[Albion] Knockaert joins Fulham on initial one-year loan

[Johnny RoastBeef]

Trossard (last season) and Knocky (15-16) have similar records in the Jupiler Pro League. Trossard more goals, Knocky more assists, but both contribute a definitive action (random term I made up) (goal or assist) approximately once every game and a half.

Trossard
24 apps (1,967 minutes)
11 goals (1 goal every 1.98 games (90 mins))
4 assists (1 assist every 5.46 games (90 mins))

Definitive action (goal or assist) 1 every 1.45 games (90 mins)


Knockaert
20 apps (1,648 minutes)
5 goals (1 goal every 3.66 games (90 mins))
6 assists (1 goal every 3.05 games (90 mins))

Definitive action (goal or assist) 1 every 1.66 games (90 mins)


The more I think about it the more gutted I am to be losing him - and that's nothing against Trossard!

The important stats are those for Knockaert in the Premier League.

In 2017/18 he scored 3 and made 1 assist
In 2018/19 he scored 2 and made 6 assists

In total 5 goals and 7 assists in 4260 minutes. Or 1 Definitive action (goal or assist) every 3.94 games (90 mins)

Not enough for one of our top earners and most creative players.

He'll be 28 in November and is unlikely to improve anymore, so it makes sense to get his high salary off the books.

His £45k a week for the next 3 years would cost the club £7m in wages. His value will also fall over time. So selling now, even at a discount, makes good financial sense.

But we'll have to wait and see how the money is reused before we know if it was good footballing sense.

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

Too emotional and erratic a player for me. Fantastic energy, those darting runs, that Palace goal, the Championship but at the end of the day the footballing brain of a gnat

 

[deslynhamsmoustache1]

Seems like I'm alone here, but i think it's a reasonable price for a 28 year old who has been bang average for the past 2 seasons.

I trust TB and the club to know what they are doing.

Great player. Thanks for the memories. Move on. Nothing lasts forever.

Your not alone. Just something short(not height) for a premier league player, Not just CH tactics his downfall because Leicester moved him on as well. Ultimately will hold my judgement until transfer business is completed by the club as to the impact of this. As for the price? people have to remember that it's not just the ridiculous price players cost nowadays its also the players wages over a 3/4 year period.By keeping the buying price relatively low by today's standards the club has done Knocky a huge favour as his signing on fee (Golden hello will be greatly increased). Thank you for helping us get to the Premiership, thank you for wonder goal against palace. This is evolution in practice.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

The important stats are those for Knockaert in the Premier League.

In 2017/18 he scored 3 and made 1 assist
In 2018/19 he scored 2 and made 6 assists

In total 5 goals and 7 assists in 4260 minutes. Or 1 Definitive action (goal or assist) every 3.94 games (90 mins)

Not enough for one of our top earners and most creative players.

He'll be 28 in November and is unlikely to improve anymore, so it makes sense to get his high salary off the books.

His £45k a week for the next 3 years would cost the club £7m in wages. His value will also fall over time. So selling now, even at a discount, makes good financial sense.

But we'll have to wait and see how the money is reused before we know if it was good footballing sense.

He got injured in pre-season in 17/18 and then by his own admission had other challenges that season.

Last season was better, and should be the comparator used IMO.

I do take your point re age and salary, but ultimately I think it is more about what we are losing, and the potential wider impact. It’s not as though any of the other players stepped up last season.

Only time will tell as [MENTION=19]Icy Gull[/MENTION] highlighted earlier




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[DJ NOBO]

Also, I recall Knocky sprinting half way across the pitch with the ball only to lose it, tackled from beside, by the oppo who had outsprinted him. Meanwhile Ali J can do amazing things with the ball so quickly and deftly most people miss it. And, he can be coached.

All about opinions, innit?

No, it is about facts. AK has gone, and that was the decision of the club I love and trust. Fact

Ali J....so good, it’s too much for my tiny brain can handle

Hope you’re right , and he comes good though

 

[Stat Brother]

Why are we selling a match winner? .

How many matches did he win, in the last 2 season's?

 

[Napper]

having slept on it , woken up still gutted and annoyed by this deal .

