[Albion] Lewis Dunk

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Barry M

Active member
Jan 21, 2011
369
It’s just his calmness and ball playing that makes him outstanding, a ball which most centre backs would nod out for a throw ends up being calmly played back to Sanchez so we don’t concede possession, he’s actually class. You look at Mings and he’s a championship defender at best , yet he still made many of the England squads.
 




Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,156
Goldstone
Same here, imho LD didn’t warrant being England’s starting CB for sustained periods.

But he should’ve been involved for two lengthy spells - around the time of his cap and the last 9 months.

GS repeatedly said he’s go by form. Then abandoned that for his WC centre backs.
After saying he'd go by form, he later said he'd pick players from big clubs because they were used to playing under pressure in front of large expectant crowds. No player from a team like Brighton would be able to succeed on the international stage.
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,156
Goldstone
Greenwood I can understand as there's been evidence posted online and the reason he didn't get prosecuted is the victim withdrawing her statements.

Dunk was cleared of all charges.
Cleared? The players that were involved with the joke photos were cleared, while Dunk wasn't involved with it in the first place.
 


Hugo Rune

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 23, 2012
23,686
Brighton
Just watched Mitoma’s goal again (from all the angles) and Dunk’s positioning is utterly brilliant. RDZ talks about big balls, Lewis is up in the No.9 position ready for Sarmiento’s cross. In essence, that really, really ****s up the positioning of their defenders and keeper. Whilst we had a huge amount of players in the box at that point (thanks to RDZ) Dunk’s position is still fantastic.

At one point, just before the goal, he was occupying two centre backs toppling over one of the mugs.
 


raymondo

Well-known member
Apr 26, 2017
7,358
Wiltshire
Just watched Mitoma’s goal again (from all the angles) and Dunk’s positioning is utterly brilliant. RDZ talks about big balls, Lewis is up in the No.9 position ready for Sarmiento’s cross. In essence, that really, really ****s up the positioning of their defenders and keeper. Whilst we had a huge amount of players in the box at that point (thanks to RDZ) Dunk’s position is still fantastic.

At one point, just before the goal, he was occupying two centre backs toppling over one of the mugs.
Excellent spot...we were queueing up at the back so they partly ignored Mitoma's run.
 




Curious Orange

Punxsatawney Phil
Jul 5, 2003
10,226
On NSC for over two decades...
After saying he'd go by form, he later said he'd pick players from big clubs because they were used to playing under pressure in front of large expectant crowds. No player from a team like Brighton would be able to succeed on the international stage.
Lucky that the Argentina manager doesn't have that attitude!
 


Sheebo

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2003
29,319
Cleared? The players that were involved with the joke photos were cleared, while Dunk wasn't involved with it in the first place.
Which many forget. Dunk should never have been there - well none of them should but especially him. Which makes the pathetic songs CPFC2010 cling to about him totally and utterly factually wrong but also disgraceful… but hey, they have Neil Shipperley close to their hearts.. an actual sex offender… so whatever floats their boats 🤷🏻‍♂️
 






Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
22,114
Cowfold
He’s got a point
He has a point most certainly, but let's just be grateful that it has never, thus far at least, happened.

Even more astonishing for me, is that Dunky has only ever earnes one solitary England cap, and that for a meaningless friendly.

When you see the list of centre backs that our good friend Mr. Southgate has selected instead, well . . . some of the names are almost laughable.
 


Swansman

Pro-peace
May 13, 2019
22,320
Sweden
He’s got a point
He does. Graham said the same thing. When someone asked him about the best player he had coached, it didn't take long to answer Lewis Dunk. Imagine Chris Hughton would say something similar as well.

Bit lucky that consistency is his perhaps best attribute. In none of the seasons I've watched the team has he been in "wow, this bloke is proper world class" form that gets highlighted by big clubs. Instead always solid 7 or 8 out of 10 performances that makes him a top player but not quite interesting for the top 6.
 


