[Albion] Summer clear out

[Stat Brother]

Might struggle on set pieces.

Would we notice?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Another couple of free transfers who aren't up to it

As I said in another post I’m puzzled why this went so sour and so quickly. He seems to be doing okay at Stuttgart. My point was about how we do sign some established players and not just youngsters and Liverpool retirees.

 

[BadFish]

Might struggle on set pieces.

No change there then.

 

[BadFish]

I'll be happy with a midfield rotation of Gilmour, Gross, Dewsbury Hall and Gallagher.

Make it so.

 

[WhingForPresident]

I thought Gilmour was one of our players of the season Think he would thrive with a proper ball-winning midfielder alongside him. There are aspects of his game he definitely needs to work on but I really rate him.

 

[nwgull]

As I said in another post I’m puzzled why this went so sour and so quickly. He seems to be doing okay at Stuttgart. My point was about how we do sign some established players and not just youngsters and Liverpool retirees.

Was something triggered by the sending off against Sheffield Utd. He’d started a few games for us upto that point but didn’t even feature in a match-day squad after, did he?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Was something triggered by the sending off against Sheffield Utd. He’d started a few games for us upto that point but didn’t even feature in a match-day squad after, did he?

Quite possibly.

 

[Mancgull]

Since when did Levy spend a penny more, then he has too. We are in a fantastic position, in this up coming window and most teams will need to sell, to comply with the rules. After what happened with Everton and Forest, some clubs are going to be in no position to haggle.

I think we have a chance as Spurs are poised to buy Gallagher from Chelsea and are linked with one or two other players. KDH has also been linked with Man United. again I can see their priorities being elsewhere. Eg Olise and Branthwaite, Toney.
Leicester need to sell before 30th June so there may be a chance.
Another link to an incoming is Loum Tchaouna from Salernitana.
They have been relegated and he’s been their best player. Represented France at u18 and u21 levels. £10-15m. Would add to our winger options. Think this will happen as it’s just our type of target.
Best player in a relegated team…. Now where do I remember that from….?

 

[Claygull]

I suspect Hinshelwood, Pedro and Mitoma will all move on this summer.

But boy our audited accounts for 2024/25 will make great reading

If those three leave De Zerbi will also go

 

[AstroSloth]

Oh no. Did I not get your permission to put his name down.

Jesus Christ

Okay so for what reasons would you want to see him moved on?

 

[Guinness Boy]

I'd love two quality, oven-ready CM signings, but we really aren't and have never been in that game have we ? Look at last Summer's oven ready quality CM signings across the Premier League.

We have to hope that 19 year old Hinshelwood, 20 year old Baleba and 22 year old Gilmour keep improving at the same rate and we get a couple more similar. Bissouma, Caicedo and MacAlistair certainly weren't oven ready when we signed them

Look at how good Ross Barkley has been for Luton. I’d much rather have had him in than Milner.

Yes, it was a gamble, as was Dahoud. I just think we need a similarly experienced player while Baleba develops, but one whose legs haven’t gone. Not too much to ask really.

 

[Gabbiano]

Gilmour Is great at what he does, which is intricate pass and move, receiving the ball from the defence and turning to ping a pass out and start an attack.

He needs someone next to him with physical presence and pace, to make up for his shortcomings. That could be Baleba, but Baleba is so inconsistent and his positioning is still really ill-disciplined, so he's not ready to play that role regularly.

Baleba-Gilmour has the makings of a very strong double pivot... in two years time.

By which point we hopefully will have brought in some meaningful competition for their places.

If Gross leaves this summer, that's the real crisis.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Look at how good Ross Barkley has been for Luton. I’d much rather have had him in than Milner.

Yes, it was a gamble, as was Dahoud. I just think we need a similarly experienced player while Baleba develops, but one whose legs haven’t gone. Not too much to ask really.

I think one experienced CM is probably our biggest priority, and I think that Barkley is proven in the premier league where Dahoud wasn't. But given that we have Baleba, WBG, Hinshelwood and Gross (hopefully) I can't see us getting more than one. (Now watch us get 3 )

 

[Gabbiano]

Also we historically haven't struggled anywhere near as much as other clubs in moving on our deadwood. At the very least we almost always find a loan club for them.

