[Albion] Is the squad strong enough to compete ?

[chaileyjem]

Its pretty much Fati Complis and all over in terms of the squad now.
RDZ just then "We are complete in every part of the pitch. We have a very good squad...We have to find the balance, but we can compete like last season."

So here's how it ended up ?
Any gaps ? Any risks ? Where have we improved ?


Goalkeepers
1.Steele ( HGP ) (2025) - 32
u21 Verbruggen (2028) - 20
2. McGill (HGP) (2025) - 23

Defenders
3.Lamptey (HGP) (2025) - 22
4. Estupinan (2027) - 25
U21 Samuels (2024) - 20
5.Veltman (2025) - 31
6. Webster ( HGP ) ( 2026) - 28
7..Dunk ( HGP ) (2026) - 31
8.van Hecke (2025) - 22
9.Igor Julio (2027) - 25

Midfielders
10.Moder (2025) - 24 - injured
11.Gilmour (2026) (HGP) - 22
12. Lallana ( HGP ) (2024) - 35
13.Milner (HGP) (2024 + 1 year option) - 37
14.Groß (2025) - 31
15..Dahoud (2027) - 27
u21. Baleba (2028 + 1) - 19
u21. Hinshelwood (HGP) (2026) - 18

Forwards
U21. Buonanotte (2027) - 18
U21 Ansu Fati (1 Year LOAN) - 20
16.March ( HGP ) (2026 + 1 year option) - 28
17.Mitoma (2025) - 25
U21. Enciso (2026 + 1 yr option) - 19 - injured
18. Welbeck ( HGP ) (2024) - 32
19.Joao Pedro (2028)- 21
u21 Adingra (2026) - 21
U21. Ferguson (2028) - 18

Late deals out TBC >>
Furlong, Zeqiri, Alzate


u21s in 23/24 are born on or after Jan 1 2002.

Players bought in Summer 2023: Joao Pedro (£30m/Watford/2028) , Dahoud (Free/Dortmund/2027) , Milner (Free/Liverpool, 2024+1), Verbruggen (£16m/Anderlecht/2028), Mazilu (£2.5m/FCV Farul Constanta/Jan Window), Igor Julio (£16.5m / Fiorentina/ 2027), Slater (2026/ Preston), Atom (2026/RB Leipzig/u21), Baleba (£23m + 4m/ Lille), Ansu Fati (Barcelone/23/24 LOAN)
Players sold in Summer 2023: Richards (QPR), MacAllister (£35m/55m, Liverpool), Tsongui (Feyenoord), Khadra (£1.7m, Reims). Connolly (£1.2m/Hull), Sanchez (£20m+5m Chelsea), Karbownik (£2m/Hertha Berlin), Caicedo (£100+15m/Chelsea)
New Summer 2023 Contracts: McGill (2025), Sarmiento (2028), Baker-Boitey (2024 +1), Kavanagh (2024 + 1), Veltman (2025), Turns (2025 +1), Dunk (2026), Furlong (2025), Van Hecke (2025), Leonard (2025 + 1), Rushworth (2027), Offiah (2025)
Summer 2023 Season Long Loans: Beadle (Oxford Utd), Sima (Rangers), Scherpen (2025/Sturm Graz), Koslowski (2026/Vitesse Arnhem), Sarmiento (2027+1 Year Option/ WBA), Leonard (2025+ 1 yr/Northampton), Rushworth (Swansea), Turns (2025+1/Leyton Orient), Undav (2026/Stuttgart), Weir (Blackpool), Offiah (Hearts), Ayari (2027/Coventry), Moran (2027/Blackburn), Peupion (2024/Cheltenham)

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

You have to say that (at the moment - until players bed in) our defence looks weaker and midfield looks less strong too - and possibly very slow. But far stronger in attack.

 

[Krafty]

REPORTS:
RDZ has said that Welbeck is out tomorrow with a 'not so bad' muscular injury.
Also, he has confirmed that Buonanotte will not be going out on loan.

 

[Rookie]

Full back and lot of pressure on Baleba

 

[Mancgull]

Wonder how much of Baleba we’ll see. Sure he won’t start every game but it seems as if we are expecting some starts from him and maybe some games off the bench. Bit of a risk.

 

[The Fits]

A lot rests on Baleba and Igor for me.
Hard to be critical on a day like today but I look at that squad and think it lacks balance. Very few left footers. A real lack of pace in midfield and defence, and an attack that seems WAY better and deeper than the rest of the squad.

 

[pb21]

Right back

You have to say that (at the moment - until players bed in) our defence looks weaker and midfield looks less strong too - and possibly very slow. But far stronger in attack.

Agree, defence relatively the weakest area, particularly at RB and generally for pace as you say. However, overall it looks very good though!

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

You've got Hinshelwood as a midfielder, but wasn't he playing left back in the US friendlies?

 

[KZNSeagull]

If RDZ is happy then I don't see why anyone else wouldn't be tbh.

 

[chaileyjem]

You've got Hinshelwood as a midfielder, but wasn't he playing left back in the US friendlies?

