[Albion] January window

[maltaseagull]

It pains me to say it as Dunk, Webster and Veltman have been excellent but I think we need far more pace in our back line. The way we now play under De Zerbi we're quite exposed at the back and a simple ball over the top opens us up far too easily. I think that will be something that we look to rectify by bringing someone(s) in which will mean one or more of Dunk, Webster and Veltman sitting on the bench.

Also that Fratesi looks a bit like Skalak. I'm all for signing him regardless of ability if he'll stand on a chair in his brighton kit and cover himself in Brighton flags and scarves.

I hate to say it but we were caught out too often yesterday with passes through to Ings or others. Also, nobody has mentioned goalies. I like Sanchez but his handling of corners was awful compared to Martinez the time-wasting dick.

 

[GT49er]

We won't be challenging for the top four, not this season or next. Do you seriously expect us to finish above the likes of Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Newcasle etc. etc? because l don't.

If we could just manage a top six finish in that time it would be one heck of an achievement, l'd be bowled over with a place in Europe.

I don't know that demanding a bigger transfer budget would help, it proved to be the end for a certain Senor G. Poyet.

I think RDZ will be well aware of the constraints under which he must operate - he will have been told at the interview stage, if not before. If he wasn't listening, or was putting his fingers in his ears and going 'Nah nah nah can't hear you' he will soon find he's made a terribe error!
I suspect he's got more sense.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Most likely I think that only one defender will arrive in January and probably that will be a left-footed CB. What that means for Colwill is a bit of a question mark

That he can f-off back to London where he belongs?

 

[nwgull]

We won't be challenging for the top four, not this season or next. Do you seriously expect us to finish above the likes of Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Newcasle etc. etc? because l don't.

If we could just manage a top six finish in that time it would be one heck of an achievement, l'd be bowled over with a place in Europe.

I don't know that demanding a bigger transfer budget would help, it proved to be the end for a certain Senor G. Poyet.

Not saying that Tony Bloom shouldn't pocket some of the profit made in 21-22 and this season, but with around 220m in transfer income over the last 3 windows (including compo for coaching and other non-playing staff), I think it's fair to say we've got a bit more scope than in days of yore.

 

[GT49er]

I hate to say it but we were caught out too often yesterday with passes through to Ings or others. Also, nobody has mentioned goalies. I like Sanchez but his handling of corners was awful compared to Martinez the time-wasting dick.

Kicking the ball towards the oppoment's goal and running after it as fast as f*ck can always unsettle teams that like to pass it around to draw teams on to them (but don't come arrowing in so f*ckin' fast, please!)
Happy to stick with Sanchez - good, and getting better. Hope Chelsea don't want him..................................

 

[Cornwallboy]

Errrmm ...... you're new here, aren't you.......

Yes sure am, enjoying it immensely.

 

[Hugo Rune]

It wouldn’t surprise me if David Datro Fofana was on our short list. He’s been impressing at Molde this season; quick and knows where the back of the net is, but at 19 he’s still one that needs time to develop. Perfect for a loan to USG.

Good scouting.

Pace, power, two footed, great strength and he knows how to shoot. A bonus is that he has the same agent as USG’s Boniface. It might be them that buy him rather than us but we know we can have him if we want him afterwards!

 

[Swansman]

What's the point of those loans? Van Hecke has already proved himself at the highest level available in England outside the PL, Gilmour pretty much too. Sarmiento has played in the first team without looking out of place. Keep them here, with careful progression of game time (I must admit I thught Van Hecke would get a shot first, with Colwill heading back to Chelsea in January - better to develop our own rather than develop Chelsea's, but maybe that horse has bolted now).
Ferguson? Probably OK, yes - League 1 for half a season - but I'd prefer to keep him here and loan him out for the 2023-24 season - I'm not a fan of half season loans. They rarely seem to work.

Well, mainly to get these guys to play some football since they aren't really playing any.

 

[Swansman]

That he can f-off back to London where he belongs?

Congratulations, you get three points in some kind of popularity contest.

I think the bloke has done a lot with the little time he's had on the pitch, clearly trying to adapt to what RDZ wants, in difficult circumstances.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Congratulations, you get three points in some kind of popularity contest.

I think the bloke has done a lot with the little time he's had on the pitch, clearly trying to adapt to what RDZ wants, in difficult circumstances.

believe me, I've received far fewer thumbs up than I have made nonsensically anti-Colwill posts. If I were after cheap likes I'd write more posts slagging off Palace or Potter.
I don't think we should take loans from other Premier League clubs, and while I'm at it I think the loan market distorts the overall player market to the detriment of football in general.
I'm sure he does his best and I don't actually wish him any harm, but I'd like him to piss off as soon as possible. If we buy him I'll want him to do the best possible until he goes to another club, at which point I'll stop caring entirely.

 

[Wardy's twin]

Congratulations, you get three points in some kind of popularity contest.

I think the bloke has done a lot with the little time he's had on the pitch, clearly trying to adapt to what RDZ wants, in difficult circumstances.

The guy was probably our best player on Saturday ( agree not a lot of competition) and if Chelsea come in for Trossard we could try to get him as some for of part exchange (yes i know that does not happen much now) but no harm in asking.

 

[Swansman]

believe me, I've received far fewer thumbs up than I have made nonsensically anti-Colwill posts. If I were after cheap likes I'd write more posts slagging off Palace or Potter.
I don't think we should take loans from other Premier League clubs, and while I'm at it I think the loan market distorts the overall player market to the detriment of football in general.
I'm sure he does his best and I don't actually wish him any harm, but I'd like him to piss off as soon as possible. If we buy him I'll want him to do the best possible until he goes to another club, at which point I'll stop caring entirely.

I agree that loaning players isn't great and I suspect there's some way to buy him, if wanted.

