[Albion] Seriously ???? Lamptey to Wolves on loan?

[Hugo Rune]

Amazing that people have forgotten how ridiculous Lamptey was when he came in. He was comic book good. Those little legs whirring, defenders sprawling. I'd never seen anything like it.

He was clocked as being the faster player in the world when he first came in. That is like a superpower, you can see it so clearly in his game pre-injury. His mind blowing pace enabled him to be so much more effective. He blasted past players at will, his press was astonishing as his speed caught so many players out and as for the last ditch tackles, he was like an anti ballistic missile locking on his target at insane speed and destroying it.

I remember a pundit on 5Live saying that Lamptey will be better than Reece, Tripper, Walker and TAA and will be England’s No.1 right back for years.

Sadly, he is not the fastest player in the world now, just the fastest player at the football club. The superpower has gone for ever now and he is just a regular top 10 EPL right back. That’s fine but currently, RDZ likes a playmaker in that position. He’ll still have a great career but he is not going to be sold to Bayern Munich for £50m anytime soon.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I’ve always wondered if moving him further forward and fewer of the really explosive sprints is a deliberate ploy. Players with that sort of pace can have persistent hamstring trouble so maybe he’s just learning how to look after his body by changing his game a bit. He’s still very rapid. Writing him off is premature in my opinion - and the views that he was never any good… nuts. He was fantastic when he first burst on to the scene. Unplayable. Very glad it sounds like RDZ wants to integrate him somehow.

Have often thought he would be better suited as an out and out winger as doesn’t work for him in a back four

Any fans of that Peter Crouch podcast would say he’s got plenty of pancake in him to play this role

 

[Swansman]

I’ve always wondered if moving him further forward and fewer of the really explosive sprints is a deliberate ploy. Players with that sort of pace can have persistent hamstring trouble so maybe he’s just learning how to look after his body by changing his game a bit. He’s still very rapid. Writing him off is premature in my opinion - and the views that he was never any good… nuts. He was fantastic when he first burst on to the scene. Unplayable. Very glad it sounds like RDZ wants to integrate him somehow.

Last season he played some games as winger and even as striker (despite sites listing him in other positions). It was interesting but he didn't seem entirely at home in those roles.

 

[raymondo]

I guess you can’t blame him wanting a move when he see’s RDZ playing Gross in front of him at right back.
Not sure how he’s meant to get back up to speed without regular game time.
The end of last season he came on against West Ham and was superb. RDZ needs to find a place for him in the side possibly as a right sided winger.

I'm not sure I get the reason for playing Gross at RB...does RDZ think he's a great defender, or is a playmaker from RB, or he wants him game ready for when Lallana breaks down?? Not saying it hasn't been ok, but I don't get playing him there in front of Veltman or Lamps, unless he thinks Gross is a better defender

 

[aolstudios]

He was clocked as being the faster player in the world when he first came in. That is like a superpower, you can see it so clearly in his game pre-injury. His mind blowing pace enabled him to be so much more effective. He blasted past players at will, his press was astonishing as his speed caught so many players out and as for the last ditch tackles, he was like an anti ballistic missile locking on his target at insane speed and destroying it.

I remember a pundit on 5Live saying that Lamptey will be better than Reece, Tripper, Walker and TAA and will be England’s No.1 right back for years.

Sadly, he is not the fastest player in the world now, just the fastest player at the football club. The superpower has gone for ever now and he is just a regular top 10 EPL right back. That’s fine but currently, RDZ likes a playmaker in that position. He’ll still have a great career but he is not going to be sold to Bayern Munich for £50m anytime soon.

Love Tariq & agree with most of your points but he's not a regular top 10 EPL right back right now. As a defender at this level he's really not that good. Without that speed & the confidence it gave him he's only going to be an ok attacking option off the bench. It's very sad

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

Why wouldn't he be a regular starter if he went out on loan for half a season? Not every team is top 7 or 8 PL standard - I bet Forest or Southampton, for example, would love to have him, or anyone pushing for promotion from the Championship. If he comes back to us like he was before his injury .............

