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

[PILTDOWN MAN]

This is not the plaice for that

ffs don't go derailing the thread

 

[GT49er]

yeah, I agree, but thats just from a perspective of us looking nice playing it - but I can see Potter trying different ideas...

the case to change:

1. The formation suited our strengths and weaknesses last season: five at the back was perfect for Ben White, as he wasn't (isn't) a good enough defender to play in a two, but demanded to be on the pitch;

Yes it suited us - GP was more or less forced to use it anyway - Dunk and Webster undroppable, and he had to play White! White, prior to last season, had played nearly all his career as one of two CBs, by the way - he's certainly capable of doing it. Somehow we also seem to have seamlessly incorporated Duffy into this system, but with Dunk, and especally Webster getting more chance to get forward and express theselves, with big Duffy ready to wipe out anybody who tries to take advantage!

also we didn't really have any natural full-backs, they were either converted CB's (Veltman and Burn) or natural wing-backs (Lamptey and March). No White, extra Cucurella, a back four is more feasible this year.

True - although in that scenario we still haven't got a RB .............

2. We have a surfeit of midfielders with not many places to play them - Bissouma, Lallana, Gross, Moder, Mwepu, Caicedo, Alzate, Mac Allister, Trossard - so we theoretically get an extra place on the pitch for one of them (although with added March in the mix).

Yes, we have - but Potter usally plays with a flexible front three; that involves attacking players rather than out and out branded, labelled and specifically 'strikers'. At least three of those midfielders you mention could thrive quite happily in that sort of front three; there's goals in quite a few of them.

3. Despite it looking nice, we scored fewer goals than we should have, with slow build up play a possible consequence of a back 5. Once Lamptey's pace was removed we weren't attacking quickly on the flanks, we used it to overload teams in midfield but the end result wasn't as many goals as we liked. A switch to a four could allow us to get the ball forward quicker.

No matter what formation we play, nothing will change until 'Stop, look round, pass back to keep possession or to switch flanks' (and rinse and repeat) is coached out of them. Actually, looking at your midfielders, there's one or two of them that don't alwaays do that - more reason to use them as part of the attacking threat.

4. Potter did try a four on a few occasions - it almost never worked but how much was that a result of the full-back (Burn) getting skinned by the right-winger - e.g. Traore, Saka.... shame the couple of times we tried it it was up against the best right-wingers in the league......

Hmmm .. I may be over-thinking this, but if you're going to try something you really don't want to do, the best time to trial it is when you know it won't work!

 

[Kneon Light]

Retrograde move to shift March to his 'wrong' side just to accommodate Cucurella (so when, in that scenario, Lamptey comes back, March moves back and Cucurella loses his place?)

Moving March forward is really a non-starter - there is no place waiting for him there. GP does tinker a lot, but one thing that is pretty constant in his tenure at Brighton is his reliance on wing backs and a flexible front three to provide the width, not out and out wingers. Welcome to the squad Cucurella (if he comes).

March started on the right vs Burnley and in some of the pre-season games.
March is one of my favourite players but trust me Cucarella is superb!
Wouldn't suprise me at all if Cucarella is lwb but March either on the right or further forward.

 

[GT49er]

March started on the right vs Burnley and in some of the pre-season games.
March is one of my favourite players but trust me Cucarella is superb!
Wouldn't suprise me at all if Cucarella is lwb but March either on the right or further forward.

March started on the right against Burnley. We were pants - switched back to his proper position - hey presto, we came back and won! If Cucurella comes he will have to earn a place in the team - he will be coming in as a squad player - that's what £15M (allegedly) gets you in the PL these days.
If he turns out to be the left sided Lamptey that would be another conundrum for Potter to solve!

 

[rogersix]

Lamp-rey, if you will. I feel a fish pun coming on..

jesus wept, why can't you people stop?

 

[LamieRobertson]

jesus wept, why can't you people stop?

Will you be joining in with the story of the five loaves and two fishes

 

[rogersix]

Will you be joining in with the story of the five loaves and two fishes

 

[Whitechapel]

Seen a few reports saying he’s an absolute ******* and will be one of the most hated players in the league by Christmas.

Like the sound of him already

 

[dwayne]

Seen a few reports saying he’s an absolute ******* and will be one of the most hated players in the league by Christmas.

