[Albion] Mats Wieffer SINGS on 5 year contract

[Bald Gull]

Interesting about De Zerbi - I wonder if he was told that we would strengthen the squad in the summer and that he should be patient. Or, maybe he wasn’t told at all and that led to the parting of the ways. Water under the bridge.

Think it’s yet another masterstroke from Messrs Bloom and Barber.

They wanted RDZ out but wanted to do it in the best possible way for the club…

Tell him we want him to stay but we won’t be recruiting too much over the summer. He says ‘no thanks’. We say no hard feelings but can we have an agreement that we get some money if he gets another job before August? RDZ says no problem.

Off he trots, gets another job. We pocket £6m and then splash £60m in a couple of days after we have our RDZ compensation… Genius!

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

I personally hope we didn't

Sends the wrong message to prospective signings

It was mentioned in commentary during one of the Argentina qualifiers that we stopped Facundo from going to them in January.

This article says we had given permission for Barco to go to the Olympics, so maybe he just wasn't picked.

Brighton to allow Valentín Barco to play at the Olympics with Argentina | Mundo Albiceleste

mundoalbiceleste.com

 

[GrossTurn]

I don’t think he has the dynamism or mobility of a Bissouma or Caicedo. I think Lewis Dunk is a much better comparison. Same height. Same aerial prowess. Same good passing ability and vision.

I’m quite intrigued to see how he’s such an effective ball winner given the comparative lack of mobility compare to those bygone midfielders you mention. He must be incredible reader of the game. But it also seems like if he goes into any sort of duel, be it aerially or on the ground, he invariably comes out on top.

 

[Springal]

Think it’s yet another masterstroke from Messrs Bloom and Barber.

They wanted RDZ out but wanted to do it in the best possible way for the club…

Tell him we want him to stay but we won’t be recruiting too much over the summer. He says ‘no thanks’. We say no hard feelings but can we have an agreement that we get some money if he gets another job before August? RDZ says no problem.

Off he trots, gets another job. We pocket £6m and then splash £60m in a couple of days after we have our RDZ compensation… Genius!

Agreed - hard to see why RDZ wouldn’t have signed up for this plan so obvious we’d had enough of the moaning and unprofessional behaviour from the sulky git and went about our business planning for this season without him

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Points taken

I would counter that I don’t think a league can define a player though. You can only play in the surroundings presented to you at that time. There could be players playing at their maximum who shine and also players playing at 75% of their ability who equally are performing but also not at their ceiling

Here’s a list of recent exports from the Eredivisie, sure there have been failures (mostly man United related) but I’d argue the majority have worked out. (Our new boy is #19 on value)

Veltman has been solid despite reservations from the Ajax fan base that he’s error prone when he left.

The DJ and AJ I feel had actually peaked in their breakout seasons but our model thought there was more to come and there wasn’t sadly. We will never know why, be it a lack of confidence, not integrating with the squad, not settling or simply not being able to step up.

It’s a mixed bag like most of the leagues in the world, I wouldn’t dismiss a player based on league though. I’d like to think our data science guys actually looked at why Big Jurg and AJ didn’t work out and maybe finessed the model if there was something in the data set(s) that we had interpreted wrong.

Could have just been unlucky but I bet we analysed these two that didn’t work out in great detail to avoid a mistaken assumption again (if there was actually one)

View attachment 185275

Eredivisie - Transfer records

The transfer record overview shows the highest grossing transfers of the Eredivisie. It also shows the new club and the transfer fee.

www.transfermarkt.co.uk

Really is a matter of opinion.
I’d say over 50% of those haven’t.
And given we are talking PL, 2 possibly 3 of those listed.
Gakpo could be, but hasn’t been brilliant to date and is struggling for a start - playing well for the national team though.

Fair point on the surroundings, but as you say, this is the environment we’re judging players in, so my points re intensity, space etc are relevant, and could be why so many struggle in a tougher environment.

Veltman of course is excellent, and as per my earlier post there will always be exceptions. Will have to wait and see re Wieffer, but certainly not dismissed, just not overly excited

However, we are fishing in a higher quality pond now in terms of funds, and again agree that the club have been brilliant in recent times scouting wise, so hopefully you’re right

 

[Machiavelli]

I’m quite intrigued to see how he’s such an effective ball winner given the comparative lack of mobility compare to those bygone midfielders you mention. He must be incredible reader of the game. But it also seems like if he goes into any sort of duel, be it aerially or on the ground, he invariably comes out on top.