Hugo Rune

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 23, 2012
23,686
Brighton
He does. Graham said the same thing. When someone asked him about the best player he had coached, it didn't take long to answer Lewis Dunk. Imagine Chris Hughton would say something similar as well.

Bit lucky that consistency is his perhaps best attribute. In none of the seasons I've watched the team has he been in "wow, this bloke is proper world class" form that gets highlighted by big clubs. Instead always solid 7 or 8 out of 10 performances that makes him a top player but not quite interesting for the top 6.
Same as Groß I think in that if he was blessed with searing pace on top of what he already has, he’d not have played too many games for us.
 




BadFish

Huge Member
Oct 19, 2003
18,201
He does. Graham said the same thing. When someone asked him about the best player he had coached, it didn't take long to answer Lewis Dunk. Imagine Chris Hughton would say something similar as well.

Bit lucky that consistency is his perhaps best attribute. In none of the seasons I've watched the team has he been in "wow, this bloke is proper world class" form that gets highlighted by big clubs. Instead always solid 7 or 8 out of 10 performances that makes him a top player but not quite interesting for the top 6.
In our first couple of seasons stuggling some of his blocks, tackles were as good as you would see anywhere. His long passing was bloody impressive too. World class is hard to define but he was as good as any other English defender.

We were in the relegation battles back then though and England managers don't tend to look down there.
 




GloryDays

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2011
1,736
Leyton, E10.
I think there's something more to it. Sadly his face just doesn't fit. I'd like to think it wasn't as simple as GS being a bit of a Palace fan...and surely not...but something other than his footballing ability is stopping him from getting either more England caps or a big move. Perhaps a bit late now as well, which is fine by me.
 




Hugo Rune

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 23, 2012
23,686
Brighton
You don't need pace when you have Dunk / Gross football IQ. They know where to be, before the ball is even played.
If Dunk had pace, we’d had received the same sort of bids Southampton got for Van Dijk. Like Stains, we’d have taken the loot.

Both are amongst the best players we ever had, and both are legends. But world class legends? Not quite.
 


BadFish

Huge Member
Oct 19, 2003
18,201
I think there's something more to it. Sadly his face just doesn't fit. I'd like to think it wasn't as simple as GS being a bit of a Palace fan...and surely not...but something other than his footballing ability is stopping him from getting either more England caps or a big move. Perhaps a bit late now as well, which is fine by me.
This.

Ultimately different managers see different things in players and connect with them on different levels. The connection between Lewis and Southgate and/or the playing group and/or the coaches just wasn't right, or at least as good as with other players.

It happens everywhere in life, no-one is at fault or showing bias. It just didn't work out. Shit happens. Another manager/set up at England level would have seen him get many more caps.
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,156
Goldstone
Same as Groß I think in that if he was blessed with searing pace on top of what he already has, he’d not have played too many games for us.
If Groß had searing pace he'd not have played a single game for us.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,468
Brighton
I think there's something more to it. Sadly his face just doesn't fit. I'd like to think it wasn't as simple as GS being a bit of a Palace fan...and surely not...but something other than his footballing ability is stopping him from getting either more England caps or a big move. Perhaps a bit late now as well, which is fine by me.
Squad harmony - I think it's absolutely this.

The Athletic has actually alluded to it previously. From previous matches it seems there's no love lost between Dunk and Kane, and Southgate apparently has regular meetings with Kane, Henderson and other senior squad players with a lot of the chat being about having a happy squad - ie whos faces fit and whos don't.

It's a real shame, but it's by a mile the most logical explanation. Nothing else really makes sense. Really feel for Dunky though.
 




Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,468
Brighton
If Groß had searing pace he'd not have played a single game for us.
With his football brain and composure, if you added pace he would be a top, top player.
 


Springal

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2005
24,785
GOSBTS
It was also reported at the time that Dunk didn’t really integrate himself with the squad socially that well when he was in the camp.
 


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