[Albion] Marc Cucurella *Signed For Chelsea 05/08/2022*

[Swansman]

How many of them are Holding centre midfielders of the quality of Bissouma? Or of the LB quality of Cucurella?

In all fairness Enciso may still get loaned out and Undav has NO PL experience so is a wild card....So my point remains perfectly valid ie we start our 6th PL season with a number of significant holes which has hardly made us stronger.... (most clubs can handle losing one big player, for us it could be 3.....) If you are satisfied with the summers dealings then thats fine, however we appear to have a revolving exit door with big fees coming IN with limited to no activity the other way.. that is a concern to me and reminds me of when we sold Ulloa and co and couldn't understand why we were all of a sudden a shit struggling team.......I fear that unless the outgoing balance is redressed with some quality we could struggle.

Not worried about the midfield situation other than Alexis contract being a worry.

But Mwepu, Caicedo, Ali Mac and Alzate should all be improving and even if no one would reach the level of Biss this season, the accumulated improvement could still result in the midfield being better or equal to last season.

If Cucurella leaves some kind of solution - internal or external - must be found over at the LWB position. March is good, but other than him there's no real LWB around if he would get injured, needs to rest etc. Unless GP feels he can convert someone into that role. Plenty have suggested Mitouma but he mainly only played in that role when USG were behind and looking for goals... because he is defensively pretty not-so-good (though could improve of course), but I think the most likely solution is to bring in a new player.

Is that new player going to be the same class as Cucu? Unlikely of course and yes, Brighton are probably going to be weaker in the LWB role compared to next year. But hopefully players improving elsewhere could compensate for that.

 

[Bra]

It's betwetting.

Why is Colwill a better player than anyone already on the books?

Firstly can I just say that I hate the phrase bedwetting. It is an unnecessary insult to people who have concerns. They may not align with yours but they don't deserve the mockery of that label.
I think you know I was using the name of a linked player as an example. It is all over the media that we are looking at a left sided defender and have been linked with Florian, so the club are also potentially not convinced the right solution is already in the building.

 

[Springal]

I wonder if part of this is hedging against the Trossard, Maupay, MacAllister situation and the impact next summer ?

 

[Da Man Clay]

Cucurella is irreplaceable internally. Bissouma was. We spent about a decade finding a good enough left back after Bridge. Just putting March or Trossard there makes up substantially worse.

 

[Seasider78]

City have properly ****ed up here haven’t they trying to be clever and now left themselves scrabbling for a left back with less than 5 days before season starts. Trying to act like a club with principles on player valuations when they signed floppy haired flop Grealish for £100m just makes them look a bit daft really.

 

[Stat Brother]

Firstly can I just say that I hate the phrase bedwetting. It is an unnecessary insult to people who have concerns. They may not align with yours but they don't deserve the mockery of that label.
I think you know I was using the name of a linked player as an example. It is all over the media that we are looking at a left sided defender and have been linked with Florian, so the club are also potentially not convinced the right solution is already in the building.

Probably best not to use a word you hate in general conversation.

The club also doesn't need to rush out and buy the solution to a problem that, for the moment at least, doesn't exist.

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

It's betwetting.

Why is Colwill a better player than anyone already on the books?

If nothing else, He's left footed. Something we are already short of, even with Cucurella.

But if Cucurella does go, we've plenty of time left to replace him. Last summer we signed him with only hours to spare before the window closed.

 

[heathgate]

Not worried about the midfield situation other than Alexis contract being a worry.

But Mwepu, Caicedo, Ali Mac and Alzate should all be improving and even if no one would reach the level of Biss this season, the accumulated improvement could still result in the midfield being better or equal to last season.

If Cucurella leaves some kind of solution - internal or external - must be found over at the LWB position. March is good, but other than him there's no real LWB around if he would get injured, needs to rest etc. Unless GP feels he can convert someone into that role. Plenty have suggested Mitouma but he mainly only played in that role when USG were behind and looking for goals... because he is defensively pretty not-so-good (though could improve of course), but I think the most likely solution is to bring in a new player.

Is that new player going to be the same class as Cucu? Unlikely of course and yes, Brighton are probably going to be weaker in the LWB role compared to next year. But hopefully players improving elsewhere could compensate for that.

.... and why buy an exciting, attacking oriented player, only to stifle him with mainly defensive duties.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[blockhseagull]

Cucurella is irreplaceable internally. Bissouma was. We spent about a decade finding a good enough left back after Bridge. Just putting March or Trossard there makes up substantially worse.

Whilst I agree with some of what you say, Cucurella wasn’t playing as a LB or a LWB for the last 10 or so games of the season, he was used as a LCB with Trossard playing as more of a wingback. I agree we need to replace him but I’d argue that we need a LCB who is able to get forward if required (from his description Colwill seems to fit that mould). March and Tross have filled the wingback position for the last quarter of last season and I’d argue it contained some of our best performances in the PL so to say they will make us worse playing in that position isn’t true.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Marc Cucurella *SINGS on a five-year contract*

Cucurella is irreplaceable internally. Bissouma was. We spent about a decade finding a good enough left back after Bridge. Just putting March or Trossard there makes up substantially worse.

