I've noticed if Lewis Dunk doesn't play, we lose (and look a lot more disjointed).
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[Albion] Chchchanges
- Thread starter Skaville
- Start date
This is the more important piece for me. If we don't change the side, the rest first 11 will be exhausted and the rest will never get used to executing our tactics and patterns of play, so that's just something we have to get used to laying 3 times a week.
The bigger concern is that the defence looks a little lost without Dunky marshalling them. I firmly believe that 1 or 2 of the AEK goals don't happen if Dunk is at CB
- Aug 24, 2020
- 7,095
Indeed. I haven't got the stats to hand, but a lot of traffic comes from Dunk. A lot.
I think he is a massive influence on our entire onfield structure during a match.
Clive Walker
Stand Or Fall
Enciso and Gross aside I think that March, Dunk and Ferguson have been rested as they are either carrying knocks or illness. The only other rotation has been Welbeck who rotates anyway, Veltman who rotates anyway when Gross is fit and Gilmour who has played a lot of football.
That leaves just Mitoma and the goalkeepers.
That leaves just Mitoma and the goalkeepers.
- Aug 24, 2020
- 7,095
'You don't know what you've got 'til its gone' - Joni Mitchell.
We don't just miss him as a CB though. It looks like we are a lesser 'team' when he is absent, be it through injury, resting, rotation etc.
Absolutely. I think he's big mentality wise nowadays also. I did feel we were missing leaders/big characters a little against AEK and Chelsea.
- Jul 10, 2003
- 27,766
- Aug 24, 2020
- 7,095
When he takes a step down in class, it's natural for us to compare him to the other CB. And when the other CB is Maguire, well, there's no need to go any further.So do England
We're third in the Premier League, and probably deserved to have won 6/6 games so far (taking nothing away from West Ham's very clinical performance). What on earth are you talking about?
kevo
Well-known member
- Mar 8, 2008
- 9,801
I was stood next to some eastern European chap at Chelsea. He said 'Where's Dunk?'. 'He won't be playing tonight' I replied. 'Do we want to win the game?' was his response. He had a point.
We certainly miss him (and Gross), but we have to accept they ain't gonna play every minute of every game. The rest of the squad just have to learn to adapt for when they're not in the team. Hopefully rotatation will help them to learn how to do that.
I also think we are badly missing Enciso atm.
Yeah there's been a couple of times we've missed Enciso's dynamism and unpredictable spark. The willingness to shoot from distance. Athens in particular I felt we missed him quite badly.
Can we really say we deserved to beat West Ham? They were so clinical and incisive with their counters that I think they probably deserved the win tbh.
I only think the main issue is that the rotation is bringing in players who haven't yet adapted to playing in the PL, never mind playing in de Zerbi’s style.
The flip side of that though, is that they aren’t going to learn to play de Zerbi’s style or get up to speed in the PL without playing games.
Perseverance is the only way, accept some results may not be what we would like but focus on players getting minutes and getting up to speed. I def think Baleba, Igor, Joao Pedro etc will all be really positive additions once they are up to speed.
The flip side of that though, is that they aren’t going to learn to play de Zerbi’s style or get up to speed in the PL without playing games.
Perseverance is the only way, accept some results may not be what we would like but focus on players getting minutes and getting up to speed. I def think Baleba, Igor, Joao Pedro etc will all be really positive additions once they are up to speed.
Yeah, taking nothing away from West Ham (who I thought were superb on the day) but really, if Areola has a worse day, and Webster has a better one, we would've won that. As I say, that didn't happen, but we created more chances, dominated possession and made three individual errors. On another day we play the same and win - probably played well enough to win that game is all.
Taybha
Whalewhine
If I don't see Mr Veltman in the team I have a distinct feeling the opposition will definitely score so we have to score at least 2 to win,so far we've got 3 more points than I thought we'd have after 6 games so I'll leave it to the manager to pick Veltman and the other 10.
fly high
Well-known member
We certainly missed him on Wednesday, too many defenders crowding round the ball, too easy to slip the ball through to unmarked player in the box. Defenders needed marshaling, a leader. Same against AEK but if he is injured or needs resting need to manage his time or we'll end up without him for longer.
We should have had match sown up by halftime & misses by Pedro against AEK & Chelsea have cost us even with a slightly disorganised back four.
It's certainly fascinating to watch. And just like everything with RDZ, it's risky. But the rewards are high - in particular creating a squad where pretty much everyone is at a very high level, who can just slot in and out of the team as required. But we're not a HUGE out-lier....and the sample size is pretty small. If you look at the number of players who have started at least 5 of the first 6 EPL matches, then we have FIVE in that category. The other teams near the top tend to have seven or eight (Spurs 10, but Liverpool 6). The positive, I think, is that we have 17 players who have played at least 200 minutes in the EPL (Spurs only have ten such players)....I think on balance it's a good thing - but every now and then it may go wrong.
Milano
Well-known member
I’m going ALL IN that we are still in the FA Cup by Christmas………
Me too. I've bet the neighbours house on it.