[Albion] Florin Andone just tweeted training pics of himself

[Mellotron]

Total aside, was Connolly injured for the Leicester game?

Back spasm, apparently. Can't help but think if he hadn't leaned right back for that shot...(I am of course joking...)

 

[raymondo]

I do wonder how much of the Andone hype is based around that goal against Palace, and had he scored either that goal against someone else (e.g. Watford) or even scored a tap-in against Palace people would be quite so keen on his returning?

Nice use of the gerund there

 

[CheeseRolls]

Fair enough. I think we're very close to agreeing, it's almost just semantics at this point. Of course, neither of us know precisely what was going through his head at the time, so perhaps you are right to give him the benefit of the doubt, even if I'm not 100% convinced.

I with [MENTION=12162]brighton_tom[/MENTION] on this one. I have seen him make that move numerous times. Essentially as a small bloke he plants his feet wide and as the bigger opponent hits him takes the impact, swivels his upper body and turns them, as they are off balance. It is very much like a martial arts move, but very far removed from deliberately stamping on a player and trying to break his leg.

 

[Gwylan]

I do wonder how much of the Andone hype is based around that goal against Palace, and had he scored either that goal against someone else ... people would be quite so keen on his returning?

I don't know about that. I can't think of any other player in the current team who could have scored a goal like that: Connolly has the pace, but not the strength; Maupay and Welbeck wouldn't have the pace; Trossard has the pace but would have doubled back and tried to beat a couple more players. The only other player who might have scored it is Izzy (and he's not in the team either).

I think Andone has a lot of credit in the bank for that goal (and would have, regardless of the opponent)

 

[nwgull]

Yeah there's an element of truth to that.
His stats are decent though, so there is more to it than just that goal.

No guarantees that he's any better than what we've got, but he is another option.

Personally I think he's probably comparable to Maupay, which is why Potter felt he could afford to loan him out.
I feel he may be mentally stronger than Maupay though. I don't think he doubts his own ability for one second

True about the stats: his minutes per goal stats are better than Maupay’s, and that’s before you take into account that nearly all of his playing time was under Hughton where he had far fewer goal-scoring chances. I think you’re correct about his mental strength also.

 

[Springal]

Ignore

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

If he is not good enough then don't put him on the bench

I'd have thought that was quite obvious - he's on the bench as he's the best of the rest but Potter clearly thinks that Maupay still carries more threat with 80 mins in his legs than Andi does with fresh legs. However, if Maupay were to be injured, then, as best of the rest Andi [or Tau] would carry more threat and so would come off the bench.

That said, I do think Maupay has had more that enough opportunity and someone else should start - whether that's Welbeck, Andone, Connoly, Zeqiri or Tau [is that the pecking order?] that decision sits with Potter and he knows his players way better than any of us do.

 

[TugWilson]

Can you imagine him coming back into the team and scoring a couple of goals , the look on his face , that is why i think he would do well , he likes the attention .

 

[the wanderbus]

Every side needs a b@strd that is prepared play on the edge , Andone is ours . I dont care if he does make players or spectators wince, get him in the side. We need players with the will to win.
Viva Florin the b@stard!

 

[blue-shifted]

Every side needs a ******* that is prepared play on the edge , Andone is ours . I dont care if he does make players or spectators wince, get him in the side. We need players with the will to win.
Viva Florin the *******!

Are you sure?

It might cost us the title of "nicest club in the UK" for the 43rd consecutive year. You'd give that up, just to lessen the chances of relegation?

 

[Hugo Rune]

I with [MENTION=12162]brighton_tom[/MENTION] on this one. I have seen him make that move numerous times. Essentially as a small bloke he plants his feet wide and as the bigger opponent hits him takes the impact, swivels his upper body and turns them, as they are off balance. It is very much like a martial arts move, but very far removed from deliberately stamping on a player and trying to break his leg.

I agree with this.

But looking at the tackle in slo-mo, he clearly makes up his mind early not to go for the ball. But his eyes are actually on the ball, not Valery’s leg when he dives in.

He is looking at aggressively putting a barrier between the Saints player and the ball, swivelling himself in the air, at high speed, bent over a touch and planting his feet down very hard with his arse taking the full impact of Valery.

What actually happened was that because he was being wreckless, he wasn’t looking at where his foot was landing leading to a horror tackle.

A red card was 100% justified for such a daft and dangerous attempt to block a player off. However, there is no malice or intention to stamp on Valery in my view.

Karma has dealt Andone enough retribution with his series of horrific injuries. All is forgiven. Let’s get him back on the pitch and see if his finishing is better than our current League Two level and if he can save us.

 

[zefarelly]

Can you imagine him coming back into the team and scoring a couple of goals , the look on his face , that is why i think he would do well , he likes the attention .

Basically you're saying he's a proper striker . . . selfish show off glory hunter. A potential match winner.

Greyam won't have that, a shade too dark.

 

[the wanderbus]

Are you sure?

It might cost us the title of "nicest club in the UK" for the 43rd consecutive year. You'd give that up, just to lessen the chances of relegation?

Haha, without a second thought. Football is too sanitised these days. I'd prefer a modern day Paul Clark and Hans Kraay in the side too.

 

[TugWilson]

Basically you're saying he's a proper striker . . . selfish show off glory hunter. A potential match winner.

Greyam won't have that, a shade too dark.

He would be if he could keep his temper , here`s hoping

 

[zefarelly]

He would be if he could keep his temper , here`s hoping

Is he any worse than Maupay ?

 

[Audax]

I'd like to see what he can do in this team. Most of what we've seen of him was in a Hughton team that wasn't creating much for him to feed off. We might just see a very different player who's able to slot away a reasonable number of chances in this team that's creating plenty of chances. Or we might see another can't-hit-a-barn-door-with-a-beachball-from-2-meters player. But if it's the latter, we've not lost anything by trying.

 

[Change at Barnham]

Have there been any clues about how close he is to being fit to play?

I know there are pics of Andone training in a different coloured bib, but is he tackling at 100% intensity yet?

 

[paulfuzz]

I'd like to see what he can do in this team. Most of what we've seen of him was in a Hughton team that wasn't creating much for him to feed off. We might just see a very different player who's able to slot away a reasonable number of chances in this team that's creating plenty of chances. Or we might see another can't-hit-a-barn-door-with-a-beachball-from-2-meters player. But if it's the latter, we've not lost anything by trying.

It was a strong wind I tells Ya!!

 

[Machiavelli]

I don't know about that. I can't think of any other player in the current team who could have scored a goal like that: Connolly has the pace, but not the strength; Maupay and Welbeck wouldn't have the pace; Trossard has the pace but would have doubled back and tried to beat a couple more players. The only other player who might have scored it is Izzy (and he's not in the team either).

I think Andone has a lot of credit in the bank for that goal (and would have, regardless of the opponent)

I think you've got Welbeck's pace way off the mark. He's one of our quickest players. Lamptey is quicker, but doubt anyone else is. Not entirely convinced Tross is as quick as you say.

 

[TugWilson]

Is he any worse than Maupay ?

He cant be can he ? Maupay can`t buy a goal and Andone is running out of options , if he want`s his career back on track he has to prove he want`s it , what better way than rocking up with a few goals to help keep us up . And if that in turn kick starts Maupay up then we`ve had a result .