Like the sound of him already

Yep Getafe have a rep as we saw in the friendly. And this guy is one of the worst of them

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Marc Cucurella

Seen a few reports saying he’s an absolute ******* and will be one of the most hated players in the league by Christmas.

Like the sound of him already

Yep. The English football fans that get particularly vexed about diving are going to be looking for pearls to clutch all over the place!

Getafe’s former manager (now at Valencia) - Bordalas - likes his players to be particularly skilled in the dark arts and shithousery verging on thuggery at times and Cucurella learnt well. He did toughen up under him though, compared to the player he was before joining Getafe by all accounts, which will hopefully help adapting to the PL.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Yep Getafe have a rep as we saw in the friendly. And this guy is one of the worst of them

He looked to go down very easily (through choice) on one of his show reels. That ain’t going to work this season in the EPL with ‘Burnley rules’ adopted.

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

Seen a few reports saying he’s an absolute ******* and will be one of the most hated players in the league by Christmas.

Like the sound of him already

below the report of our interest in Marca, in the comments section, there is this comment which backs this up.

Good player. Too bad he's so tricky, theatrical and provocative. Hopefully, they change him a little for England and he just plays football


Interestingly a large number of the comments are baffled how we can afford such a bright prospect and how it reflects the demise of Spanish football. Many are calling for the head of the Spanish FA.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

He looked to go down very easily (through choice) on one of his show reels. That ain’t going to work this season in the EPL with ‘Burnley rules’ adopted.

It hasn't seemed to have done Jack Grealish any harm!

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

It hasn't seemed to have done Jack Grealish any harm!

I've never liked the idea of having a diver in the midfield, slowing our play down (even further). But the thought of Cucerella doing a Grealish all afternoon should give Gross 5 or 6 chances to hit Dunk, Duffy and Webster, and who knows, Nunez in the box.

It could be a lucrative strategy

 

[Nameless]

I've never liked the idea of having a diver in the midfield, slowing our play down (even further). But the thought of Cucerella doing a Grealish all afternoon should give Gross 5 or 6 chances to hit Dunk, Duffy and Webster, and who knows, Nunez in the box.

It could be a lucrative strategy

Personally I'm all for having a player that goes down easily and wins freekicks in dangerous positions especially with Webster, Dunk and Duffy attacking the balls into the box. Lots of teams have players like this Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling, Richarlison, Bruno Fernandez, Wilfried Zaha.. Every team seems to have a player that goes down a little bit easy and wins freekicks in dangerous positions except for us.

 

[Guinness Boy]

below the report of our interest in Marca, in the comments section, there is this comment which backs this up.

Good player. Too bad he's so tricky, theatrical and provocative. Hopefully, they change him a little for England and he just plays football


Interestingly a large number of the comments are baffled how we can afford such a bright prospect and how it reflects the demise of Spanish football. Many are calling for the head of the Spanish FA.

Getafe were horrendously cynical in the friendly. Possibly just how they're coached?

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Personally I'm all for having a player that goes down easily and wins freekicks in dangerous positions especially with Webster, Dunk and Duffy attacking the balls into the box. Lots of teams have players like this Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling, Richarlison, Bruno Fernandez, Wilfried Zaha.. Every team seems to have a player that goes down a little bit easy and wins freekicks in dangerous positions except for us.

We need to find a player who can hit the target with a direct free kick as well. It's been a while. I think our last goal direct from a free kick might be Gross v Everton at home, or March v Millwall (if that really counts).

 

[Hugo Rune]

“The Argus has been told Burnley made an offer for Cucurella which Getafe were willing to accept but the player was not keen on that potential move.”

It’s grim up north lad, grim.

 

[MJsGhost]

We need to find a player who can hit the target with a direct free kick as well. It's been a while. I think our last goal direct from a free kick might be Gross v Everton at home, or March v Millwall (if that really counts).

Any excuse...

 

[Smithy]

https://twitter.com/gerardromero/status/1430105286539423750

The Getafe paralyzes the exit of Cucurella by the type of payment.

The people of Madrid want the 18M in cash.
Brighton wants to pay in installments

Negotiation between the two clubs continues.

The Barça will take 1.8M of the operation