[Albion] Napoli interested in Billy Gilmour **Sold 30/08/24**

[lizard]

Still not sure if this was us selling a cracking player to a big club or selling someone for a few quid because we have someone better.

Oh make no mistake, this was us selling our best CM for a pittance to a far bigger club.
Of course he wanted to go! Don't blame him. Hope we've got a decent sell-on for when he rocks back up at Chelsea or City in a couple of years for £70M.
Best of luck Billy.

 

[Littlemo]

“New manager” picked “player” for a very tough first home match of the season. When there were plenty of other midfield options in the squad like Baleba, Ayari or Hinsh. If he doesn’t fancy “player”, what the hell does he think of those other guys?

Sorry this is not clear at all “to get”. The more plausible explanation is Gilmour moved heaven and earth to make it happen and we let it happen when we probably should have delayed it a few months to January to see if our other options are shaping up

None of that seems to agree with what Bozza and Lenny Rider were saying earlier, from sources they clearly trust.

I haven't said any of that - although I know others have.

I know you fail to understand how in this small village called Sussex that people talk. People connected to Premier League football clubs talk.

And from those talks, I know the club don't want to keep Billy Gilmour. I don't know why that is the case, but it is very much a fact, not an opinion.

As I say - you won't believe that. But I'm happy about what I know, and trust it more than your wild guesses from somewhere a long way from here,

Full disclosure, Billy lives, or sadly lived, in my road in Worthing, earlier this week I met his parents out in the street, at that point, ie Tuesday morning, he had never indicated he wanted to leave the club, the complete opposite, with a potential World Cup with Scotland in two years time, two exciting seasons in the EPL with the Albion was top of the agenda.

Unfortunately it appears he’s surplus to requirements, but frankly the transfer fee is way under what it should have been when you look at what players of similar age and ability go for.

 

[Machiavelli]

“New manager” picked “player” for a very tough first home match of the season. When there were plenty of other midfield options in the squad like Baleba, Ayari or Hinsh. If he doesn’t fancy “player”, what the hell does he think of those other guys?

Sorry this is not clear at all “to get”. The more plausible explanation is Gilmour moved heaven and earth to make it happen and we let it happen when we probably should have delayed it a few months to January to see if our other options are shaping up

Yes, he did. Because he was told that he wasn't an automatic first pick.
We're playing this season, not last season. We have FH as manager, not RDZ.
We've spent a decent amount on our other options and the manager has given them the green light so it's up to him to ensure they are 'shaping up'.

 

[lizard]

Yes, he did. Because he was told that he wasn't an automatic first pick.
We're playing this season, not last season. We have FH as manager, not RDZ.
We've spent a decent amount on our other options and the manager has given them the green light so it's up to him to ensure they are 'shaping up'.

Like when Poyet let Murray go and signed CMS?

 

[Whitechapel]

He mentions himself he can play as an 8. In fact, he said it in his first ever interview.



From 2:00

“I don’t care if I play on the right winger, number ten or number eight, I just want to play”


So I suspect the reason people keep saying he’s a CM is because the player himself says he can play there.

I think there’s two similar phenomena’s at play here which have a similar outcome but effect drastically different generations.

Firstly you’ve got the more mature gentleman who still pines for the days where every team played 4-4-2 and every player played 1 position and 1 position only. Apart from a designated “utility” player of course, who’d come off the bench and be enthusiastic but shit wherever you asked him to play.

This would be how their Sunday League team played and they could quite easily see similar tactics when they watched Match of The Day. The last 20/30 years of tactical advancement has passed them by and they prefer it that way.

They think Libero is a star sign and false 9 is someone who looks much rougher when they’re taken their make-up off. Part of their subconscious still thinks Big Sam could “do a job”. You will not convince them that a winger might have the ability to play in central midfield.


The other phenomena is mainly kids who play a lot of FIFA and who will tell you that the player on the game can only play as a CAM and therefore must not be placed anywhere else. These people are also normally allergic to the idea of signing a player over the age of 19, think running fast is the only thing a football needs to be able to do and can’t understand why the manager doesn’t throw 4 teenagers on when 2-0 up for experience.

