[Albion] In praise of our five key summer signings

[Two Professors]

Pascal must be worth 10 times his reported fee by now.The fitting in part is why I want Leo back-just slot straight in.

 

[Stat Brother]

So you don't agree then!

There's simply no way Propper would have played 90 minutes of every game. No way

That's not what I inferred from your original comment.
Although as the team has so far only had one 'comfortable' lead, all season, I still think my point stands.
Mixing up the wingers and strikers (what a luxury that must be) is one thing, but swapping around any of the 4 D's, in any game, still seems very unlikely to me.

 

[Buzzer]

Great thread. Most people on this board know that I've never been a bedwetter, I'm far more of a club happy-clapper but even I was anxious about our chances at the end of August. I can't believe just how good the signings have all been and also how the rest of the team have made the step up to the PL.

Regards the new signings, Ryan and Gross are the two stand-outs by far and with the already present, hats off to Bruno, Bong, Stephens, Knockaert and Murray who have all exceeded expectations.

I have mentioned before that if we can keep a mid-table position going into the January transfer window, then not signing a striker in the summer could be a real blessing in disguise because we would be a much more attractive proposition for any strikers rather than relegation certainties that the outside world all had us.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

That's not what I inferred from your original comment.
Although as the team has so far only had one 'comfortable' lead, all season, I still think my point stands.
Mixing up the wingers and strikers (what a luxury that must be) is one thing, but swapping around any of the 4 D's, in any game, still seems very unlikely to me.

You wrote:

There's no way the highly thought of Dutch international and former record signing wouldn't have got exactly the same amount of game time, even if Kayal and Sidwell were fully fit and raring to go.

Seems you're back-tracking a little there.

Frankly I'm 99% sure he wouldn't have played against Man City for starters as he had only just joined, and Hughton often talks about players being ready for the way we play. Kayal and Sidwell are very different players to Propper, and they would have surely had game time at his expense in certain away games - and probably games like Everton and Newcastle where we were battling to stay ahead

 

[Stat Brother]

You wrote:


Seems you're back-tracking a little there.

Frankly I'm 99% sure he wouldn't have played against Man City for starters as he had only just joined, and Hughton often talks about players being ready for the way we play. Kayal and Sidwell are very different players to Propper, and they would have surely had game time at his expense in certain away games - and probably games like Everton and Newcastle where we were battling to stay ahead

Fair enough, I can understand your point of view, now you have clarified it further but in the end we disagree.

 

[The Large One]

Agree with the OP with one small exception.

I still think the criticism of Ryan for Dunk's own goal is harsh; a bullet header from four yards away. Any criticism that he was standing in the wrong place is, for me, totally unfounded.

 

[Dolph Ins]

Most improved form is Ryan. I miss Stockers he could and should have done the job top bloke but Matey/Matty (?) is looking top drawer now, just wish he wouldnt have to keep flying all the time. Must take it's toll that/those trips. And Propper what a player he is looking

The ONLY thing we didnt get was an elusive striker. We are doing ok though and TBH Murray is surpassing my expectations. He cant do this all season so for me as with probably everyone there is one priority in Jan which is of course on the cards a stikerespecially with the service they are getting. Elsewhere we are pretty well covered Happy days

There are only 3 teams-excluding the obvious- who have scored more than us so maybe, heresy I know, if PW hasn't lined up the prolific striker no one has heard of to sign in January we keep our money and wait for the summer window to splash our-well Tony's-money. I know it's early but I am feeling reasonably confident about this season now.

 

[maffew]

There are only 3 teams-excluding the obvious- who have scored more than us so maybe, heresy I know, if PW hasn't lined up the prolific striker no one has heard of to sign in January we keep our money and wait for the summer window to splash our-well Tony's-money. I know it's early but I am feeling reasonably confident about this season now.

me too it's just fitness and injuries that are a concern potentially up front for me

 

[ewe2]

Employing the right person for the job,in any business is just so important.!!

 

[Tiptoe through the NSC]

I guess if you didn't assume all the summer transfers were abject failures long, long, before the end of September, high praise wouldn't be needed now.

Just to be clear on the opening remarks, my concern was that we had four new players making their PL debut against Citeh of all teams, not that they were likely to be abject failures in the long term.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

So you don't agree then!

There's simply no way Propper would have played 90 minutes of every game. No way

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
Sidwell could have course come on to form a 5 Man midfield. [emoji2]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Machiavelli]

Great thread. Most people on this board know that I've never been a bedwetter, I'm far more of a club happy-clapper but even I was anxious about our chances at the end of August. I can't believe just how good the signings have all been and also how the rest of the team have made the step up to the PL.

Regards the new signings, Ryan and Gross are the two stand-outs by far and with the already present, hats off to Bruno, Bong, Stephens, Knockaert and Murray who have all exceeded expectations.

I have mentioned before that if we can keep a mid-table position going into the January transfer window, then not signing a striker in the summer could be a real blessing in disguise because we would be a much more attractive proposition for any strikers rather than relegation certainties that the outside world all had us.

I'm broadly with you on all this but a couple of minor quibbles:
-- Propper is increasingly looking like a leading candidate, although Pascal continues to get in the way of that
-- not entirely convinced about Knockaert at this level and, unfortunately, increasingly less so of Bruno. March and, without a doubt, Dunk need to be included in your list of exceeding expectations.