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[Albion] Nicolás González







Hugo Rune

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Feb 23, 2012
23,675
Brighton
So, bear with me here.

If we do sing Speedy Gonzalez, is he the kind of striker we need?
I’m not disputing that he looks good and will be a good addition to the squad, I’m more interested in the fact we have agreed a club record ( reportedly) for a player who isn’t exactly what we need. If we do , in fact need a Murray type replacement, why splurge £20 million plus sizeable wages on a player who looks like a smallish upgrade on what we have, Trossard, MacAllister, and why do it so early in the window?

Unless, of course Uncle Tony is really going for top ten next season, and we have another incoming striker of the Murray kind in the pipeline.

I have had a feeling that we are going for it in a big way this window, and this could be just the start.

Alan Velasco next?

Can’t see him as ‘the striker’ either, he is the back-up/competition/replacement for Trossard. I’m convinced we’re going to land that No.9 back-up/competition/replacement to Maupay too before we flog Biss & White. Happy for Welbeck, Zeqiri & Khadra to make up the rest of the player pool for our front 3 and then loan or flog the rest.
 




vagabond

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May 17, 2019
9,804
Brighton
Can’t see him as ‘the striker’ either, he is the back-up/competition/replacement for Trossard. I’m convinced we’re going to land that No.9 back-up/competition/replacement to Maupay too before we flog Biss & White. Happy for Welbeck, Zeqiri & Khadra to make up the rest of the player pool for our front 3 and then loan or flog the rest.

That’s my thinking.

Another forward option who can play anywhere interchangeably in the front 3. That’s becoming the go to line up for GP at least so far.

Tross had no competition at all. Now he does.
 














GT49er

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Feb 1, 2009
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We will not be signing a Murray type player . The team Potter is building is based on pace .

Doesn’t really answer the question, if we need a Murray replacement, why sing an upgrade on Trossard? And so early if it the only big singing we’re going to make.

Beginning to look as if we don't need a Murray replacement, or at least that GP doesn't think we do. In years to come maybe "Is he the Murray replacement we need" will be routinely trotted out in the same way as "Michael Owen spotted in The Grand" or "Does he play left back?"
 


lawros left foot

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Jun 11, 2011
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Worthing
Beginning to look as if we don't need a Murray replacement, or at least that GP doesn't think we do. In years to come maybe "Is he the Murray replacement we need" will be routinely trotted out in the same way as "Michael Owen spotted in The Grand" or "Does he play left back?"

Last season the teams who did well against us, were the lower half teams, Burnley, Fulham, Sheffield United, palace, WBA, all defended deep, and in the middle. They let us have the ball, and let us have it out wide while they packed the penalty area. We didn’t have an attacker with that little bit of clever to beat this tactic, or a Murray type to bully the them a bit.
We really didn’t have an answer for this and it happened against all the teams who , as shown in the stats weren’t as good as us. The better sides we played, came to play us with the same tactics as us, I.e they didn’t park the bus and try to hit us on the break.
We don’t want 4 strikers who are so similar that the team can only play one way, and I don’t think a manager as astute as Potter will want that either judging by the way he can change tactics mid game.
 






JBizzle

Well-known member
Apr 18, 2010
6,228
Seaford
Last season the teams who did well against us, were the lower half teams, Burnley, Fulham, Sheffield United, palace, WBA, all defended deep, and in the middle. They let us have the ball, and let us have it out wide while they packed the penalty area. We didn’t have an attacker with that little bit of clever to beat this tactic, or a Murray type to bully the them a bit.
We really didn’t have an answer for this and it happened against all the teams who , as shown in the stats weren’t as good as us. The better sides we played, came to play us with the same tactics as us, I.e they didn’t park the bus and try to hit us on the break.
We don’t want 4 strikers who are so similar that the team can only play one way, and I don’t think a manager as astute as Potter will want that either judging by the way he can change tactics mid game.

Although I do agree, I would also suggest that against those teams our lack of points was as a result of us missing hat fulls of chances rather than not having a big man up top
 


Machiavelli

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Oct 11, 2013
17,770
Fiveways
Doesn’t really answer the question, if we need a Murray replacement, why sing an upgrade on Trossard? And so early if it the only big singing we’re going to make.
I read a thing somewhere on the economics of COVID, basically, the more money you had before the pandemic, the more you are likely to have now. Billionaires have come out of it quite well.