I don't want to see him go - certainly not permanently - but can see why there are pros as well as cons for letting him go on loan.

Oh yes it is rather finely balanced. Of course he would likely get more game time at Forest or Southampton but it surely cannot be so much 'fun' losing most weeks compared to being with us at the moment. Would Forest suit his style? Hopefully he stays where he is for the season.

 

[raymondo]

Last season he played some games as winger and even as striker (despite sites listing him in other positions). It was interesting but he didn't seem entirely at home in those roles.

That's true. It would take some serious game time in those positions to see if he could adapt successfully, but with our other options there... unless there's a number of injuries, it isn't going to happen.

 

[raymondo]

I’ve always wondered if moving him further forward and fewer of the really explosive sprints is a deliberate ploy. Players with that sort of pace can have persistent hamstring trouble so maybe he’s just learning how to look after his body by changing his game a bit. He’s still very rapid. Writing him off is premature in my opinion - and the views that he was never any good… nuts. He was fantastic when he first burst on to the scene. Unplayable. Very glad it sounds like RDZ wants to integrate him somehow.

I wonder if wing back could be his best position but he'd need solid game time to adjust. He still has some very special skills (as shown in his Leicester cameo) and significant speed.

 

[raymondo]

Love Tariq & agree with most of your points but he's not a regular top 10 EPL right back right now. As a defender at this level he's really not that good. Without that speed & the confidence it gave him he's only going to be an ok attacking option off the bench. It's very sad

I wonder if wing back could suit him, but would need game time. Or...if he has very regular sub appearances that give visible results: goals, assists etc; then his confidence will improve and he may get more starts.
He'll probably start against Liverpool now

 

[Braggfan]

I wonder if wing back could suit him, but would need game time. Or...if he has very regular sub appearances that give visible results: goals, assists etc; then his confidence will improve and he may get more starts.
He'll probably start against Liverpool now

I that's the problem right there, wing back is his best position but we don't play wing backs since Potter left.
I think reason he's struggled for game time, isn't his pace has gone, its because our system has changed and other players are now filling his role.
Last year Veltman was playing in the centre, but if Colwill now plays in the centre, and Veltman plays right back, where do you put Lamptey?
I guess you could argue, should we be playing Colwill at the expense of Lamptey if Colwill is going to go back to Chelsea at the end of the season.

 

[trueblue]

I'm not sure I get the reason for playing Gross at RB...does RDZ think he's a great defender, or is a playmaker from RB, or he wants him game ready for when Lallana breaks down?? Not saying it hasn't been ok, but I don't get playing him there in front of Veltman or Lamps, unless he thinks Gross is a better defender

I think it’s what Gross brings to the attack from that position that RDZ likes. Not many right backs pop up in the opposition box. He seems to drift into positions where he can be very influential without being picked up. Defensively, I’ve no idea how we get away with it (mostly). I suppose having a grafter like Solly on the same flank helps - plus the bravery:craziness to leave our 2 CBs all on their own while we’re forcing teams back.

 

[trueblue]

Last season he played some games as winger and even as striker (despite sites listing him in other positions). It was interesting but he didn't seem entirely at home in those roles.

Precisely.

 

[WATFORD zero]

If he is pushed further on RBZ likes to use inverted wingers, so he could be competing with Mitoma rather than March. That said, I struggle to think of any time he's appeared on the left, so it could be that's going to take a bit of work

 

[raymondo]

I that's the problem right there, wing back is his best position but we don't play wing backs since Potter left.
I think reason he's struggled for game time, isn't his pace has gone, its because our system has changed and other players are now filling his role.
Last year Veltman was playing in the centre, but if Colwill now plays in the centre, and Veltman plays right back, where do you put Lamptey?
I guess you could argue, should we be playing Colwill at the expense of Lamptey if Colwill is going to go back to Chelsea at the end of the season.

All very good points,.
RDZ he treats all players as equal whether they are on loan or not, but as you say there's a danger we develop Colwill (and he's very good) more and end up losing both in the Summer.

