[Albion] Picking the 1 to 11 - will it ever happen again?

[Giraffe]

For some time I've wanted to see the full shirt numbers 1 to 11 on the pitch just like the old days. We have got close to it a few times this season, at Liverpool for example I think we were 2 or 3 away and then again on Saturday we started with nine of the eleven.

23 Steele
2 Bruno
3 Bong
4 Duffy
14 Balogun
6 Stephens
7 Kayal
8 Bissouma
9 Locadia
10 Andone
11 Knockaert

If you stick Ryan in for Steele and Dunk in for Balogun we have the full house and it is actually a pretty good team. Problem is I can't see Bong/Bruno/Knockaert holding their places in a league game and Ryan will never play in the cup?

 

[Baldseagull]

It has killed one football cliche, the "he has made the number 1 shirt his own" cliche. I don't think I miss it.

 

[studio150]

Looking forward to the 40 to 51 starting line up

 

[RandyWanger]

I think at one point we had 1-6 start this season.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

If you really are that keen to see players wearing one to eleven, then come and watch Horsham YMCA in the Southern Combination League!, or the vast majority of non league teams for that matter.

As far as the Albion are concerned, I think that lineup at Bournemouth on Saturday was the closest we will get to it for some time.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

This really is a "things were better in my day" thread. They're just numbers - why do you care?

 

[Badger Boy]

To be fair, I think we're closer than a lot of clubs and the line up of;

1) Ryan
2) Bruno
3) Bong
4) Duffy
5) Dunk
6) Stephens
7) Kayal
8) Bissouma
9) Locadia
10) Andone
11) Knockaert

Could easily happen in our current shape, with 3 central midfielders in there and Knockaert wide right, Locadia wide left.

 

[Giraffe]

This really is a "things were better in my day" thread. They're just numbers - why do you care?

Not massively no, I'm sleeping well enough thanks. Just thought it was a vaguely interesting/geeky statto point of discussion giving we came close on Saturday.

To be fair, I think we're closer than a lot of clubs and the line up of;

1) Ryan
2) Bruno
3) Bong
4) Duffy
5) Dunk
6) Stephens
7) Kayal
8) Bissouma
9) Locadia
10) Andone
11) Knockaert

Could easily happen in our current shape, with 3 central midfielders in there and Knockaert wide right, Locadia wide left.

Indeed, now Locadia and Andone are much closer to being regulars it makes it more likely. It's almost as though Chris always knew they'd make it.

 

[Icy Gull]

Do we really need squad numbers? I too like 1-11 on the shirts. Shirt sales apart what is the reason for squad numbers?

Are we actually obliged to have them?

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Not massively no, I'm sleeping well enough thanks. Just thought it was a vaguely interesting/geeky statto point of discussion giving we came close on Saturday.



Indeed, now Locadia and Andone are much closer to being regulars it makes it more likely. It's almost as though Chris always knew they'd make it.

Whilst unfortunately, Bruno and Bong are much closer to not being regulars,

 

[Giraffe]

Whilst unfortunately, Bruno and Bong are much closer to not being regulars,

Yes true which is why it is unlikely to happen unless we have injuries or Ryan plays in a cup game.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Looking forward to the 40 to 51 starting line up

I can't remember which team it was but the other week on MOTD there was a player wearing number 66 ! WTF ??

 

[Perkino]

with Bruno & Bong on contracts that expire this summer and maybe a few players swapping numbers it may be something we see next season

 

[schmunk]

My son played a match at the weekend. On the pitch for his team there were 3 number 10s and 2 number 12s, all at the same time (wearing at least two different iterations of the team's kit between them).

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Do we really need squad numbers? I too like 1-11 on the shirts. Shirt sales apart what is the reason for squad numbers?

Are we actually obliged to have them?

The Green Dragon pub team used to have a question mark on the back of their shirts apparently

 

[AZ Gull]

I can't remember which team it was but the other week on MOTD there was a player wearing number 66 ! WTF ??

In the age of squad numbers (which have been here for years now) I struggle to understand why people are still surprised by this. For instance, Albion currently have 67 professionals on the books. They also have 18 scholars. So, in a squad numbering system, players will have numbers up into the 80's (and quite possibly 90's if numbers are not strictly re-allocated when players leave). Albion U-21s wear squad numbers in the Checkatrade Trophy matches, and without fail the opposing commentators always make some comment about the high numbers. What do they expect? Should the club start using 1A, 7C etc?

 

[Monkey Man]

It's odd that pundits/fans/footballers are talking a lot these days about "playing as a number 10", which those of us of a certain age know means a kind of secondary striker who doesn't necessarily contribute many goals.

But kids who have only known the Premier League perhaps wonder what on earth the phrase means (which I don't remember hearing that often when there was always a number 10 on the pitch).

 

[Raphael Meade]

Really want this to happen! I posted something similar back on Oct 20 which was the Newcastle game where we used players wearing 1-9... can't recall when the last time we had 1-11 play in the same game? Never in the prem and would think it's a fair while before then - with Skalak/Baldcok wearing 8 and 9 and then Maenpaa wearing 1 in the championship.