I'm with you here, and think @Hugo Rune has put the emphasis on his CB qualities over the DCM ones. Wieffer has played most of his career as a DCM. If we play how FH set up at St Pauli as 343, within that there is a specialist position which is the middle CB. At St Pauli, FH converted a DCM into that role. I think Wieffer has the qualities to play that role, which is as a CB without the ball and a DCM with the ball. His stats point towards being an excellent DCM but he's also got the physical characteristics -- particularly being good in the air -- to fill that middle CB role.

 

[Hiheidi]

 

[pigmanovich]

Is this really a denial or is Slot just not being clear enough with his language? Because he could have made Wieffer a target without tapping him up.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Really is a matter of opinion.
I’d say over 50% of those haven’t.
And given we are talking PL, 2 possibly 3 of those listed.
Gakpo could be, but hasn’t been brilliant to date and is struggling for a start - playing well for the national team though.

Fair point on the surroundings, but as you say, this is the environment we’re judging players in, so my points re intensity, space etc are relevant, and could be why so many struggle in a tougher environment.

Veltman of course is excellent, and as per my earlier post there will always be exceptions. Will have to wait and see re Wieffer, but certainly not dismissed, just not overly excited

However, we are fishing in a higher quality pond now in terms of funds, and again agree that the club have been brilliant in recent times scouting wise, so hopefully you’re right

One to keep an eye on but hopefully he works out and settles

Had wondered how his champions league performances had been in comparison to maybe better opposition, but ran out of steam!

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Is this really a denial or is Slot just not being clear enough with his language? Because he could have made Wieffer a target without tapping him up.

More an exposure of the 2+2=5 theory of making up transfer rumours that certain uninformed 'journalists' specialise in. Manager goes to a new club so must want to take all his former players with him. Like all those Swansea players that Potter brought with him and the Shakhtar and Sassuolo guys we signed under RDZ.

 

[aolstudios]

 

[Bakero]

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

One to keep an eye on but hopefully he works out and settles

Had wondered how his champions league performances had been in comparison to maybe better opposition, but ran out of steam!

Excellent analysis though and interesting discussion - thank you

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Excellent analysis though and interesting discussion - thank you

Likewise

 

[warmleyseagull]

That ball recoveries stat is very good news. No one was doing that effectively last season.

Doesn't it just mean Feyenoord were crap so lost the ball a lot?

 

[Bakero]

I watched the match last night with a Dutch Feyernoord fan. He was effusive in his praise if Wieffer and expects him to settle in well immediately. "Good head on his shoulders, never gives up, strong, good distribution"

He was a little less complimentary about Minteh: "like a blind horse for the first 6 months." He did follow that up by saying Slot managed to get him focused and then he started delivering. Obviously has lots of talent.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I watched the match last night with a Dutch Feyernoord fan. He was effusive in his praise if Wieffer and expects him to settle in well immediately. "Good head on his shoulders, never gives up, strong, good distribution"

He was a little less complimentary about Minteh: "like a blind horse for the first 6 months." He did follow that up by saying Slot managed to get him focused and then he started delivering. Obviously has lots of talent.

If the Dutch had not had to play a second string midfield, through the whole tournament they would have been a much bigger threat last night. I think Wieffer would have been a big part of it.

As for Minteh. That sounds a very normal development challenge for a player of that age. We've got a great track record of bringing players like that through, and with the options we're amassing in that area, will likely have the chance which was denied to us last year, of bringing a young player in and bringing him out when form dips

 

[Bakero]

If the Dutch had not had to play a second string midfield, through the whole tournament they would have been a much bigger threat last night. I think Wieffer would have been a big part of it.

As for Minteh. That sounds a very normal development challenge for a player of that age. We've got a great track record of bringing players like that through, and with the options we're amassing in that area, will likely have the chance which was denied to us last year, of bringing a young player in and bringing him out when form dips

Oh, for sure. He wasn't being overly critical.

 

[Flounce]

If the Dutch had not had to play a second string midfield, through the whole tournament they would have been a much bigger threat last night. I think Wieffer would have been a big part of it.

As for Minteh. That sounds a very normal development challenge for a player of that age. We've got a great track record of bringing players like that through, and with the options we're amassing in that area, will likely have the chance which was denied to us last year, of bringing a young player in and bringing him out when form dips

Ali Mac being another. Looked bang average at best until he got up to speed with the PL. Maybe Potter held him back

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Ali Mac being another. Looked bang average at best until he got up to speed with the PL. Maybe Potter held him back

Steady on!