[Albion] Kaoru Mitoma [27/2/24 - possibly out for the rest of the season]

[Forster's Armband]

I cannot believe that the likes of Baker-Boatey or Duffus are any more ready than Barco and they've both played first team football. Valentin played in 32 matches for Boca Juniors in 2023 including the Copa Libertadores Final vs Fluminense, while I watched Baker-Boatey play against Steyning Town and thought he looked way off 1st XI standard.

I am not expecting Barco to light up the place from the off, but I would expect him to be able to step in during an injury crisis.

So you know better than RDZ?

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Fati/Enciso/Adingra are all coming back from injuries.

2 games a week for the next 3 weeks.
We are going to hope they can stand up to it

 

[southstandandy]

Anyone know what he's done to his back to be out for so long? Slipped a disc?

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

So what if we had bought two or three new players in January and then the extra injuries hadn't occurred? Two big a squad, not enough game time for everyone, disgruntled players ... easy to be wise after the event.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

It's only a bloody game.cheer up guys and girls.

Yeah, come on everyone – take a leaf out of Mr Facking Ray of Sunshine and Positivity's book,

 

[drew]

Totally agree, I love this club I rarely qustion bloom and rdz but this one lays completely at bloom

Wow, just wow. Perhaps if you get your checkbook out that might be just enough for TB to get the players you want.

 

[ewe2]

Liverpool seem to manage….

 

[Zeberdi]

Bad news but not necessarily season defining. The team was deep enough to cope well with Europe/Cup games and ELP - you only had to look at the degree of rotation in 2023 that got us through the group and had us around 6/7th in December. We managed without wingers for several months but it still didn’t impact on us too much (largely because of Hinsh playing attacking FB, having Lamptey back and using lateral midfielders).

The point is, every time we lose a key player, it feels like it’s the end of the world but mainly it’s really annoying and frustrating and of course we keep pulling out our hair, screaming silently ‘why us!’ But it is not just us. That’s why I don’t feel inclined to blame either RDZ or TB/PB - there are 8 teams with more injuries than we have (and they are not all at the top of the table so don’t have deeper squads than us either) and 3 with as many.

EPL Injury Table - Premier Injuries

The latest player injuries, suspensions and absences in the English Premier League, from the most comprehensive source of football injury statistics.

www.premierinjuries.com

Adingra is a left winger, Ansu can play on the wing, Peupion could certainly manage a 7 position, he is no worse than Facu in that position, Danny can play wide, Moder can play wide, Facu can play wide (not ideally though) etc and at some point we need to give Barco some minutes to see where’s he’s at but he is also a back up winger. Ensico is back too, Milner will likely be on the bench in the next few weeks and Pedro is likely to be back by end March.

It will be harder to cover for Gilmour than Mitoma in the next few games IMO but maybe we will finally see some magic from Baleba?

I’m not worried. Pissed off but not worried.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Bad news but not necessarily season defining. The team was deep enough to cope well with Europe/Cup games and ELP - you only had to look at the degree of rotation in 2023 that got us through the group and had us around 6/7th in December. We managed without wingers for several months but it still didn’t impact on us too much (largely because of Hinsh playing attacking FB, having Lamptey back and using lateral midfielders).

The point is, every time we lose a key player, it feels like it’s the end of the world but mainly it’s really annoying and frustrating and of course we keep pulling out our hair, screaming silently ‘why us!’ But it is not just us. That’s why I don’t feel inclined to blame either RDZ or TB/PB - there are 8 teams with more injuries than we have (and they are not all at the top of the table so don’t have deeper squads than us either) and 3 with as many.

EPL Injury Table - Premier Injuries

The latest player injuries, suspensions and absences in the English Premier League, from the most comprehensive source of football injury statistics.

www.premierinjuries.com

Adingra is a left winger, Ansu can play on the wing, Peupion could certainly manage a 7 position, he is no worse than Facu in that position, Danny can play wide, Moder can play wide, Facu can play wide (not ideally though) etc and at some point we need to give Barco some minutes to see where’s he’s at but he is also a back up winger. Ensico is back too, Milner will likely be on the bench in the next few weeks and Pedro is likely to be back by end March.

It will be harder to cover for Gilmour than Mitoma in the next few games IMO but maybe we will finally see some magic from Baleba?

I’m not worried. Pissed off but not worried.

What? Peupion?
I don’t rate him at all based on U23s, never mind stepping up.
He struggled at Cheltenham as well.

I think he would be a lot worse than Facu….

(Obviously, I hope I’m completely wrong )

 

[DJ NOBO]

Agree but I don’t think he’s made a MASSIVE error here.

He hasn’t .
When your leading players get injured , it’s just unfortunate and the preparation for it is damage limitation.
Another player as good as Mitoma is going to sign for Brighton in January to sit on the bench, waiting for Mitoma to get injured.
I think we will be OK though. We have a few other attacking players who will enjoy stepping up.

 

[timbha]

What? Peupion?
I don’t rate him at all based on U23s, never mind stepping up.
He struggled at Cheltenham as well.