Dahoud hasn't impressed at Stuttgart, but there will be other clubs willing to take a chance on an ex Dortmund midfielder and German international on a season loan. Maybe one of the big Turkish clubs?

 

[Guinness Boy]

I think one experienced CM is probably our biggest priority, and I think that Barkley is proven in the premier league where Dahoud wasn't. But given that we have Baleba, WBG, Hinshelwood and Gross (hopefully) I can't see us getting more than one. (Now watch us get 3 )

You never know

As I never get tired of pointing out, Potter had Bissouma, Caicedo, Gross, MacAllister, Mwepu and sometimes played them all.

 

[Milano]

I think one experienced CM is probably our biggest priority, and I think that Barkley is proven in the premier league where Dahoud wasn't. But given that we have Baleba, WBG, Hinshelwood and Gross (hopefully) I can't see us getting more than one. (Now watch us get 3 )

Are we now saying Jack is a CM? We need a RB, and two CMs (I don’t think Gross is a good enough CM in a 2, fine in a 3) this summer or next season is going to be a struggle.

I’d like to see us taking risks with fallen star quality (e.g. Barkley and dare I throw in Dele Ali?) rather than 37 year olds or free transfer journeymen with zero EPL experience.

The sad thing with Barkley is that he needed to get himself straight and then get a chance. Luton will drop IMO and I think a club of the size of BHA with our well-being ethos would be perfect for him, sadly he’ll likely go to another Chelsea/City who will not be good for him. It’s the sort of ‘latest shiny thing’ lazy signing that Utd would make but he might not fancy them given the City history.

 

[Claygull]

My head says this is sound analysis. My heart is closer to an @Justice rant. It isn't his fault though that we paid too much for him, too early.

How he gains more experience from here is going to be a tricky call. I think the challenge is bigger than people here are acknowledging. There is no shame in coming up short against Man City, but his positional sense in possession and when defending leaves a lot to be desired.

It got me wondering how Bissouma would have faired in a De Zerbi team. Bissouma would often seem to play his own game making up for many obvious flaws by winning back the ball and retaining possession. Sometimes he would then sit back and wait for the next threat to emerge. De Zerbi wants all of his players to be active, making space in possession and pressing when the opposition have the ball. There was clearly something to work with there with Bissouma, is there enough to build on with Baleba?

Interesting point about how Bissouma would have fared under De Zerbi who demands absolute 100% commitment to the Plan for 90 minutes. No room for anything less. Bissouma always was, and still is to some extent a loose cannon. I doubt whether RDZ would have tolerated him any more than he could accept Trossard’s occasional waywardness.

 

[chrisg]

I'll be happy with a midfield rotation of Gilmour, Gross, Dewsbury Hall and Gallagher.

Make it so.

Why would Gallagher , captain of Chelsea, on a huge salary want to leave and join a club that will pay him 3 or 4 times less?

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

As I said in another post I’m puzzled why this went so sour and so quickly. He seems to be doing okay at Stuttgart. My point was about how we do sign some established players and not just youngsters and Liverpool retirees.

It isn't going that well for him at Stuttgart though. He's started just once and come off the bench in every other game. He's played 12 matches but played just 134 mins, when you think that 67 of those came in the game he started it shows just how little football he's playing for them. They've already said they don't want to exercise the option to buy.

Was something triggered by the sending off against Sheffield Utd. He’d started a few games for us upto that point but didn’t even feature in a match-day squad after, did he?

He actually started the first game after his suspension. The 1-1 home draw against Burnley but was subbed off at half time. He also was a used sub against AEK in the Europa League which came in the middle of his Premier League suspension.

He then appeared on the bench for the next 4 PL games and the home game against Marseille but didn't get on the pitch. He even traveled with the squad for the warm weather training during our PL break but was shipped out pretty quickly when we returned after not featuring in a couple of squads.

It doesn't appear to be just the red card but RDZ did say Dahoud needed to work hard to get his place back in the squad, almost as soon as that was said he was gone. He's also had a falling out with the Syrian national team while on his first international duty after switching from Germany. There certainly seems to be something more to this.

 

[BadFish]

Why would Gallagher , captain of Chelsea, on a huge salary want to leave and join a club that will pay him 3 or 4 times less?

Because he plays for Chelsea...


... And they need to sell him to make FFP and no one else is in a position to buy him.

Yeah wages could be an issue, I agree.