[Albion] Evan Ferguson

[One Teddy Maybank]

He’s clearly suffering from a massive dip in confidence and form but the kid’s got talent and will improve. This sort of season is highly predictable for a young striker but there’s no doubt he’s a bit of a liability on the pitch at the moment and I’d like to see him have a break away from the first team. He’s also not helped by two other things:

1) He played too much intense, high level football in 2023 for a player of his age and build with a developing body. I think this has contributed to why he looks so sluggish now. I did say on numerous threads last year he was playing too much and he needed to be rested more.

2) He’s been a bit over rated. Some of the hype was absolutely ludicrous. Talk of £100m/£150m bids from the biggest clubs in the world - laughable. That has not helped him at all, expectations of him have been far too high.

Nailed it.

He is incredibly young for such a high profile position…. Massive pressure

 

[Wozza]

No - I mean our mistake with Connolly was not sending him out on loan. The club acknowledge that

Source?

The talk at the time was that AC himself declined an opportunity to go out on loan.

 

[Springal]

Source?

The talk at the time was that AC himself declined an opportunity to go out on loan.

Yes - but the club perhaps shouldn’t have really given him as much choice, especially down the path. I’m pretty sure it was in the Athletic at some point - that even Tony Bloom was involved in discussions around what should happen with Aaron

 

[GT49er]

Like Connolly did? That didn't exactly work out well. If Ferguson is as good as I think he is, and I think he's sensational, then there is not a cat's chance in hell that he'll be loaned out.

The loan route to the first team is right for some - White and Sanchez, for example - while for others, like Hinshelwood and Ferguson, the route is direct from the U21s to the first team. Although we recognise they got it badly wrong with Connolly (he should have gone on loan long before he finally did) I trust the management team will know better than any of us whether Evan should go out on loan or not. My thought FWIW (not very much!) is for no loan.
On a practical level, I can't see it happening - unless we think O'Mahoney can step up we would be desperately short of strikers if we send him out on loan - and I don't think we're planning to buy an oven-ready PL striker in the summer, are we?

 

[Zeberdi]

Nailed it.

He is incredibly young for such a high profile position…. Massive pressure

He was an international player before he came to us and is still being selected to play for the ROI international team despite his domestic performances. Like Hinshelwood he comes from a high profile footballing background-I’m pretty sure the bright lights of Premier League football don’t phase him.

He hasn‘t had so much of a confidence issue at international level but rather struggling at times to get the service he needs - I would suggest that’s been one of the main problems this season at Brighton too having sold MacAllister. That can undermine the confidence of any striker if purely judged by the number of goals he scores but he is still proving useful off the ball and keeping central defenders busy - no team is going to leave a player like Ferguson unmarked.

That and some post viral fatigue as mentioned above possibly.

Anyone suggesting Ferguson’s cracking under pressure or should be sent out on loan needs to give their head a wobble- even with his recent dry run, Ferguson is still one of the most sought out attacking players in the PL and regarded as having great potential for his age. The fact that a 19
year old even stepped up to take a penalty says something about him imo.

It seems the Ireland coach has more faith in Ferguson than some unqualified Brighton fans

Asked about Ferguson’s barren spell, O’Shea said: “It’s one of those things. He’ll have another spell five, six years down the line of a couple of months without a goal. It happens with top strikers.”

John O’Shea backs teenager Evan Ferguson to end goal drought after penalty miss | BreakingNews.ie

The Brighton striker slipped as he attempted to convert a first-half spot-kick during Ireland’s 0-0 draw with Belgium.

www.breakingnews.ie

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

He was an international player before he came to us and is still being selected to play for the ROI international team despite his domestic performances. Like Hinshelwood he comes from a high profile footballing background-I’m pretty sure the bright lights of Premier League football don’t phase him.

He hasn‘t had so much of a confidence issue at international level but rather struggling at times to get the service he needs - I would suggest that’s been one of that main problems this season at Brighton too having sold MacAllister. That can undermine the confidence of any striker if purely judged by the number of goals he scores but he is still proving useful off the ball and keeping central defenders busy - no team is going to leave a player like Ferguson unmarked.

That and some post viral fatigue as mentioned above possibly.

Anyone suggesting Ferguson’s cracking under pressure or should be sent out on loan needs to give their head a wobble- even with his recent dry run, Ferguson is still one of the most sought out attacking players in the PL and regarded as having great potential for his age. The fact that the 29 year old even stepped up to take a penalty says something about him imo.