Two different generations with the same issue they can’t get over.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Gruda and Rutter are not central midfielders no matter how much you want to imagine that they are.

The thing is, once Hürzeler has evolved the team to the formations and tactics he used at St Pauli,
those occupying the centre of midfield could well be Gruda and Rutter. This is a typical St Pauli formation from last year with our players.

The CDM/CB is well documented but the Gruda position (below) spends an awful lot of time on the right wing (see Milner’s positioning in our first two games) with the wing backs either tucked into midfield to support the advancing CDM/CB or taking up the wingers duties. All this happens as the CF drops deeper and the wingers go into the CF’s now vacant position.

In possession:

———————-Verbruggen———————-
——-Van Hecke—Wieffer—Dunk—————-
Kadıoğlu—-Gruda———Rutter—-Estupiñán
—-March————Pedro———Mitoma———

Out of possession:

————————-Verbruggen———————-
Kadıoğlu—Van Hecke-Wieffer-Dunk--Estupiñán
——March—-Gruda———Rutter—-Mitoma—-
—-————————Pedro—————————

This low block will surely feature a lot when we play the better teams away (perhaps tomorrow).

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Good news. Good profit. Time to move on from the Scottish fraud. The most over rated by fans player we’ve ever had.

Tony knows the score.

 

[mile oak]

Really sorry to see BG go he has been absolutely brilliant for us time and time again and he went so cheaply in my opinion. Gutted, loved him in the team and I think it is a mistake letting him go, but of course I understand you have to consider player wishes and so on, but bottom line he will be missed.

 

[Zeberdi]

Gruda and Rutter are not central midfielders no matter how much you want to imagine that they are.

I think you don’t understand the positional versitility of the players we have been signing nor how they would play under Hürzler.

 

[Han Solo]

I missed this post from @Bozza up thread but it immediately rings true for me - in the back of my mind, when the first rumours of Gilmour to Napoli came up, I thought back to the problems he had under Tuchel who didn’t want him at Chelsea, under Farke and Smith at Norwich where he struggled to adapt, the hatred of the Canaries fans by the end of his loan, his reaction to Potter leaving Brighton - all the off pitch stuff in his private life, sleeping pills, stalking trauma and then RDZ (who didn’t play him for the best part of that same season) and finally under Hürzeler who wants shot of him. I have always thought there must be something other than what we see on the pitch for Gilmour’s stuttering career development in the EPL but it’s not really any of our business so not going to speculate.

At least he’s been called up again to Scotland’s Nations League which should please his fans.

Ignoring all the bullshit and getting to this point, why did he start last Saturday (despite no pre-season) ahead of Ayari and Baleba if the manager didnt like him?
Clear to me this is more Billys wish than what the club wanted. He started six days ago.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

Does make me wonder who the back up to Wieffer’s position is now. Presumably Baleba, but that does make it all the more odd that Gilmour was picked there ahead of him against Man U. The club clearly have a lot of faith in Wieffer being a bit of a star.

I think @Hugo Rune is probably correct and we will see a bit of an evolution in the shape of the team after the international break.

 

[Seven Stars]

The club don''t get things wrong very often. What I would say is that Billy gave his all for us but his lack of goals and assists always concerned me. I think we have better players at the club who will step forward. Good luck Billy.

 

[Weststander]

Does make me wonder who the back up to Wieffer’s position is now. Presumably Baleba, but that does make it all the more odd that Gilmour was picked there ahead of him against Man U. The club clearly have a lot of faith in Wieffer being a bit of a star.

I think @Hugo Rune is probably correct and we will see a bit of an evolution in the shape of the team after the international break.

Baleba a work in progress (often critcised on here last season for example)?

But finally clicking it appears, caused mayhem against ManU.

 

[Bozza]

Ignoring all the bullshit and getting to this point, why did he start last Saturday (despite no pre-season) ahead of Ayari and Baleba if the manager didnt like him?
Clear to me this is more Billys wish than what the club wanted. He started six days ago.

I'm certainly not claiming the manager didn't like him.

The club being happy to sell him, as I understand they were, could be for a wide range of reasons, many of which have nothing to do with the manager.