This is how we’ll probably line-up against Manure:

—————————Sanchez————————-
—-Veltman———-Dunk———Webster———-
March—Mwepu—-Mac——Caicedo—Trossard
—————————Groß————————————
————————-Welbeck——————————-

Not too bad but obviously only one left footer (playing on the right).

However, a few key injuries (Trossard, March and Webster) and we’re in a lot of trouble. Surely the club will go for a left back if Cucu leaves? Maybe one of the two (Sosa & Grimaldo) Citeh are now looking at?

 

[AmexRuislip]

Probably best not to use a word you hate in general conversation.

The club also doesn't need to rush out and buy the solution to a problem that, for the moment at least, doesn't exist.

I thought when you mentioned bed wetting, you were talking about watering your flowers, not the other bed wetting meaning

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Not worried about the midfield situation other than Alexis contract being a worry.

But Mwepu, Caicedo, Ali Mac and Alzate should all be improving and even if no one would reach the level of Biss this season, the accumulated improvement could still result in the midfield being better or equal to last season.

If Cucurella leaves some kind of solution - internal or external - must be found over at the LWB position. March is good, but other than him there's no real LWB around if he would get injured, needs to rest etc. Unless GP feels he can convert someone into that role. Plenty have suggested Mitouma but he mainly only played in that role when USG were behind and looking for goals... because he is defensively pretty not-so-good (though could improve of course), but I think the most likely solution is to bring in a new player.

Is that new player going to be the same class as Cucu? Unlikely of course and yes, Brighton are probably going to be weaker in the LWB role compared to next year. But hopefully players improving elsewhere could compensate for that.

All of this.

Has anyone even heard whether discussions have commenced with MacAllister? All very quiet.

 

[oldboyroy]

Seems highly likely that Cuca will join chelsea as chelsea seem to think its virtually done(an hour ago)according to latest update

 

[nicko31]

Seems highly likely that Cuca will join chelsea as chelsea seem to think its virtually done(an hour ago)according to latest update

Bring on the bidding war

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

I am fairly confident that while we'll definitely be weaker, we still have a bloody good squad for a mid table finish.

Naylor very quiet on this Chelsea move

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

 

[Swansman]

Seems highly likely that Cuca will join chelsea as chelsea seem to think its virtually done(an hour ago)according to latest update

Pretty sure it isn't "virtually done".

If there is a bid from Chelsea, Tony is going to want to see how Manchester City reacts before accepting it, I think.

 

[Eric the meek]

Not worried about the midfield situation other than Alexis contract being a worry.

But Mwepu, Caicedo, Ali Mac and Alzate should all be improving and even if no one would reach the level of Biss this season, the accumulated improvement could still result in the midfield being better or equal to last season.

If Cucurella leaves some kind of solution - internal or external - must be found over at the LWB position. March is good, but other than him there's no real LWB around if he would get injured, needs to rest etc. Unless GP feels he can convert someone into that role. Plenty have suggested Mitouma but he mainly only played in that role when USG were behind and looking for goals... because he is defensively pretty not-so-good (though could improve of course), but I think the most likely solution is to bring in a new player.

Is that new player going to be the same class as Cucu? Unlikely of course and yes, Brighton are probably going to be weaker in the LWB role compared to next year. But hopefully players improving elsewhere could compensate for that.

Without checking the results and performances, I am not sure we ever really missed Bissouma. Not because he wasn't good, but because other players, probably mainly Caicedo, seemed to fill the gap. Towards the end of the season, I thought we improved without him, so I think your predicted accumulated improvement in midfield is already happening.

Cucurella is another kettle of kippers. I agree that we will be weaker in the LWB role without him. No-one is irreplaceable, but there's a reason he is priced north of £50 million after one season. I am sure Potter is exploring all possibilities - Cucu staying, Cucu leaving, new LB/LWB coming in, replacing him with an existing player, or perhaps something none of us have thought of.

 

[el punal]

We are potentially losing our two best players who made a massive contribution to the success of the team last year and are currently replacing from within the squad. Call it bedwetting if you wish but I will be much more comfortable with the seasons prospects when these are replaced. I hope the talk of colwill etc bears fruit soon.

So then what is the point of a development squad if you’re not going to promote those that have fulfilled their potential, and thus, ready to play in the first team. I can’t be bothered to list all the players on our books who have followed that path or have been loaned out to gain experience and returned better players. I’ll just give you Ben White and Moises Caicedo as examples.

What it’s really all about is the club know what they’re doing - you, me, us don’t. Just trust their judgement and relax!

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

City have properly ****ed up here haven’t they trying to be clever and now left themselves scrabbling for a left back with less than 5 days before season starts. Trying to act like a club with principles on player valuations when they signed floppy haired flop Grealish for £100m just makes them look a bit daft really.

I would guess all Citeh need to do if they were to agree with your assessment is come up with the right offer. If they don’t, they must think they can be ok without him.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Cucu not going anywhere. We shall see.

 

[Icy Gull]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Cucu not going anywhere. We shall see.

I would be amazed but very happy. He’s gone imo