 

[raymondo]

If he is pushed further on RBZ likes to use inverted wingers, so he could be competing with Mitoma rather than March. That said, I struggle to think of any time he's appeared on the left, so it could be that's going to take a bit of work

I think he was on the left a few games back when he scored (away from home) ...which game ...or maybe he floated across there?

 

[CheeseRolls]

I'm not sure I get the reason for playing Gross at RB...does RDZ think he's a great defender, or is a playmaker from RB, or he wants him game ready for when Lallana breaks down?? Not saying it hasn't been ok, but I don't get playing him there in front of Veltman or Lamps, unless he thinks Gross is a better defender

Unless the opposition are playing a pacy left winger, Gross has been able to cope defensively. On top of that he is another one very comfortable in possession, which is critical playing out from the back.

My brain is crying out for some symmetry on the wings and a right footed Estupinan would fit that bill. Veltman going forward and Lamptey defensively have not been that convincing of late. Yet it is a left footed centre back, we are prioritising.

Both Potter and De Zerbi have looked to use very different styles on each wing, (who saw the BDB role coming under Potter), as a deliberate tactical ploy. It seems to help in pulling the opposition out of shape to enable the switch and overload. It is going to be fascinating to see how this evolves, when RDZ actually gets to bring in some hand picked players. Just how good can this team get?

 

[Spiros]

He still needs to adjust his game to compensate for some loss of pace. I was a bit surprised when he got outpaced by Martinelli for one of Arsenal's goals on NYE, but guess he's still a bit too fragile to put the full afterburners on. I think we'll see him starting more games yet as we're bound to lose some players to injury / suspension along the way, as well as RDZ preferring him from time to time

 

[GloryDays]

He still needs to adjust his game to compensate for some loss of pace. I was a bit surprised when he got outpaced by Martinelli for one of Arsenal's goals on NYE, but guess he's still a bit too fragile to put the full afterburners on. I think we'll see him starting more games yet as we're bound to lose some players to injury / suspension along the way, as well as RDZ preferring him from time to time

His pace was his USP but in todays game that's a very volatile currency. He has adapted well and is still pacy but if his hamstring isn't as reliable as one thought then he needs to continue to adjust, as you point out. For where we are in the league and what we could achieve if we are firing on all cylinders, it would be best he gets that game time elsewhere IMO, and I really hope he then comes back here to claim RB as his own.

I also think it was scandalous how he was treat pre-injury by opposition. Some players get way too much protection but TL was continually abused until he broke.

 

[Littlemo]

I'm not sure I get the reason for playing Gross at RB...does RDZ think he's a great defender, or is a playmaker from RB, or he wants him game ready for when Lallana breaks down?? Not saying it hasn't been ok, but I don't get playing him there in front of Veltman or Lamps, unless he thinks Gross is a better defender

I agree. It’s probably just my perspective but I always feel sorry for players when others are played out of position in front of them. Unless they were outstandingly better, playing someone out of position in front of a player specialist in that position is a bit insulting and to me would definitely read like a “we don’t have a use for you anymore” kind of message from the manager. So I wouldn’t blame Lamptey at all for going or wanting to go.

 

[raymondo]

Unless the opposition are playing a pacy left winger, Gross has been able to cope defensively. On top of that he is another one very comfortable in possession, which is critical playing out from the back.

My brain is crying out for some symmetry on the wings and a right footed Estupinan would fit that bill. Veltman going forward and Lamptey defensively have not been that convincing of late. Yet it is a left footed centre back, we are prioritising.

Both Potter and De Zerbi have looked to use very different styles on each wing, (who saw the BDB role coming under Potter), as a deliberate tactical ploy. It seems to help in pulling the opposition out of shape to enable the switch and overload. It is going to be fascinating to see how this evolves, when RDZ actually gets to bring in some hand picked players. Just how good can this team get?

Yes, good points: Gross hasn't been embarrassed yet at RB, but it does sometimes look like a compromise on the right (less fluid) compared to the left side.
We can get 40% better... according to RDZ. I'd be happy with 20% .