But as long as he's in the club people might as well just accept him

 

[Wardy's twin]

That he can f-off back to London where he belongs?

Possibly best player on Sunday and very talented so keeping him on loan for a year means we have CB cover for the year and don't have to spend cash on a CB in january. What happens the following year - maybe we go for another years loan if he looks like he is developing ok I am sure Chelsea won't mind. Don't agree with the argument he's only here for the year , the Cucurella saga is a fine illustration of the fragility of contracts when the money is good. the fact that Chelsea MIGHT be looking at Trossard MIGHT present the opportunity to do a deal.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

But as long as he's in the club people might as well just accept him

No.

If he's playing in a game I happen to make it to, I'll cheer him on like everybody else. But I'll shout something about him being a Chelsea dick in the ear of the bewildered person next to me at half time.

 

[Wardy's twin]

I agree that loaning players isn't great and I suspect there's some way to buy him, if wanted.

But as long as he's in the club people might as well just accept him

Especially when we might have to pay £20m for a replacement.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Possibly best player on Sunday and very talented so keeping him on loan for a year means we have CB cover for the year and don't have to spend cash on a CB in january. What happens the following year - maybe we go for another years loan if he looks like he is developing ok I am sure Chelsea won't mind. Don't agree with the argument he's only here for the year , the Cucurella saga is a fine illustration of the fragility of contracts when the money is good. the fact that Chelsea MIGHT be looking at Trossard MIGHT present the opportunity to do a deal.

If we were that worried about having CB backup we should have planned ahead and bought somebody already, just as we managed to (in different ways) with Burn, White, Veltman and Cucurella.
I'm not going to feel any better about it, no matter how many "mights" are thrown at me or how many people point out how obviously unreasonable my opinion is.

 

[Wardy's twin]

Interesting talking to media before talking to the club, not sure exactly how that will be received.

If both a new CB and player capable of playing RB/RWB would arrive, I think that'll mean the end for Veltman. Think there would be plenty of takers in Italy - they love a sturdy, experienced defender who'd be quite cheap.

Adam Webster is obviously also someone who could go and be a backup in one of the English top 6 clubs but I don't think the club is keen on selling a starting CB in January so that would have to be next summer.

Who the new CB would be... who knows. RDZ brought with him Marlon from Sassuolo to Monza and he is the most technically competent CB you'll find pretty much, so if it is somehow possible to break his loan deal with Monza and have him move to Brighton, it can't be ruled out.

Potential RB... I'm a sucker for Kevin Mac Allister. He has grown into being one of the best RBs in the Argentinian league and there would be obvious off-pitch advantages getting him in.

Most likely I think that only one defender will arrive in January and probably that will be a left-footed CB. What that means for Colwill is a bit of a question mark, but what it means for Van Hecke is pretty certain - loan move to St Elsewhere.

In midfield I think another central midfielder (perhaps someone primarly AMC but also able to play in other roles) could arrive, replacing Mwepu. Billy wont be delighted and maybe should have another loan spell in the Championship or something.

Up front, there's already of couple of players getting very limited game time. Think we could see three players loaned out and Buonanotte arriving along with another player.

My guess for January:

In:
CB
DMC/CM/AMC
Buonanotte
Another attacking player

Out (loans)
Van Hecke
Billy
Sarmiento
Fergie

Same numbers (as they're ok) but oomphed up in terms of competiton.

Not sure about these 'outs' . Think Sarmiento would have been on for Lallana had he been fit., I don't going out on loan won't improve his fitness. I think Billy G has to stay to prove recruitment did not get it wrong. Regards Ferguson he seems to have dropped out of our first team squad so you might be right, I would prefer to play him instead of Undav who looks off the pace and uninterested. Who would we loan Van Hecke to , he was one of the best CBs in the championship. Not sure we would want to loan him to a PL squad....

 

[Swansman]

Not sure about these 'outs' . Think Sarmiento would have been on for Lallana had he been fit., I don't going out on loan won't improve his fitness. I think Billy G has to stay to prove recruitment did not get it wrong. Regards Ferguson he seems to have dropped out of our first team squad so you might be right, I would prefer to play him instead of Undav who looks off the pace and uninterested. Who would we loan Van Hecke to , he was one of the best CBs in the championship. Not sure we would want to loan him to a PL squad....

Fair with Sarmiento, might have to keep him and build him up. Billy G... if another midfielder is bought, I just don't how he is going to get any game time. JPVH either to the Championship again (yes he was one of the best but that doesn't mean he can't learn more from playing there) or maybe a Bundesliga club. Bloke needs to play football and if another CB arrives I just cant see him playing a single minute this spring.

 

[Zeberdi]

Ferguson he seems to have dropped out of our first team squad

He‘s still only 18 and playing regularly for the U21s, 6 appearances and 5 goals this season (and capped for Ireland) - I wouldn’t dismiss him off as loanable material yet - not sure he’s even got to be a fully fledged a member of the First Team yet - (was debuted in a Carabao match and has 1 league appearance for the first team) but he was on the bench on Sunday for the Villa match - at least suggesting RDZ has him in mind for more regular first team appearances in the future?

 

[Reddleman]

Absolute number one on the list needs to be a striker, hardly an original thought I will admit but hear me out:

The games we have lost this season have one thing in common, the opposition had a clinical centre forward who scored.

Fulham (Mitrovic) Spurs (Kane) Brentford (Toney) Man City (Haaland) Villa (Ings)

Before anyone says it I get we can’t afford the like of Kane and Haaland but somehow we simply have to find own version of a centre forward who can score.

All this talk of goals coming from elsewhere is nonsense as it’s not some binary case of either, or, we should be getting goals from elsewhere AND our forwards. All those teams I named above get goals from other areas as well as their strikers.