[Albion] Igor , Dahoud and Fati. What an absolute waste of money.

[HeaviestTed]

Igor can't defend. I remember Luton away this season where I was really close to the action, and he was pitiful , league one standard.

I enjoy it when he dribbles or puts in a solid challenge but .....He.simply.cant. defend.

I like Igor but it isn’t just his defending, he looks like he doesn’t know what to do when he gets the ball.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

He played a part in just 9 games this season before whatever happened with RDZ and he was discarded. I’d like to see him under a different coach before he’s written off completely.

Me too. You don't accidentally make 140 appearances for Dortmund. There was absolutely a player in there.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

For sure our new coach will need to assess him and all of the squad. Within the current mess there's certainly opportunity.

But 'whatever happened' was Dahoud being owned by a very poor Sheffield Utd midfield, culminating in a red card. That doesn't feel promising.

I agree he didn’t help himself that day. I just wonder what was going on behind the scenes at the time. Let’s see what happens when the new coach comes in.

 

[WSU Dilettante]

I think Igor is good. And will get better. There is something about him that makes me think he could turn in to a really good player. I feel like he has thàe determination to overcome his weaknesses (lack of top speed and the turning circle of an oil tanker). Dahoud had quality, but just couldn't adapt to the PL. We know it happens. Fati has, indeed, been a crushing disappointment. That was just a risk that could have paid off in a big way but didn't.

The second half of the season to me has been a story of gambles that didn't pay off, and the emergence of future potential. We were never in danger of relegation, we gained experience of Europe and we have a developing squad that could be really strong in a season or two.

Which all fits as part of the long term plan.

Mostly agree with this.

The frustrating thing about the club's strategy is this magical future squad thats going to be incredible in a season or two, it's all a bit 'Jam tomorrow'. It feels like it's never actually going to happen and we're forever going to be a club of very high unrealised potential because we'll sell all the good players off before we can ever achieve anything.

Generally speaking, it's working for us, but I'm not so convinced Bloom will ever want to spend the money to get us to the 'next level' (which is pretty much RDZ's point). He's already sunk a lot into the club as it is.

 

[Weststander]

He played a part in just 9 games this season before whatever happened with RDZ and he was discarded. I’d like to see him under a different coach before he’s written off completely.

Going by NSC match attendees during/after about 8 of those, Dahoud was loathed. A general consensus.

[I gave him a chance, hoping he'd come good].

 

[tigertim68]

Mostly agree with this.

The frustrating thing about the club's strategy is this magical future squad thats going to be incredible in a season or two, it's all a bit 'Jam tomorrow'. It feels like it's never actually going to happen and we're forever going to be a club of very high unrealised potential because we'll sell all the good players off before we can ever achieve anything.

Generally speaking, it's working for us, but I'm not so convinced Bloom will ever want to spend the money to get us to the 'next level' (which is pretty much RDZ's point). He's already sunk a lot into the club as it is.

Does not need to spend a lot
could of got JWP for 30 million
Ross Barkley free transfer these 2 signings would of improved the squad, and we would of finished higher in the league

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Does not need to spend a lot
could of got JWP for 30 million
Ross Barkley free transfer these 2 signings would of improved the squad, and we would of finished higher in the league

Didn’t Ross Barkley have a lot of form and injury issues though? I seem to recall he was a bit of a gamble at the time. It obviously came good for Luton but they took a punt.

 

[dwayne]

Didn’t Ross Barkley have a lot of form and injury issues though? I seem to recall he was a bit of a gamble at the time. It obviously came good for Luton but they took a punt.

Indeed. Not far off signing someone like deli ali, no one would have wanted it at the time.

Now we have no chance of getting him. Apart from the top 3 and maybe chelsea the rest of the league would happily sign him.

 

[ROSM]

At 29yrs old when signing for Luton Barkley is I suspect, the kind of player RDZ would have wanted but wouldn't have fitted the model. As Andy Naylor has written, our focus is u24 and over 32. The 25 to 31s isn't where we normally recruit from.

 

[dwayne]

At 29yrs old when signing for Luton Barkley is I suspect, the kind of player RDZ would have wanted but wouldn't have fitted the model. As Andy Naylor has written, our focus is u24 and over 32. The 25 to 31s isn't where we normally recruit from.

Disagree with that, on a free we would have signed him if RDZ wanted him and we would have been able to afford him. Bit NO ONE would touch him with a barge pole before he joined Luton. And now much bigger fish want him.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Disagree with that, on a free we would have signed him if RDZ wanted him and we would have been able to afford him. Bit NO ONE would touch him with a barge pole before he joined Luton. And now much bigger fish want him.

I feel he’s still a gamble. Bit like Wayne Bridge. Did well for us but signed a longer term deal at Reading where his legs fell off. We dodged a bullet there.

 

[scwiffy]

Igor is good and a million times better than Fati and Dahoud, shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence.

 

[GT49er]

Disagree with that, on a free we would have signed him if RDZ wanted him and we would have been able to afford him. Bit NO ONE would touch him with a barge pole before he joined Luton. And now much bigger fish want him.

Exactly.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Does not need to spend a lot
could of got JWP for 30 million
Ross Barkley free transfer these 2 signings would of improved the squad, and we would of finished higher in the league

Hand on heart, at the start of the season, did you think we should have signed Ross Barkley?

And also, we might have got JWP for £30m, if we'd have matched or beaten whatever West Ham are offering in wages, which I guess would make him easily our highest wage earner and he would have chosen us over them, which I doubt

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Fati was worth a punt wasn't he?

I mean, it's a plan that has flunked spectacularly, when he came on yesterday, he looked like a pub player.

But at some stage, he'll get himself fit, rebuild his career and do a decent job for someone.

 

[Uncle C]

Now we've destroyed his value in the transfer market is the time to strike

 

[Wardy's twin]

This is nonsense. First goal was down to Webster being kept off the pitch by officials and us not reorganising

Webster's days of playing at this level must be numbered shirley

thought he did very well yesterday - passing a bit suspect but some good long passes and 3 good defensive blocks.... tried to get the ball forward a bit quicker as well which is something we need to do more off.

People blaming the defence when we should be looking at how we didn't score in that game ....

 

[Guinness Boy]

But at some stage, he'll get himself fit, rebuild his career and go to Saudi for millions.

EFA

 

[CheeseRolls]

Fati's overall contribution was hugely disappointing. He wasn't responsible for yet another injury, but the rest was down to him. Before people completely write him off his contribution in the Europa League was significant and we may have been in an even worse place without taking a punt on him. Enciso started the season brilliantly and his long term injury cast a huge shadow, especially as the alternatives were also getting crocked.

Dahoud looked to me like part of the Wilkins dynasty. Nice passer of the ball but a little lightweight in a modern midfield. It was a little strange he wasn't given more time to adjust and that one just looks like an RDZ call.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

EFA

I actually think he's a decent lad. He's still very young. I don't see him as a Neymar type. He's shown by coming to us that he was willing to go to a less fashionable club to get the game time to get his career in top level football going.

It just hasn't worked. He can't get fit. I think he'll try a similar loan maybe in France or Italy next season to try again, rather than scoot off for millions in the sun.