[Albion] Pascal Gross midfield partner

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I think you'll find it highly unlikely that RDZ will attempt to replace WBG with a young GK, or with a CE for that matter. He may well decide he wants somebody more PL ready than Baleba for the job though.

And it's not as if RDZ has never overlooked a more obvious choice to put a player he trusts in an unfamiliar role.

 

[Blue3]

Estupinan often plays CM for Equador, could he do a job for us in that position?

was it reported that RDZ and Estupinan had dinner together I wonder if this came up in conversation

 

[Bakero]

Has to be Baleba otherwise we might as well get rid

He's 20 years old. At that age Groß was in the German second division with promotion to the top flight still years away.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I thought we purchased Moder as a central defensive midfielder. But I can’t recall us ever playing him in that position. Can anyone recall him playing in a deep lying midfield pivot for us?

 

[Springal]

He's 20 years old. At that age Groß was in the German second division with promotion to the top flight still years away.

And ? He made 21 appearances for Lille last season - a top flight French team that finished 5th. That we signed for £23M

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Craig Mackail-Smith.

 

[Hotchilidog]

This is a great opportunity for Jakob and Carlos and I'm looking forward to seeing how either one or both of them take it.

 

[Bakero]

And ? He made 21 appearances for Lille last season - a top flight French team that finished 5th. That we signed for £23M

He's made 23 appearances for Brighton this season - a top flight English team that is currently 7th.

He's on a 5 year contract with a possible one year extension.

We're not going to "get rid" if he doesn't play on Wednesday.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Of the non-midfielders that could slot in, I'd say Igor is probably the best suited.

But I feel fairly comfortable with Moder or Baleba- big opportunity for one of them to step up and make a claim.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

There is absolutely not a chance, that any of Igor, Webster, JPVH, Veltman or Pervis could cope with the close range, first time passing required of a CM in RDZ's team. It would be a disaster.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

There is absolutely not a chance, that any of Igor, Webster, JPVH, Veltman or Pervis could cope with the close range, first time passing required of a CM in RDZ's team. It would be a disaster.

Don't agree.

You have be able to pass like that wherever you play in this team. Look at how we knock it about in defence.

That said, Baleba is the most likely, Moder is the second most likely to fill in for Gilmour. I'm far from ruling out a more leftfield solution though.

 

[Machiavelli]

He's made 23 appearances for Brighton this season - a top flight English team that is currently 6th.

He's on a 5 year contract with a possible one year extension.

We're not going to "get rid" if he doesn't play tomorrow.

Given we're not playing tomorrow, I'd certainly hope so

 

[Bakero]

Given we're not playing tomorrow, I'd certainly hope so

We do if you're watching from Japan or Australia.

 

[Machiavelli]

There is absolutely not a chance, that any of Igor, Webster, JPVH, Veltman or Pervis could cope with the close range, first time passing required of a CM in RDZ's team. It would be a disaster.

I agree with that. I'm not so sure that RDZ really fancies Moder in the CM position either -- he's very clear that he is very exacting about what the role entails -- so it'll be interesting to see what happens over the three games when Gilmour is banned. As to two players you haven't mentioned:
Barco: I was hoping he might have experience in CM (or DCM role, or double pivot if you must, or 6 and 8) but he was very clear that the positions he plays in are LB, LW and ACM.
Buonanotte: not many are mentioning him, but I see him having more of the attributes RDZ requires for the CM role, and he's started every game for a while now, and there are more players returning that can play in the positions that he has played in recent months -- that's RW and ACM, where we now or soon will have Adingra, Fati, Enciso, Lallana and Mitoma who can play across the three (RW, LW and ACM) that support the main striker (and even Welbeck can play there, as he did on Saturday with Fergie further forward).

 

[Machiavelli]

We do if you're watching from Japan or Australia.

Your geography* is now failing you (I think/hope!), not just your understanding of time.

Edit: *as is my language, I think I should have said time zones.

 

[Springal]

He's made 23 appearances for Brighton this season - a top flight English team that is currently 7th.

He's on a 5 year contract with a possible one year extension.

We're not going to "get rid" if he doesn't play tomorrow.

Even more of a reason why it looks pretty bad if he doesn’t play

 

[Wardy's twin]

I think RDZ will go Moder because he has played him more in recent games but who knows. Whilst we have issues in midfield we have cover what will be more intriguing is who plays up front .

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Don't agree.

You have be able to pass like that wherever you play in this team. Look at how we knock it about in defence.

That said, Baleba is the most likely, Moder is the second most likely to fill in for Gilmour. I'm far from ruling out a more leftfield solution though.

Whilst this is true to an extent, the demands in that regard on Dunk, JPVH etc at the back, are still way less extreme than those of the CMs. The CM are generally receiving and moving the ball on, in tighter spaces and with far less time. It is very, very different in the middle of the park, needing to be properly aware of the people and space 360 degrees around you, than at the back or out wide, where the play is all in front of you.

 

[raymondo]

Can't they disguise WBG as someone else?

Lamptey

 

[Bakero]

Your geography* is now failing you (I think/hope!), not just your understanding of time.

Edit: *as is my language, I think I should have said time zones.

I've had a busy day but I'm pretty sure it's currently Tuesday in both Japan and Australia and our game against Wolves is on Wednesday. Ergo, anyone in Japan or Australia can legitimately say "we won't be getting rid of Baleba just because he doesn't play tomorrow".

*I'm not in Japan nor Australia but the point still sounds