Yes. But Gross can also play RB - but i suppose he's a midfielder. Hinshelwood is like most of the players pretty versatile and like most of the players RDZ might play them in several positions i guess so the categorisation isn't 100%

 

[Withdean11]

ATTACK - Far stronger
MIDFIELD - Weaker
DEFENCE - Even

 

[The Fits]

If RDZ is happy then I don't see why anyone else wouldn't be tbh.

That's the thing isn't it? If he wanted a new right back we would have one. So let's see what he's got.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Any gaps?

Yes. Several.

1. We only have one true left back.
2. We only have one true inverted right winger
3. We only have one true defensive midfielder who has played less time the Buonanotte in a top league.


Any risks?

Yes. Several.

1. If Estupinan gets injured we don’t have anyone near his level at left back.
2. As seen in our 1st 4 games, our defence misses the protection given by Caicedo. Baleba could be the answer but how far away is he and what if he gets injured? It could take him months or years to get up to speed.
3. If March gets injured which is reasonably likely looking at his record, we have no back up left footed inverted winger.
4. Buonanotte won’t get a lot of game time when a loan might have accelerated his much needed development/transition.

Where have we improved?

1. Attack - yes.
2. Midfield - worse.
3. Defence - about the same (Milner & Igor negate the loss of Colwill).

Fati is a brilliant prospect but very similar to Enciso. If he can match his outcomes, we’d have done well with that particular loan. I don’t think he offer more or anything different than the Paraguayan. So my expectations are that he will get the EPL goal of the season!!

 

[Javeaseagull]

REPORTS:
RDZ has said that Welbeck is out tomorrow with a 'not so bad' muscular injury.
Also, he has confirmed that Buonanotte will not be going out on loan.

That pleases me. I had read that Buonanotte was going to Leeds and felt sad at that!

 

[sparkie]

I think we need another defender. It doesn't matter too much what type.

This would enable Milner to concentrate fully on being a midfielder, and we wouldn't be reading that Pascal "can" play right back so much either.

 

[chaileyjem]

2. As seen in our 1st 4 games, our defence misses the protection given by Caicedo. Baleba could be the answer but how far away is he and what if he gets injured? It could take him months or years to get up to speed.

Or were there other factors in the West Ham defeat. Caicedo played 90 minutes last season in our defeats against Everton (5-1), Forest (3-1), Newcastle (4-1), and Fulham (1-0) and didn't prevent them.

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lens]

If we compare to last season : Like others, the midfield is OK only IF Baleba is able to get going, but given he;s so young, we may just have to be patient. We have plenty of players for the midfield and some talent with it, but raw pace and strength means it could be lightweight in some games. Full-back bothers me too - We know we can "cover " with players who will do a job, but that's not quite the same. Igor unknown to us of course as yet, and maybe 3 at the back becomes more of an option if we have injures at full-back although clearly that is not RDZ way (as yet!).
It can compete, but strongest 11 today is not quite as strong as strongest 11 last season given we have some unknowns just yet. That could change if RDZ an work his magic on newbies.

 

[Machiavelli]

Any gaps?

Yes. Several.

1. We only have one true left back.
2. We only have one true inverted right winger
3. We only have one true defensive midfielder who has played less time the Buonanotte in a top league.


Any risks?

Yes. Several.

1. If Estupinan gets injured we don’t have anyone near his level at left back.
2. As seen in our 1st 4 games, our defence misses the protection given by Caicedo. Baleba could be the answer but how far away is he and what if he gets injured? It could take him months or years to get up to speed.
3. If March gets injured which is reasonably likely looking at his record, we have no back up left footed inverted winger.
4. Buonanotte won’t get a lot of game time when a loan might have accelerated his much needed development/transition.

Where have we improved?

1. Attack - yes.
2. Midfield - worse.
3. Defence - about the same (Milner & Igor negate the loss of Colwill).

Fati is a brilliant prospect but very similar to Enciso. If he can match his outcomes, we’d have done well with that particular loan. I don’t think he offer more or anything different than the Paraguayan. So my expectations are that he will get the EPL goal of the season!!

Agree with this, apart from your assessment of RW. When Buonanotte played for us, he played in that position and that's where he played for Boca too -- so there is a direct inverted replacement for March. In addition, Adingra has played there and looked good. Gross could play there too, and potentially Pedro and Fati. Don't think we've got a problem there or in any of the attacking four positions.
As you and others have said, looks like we're relying on Baleba hitting the ground running in midfield and there's no obvious understudy. Other than that, we've got good variety and experience in midfield.
It's in the defence that we look more vulnerable. If Igor turns out to be excellent than many of our concerns will melt away, especially if he can play LB as well as (L)CB. RB is less strong than LB although there's more that can play in that role. We might be in trouble at CB if Dunk gets a long injury too.
But in answer to the opening question, yes with the above potential concerns.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Overall the squad is weaker than last season.

 

[Mellotron]

IF Igor and Baleba bed in quickly and look good, then I don't think there would be too much to worry about.