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[Albion] We f***ed it up again, ole ole!



Han Solo

Well-known member
May 25, 2024
3,042
Ayari hasn't been fine overall.
His set piece delivery is awful. He is lightweight and gets closed down. Overplays all the time. Cannot pass accurately. Constantly makes wrong decisions. Shoots leaning backwards.
Isn't and never will be anywhere good enough for this level. Championship player at very best. Needs loaning out again.
Think thats harsh. He brings a lot of intensity and creativity and is one of the few players we have who don't want to dribble eight opponents every time he has the ball.

Is he one of the currently worst frequently starting central midfielders in the PL? Well, I'd argue that yes, he is. But I really think he has shown that he has the ingredients to become a good one (maybe not a sell-him-for-£100m but not everyone can be that).
 




Weststander

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Aug 25, 2011
69,991
Withdean area
As has already been said tonight it does make the Gilmour sale mystifying as he had established himself a decent PL operator and now looking like a gamble that isn’t paying off. I think the club badly over estimated Weiffer and O’Rileys ability to hit the ground running.

Gilmour wanted out once Napoli showed interest. And it had nothing to do with the nsc rumour that he didn’t see FH playing him.
 


Kalimantan Gull

Well-known member
Aug 13, 2003
13,586
Central Borneo / the Lizard
Fab has things to learn and a big puzzle to figure out but this was always going to be a bumpy squad-development season. Not saying "no one would do it better!" but it really isn't as easy as "we bought teenagers for £200m, so we should compete in the top immediately". We have a young inexperienced team and bad runs of form and getting shat on every now and then are unfortunate parts of the education to become top footballers.
Id like to pin this as a sticky just to remind everyone of its essential truth
 




GT49er

Well-known member
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Feb 1, 2009
49,471
Gloucester
I’ve watched a lot of the 21s over the last 2 seasons. McConville is definitely ready for a punt at the first team, hence why he was on the bench today. Nice kid too, can see him going a long way with the right development.
I watch the U21s when they're screened when I can too - and one thing I've found is it's quite difficult (for a mere spectator like me anyway) to predict which ones will 'make it' and which ones will, at best, finish up in the lower echelons of the EFL. Aaron Connolly was PL2 player of the year, after all! Laurent Tolaj couldn't stop scoring inPL2, but is now mostly bench warming in League 2 at Port Vale, and one we hoped was a wonder-kid, Zac Emmerson, started this season with a free transfer from Blackpool to Halifax!
Fortunately the professionals at the club who work with them every day have a better chance! Still, hope you're right about McConville, that would be great for us if we can grow our own CBs!
 






UnhingedSeagull94

Have a nice day….BANGBANG
Jan 6, 2024
94
I watch the U21s when they're screened when I can too - and one thing I've found is it's quite difficult (for a mere spectator like me anyway) to predict which ones will 'make it' and which ones will, at best, finish up in the lower echelons of the EFL. Aaron Connolly was PL2 player of the year, after all! Laurent Tolaj couldn't stop scoring inPL2, but is now mostly bench warming in League 2 at Port Vale, and one we hoped was a wonder-kid, Zac Emmerson, started this season with a free transfer from Blackpool to Halifax!
Fortunately the professionals at the club who work with them every day have a better chance! Still, hope you're right about McConville, that would be great for us if we can grow our own CBs!
I’d suggest going to watch the 21s live where possible, that’s what I do. You get a much better idea of who will make it and who won’t: body frame, size, age, communication, off the ball stuff. A lot of which goes under the radar on the live streams.
 


UnhingedSeagull94

Have a nice day….BANGBANG
Jan 6, 2024
94
I watch the U21s when they're screened when I can too - and one thing I've found is it's quite difficult (for a mere spectator like me anyway) to predict which ones will 'make it' and which ones will, at best, finish up in the lower echelons of the EFL. Aaron Connolly was PL2 player of the year, after all! Laurent Tolaj couldn't stop scoring inPL2, but is now mostly bench warming in League 2 at Port Vale, and one we hoped was a wonder-kid, Zac Emmerson, started this season with a free transfer from Blackpool to Halifax!
Fortunately the professionals at the club who work with them every day have a better chance! Still, hope you're right about McConville, that would be great for us if we can grow our own CBs!
But yes I get what you’re saying around those who haven’t made it. Connolly would have been there but clearly struggled with addiction and mental health issues off the pitch. Peupion probably won’t make it at the top level as he’s one of the olde players in the squad and sometimes doesn’t make the right decision. McConville being on the bench recently says to me that the club think he is ready to start being involved.
 




Robinjakarta

Well-known member
Jul 14, 2014
2,172
Jakarta
Fair play to Palace, we’ve been gobbing off all season, and today this should serve as a timely reminder that we ain’t as good as some of us think we are, f***ing noddy at times, I predicted we would lose and my team didn’t fail to deliver
Yeah. The Mind the Gap one was particularly nauseating.
 