The one player who lifts the crowd and brings some excitement . A crowd favourite . Gone !!

No need to sell . What’s going on .

 

[Napper]

How many matches did he win, in the last 2 season's?

He’s still been good at times and he more than anyone has more to come as everyone keeps saying under our new tactics .

At times he’s proved he’s premier league . Wasn’t a massive leap to something special .

Concerned new season must admit

 

[Stat Brother]

having slept on it , woken up still gutted and annoyed by this deal .

The one player who lifts the crowd and brings some excitement . A crowd favourite . Gone !!

No need to sell . What’s going on .

Irrespective what they do from now on Ali J and Big Jurg will never be crowd favourites, but what if The Tross breaks recent traditionals and hits the ground running.

Being the crowd favourite isn't a good enough reason for keeping him.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Whilst I agree with most of that, that last paragraph isn't actually true, they offered him a new deal but he rejected it due to lack of game time presumably.

You're right he rejected a new contract from Leicester. He moved to Belgium (Stsndard Liege) because his Dad was taken ill and he wanted to be nearer his family. I have posted the article from the Leicester Mercury, on Nsc, several times, but you still see the ignorant posting Leicester got rid of him!
His father got better (at that time) so when Brighton came calling he jumped at the chance. His Dad then died suddenly ( as did his brother a couple of years earlier).

 

[swindonseagull]

No need to sell .

And how how do YOU know that?

 

[Shooting Star]

I'll be sad to see him go. In the time he has been with us, no-one has had the crowd up off their seats as much as he has. I remember the buzz on the north stand concourse when he was announced in the team for the play off second leg against the massive Sheffield Wednesday. It was electric. If you go to be entertained, then he has certainly done that. I've loved having him at the club.

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Oh boy, that just sent shivers down my spine remembering that. I was on the train to Falmer at the time from Lewes and it was like a rumour that spread like wildfire. We couldn’t quite believe it but boy did it give us all so much hope! And how he played in that first half. Will never forget that day, even though it ended so sadly.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

I’d be gutted to lose Knocky. He’s our talisman with the ability to turn games still at this level. Please please keep him

Start the list of PL games that he has won for us through his own efforts...........

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Why are we selling a match winner? It's crazy.
He will become a firm favourite at Fulham. Very sad to see one of my favourite players go.

.......because he isn't a match winner in the PL!!!

 

[Shooting Star]

Being the crowd favourite isn't a good enough reason for keeping him.

In some ways, it kind of is though. My biggest fear is that over the past two seasons we’ve lost Rosenior, Sidwell, Bruno, Hughton and now Knockaert. Such big parts of our identity as a club have departed in such short a space of time.

 

[portlock seagull]

Start the list of PL games that he has won for us through his own efforts...........

Messi’s and Ronaldo’s are rare and very few teams have such a player.

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

How many matches did he win, in the last 2 season's?

Over 2 seasons
His goals record is,

1 v Palace, we won.
2 were in drawn matches.
1 v Swansea when match was already won.
1 v Spurs, we lost.

His assist record is,

1 v Swansea, we won 1-0
1 v Man Utd, we won 3-2
3 in drawn matches
1 v Burnley, we lost
1 v Huddersfield, we won 1-0

So by my calculations he has directly earned 14 points in 2 seasons, minus 2 red cards.

 

[Simster]

.......because he isn't a match winner in the PL!!!

I was going to say that, except someone will point out Palace last season. But he clearly doesn't do it enough. I thought [MENTION=4800]Tyrone Biggums[/MENTION] nailed it really - he holds onto the ball too long these days and doesn't release players making excellent runs.

Overall though, I suspect there are non footballing reasons why we are offloading him.

 

[Sorrel]

Yes and we didn’t really need those 14 points, did we.

 

[The Wizard]

It’s the right time for him to leave. Palace wondergoal aside, as hard as it is to say that, his decision making has been shocking so many times I’ve seen him shoot from ridiculous positions instead of pass or falter with his final ball.

Love him for his passion, but quality and consistency wise we need better if we are going to progress as a PL team and not just survive, Potter has clearly identified this as well. Best wishes Knocky