[Albion] Alireza Jahanbakhsh joins Feyenoord

[A1X]

He's fast becoming to Brighton what James Vince has been to the England test side. It's turning into an argument of whether a history of failure is mitigated because of a few flashes of potential which ultimately don't lead anywhere and how it might all change if only they'd give him a chance...

 

[Mike Small]

I mostly agree with you, what he was signed for or we agreed to pay isn’t his fault - I’ve not been a fan of his but never doubted he’s given his all to try to contribute to the football club so has kept up his side of the contract. If that isn’t good enough well, those are the judgement calls you make.

Yesterday he had a good game, more effective than Trossard, and caused problems. Looked a bit like the player we hoped we were getting. Even then though, I couldn’t help feeling he should really have scored or created key chances for someone to score. He did okay, but the quality of the positions and space he got into, really should have done better - but of course that is a recurring theme for many of our forward players

Good post. He tried hard last night and was much better than Trossard. Good forward runs but he simply doesn't have the attributes (pace, power or ability to go past people) to make us better. He also had 4 great chances to either assit or score but didn't manage it. The otehr players aren't much better but they manage it occasionally (Maupay, Gross, Trossard, Lalanna etc) He's been here 3 years now. Wish he'd go so we could stop having this debate where moments of good play go hand in hand with 'give him a chance' etc.

 

[London Irish]

Yeh if he was someone who we'd picked up from the Championship for £2-3m, we'd probably be reasonably happy to have him in the squad

 

[albionalex]

Excellent, good to see you back with your perpetual negativity

You may have missed it but he’s done OK for a few games now. Sorry, of course you missed it even if you were watching

Better give hime a 5 year bumper contract extension then...

 

[Guinness Boy]

Yep, as a Brighton fan I try and support our players when they do well, regardless of what has gone before, but carry on

I thought Solly March was lightweight and shit for most of our time in the PL but over the last couple of seasons I have changed my mind. Possibly player of the season before he got injured. Seems to be an NSC rule for many that you make a decision and stick by it, even if you end up looking like a mug.

Unbelievable imo that posters like you can’t see that he has done OK in his last few appearances because you have never rated him.

You damn with faint praise Icy, even if you don't mean to. Nail on head. Our erstwhile record signing has "done ok". Not actually scored or anything but just not looked shit.

Personally I would have given him a good run in the team after he scored the overhead against Chelsea. His confidence after that must have been through the roof - until he was dropped again. That he was tells you everything you need to know.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I've badly wanted him to succeed at the albion, but it now just seems like an eternal wait for it to happen. Time to draw the line. This signing wasn't a good one.

 

[Swansman]

I've badly wanted him to succeed at the albion, but it now just seems like an eternal wait for it to happen. Time to draw the line. This signing wasn't a good one.

Indeed.

Is Ali J someone who could make decent or occasionally good appearances in the Premier League? Yes, of course. He got some qualities and is not too far from the required level - its not like he looks completely lost out there.

But as one of the most expensive signings and allegedly one of the best paid players, you'd have expected more. Unlike a lot of players where there are speculation, we know that the club offered Ali to a number of clubs last summer (unless the AZ director of football randomly lied about it, which seems rather pointless). And personally I assume it will be the same thing this summer. Whether he stays or leaves is another question.

He suffers from what most Eredivisie wingers suffers from - he is pretty clueless in defense. In Holland the wingers generally doesnt have any defensive responsibilities, so if you stay there for a lot of your "formative years", you'll struggle in any of the big leagues. Could he be taught to defend better? Maybe, but he is 28 and unlikely to ever reach the sufficient level. And unlike in the Eredivise, you cant afford to have players who only contributes when going forward. It might work in the occasional game but over a season its going to get punished too often if you have a player like that as a regular starter... which is what he should be, based on the money paid.

If he stays, I think he will have a similar role as this season - as a sub coming in when trying to turn a draw into a win or a loss into a draw and maybe the occasional start when players are out injured or if you have to rest players (like against Arsenal in December). If thats how he wants to spend his peak years as a footballer, its a bit sad really as he could accomplish things in a different league.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

The question is, if we sold him what would we get for him? And can we replace him with someone better for that price, or would he be blocking someone in the U23's? Personally I think he's a decent player and has the best delivery in open play apart from Gross. However, Reda Khadra and Taylor Richards are waiting in the wings...

 

[Guinness Boy]

Indeed.

Is Ali J someone who could make decent or occasionally good appearances in the Premier League? Yes, of course. He got some qualities and is not too far from the required level - its not like he looks completely lost out there.

But as one of the most expensive signings and allegedly one of the best paid players, you'd have expected more. Unlike a lot of players where there are speculation, we know that the club offered Ali to a number of clubs last summer (unless the AZ director of football randomly lied about it, which seems rather pointless). And personally I assume it will be the same thing this summer. Whether he stays or leaves is another question.

He suffers from what most Eredivisie wingers suffers from - he is pretty clueless in defense. In Holland the wingers generally doesnt have any defensive responsibilities, so if you stay there for a lot of your "formative years", you'll struggle in any of the big leagues. Could he be taught to defend better? Maybe, but he is 28 and unlikely to ever reach the sufficient level. And unlike in the Eredivise, you cant afford to have players who only contributes when going forward. It might work in the occasional game but over a season its going to get punished too often if you have a player like that as a regular starter... which is what he should be, based on the money paid.

If he stays, I think he will have a similar role as this season - as a sub coming in when trying to turn a draw into a win or a loss into a draw and maybe the occasional start when players are out injured or if you have to rest players (like against Arsenal in December). If thats how he wants to spend his peak years as a footballer, its a bit sad really as he could accomplish things in a different league.