It seems the Ireland coach has more faith in Ferguson than some unqualified Brighton fans

Asked about Ferguson’s barren spell, O’Shea said: “It’s one of those things. He’ll have another spell five, six years down the line of a couple of months without a goal. It happens with top strikers.”

John O’Shea backs teenager Evan Ferguson to end goal drought after penalty miss | BreakingNews.ie

The Brighton striker slipped as he attempted to convert a first-half spot-kick during Ireland’s 0-0 draw with Belgium.

www.breakingnews.ie

Not a full international as I recall.

Playing with your peers, age wise is completely different to playing senior football.

There are a lot of people pinning a lot of hopes on a young player, so actually significant pressure footballing background or not.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The penalty miss was unfortunate. But regarding Evan's form for the Albion, the whole team has been struggling against shitty sides that employ a low block. The main providers from the wing (Solly, Mitoma) have been largely missing, and the rare opportunities that Evan gets for a proper run-out, he tends to be reduced to playing with his back to goal. Anyone would struggle in that perfect shitstorm

 

[AstroSloth]

Why are we playing a striker at all. They have no role in the build up because we just pass the ball in the middle until there is space on the wing. Striker not involved. And when the winger makes a cross or dribble, we already have five or six players in their penalty box. Our striker is basically just another guy waiting for the ball in the box. Could just add another midfielder instead who can stand waiting in the box AND help us in midfield

Last season we essentially didn't play with a traditional striker at all.

We played with a double role of essentially number 10's who would both drop in leaving space for our wingers to get in behind.


I'd imagine having no fit wingers for about 2 months impacted that play style significantly.

 

[Zeberdi]

Not a full international as I recall.

Playing with your peers, age wise is completely different to playing senior football.

There are a lot of people pinning a lot of hopes on a young player, so actually significant pressure footballing background or not.

Background matters. Look at young Hinshelwood‘s ease with which he has made the transition to top flight football - if you are not aware now then maybe you will be - Jack has the potential to be one of the best Midfielders in Europe - his background has made top flight football a comfortable level for him by his own admission.

Evan played for the national ROI youth teams but yes, not on the same class as senior teams, youth teams are more about personal development. He was part of the U-17 ROI squad however that got to the quarters of the UEFA U-17 which earned him recognition from scouts all over Europe and was one of the youngest players in the PL when he came to us in 2021 - despite that he had a great breakout season for us last year. He is still widely thought to have the potential to be one of the best strikers in the world.

I think with the set up we have at Brighton, the training structure and support as well as the De Zerbi goal scoring system and squad depth that distributes our goal scoring across a wide range of players, not least our wingers, the pressure on him to score is not as much as it would be in a Championship side out on loan who maybe don’t have any other decent strikers.

edit - in case you think I’m not acknowledging there is an issue - eAlso I refer you back to my previous posts re him not getting the service this season at Brighton. It was Mackie that always drove the balls up through the centre and passed to him.

We have had March out all season ( and Mitoma for much of it) so the RDZ has had to frequently tweak our system to accommodate that - Fergie has struggled to drop deep and ghost into space in the 18 yard box in the way he did so well last season. Facundo and Adringa coming into the side as regular starters has influenced that central area too - there’s a lot of young players who all need to gel a bit better as a team.

 

[Stat Brother]

The penalty miss was unfortunate. But regarding Evan's form for the Albion, the whole team has been struggling against shitty sides that employ a low block. The main providers from the wing (Solly, Mitoma) have been largely missing, and the rare opportunities that Evan gets for a proper run-out, he tends to be reduced to playing with his back to goal. Anyone would struggle in that perfect shitstorm

The joy's of playing for The Albion, season after season.

 

[pigmanovich]

He hasn‘t had so much of a confidence issue at international level but rather struggling at times to get the service he needs - I would suggest that’s been one of that main problems this season at Brighton too having sold MacAllister. That can undermine the confidence of any striker if purely judged by the number of goals he scores but he is still proving useful off the ball and keeping central defenders busy - no team is going to leave a player like Ferguson unmarked.

Plus, he's earned us a few penalties since scoring at Forest away -- one at Tottenham at home, indirectly one at Sheffield United away in the cup, where he also set up a goal for Buonanotte.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Background matters. Look at young Hinshelwood‘s ease with which he has made the transition to top flight football - if you are not aware now then maybe you will be - Jack has the potential to be one of the best Midfielders in Europe - his background has made top flight football a comfortable level for him by his own admission.