 

[London Irish]

Yes, he did. Because he was told that he wasn't an automatic first pick.
We're playing this season, not last season. We have FH as manager, not RDZ.
We've spent a decent amount on our other options and the manager has given them the green light so it's up to him to ensure they are 'shaping up'.

So now he’s gone from not fancied to not automatic first pick. I don’t blame you for this slippage of language because it’s really hard to square with the evidence of all our lying eyes of everything that happened at the Manchester United game from selection to performance.

But I agree with the rest of your argument here. We have spent an amazing amount of money and the bet on offloading Gilmour should pay off on the odds coming out from this spending. But it’s still a bet, or in other words a gamble, no matter however calculated. Anyway me grizzling on a messageboard ain’t going to bring him back it’s either spilt milk or expertly placed resources

 

[Chripper]

I'm a Manchester United (and Scotland) fan so I'm delighted that he's left for such an illustrious club. Particularly if he was going to be a bench warmer under the new manager.

I know that I don't post here all that often, but you've all been nice to me and welcomed me. So for that I say thank you.

Not many forums are sp welcoming of fans of other clubs joining. The Brentford forum gave me a "Deliverance" vibe. I could even hear the slight noise of a banjo if I listened closely. Even the Admin told me via PM "we don't like strangers". No word of a lie.

Brighton are a great club and the fans (here, at least) seem to be friendly and sane.


I hope Brighton finish in the top 6.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

Baleba a work in progress (often critcised on here last season for example)?

But finally clicking it appears, caused mayhem against ManU.

Fingers crossed. If he can stay tactically switched on for 90 minutes, then we can start to see his progression really speed up.

 

[Zeberdi]

The thing is, once Hürzeler has evolved the team to the formations and tactics he used at St Pauli,
those occupying the centre of midfield could well be Gruda and Rutter. This is a typical St Pauli formation from last year with our players.

The CDM/CB is well documented but the Gruda position (below) spends an awful lot of time on the right wing (see Milner’s positioning in our first two games) with the wing backs either tucked into midfield to support the advancing CDM/CB or taking up the wingers duties. All this happens as the CF drops deeper and the wingers go into the CF’s now vacant position.

In possession:

———————-Verbruggen———————-
——-Van Hecke—Wieffer—Dunk—————-
Kadıoğlu—-Gruda———Rutter—-Estupiñán
—-March————Pedro———Mitoma———

Out of possession:

————————-Verbruggen———————-
Kadıoğlu—Van Hecke-Wieffer-Dunk--Estupiñán
——March—-Gruda———Rutter—-Mitoma—-
—-————————Pedro—————————

This low block will surely feature a lot when we play the better teams away (perhaps tomorrow).

I’d call it a midfield block rather than a ‘low one’ and yes, a point I have made on other threads but thanks for summing it up so well in response to the suggestion that any idea that Gruda and Rutter can play in more than one position on the field is a figment of my imagination

I would add that one of Hürzeler’s key ‘strategies’ is using a fluid approach and using players out of position at any one time ‘to follow the ball’ - that needs really versatile players (who tend to have better positional awareness) completely different to RDZ’s approach where the overriding strategy was positional play down to the 3rd man - every player had a role and kept to it. Everyone was about creating spaces for the passes to progress. Hürzeler is all about fluidity. Minteh is another player who will cut inside and move into central attacking areas when progressing the ball.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Regardless of whether he should have stayed or left, we've been robbed at the £12m price.

 

[Weststander]

I'm a Manchester United (and Scotland) fan so I'm delighted that he's left for such an illustrious club. Particularly if he was going to be a bench warmer under the new manager.

I know that I don't post here all that often, but you've all been nice to me and welcomed me. So for that I say thank you.

Not many forums are sp welcoming of fans of other clubs joining. The Brentford forum gave me a "Deliverance" vibe. I could even hear the slight noise of a banjo if I listened closely. Even the Admin told me via PM "we don't like strangers". No word of a lie.

Brighton are a great club and the fans (here, at least) seem to be friendly and sane.


I hope Brighton finish in the top 6.

Grandoldteam was the same. If you post, about anything including complimentary stuff, their paranoid inner circle obsess in playing private detective, followed by mutual backslapping.