He also needs too much time on the ball and, when he arrived, wasn't strong enough, again legacies of playing in Holland.

We were actually after him when we were in the Championship and it was reported he didn't fancy the physical nature of that division. That says it all frankly.

Yet there is a player in there with great technique, delivery and attitude. If he'd come to England first (or Germany) and found a coach who put him straight in the gym he'd be a real player.

A move back to Holland would suit him and us but with AZ not interested as you say, I'm not sure that will actually happen.

And [MENTION=159]Stumpy Tim[/MENTION] is right - we need to bring through the next level rather than persevere with a 28 year old.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Alireza Jahanbakhsh signs on a 5-year deal for a club record fee

Whatever people think of him, he has started the last two games and will probably start the next two based on what most fans believe to be a MoM performance.

He is player who probably needs regular game time to succeed but he can earn his spot by regular goals and assists. We don’t have many others in are forward line capable of doing that.

 

[um bongo molongo]

The biggest problem as I see it is you have him, Locadia, Andone and Izquierdo all most likely in our top 10 earners and not contributing much / anything due to a mixture of misfortune/injury, not being quite good enough, or, in one case, being a complete waste of space. Get that lot off the books and you could probably afford one, or even two, top class front 3 players.

 

[blue-shifted]

I've got no truck with Ali. I just wonder if we're likely to see any improvement, at age 28 and 3 years in.

He can do an OK job if we've got a load of injuries but I don't see him taking us up the table. I'd rather be looking at bringing through Khadra

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I've got no truck with Ali. I just wonder if we're likely to see any improvement, at age 28 and 3 years in.

He can do an OK job if we've got a load of injuries but I don't see him taking us up the table. I'd rather be looking at bringing through Khadra

I'll answer that, we won't. One gets to the stage where a line in the sand needs to be drawn, the longer we keep hold of him, taking up a place in our Premier League squad, and give him the odd cameo performance, without it making any difference to the outcome of games, the more we are restricting young talent from coming through from the Development Squad.

In a Hughtonesque kind of way, I'm not normally big on "giving youth a chance", but this guy isn't going to get any better, so let's see what one of the youngsters can do. In my opinion we don't have too much to lose.

 

[vagabond]

The question is, if we sold him what would we get for him? And can we replace him with someone better for that price, or would he be blocking someone in the U23's? Personally I think he's a decent player and has the best delivery in open play apart from Gross. However, Reda Khadra and Taylor Richards are waiting in the wings...

And there lies the rub.

We have talent coming through. And lots of it. Unfortunately we can’t be a charity at elite level. I think this is a more prolonged conversation as pretty much all of us recognise and like AJ as a great guy and pro.

But Khadra, Taylor Richards, Zequiri, MacAllister, Moises, Moder, Zak and other u23’s are all busting a gut to get first team action. Who knows who the next Alzate or Sanchez could be?

As harsh as it is, the likes of Proper and AJ have had their time and I think as a club we need to make way so the next conveyor belt of talent can come through.

 

[Icy Gull]

I’ve read all the arguments and I think that I can say with some conviction that NONE of us are likely thinking like GP. We really have no idea if GP still wants to offload Ali J or keep him

Curve ball coming up imo

 

[KeegansHairPiece]

And there lies the rub.

We have talent coming through. And lots of it. Unfortunately we can’t be a charity at elite level. I think this is a more prolonged conversation as pretty much all of us recognise and like AJ as a great guy and pro.

But Khadra, Taylor Richards, Zequiri, MacAllister, Moises, Moder, Zak and other u23’s are all busting a gut to get first team action. Who knows who the next Alzate or Sanchez could be?

As harsh as it is, the likes of Proper and AJ have had their time and I think as a club we need to make way so the next conveyor belt of talent can come through.

What's the squad rule on U23s, I didn't think they needed to be named in your full squad, or at least you can feature a number of U23s without being named in the full squad. (can't remember the exact details...) but AJ isn't really taking the place of an U23 I don't think if that's the case...

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

At least AJ looks interested - and is clearly making an impression in training - he's the sort of player you really want to do well, as he at least puts in the effort.

Compare that to Locadia who we are still paying silly wages to and who is stealing a living as a footballer.

 

[GT49er]

The question is, if we sold him what would we get for him? And can we replace him with someone better for that price, or would he be blocking someone in the U23's? Personally I think he's a decent player and has the best delivery in open play apart from Gross. However, Reda Khadra and Taylor Richards are waiting in the wings...

Think Khadra might be best going out on loan for a season now. There's also Longman though (who everybody seems to forget) - he too has had a very good season in League 1, and might even be a tad ahead of Richards - although a Championship season might still be the development path for both of them.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

And there lies the rub.

We have talent coming through. And lots of it. Unfortunately we can’t be a charity at elite level. I think this is a more prolonged conversation as pretty much all of us recognise and like AJ as a great guy and pro.

But Khadra, Taylor Richards, Zequiri, MacAllister, Moises, Moder, Zak and other u23’s are all busting a gut to get first team action. Who knows who the next Alzate or Sanchez could be?

As harsh as it is, the likes of Proper and AJ have had their time and I think as a club we need to make way so the next conveyor belt of talent can come through.

And isn't that the way that it should be? . . . the natural evolution of things, the great circle of life etc. etc.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Think Khadra might be best going out on loan for a season now. There's also Longman though (who everybody seems to forget) - he too has had a very good season in League 1, and might even be a tad ahead of Richards - although a Championship season might still be the development path for both of them.

Me thinks you are a fan of young Ryan Longman, you have mentioned him a few times before!