Evan played for the national ROI youth teams but yes, not on the same class as senior teams, youth teams are more about personal development. He was part of the U-17 ROI squad however that got to the quarters of the UEFA U-17 which earned him recognition from scouts all over Europe and was one of the youngest players in the PL when he came to us in 2021 - despite that he had a great breakout season for us last year. He is still widely thought to have the potential to be one of the best strikers in the world.

I think with the set up we have at Brighton, the training structure and support as well as the De Zerbi goal scoring system and squad depth that distributes our goal scoring across a wide range of players, not least our wingers, the pressure on him to score is not as much as it would be in a Championship side out on loan who maybe don’t have any other decent strikers.

edit - in case you think I’m not acknowledging there is an issue - eAlso I refer you back to my previous posts re him not getting the service this season at Brighton. It was Mackie that always drove the balls up through the centre and passed to him.

We have had March out all season ( and Mitoma for much of it) so the RDZ has had to frequently tweak our system to accommodate that - Fergie has struggled to drop deep and ghost into space in the 18 yard box in the way he did so well last season. Facundo and Adringa coming into the side as regular starters has influenced that central area too - there’s a lot of young players who all need to gel a bit better as a team.

Not at all. All opinions.

Background undoubtedly helps, but not in all issues, and this is one IMO.
There is only so much you can prepare players/siblings for, and this level of pressure is not one.

 

[The Fits]

I have a feeling once he starts he won't stop. Ever. He'll be one of those players for whom even three match goal droughts will be unusual.

 

[herecomesaregular]

Not sure if Kane scored loads on his loans as a young player..... but he seemed to turn out ok. I think Ferguson could do with a loan move perhaps, imho, depending on how much "illness" has disrupted this season for him rather than just his development (being a young 'un).

 

[Zeberdi]

Not at all. All opinions.

Background undoubtedly helps, but not in all issues, and this is one IMO.
There is only so much you can prepare players/siblings for, and this level of pressure is not one.

I agree - it is all opinion. However, but where we essentially differ is that I don’t believe Evan’s performances are because he can’t cope with the pressure (he’s 19 years old and stepped up to take a pen for his Country for heavens sake!) and I absolutely don’t believe he should go out on loan.

There are tactical reasons why he is not scoring - not getting the service that he got last year from Mackie is one. Long periods without Mitoma and March is another ( using lateral midfielders instead of wingers) - if all that has lead to a confidence issue, it’s understandable - the missed pen yesterday was just unlucky imo - he slipped but he immediately responded by getting back into the game.

It is not unusual for strikers to go through dry spells, especially in their development.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I agree - it is all opinion. However, but where we essentially differ is that I don’t believe Evan’s performances are because he can’t cope with the pressure (he’s 19 years old and stepped up to take a pen for his Country for heavens sake!) and I absolutely don’t believe he should go out on loan.

There are tactical reasons why he is not scoring - not getting the service that he got last year from Mackie is one. Long periods without Mitoma and March is another ( using lateral midfielders instead of wingers) - if all that has lead to a confidence issue, it’s understandable - the missed pen yesterday was just unlucky imo - he slipped but he immediately responded by getting back into the game.

It is not unusual for strikers to go through dry spells, especially in their development.

I’ve not said he should go out on loan, just that there are a multitude of factors which @Farehamseagull summed up perfectly, and for me expectation which brings pressure is one of them.

He remains a young player with potentially a great career in front of him. He’s undoubtedly at the right club and hopefully he can have a good end to the season.

 

[trueblue]

Not sure if Kane scored loads on his loans as a young player..... but he seemed to turn out ok. I think Ferguson could do with a loan move perhaps, imho, depending on how much "illness" has disrupted this season for him rather than just his development (being a young 'un).

I saw Harry Kane quite a bit when he was younger and never thought he was anything special. Totally wrong obviously. Ferguson's potential is more obvious for his age I reckon.

Looking at the records, on his various loans Kane scored 14 league goals in 56 appearances (34 starts).

 

[dejavuatbtn]

With us he will develop as a Zerbiball player, whatever that is. He won’t enjoy the luxury of multitactical experiences that he might get if he goes out on loan. He is currently lost without Mitoma - he is currently better as a traditional centre forward. Whether he will get the sort of experience here whilst still a kid is debatable. IMO he would benefit from other experiences but I don’t think we have enough strikers in order to afford to let him out on loan. Shame for him but at the moment we cant give him the number of minutes he needs.

 

[The Fits]

Absolutely no way is he going on loan.

 

[chickens]

Hasn’t traveled to Japan, still working his way back to fitness?