Two big words there. We have no idea what the plans of TB, DA and GP are.
As to your question, again no idea if we'll be signing a more conventional CF. [MENTION=38333]Swansman[/MENTION] will say that he used McBurnie at Swansea, and sometimes(?) a big man at Ostersunds. He doesn't seem too concerned with a 'Murray type' since he's been at Brighton because:
-- he's had four windows to sign one, and is yet to do so (unless you count Zeqiri as one)
-- he had the opportunity to play Murray for the past two seasons, and didn't last one, and only used him sporadically the one before, rarely starting him
 


GT49er

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Feb 1, 2009
49,183
Gloucester
Last season the teams who did well against us, were the lower half teams, Burnley, Fulham, Sheffield United, palace, WBA, all defended deep, and in the middle. They let us have the ball, and let us have it out wide while they packed the penalty area. We didn’t have an attacker with that little bit of clever to beat this tactic, or a Murray type to bully the them a bit.
We really didn’t have an answer for this and it happened against all the teams who , as shown in the stats weren’t as good as us. The better sides we played, came to play us with the same tactics as us, I.e they didn’t park the bus and try to hit us on the break.
We don’t want 4 strikers who are so similar that the team can only play one way, and I don’t think a manager as astute as Potter will want that either judging by the way he can change tactics mid game.

That doesn't mean we necessarily need a Murray replacement - we just need our teeny weeny forwards (or whatever teeny weeny forwards that we bring in to give them competition) to knock in a few more of the plethora of xG chances we create and which teams that park the bus can't find a way to stop us creating them.
 
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vagabond

Well-known member
May 17, 2019
9,804
Brighton
Two big words there. We have no idea what the plans of TB, DA and GP are.
As to your question, again no idea if we'll be signing a more conventional CF. [MENTION=38333]Swansman[/MENTION] will say that he used McBurnie at Swansea, and sometimes(?) a big man at Ostersunds. He doesn't seem too concerned with a 'Murray type' since he's been at Brighton because:
-- he's had four windows to sign one, and is yet to do so (unless you count Zeqiri as one)
-- he had the opportunity to play Murray for the past two seasons, and didn't last one, and only used him sporadically the one before, rarely starting him

You could also look at the pure footballing sides like Man City. They don’t rely on a big man up top.

Don’t get me wrong, I would actually like us to have a target man type striker. Would be a good option to mix things up. But I think you’re spot on. GP and Ashworth have had numerous windows now, and given the results they don’t appear to want this type of player.
 


Perkino

Well-known member
Dec 11, 2009
6,053
Last season the teams who did well against us, were the lower half teams, Burnley, Fulham, Sheffield United, palace, WBA, all defended deep, and in the middle. They let us have the ball, and let us have it out wide while they packed the penalty area. We didn’t have an attacker with that little bit of clever to beat this tactic, or a Murray type to bully the them a bit.
We really didn’t have an answer for this and it happened against all the teams who , as shown in the stats weren’t as good as us. The better sides we played, came to play us with the same tactics as us, I.e they didn’t park the bus and try to hit us on the break.
We don’t want 4 strikers who are so similar that the team can only play one way, and I don’t think a manager as astute as Potter will want that either judging by the way he can change tactics mid game.

This is a good point. On our day we are a challenge for any of the footballing sides, it's the poorer quality sides that we struggle to beat and a top 10 finish requires that to change
 




chaileyjem

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Jun 27, 2012
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That doesn't mean we necessarily need a Murray replacement - we just need our teeny weeny forwards (or whatever teeny weeny forwards that we bring in to give them competition) to knock in a few more of the plethora of xG chances we create and which teams that park the bus can't find a way to stop us creating them.

Welbeck is 6ft 1, Zeqiri is 6ft 1, Gonzalez is 5ft 11.
 




lawros left foot

Glory hunting since 1969
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Jun 11, 2011
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Worthing
In this team, a 27 year old Murray, in his prime would score a hat load of goals. I even think that against some of those sides( Sheffield United, and WBA stand out) this season that we have battered and struggled to score against a 37 year old Murray could have made a difference. The fact we played the whole game in their half, most of the time in the last third Murray’s lack of any speed or mobility wouldn’t have mattered as much. As long as he could get in the box and then stay onside, with his eye for goal I think he would score.
I’m obviously not saying bring him out of retirement, but a similar player would give us a plan b.
 




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