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[Albion] Pascal Groß the raumdeuter - officially leaves for Dortmund :(







American Seagle

Well-known member
Jun 14, 2022
898
De Bruyne was injured half the season, is a world class player, and has performed on the biggest stages (UCL finals and international tournaments) for years consistently. Although now on the decline there were several years that he was arguably the best midfielder in the world.

As much as we love Gross, come on now.
I think you are being blinded by the big star name and team.
 


WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 10, 2003
27,778
Of course if he wants to go that’s fine, but then he shouldn’t have signed a deal that lasted as long, if he was going on a free that would be fine. But we can’t bend over and lose important players just to be nice.

I don't believe the idea that Pascal has decided in the last few weeks out of the blue that he wants to go back to Germany and we are being 'nice'. I suspect that just like MacAlistair, there have been hard nosed business discussions going on for some time and we have come to a mutual agreement as part of renewing his contract.
 




jackalbion

Well-known member
Aug 30, 2011
4,936
I don't believe the idea that Pascal has decided in the last few weeks out of the blue that he wants to go back to Germany and we are being 'nice'. I suspect that just like MacAlistair, there have been hard nosed business discussions going on for some time and we have come to a mutual agreement before he renewed his contract.
To an extent you are right, but if he wanted this why did he not insert a clause or even sign a three year deal, I don’t think we should be under an obligation to let him go.
 




I don’t know why I’m laughing at this 🥺

 








Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo

I believe in Joe Hendry
Oct 4, 2003
12,090
Only two players created more chances than Gross. Neither are Kevin De Bruyne. They are Fernades and Odegard.

One season in which KDB only played 18 games (and in those 14 games he still scored 4 and had 10 assists, which is identical to what Gross had exactly twice as many games). I wonder where KDB would have been if they worked out chances created per min on the pitch which would be a fairer comparison considering his lack of game time last season.
 
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If he goes it will be for under £20m, which is not what he’s worth, but it is what it is. Could not care less about the fee, if we don’t put some money about (and wages) to get in a ready made replacement, then we’ve made the mistake, and an entire summer haggling and then missing out like with Kudus will be monumentally bad. I would like a ready made replacement in sharpish if we make the decision to let him go.

I agree. Can’t be tight on this one ffs.
 


macbeth

Dismembered
Jan 3, 2018
4,174
six feet beneath the moon
I certainly don't want to sell him, but it's really not about the fee (which may have been agreed when Pascal signed his last extension), it's the fact that Pascal wants to go. I'm certainly hoping we sign at least a couple of first team regulars this summer (incl strengthening midfield) but don't think we will get a Pascal replacement.

I have noticed that in all his time here, he has always driven left hand drive cars with German plates, so it was always a matter of time :down:
i feel the term ‘replacement’ needs some defining here. a direct replacement who’s as close as humanly possible to pascal in terms of playing style? maybe, maybe not. there’s more than one way to do things, and it could be an opportunity to try something else.

but somewhere across the 25 man squad, serious money would have to be spent to make up for the 15 goal contributions a season groß gives us, it really is as simple as that. to let him walk out the door for next to nothing and then expect the other players in the squad to pick up the slack would be astoundingly negligent.
 




jackalbion

Well-known member
Aug 30, 2011
4,936
We'll have to agree to disagree unless, as we all want, he does a Gross turn and gives us another year :thumbsup:
I agree, but that’s the case, the fee is irrelevant, we’re getting below market value, so we have to be serious about a replacement, Wieffer is a realistic replacement for a not Caicedo money that’s the sort of signing that I think it’s imperative we make.
 


Jimmy Grimble

Well-known member
Nov 10, 2007
10,100
Starting a revolution from my bed
I've said for a while that Baleba-Gilmour has the potential to be a hell of a midfield duo, they each account for the others weaknesses and bring something unique to the table.

Problem is that neither of them is consistent enough to perform week in week out.

By the end of 24-25 hopefully they will be. But rumours also that we are after Wieffer from Feyenoord which would be a statement.
A Baleba-Gilmour midfield is severely lacking in goal contributions.
 






jackalbion

Well-known member
Aug 30, 2011
4,936
did we not offer somewhere in the range of £40M for Kudus, and for Colwill? okay not direct replacements for anyone but the suggestion that spending a decent amount to bring in quality is just arbitrarily something we won’t do is incorrect.
Spot on, we do big money spend on players when we need to, this is one of these times. We’ve shown we have the ability to spend £40m multiple times
 












um bongo molongo

Well-known member
Jul 26, 2004
3,054
Battersea
Baleba will (I suspect) play more this season, assuming that we play a 3-4-3 (not a given, but possible) then there’s only space for two central midfielders. Apart from Baleba and WBG, there’s Milner, Moder, Hinshelwood and Buonanotte who are natural in the centre.

That’s six players vying for two positions. I can’t see that we’ll be rushing out to buy two CMs. If we can improve the squad then we might be in for one, but really we need to move at least one of our six on to make room for them, we’re overstocked.

Edit: and I forgot Dahoud - that’s seven.
I keep seeing Buonanotte listed but I don’t think he can play as part of a 2 CM midfield in 3-4-3.
 


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