Beyond that, he knows how the approaching oppo player is closing down and moves into a position in order to find the better pass. Look at the ball he played to Mitoma for our first and, even more clearly, look at the ball (assist) he played to Welbeck for the second.

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Machiavelli said:

I fully agree that Wieffer gave the ball away too much in the first 20 mins plus for the 'penalty', but you're way too down on him. Can I suggest that you just give him a chance over the next few games? He's just come back from a long-term injury (and would have got in the Dutch Euros squad without it) and has moved from the Eredivisie to the PL, which will require an adjustment (note though he's also played for the national team and in European football).

If he's as bad as you're making out, I'd suggest that we'll struggle big time this season. This is because that FH, etc seem to be placing an awful lot of trust in him (who his direct replacement in the squad is is beyond me), and that he's the most crucial player in the whole squad. He provides the structure -- @Han Solo in his youtube vid (which isn't as good as his football-related posts) noted that we had three players back to provide the defensive structure, one of which was Wieffer.

He wasn't that good against QPR, but was really good against Villareal and, beyond those first 20 mins and the 'penalty' (which a better team would have punished us for), he was great against Everton. Allow him to adjust, which he showed clear signs of doing during the Everton game.

He's brilliant at finding a pass. He plays the normal sideways/return to CB passes that a DCM should. Beyond that, he knows how the approaching oppo player is closing down and moves into a position in order to find the better pass. Look at the ball he played to Mitoma for our first and, even more clearly, look at the ball (assist) he played to Welbeck for the second.

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Iggle Piggle said:

Against Everton, I thought the pace and movement of the front 4 was world class at times. Defensive midfield - Well, let's just say it wasn't anywhere near that level.Since that game (alright, we'd technically signed Gruda by then) we seem to have signed 2 more attacking players but will probably have Grandad in midfield against United.

Its very exciting. It's also very WTAF. As I say, I have absolute trust in the people making the decisions but I've totally lost the plot on where everyone fits in.

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b.w.2. said:

'Lost the plot'... nonsense, there is clearly a plan...

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Iggle Piggle said:

I've lost the plot was the wording.

Not the ones making the decisions.

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GT49er said:

My concern, just from my point of view, is that we're bringing in so many players that I don't recognise the team as 'my team' at the moment; I know that in the wilderness years we'd be getting an influx of loanees and journeymen every season, but this feels different. OK, hopefully in time I'll get used to the new team - guess they'll probably be a departure or two of players I don't want to see going though. C'est la vie, I suppose.
My second concern is the players we're bringing in - are we now buying them at their peak value? Up to now, our main recruitment has been players for about £10M or less and selling them on for upwards of £25M - sometimes a lot above £25M! But now, say £25M for O'Riley - Celtic bought him cheap as chips from MK Dons and will make a huge profit - but will his value increase, or is £25M about his peak? £40M for Rutter (!) - here it was Hoffenheim who 'did a Brighton' and made a huge profit - his value didn't increase much in his time at Leeds. Will we be able to sell him in a couple of years for £80M? I'm not sure - maybe with the new rules the days of ever-increasing transfer fees may be coming to an end.
Am I wrong? - well, I know I'm a born worrier, so maybe! No need for a lecture - I won't stop worrying or change my mind!

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