GT49er

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Feb 1, 2009
49,471
Gloucester
I’d suggest going to watch the 21s live where possible, that’s what I do. You get a much better idea of who will make it and who won’t: body frame, size, age, communication, off the ball stuff. A lot of which goes under the radar on the live streams.
And working with them every day at training gives an even better idea! Watching them live isn't really an option for me; I have watched them live a couple of times when they've visited Forest Green, but that's it.
But yes I get what you’re saying around those who haven’t made it. Connolly would have been there but clearly struggled with addiction and mental health issues off the pitch. Peupion probably won’t make it at the top level as he’s one of the olde players in the squad and sometimes doesn’t make the right decision. McConville being on the bench recently says to me that the club think he is ready to start being involved.
Several others have been on the bench in the PL this season, Peupion for one, plus Duffus. Maybe Samuels? Being involved with the first team squad is a useful part of development, even if they only get as far as the bench. As I said, it would be great if you're right about McConville - we'll see.
 






Deadly Danson

Well-known member
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Oct 22, 2003
4,729
Brighton
Are going to dine out on two games all season? Currently the two most unpredictable sides in the league.
Your vendetta against our manager is getting very silly. If you want I can point to impressive wins against Everton, Bournemouth, Man U and Newcastle. FWIW - I wasn't completely convinced when he came in and I still have some doubts but my natural inclination is always to defend a new manager, especially one who has the most injuries in the league, is new to the league, has a lot of new players to assimilate and, by any measure, has done well since he got here. You know - actually support him unlike the unnecessary and unjustified continual attack which you seem to enjoy so much. Time will tell if that support is warranted.
 




ROSM

Well-known member
Dec 26, 2005
6,868
Just far enough away from LDC
Your vendetta against our manager is getting very silly. If you want I can point to impressive wins against Everton, Bournemouth, Man U and Newcastle. FWIW - I wasn't completely convinced when he came in and I still have some doubts but my natural inclination is always to defend a new manager, especially one who has the most injuries in the league, is new to the league, has a lot of new players to assimilate and, by any measure, has done well since he got here. You know - actually support him unlike the unnecessary and unjustified continual attack which you seem to enjoy so much. Time will tell if that support is warranted.
I agree with you. I think he needs help not criticism. Yesterday 'felt' a bit hyypia-esque in patches but it also felt potter-esque at some stages too

Hopefully he can get back to rdz season 1 esque soon
 




Han Solo

Well-known member
May 25, 2024
3,042
Your vendetta against our manager is getting very silly. If you want I can point to impressive wins against Everton, Bournemouth, Man U and Newcastle. FWIW - I wasn't completely convinced when he came in and I still have some doubts but my natural inclination is always to defend a new manager, especially one who has the most injuries in the league, is new to the league, has a lot of new players to assimilate and, by any measure, has done well since he got here. You know - actually support him unlike the unnecessary and unjustified continual attack which you seem to enjoy so much. Time will tell if that support is warranted.

Need to keep this in mind when you read things from this particular poster:
Not really it’s just me all day 🤣
Surprised people haven’t worked me out by now I take the piss most of the time.
 


Deadly Danson

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Oct 22, 2003
4,729
Brighton
Need to keep this in mind when you read things from this particular poster:
Well as a comedy routine it needs a bit of work!

Incidentally I was amused by someone behind me at Fulham who's words after around 10 minutes toward FH: "F***ing hell, this bloke hasn't got a clue - just like the last two". Clearly someone who yearns for the heady days of Hyppia.
 


Han Solo

Well-known member
May 25, 2024
3,042
Well as a comedy routine it needs a bit of work!

Incidentally I was amused by someone behind me at Fulham who's words after around 10 minutes toward FH: "F***ing hell, this bloke hasn't got a clue - just like the last two". Clearly someone who yearns for the heady days of Hyppia.
Many minds stuck in the old days maybe?

In League Two a row of season finishes at 15-17-15-16-9-6-11 might indicate that the club is going nowhere and the managers aren't good enough. In the Premier League however it is evidence of a line of competent managers.
 






UnhingedSeagull94

Have a nice day….BANGBANG
Jan 6, 2024
94
And working with them every day at training gives an even better idea! Watching them live isn't really an option for me; I have watched them live a couple of times when they've visited Forest Green, but that's it.

Several others have been on the bench in the PL this season, Peupion for one, plus Duffus. Maybe Samuels? Being involved with the first team squad is a useful part of development, even if they only get as far as the bench. As I said, it would be great if you're right about McConville - we'll see.
Class! What job do you have? That sounds interesting tbh.
 


Lever

Well-known member
Feb 6, 2019
5,472
... just wondering if media hype about us successfully nurturing and improving great talent in preparation for a 'big move' gets into the head of our best players .... Pedro did not have a good game after a week of Liverpool speculation, Ferguson has been poor since pundits have predicted a great future elsewhere etc I think even Enciso and Wieffer have spoken about our great club being 'a stepping stone' to greater things..

Maybe they are all just Cucurella in disguise....
 


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