[Albion] Pascal Gross - Controversial Opinion...

[Skint Gull]

As an all round footballer, for contribution to team tactics over 90 mins, is overrated.

I fully accept his stats can be truly brilliant, comparable to many of the top players in the league, but although he runs a lot, he is very slow and in reality, is a luxury player.

When he can play as one of 2 or 3 forwards, I can really see what he adds and think we can afford to carry his limitations.

My issue is every time he is played as any sort of midfielder. When he has defensive responsibilities, and a set role that his opposite number knows he has, he is just too predictable and too easy for the opposition to play against. I also feel when he is in midfield, players near to him have worse games because they have to cover him, notably Burn, Stephens and Proper yesterday.

I do really think Gross has a huge role to play for the club now and moving forward, but I really feel that if we can't play him up front, he shouldn't play at all.

#awaitsflaming

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[Stat Brother]

Nob.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The thing about Gross is you think he's having a quiet game but when you watch the highlights you see how frequently he is involved with the key parts of the match.

We know he doesn't have pace but even that has improved from last season, and that is less of a factor now Murray's on the bench and Maupay and Connolly are starting.

What he does possess is great delivery and a great football brain. Under Potter he has a chance of matching his exploits of 2017/18. I see Gross as a positive for this side.

 

[Stato]

I fully accept his stats can be truly brilliant

It doesn't sound like you really do.

https://www.squawka.com/en/news/most-chances-created-premier-league-2019-2020

In a team that still needs to improve in chance creation, he is absolutely invaluable. If he could also track back like De Bruyne or had pace he would be playing for Germany and Bayern Munich or a top six PL side. What he has is very rare and if other players have to work harder to have him in the side (I don't think they do by the way), so be it, they will have to work harder to ensure his gifts can be used.

 

[London Irish]

Mooy is better and you can’t leave out Trossard or our great striking partnership. So where does he go

Worth his place in the 18 fair enough

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Beckham had no pace either.

 

[beorhthelm]

he's not got the pace for box to box midfield, needs to play up field to be most effective.

 

[Bozza]

The most intelligent footballer we have, and integral to almost everything we do going forward.

To accommodate Trossard, I can only really see us reverting to one up front (which is what Potter did for two of Trossard's three starts before his injury), which probably means Connolly will make way for him.

That said - the one time we started with two strikers and Trossard, which was Southampton at home - Gross was on the bench. March and Trossard started either side of Stephens and Propper with Maupay and (briefly) Adone up front.

 

[dangull]

Not many players can produce a cracking free kick with pace and keep it under the bar as we saw yesterday. A slight upgrade on Skalak I think.

 

[Skint Gull]

I think some of you are misunderstanding my point... The fact his stats are so good is why we need to play him in a position where he can influence the game, not in a rigid midfield position.

Saturday was the first time I have seen GP play him there and I hated watching it. It felt like he was being shoehorned into that position because he couldn't leave him out, but for some reason felt he couldn't play 3 up top on Saturday.

Personally I'd like to see Gross, Trossard and Maupay up top on Saturday with Connelly to come off the bench

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[darkwolf666]

As an all round footballer, for contribution to team tactics over 90 mins, is overrated.

I fully accept his stats can be truly brilliant, comparable to many of the top players in the league, but although he runs a lot, he is very slow and in reality, is a luxury player.

When he can play as one of 2 or 3 forwards, I can really see what he adds and think we can afford to carry his limitations.

My issue is every time he is played as any sort of midfielder. When he has defensive responsibilities, and a set role that his opposite number knows he has, he is just too predictable and too easy for the opposition to play against. I also feel when he is in midfield, players near to him have worse games because they have to cover him, notably Burn, Stephens and Proper yesterday.

I do really think Gross has a huge role to play for the club now and moving forward, but I really feel that if we can't play him up front, he shouldn't play at all.

#awaitsflaming

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Why whenever this sort of thread is started do I think of the famous “What did the Romans do for us” Monty Python sketch?

 

[Stato]

Mooy is better

Nope. Statistically in the Premier League, he has considerably less goals and a third of the assists.

https://www.premierleague.com/players/22542/Pascal-Groß/overview

https://www.premierleague.com/players/19619/Aaron-Mooy/overview

Pascal Gross is actually under, not overrated. At £3 million in today's inflated market he was possibly our best value signing ever. His injury and lack of match fitness was a major reason why we struggled last year.

 

[Skint Gull]

Disagree, his being played out of position in a 3 man midfield for much of last season was the reason why we struggled...

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[Pavilionaire]

I think some of you are misunderstanding my point... The fact his stats are so good is why we need to play him in a position where he can influence the game, not in a rigid midfield position.

Saturday was the first time I have seen GP play him there and I hated watching it. It felt like he was being shoehorned into that position because he couldn't leave him out, but for some reason felt he couldn't play 3 up top on Saturday.

Personally I'd like to see Gross, Trossard and Maupay up top on Saturday with Connelly to come off the bench

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So what you're saying is rather than start our best ballplayer behind two pacy forwards we should play a front three and rely on the guile of Stephens and Propper to play those killer passes?

And you'd bench Connolly who has shown he is a nightmare for defenders and who is looking every part like the new Robbie Keane?

 

[drew]

The most intelligent footballer we have, and integral to almost everything we do going forward.

To accommodate Trossard, I can only really see us reverting to one up front (which is what Potter did for two of Trossard's three starts before his injury), which probably means Connolly will make way for him.

That said - the one time we started with two strikers and Trossard, which was Southampton at home - Gross was on the bench. March and Trossard started either side of Stephens and Propper with Maupay and (briefly) Adone up front.

I think he has been but that Trossard is equally as intelligent and considerably more mobile. If Mooy played every game like he played against Spurs and when on the pitch against Villa, we'd be stronger with him and Trossard starting. Shame but I think that's the way it is.

 

[Easy 10]

I like Gross but he was COMPLETELY anonymous for most of the game, and was rightly binned. I don't think he touched the ball after half time.

 

[Pevenseagull]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/meet-premier-leagues-marathon-men-12511064


OK, it's quite old ............. but he's got a history of putting in a shift (along with a few others of note)

 

[Pavilionaire]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/meet-premier-leagues-marathon-men-12511064


OK, it's quite old ............. but he's got a history of putting in a shift (along with a few others of note)

Stephens, Propper, Gross and Mooy all on that Prem Top 20 distance covered list.

 

[Stato]

Saturday was the first time I have seen GP play him there and I hated watching it.

Were you not at the Spurs game? He and Mooy were both excellent in what was effectively a 4-2-2-2.

 

[Pevenseagull]

I'm just happy that I now think, if Gross had a bit more pace he wouldn't be playing for us .... rather than thinking, if Darren Currie had a bit more pace he wouldn't be playing for us.... (and he left quite quickly ... somewhat ironically).

Gross was an inspired signing and we are truly in a golden age in that we are not reliant on him to be at his very best every game to be competitive.






Cracking footballer.