[Albion] A £50 Million Sized Hole in Defence?

[Guinness Boy]

Losing White was going to create a problem but not sure his move was stoppable, I think a deal was done when Leeds were after him , stay a year and then get a good contract (he did) and we get a bigger payback (we did).



I

I'm sure there's something in that, but in that case you'd expect us to have a succession plan, knowing we were going to cash in.

That plan wasn't apparent tonight.

 

[Eggman]

Are we doomed?

Yes.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Bit early to say [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION]

Looked solid against Rangers…..
All swings and roundabouts, friendlies really give a limited view IMO.


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[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

Bit early to say [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION]

Looked solid against Rangers…..
All swings and roundabouts, friendlies really give a limited view IMO.


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Indeed.
I remember losing to (one of the) Eastbournes in a pre season friendly.
Was all gloom and doom, then we went on to plss league 1

 

[um bongo molongo]

It does seem obvious that we need either a RB or a CB, for the simple reason that there’s only one of Veltman. I share the OP’s concern, I think we’re one head light unless Ostigard is deemed ready

 

[Guinness Boy]

Bit early to say [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION]

Looked solid against Rangers…..
All swings and roundabouts, friendlies really give a limited view IMO.


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I've said on here myself that friendlies don't mean much. We'll have been trying things out and certainly won't go into next week with Connolly leading the line and Trossard warming a bench.

Nonetheless, unless Lamptey turns into Lazarus, we don't really seem to have an actual right back that Potter trusts.

 

[Wardy's twin]

I'm sure there's something in that, but in that case you'd expect us to have a succession plan, knowing we were going to cash in.

That plan wasn't apparent tonight.

I didn't go (my wife has a weak immune system).

I agree we seem to be faffing around. I would guess (hope) a big chunk of the BW money will be for a striker from what I heard on the radio we were (again) not quite quick enough getting ball forward or when we did the receiving player was not good enough to make it count so a striker has to be the priority.

We did concede from set pieces when BW was here , my concern from the commentary was that Sanchez possibly should have done better with both goals. Him being on top form is key to our survival....

 

[lawros left foot]

Newcastle 3- 0 Norwich
Burnley. 0-2. Cadiz
Southampton 1-3. Bilboa
Palace 3-1 Watford
Wolves 0-1 Celta Viga

Let’s keep things in perspective.


BTW, Woods played for Burnley, available against us??

 

[Guinness Boy]

I didn't go (my wife has a weak immune system).

I agree we seem to be faffing around. I would guess (hope) a big chunk of the BW money will be for a striker from what I heard on the radio we were (again) not quite quick enough getting ball forward or when we did the receiving player was not good enough to make it count so a striker has to be the priority.

We did concede from set pieces when BW was here , my concern from the commentary was that Sanchez possibly should have done better with both goals. Him being on top form is key to our survival....

Sanchez should have saved the first. I didn't get a good enough look at the second.

 

[um bongo molongo]

Newcastle 3- 0 Norwich
Burnley. 0-2. Cadiz
Southampton 1-3. Bilboa
Palace 3-1 Watford
Wolves 0-1 Celta Viga

Let’s keep things in perspective.


BTW, Woods played for Burnley, available against us??

According to another thread, not allowed to play competitively without a 3 week break (last played on 31st July for NZ in Olympics)

 

[Wardy's twin]

According to another thread, not allowed to play competitively without a 3 week break (last played on 31st July for NZ in Olympics)

it was mentioned on the radio as to why McAlister was playing - ok because it was a friendly.

 

[Justice]

Newcastle 3- 0 Norwich
Burnley. 0-2. Cadiz
Southampton 1-3. Bilboa
Palace 3-1 Watford
Wolves 0-1 Celta Viga

Let’s keep things in perspective.


BTW, Woods played for Burnley, available against us??

It’s a uefa ruling Wood can’t play against us.

 

[The Fits]

White was incredible at beating a high press (as was Webster). I suspect if we do play three at the back we will play a lot deeper this season than last (a la two seasons ago). He clearly will be missed until we work out how best to set up our defence without him.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Sounds more like a lack of (quality) depth than missing Ben White specifically. Obviously we're going to miss him, he was a very good player, but we know based on last Season that Veltman will do a decent job of covering him.

March, Webster, Dunk, Veltman, Lamptey is a decent back five. The issue is what comes after it. At the moment it's Burn. Duffy isn't the answer. I'm hopeful for Ostigard but that's based on hope and his loan performances rather than having formed an opinion from seeing him play.

As it stands we have six defenders of the required level and two are injured. This is something that clearly needs to be improved by the end of the window. Along with the goal scoring obviously.

 

[sydney]

Do our medical team know how to deal with pacy players? Lamptey out for eight months to date he walked of the pitch just like Jose did against Palace.

Yes we will miss BW quality player, we missed him when he didn’t play last season.

i have to agree , we regularly get players out with torn hamstrings , quads , acl injuries etc but normally they are back within 10-12 weeks , i'm talking about rugby league and afl here , far more heavy contact involved but similar distances covered per game particularly with afl , we had the same issue with Buckley , couldn't get/keep him fit .

 

[Robinjakarta]

I genuinely think White was more valuable to Potter than many seem to be opining now. A bit revisionist.

Agree, though not revisionist with us all.

Many didn't understand this on the Ben White thread. No problem letting him go, only our 3rd or even 4th choice centre back, what a great deal for us, strong anyway in that department, blah blah blah.

Crazy.

 

[trueblue]

Surely it’s the Lamptey sized hole in the defence that’s the actual issue. Veltman will do just fine in White’s old position so, while there are repercussions in terms of numbers, it’s the lack of specialist defenders in wide areas that needs addressing most urgently.

 

[Icy Gull]

Of course we are going to miss a player who played whenever he was available. We would miss the 50 million more though if we hadn’t taken it. We have cover in the position so it’s not some sort of disaster, we may just be a little weaker. It won’t be season defining, not signing a capable striker probably will be though.

What a dramatic thread title, Daily Mail standard

 

[Change at Barnham]

Maybe the gossip columns suggesting we were considering an approach for Nat Phillips may have had some creditability?
I thought it was a silly suggestion initially but now I can see he could be a useful addition.

 

[stss30]

I think a bit of perspective is required here, Dunk and Webster were playing their first pre season match, and Potter was still trying things with the formation and playing personnel. We will look like a different side with Lamptey and Welbeck in the team, plus 1 or 2 more additions (hopefully). I think the squad will be looking much better after the 1st international break, it's almost unfortunate that we have 3 games that aren't against the big 6 in these matches as we'll be hoping to pick up some points - a lot of clubs are in the same boat as us though in the sense that some of their best players will not be available for the early matches - e.g Wood for Burnley next weekend.

I'd be tempted to go with last seasons tactics/formation in the game against Burnley, with Dunk, Webster, Duffy in a back three with Veltman RWB and March LWB, Mwepu and Bissouma in midfield - will bring some familiarity.