I think he would be a lot worse than Facu….

(Obviously, I hope I’m completely wrong )

Have to agree with you. Hopefully his time will come but Baker-Boaitey seems ahead of him atm

 

[LamieRobertson]

Bad news but not necessarily season defining. The team was deep enough to cope well with Europe/Cup games and ELP - you only had to look at the degree of rotation in 2023 that got us through the group and had us around 6/7th in December. We managed without wingers for several months but it still didn’t impact on us too much (largely because of Hinsh playing attacking FB, having Lamptey back and using lateral midfielders).

The point is, every time we lose a key player, it feels like it’s the end of the world but mainly it’s really annoying and frustrating and of course we keep pulling out our hair, screaming silently ‘why us!’ But it is not just us. That’s why I don’t feel inclined to blame either RDZ or TB/PB - there are 8 teams with more injuries than we have (and they are not all at the top of the table so don’t have deeper squads than us either) and 3 with as many.

EPL Injury Table - Premier Injuries

The latest player injuries, suspensions and absences in the English Premier League, from the most comprehensive source of football injury statistics.

www.premierinjuries.com

Adingra is a left winger, Ansu can play on the wing, Peupion could certainly manage a 7 position, he is no worse than Facu in that position, Danny can play wide, Moder can play wide, Facu can play wide (not ideally though) etc and at some point we need to give Barco some minutes to see where’s he’s at but he is also a back up winger. Ensico is back too, Milner will likely be on the bench in the next few weeks and Pedro is likely to be back by end March.

It will be harder to cover for Gilmour than Mitoma in the next few games IMO but maybe we will finally see some magic from Baleba?

I’m not worried. Pissed off but not worried.

Good post ….and that last line sums my feelings up exactly

 

[Sheebo]

It's the "cretins" bit? People are entitled to put their case that club should be signing players without you looking down from your great heights calling them that

I didn’t call them that

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Season defining injury.

 

[DJ NOBO]

Season defining injury.

For Mitoma

 

[LeicesterGull]

I think it has more to do with familiarity of our patterns of play.
the kids are more ready to play with the first team than new signees.

Exactly this. The RDZ style of play requires every player to know exactly when and where to make the pass and the sequence of movement/passing thereafter. A missed pass leads the sequence to break down and ultimately leave us exposed and open to a counter attack. He will not play someone that hasn’t studied and practiced the various sequences of play - it’s like studying for an exam, you get out what you put in. It’s why he’s been keen to recruit players that have played for him before. Let’s just hope enough of the u23s have down their homework. Our style of play makes it near impossible to sign someone one day and then stick them in the team the next.

 

[Forster's Armband]

Bad news but not necessarily season defining. The team was deep enough to cope well with Europe/Cup games and ELP - you only had to look at the degree of rotation in 2023 that got us through the group and had us around 6/7th in December. We managed without wingers for several months but it still didn’t impact on us too much (largely because of Hinsh playing attacking FB, having Lamptey back and using lateral midfielders).

The point is, every time we lose a key player, it feels like it’s the end of the world but mainly it’s really annoying and frustrating and of course we keep pulling out our hair, screaming silently ‘why us!’ But it is not just us. That’s why I don’t feel inclined to blame either RDZ or TB/PB - there are 8 teams with more injuries than we have (and they are not all at the top of the table so don’t have deeper squads than us either) and 3 with as many.

EPL Injury Table - Premier Injuries

The latest player injuries, suspensions and absences in the English Premier League, from the most comprehensive source of football injury statistics.

www.premierinjuries.com

Adingra is a left winger, Ansu can play on the wing, Peupion could certainly manage a 7 position, he is no worse than Facu in that position, Danny can play wide, Moder can play wide, Facu can play wide (not ideally though) etc and at some point we need to give Barco some minutes to see where’s he’s at but he is also a back up winger. Ensico is back too, Milner will likely be on the bench in the next few weeks and Pedro is likely to be back by end March.

It will be harder to cover for Gilmour than Mitoma in the next few games IMO but maybe we will finally see some magic from Baleba?

I’m not worried. Pissed off but not worried.

Mostly a good post, nice one. But Moder can't play wide. He was dreadful there v Stoke.

 

[Weststander]

actually feel the over rotation policy may have caused the injuries in some cases.

Especially to rotator cuffs. RDZ insistence on arm swinging in training has taken its toll.

 

[Pavilionaire]

So you know better than RDZ?

Obviously not, but I think he's protecting the player from attention for the time being. I'd be very surprised if he hasn't featured before the end of March. The player himself is talking like he has not come here to sit on his arse:

"I hope to adapt as quickly as possible so I'm able to play soon....I was nine when I arrived at Boca and I was there for ten years. In the last few years I was playing for the first team. I hope to adapt as quickly as possible."

 

[Cordwainer]

Anyone know what he's done to his back to be out for so long? Slipped a disc?

Apparently after the Sheff Utd game he had a hard to reach itch and asked Holgate to scratch it for him.

I hope Adingra gets a go on the left..he excelled there at AFCON and in the first half v Everton.