[Albion] Summer clear out

[Pavilionaire]

I concur with the consensus opinion on this thread. Steele, Webster, Milner, Lallana, Dahoud and Fati back to Barcelona.

I don't think it makes sense to get rid of both Veltman and Lamptey. Indeed, with them both on the bench you cover the back 4 positions and in Lamptey a wide attacking option.

I certainly see Rushworth replacing Steele as No. 2 and providing real competition to Verbruggen. I'd also like to see Undav back instead of Fati, Buonanotte taking over from Lallana, Sarmiento and Osman back as a bench options. However, a new CB and 2 x CM are essential.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

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?

But what did we pay for Bissouma, 15m or something? Not loads more for Baleba, certainly not when counting transfer fee inflation

And all Bissouma had to do when he first came in was help keep us up (and initially he was behind Stephens and Propper in that job). We're looking for Baleba to fire us into Europe, or at least in the top 10.

Baleba is young, yes, but it's just totally obvious that our plan is to buy them before they become out of reach. A much riskier process than buying proven talent.

That said Baleba needs help in there. A young player should be managed by bringing them in for certain games, then bringing them out. We've had no choice but to chuck him in and let him sink or swim against world class players. We're at least two players short in that position

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

What I think will happen.

Leaving

• Moder will move on, maybe on loan
• Gross will decide to end his career in Germany
• Veltman will also decide to try one new club before the end, maybe back in Holland
• Lallana will retire, or be retired
• I don't think we will sell anyone for big money this summer
• Everyone, apart from Rushworth, currently loaned will be sold or reloaned. Nobody else will be named in the squad

Staying

• Milner. Will be offered another year. Not sure whether he'll accept it or not
• Lamptey will be offered and sign a new deal
• Webster will stay on as 4th choice CB
• Steele will stay on as number 2 and may drop down to 3
• Welbeck. One last year and will go into media after that

Bought In for the first team

• Right back
• 2 x Centre Mid
• 2 x Winger
• 1 Striker

Plus there will be the normal assortment of buy to loans and u23 players bought in

I think this is close to correct.

I don’t think we’ll sign a striker, and I’m leaning more towards the idea of Gross staying. If he moves to Germany, he’ll be taking a big pay cut as I would imagine his most recently signed deal with us would have been a lucrative one. He will want to see that out I reckon.

 

[Coldwaltham Seagull]

I concur with the consensus opinion on this thread. Steele, Webster, Milner, Lallana, Dahoud and Fati back to Barcelona.

I reckon we might be pushing it asking Barcelona to take all of them

 

[jcdenton08]

Worth remembering, most fans’ opinion is not worth a bean, as this thread has clearly shown. We are having a bad run and we’re now auctioning off half of our squad. It’s mental.

Our season has been ravaged with repeated injuries in all areas of the park. Despite this, we’ve been competitive in the league and were pushing for Europe until just a few weeks ago, we won our group at the first ever attempt at Europe, and even beat every team we played against.

All of this despite selling who we sold, and only reinvesting a portion of that income on future talent.

Some seriously deluded people here.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Ignore

You?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Fair enough, hadn’t seen it, can a Mod please delete this thread

If you paid some money like some of us have you could of removed it yourself

 

[Taybha]

That fake copper who drives a 1.2 Corsa with a rear spoiler glued to it,and the ballboy who keeps picking his bloody nose and eating whatever he's managed to dredge out of it,oh and Webster obviously.

 

[Flounce]

You?

Please, I’d take it as a badge of honour

 

[Flounce]

If you paid some money like some of us have you could HAVE removed it yourself

FFS, have not of

Why can’t a Mod remove it? That’s what they’re paid for isn’t it

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

Col. Harry Llewelyn, Foxhunter and the British Showjumping Team

 

[DJ NOBO]

FFS, have not of

Why can’t a Mod remove it? That’s what they’re paid for isn’t it

Loving you‘re work @Harry Wilson's tackle

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I think this is close to correct.

I don’t think we’ll sign a striker, and I’m leaning more towards the idea of Gross staying. If he moves to Germany, he’ll be taking a big pay cut as I would imagine his most recently signed deal with us would have been a lucrative one. He will want to see that out I reckon.

If Undav stays in Germany, which is highly likely, we'll need to buy a striker.

 

[Flounce]

Loving you‘re work @Harry Wilson's tackle

Got to love a grammatically incorrect sycophant

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

If Undav stays in Germany, which is highly likely, we'll need to buy a striker.

We might like one but I don’t think we will.

If Welbeck is staying and Ferguson is expected to be fit and firing, we’ll have those two + Pedro.

It’ll be lower down the priority list than at least 3 other positions I’d say.

 

[um bongo molongo]

What I think will happen.

Leaving

• Moder will move on, maybe on loan
• Gross will decide to end his career in Germany
• Veltman will also decide to try one new club before the end, maybe back in Holland
• Lallana will retire, or be retired
• I don't think we will sell anyone for big money this summer
• Everyone, apart from Rushworth, currently loaned will be sold or reloaned. Nobody else will be named in the squad

Staying

• Milner. Will be offered another year. Not sure whether he'll accept it or not
• Lamptey will be offered and sign a new deal
• Webster will stay on as 4th choice CB
• Steele will stay on as number 2 and may drop down to 3
• Welbeck. One last year and will go into media after that

Bought In for the first team

• Right back
• 2 x Centre Mid
• 2 x Winger
• 1 Striker

Plus there will be the normal assortment of buy to loans and u23 players bought in

I really hope you’re wrong on Milner but suspect you’re right. He’s had one good game

 

[The Wookiee]

Muscle bound by Spandau Ballet

Desperately trying to find on YouTube the Steve Coogan - Paul Calf sketch- when he walks into some rave type disco and asks the DJ if he is taking requests and asks for muscle bound by spandau ballet ?

For context- it’s a Long standing joke now that whatever occasion I’m at and there is a DJ, normally a wedding or some special birthday- without fail, in my best northern accent, I ask the DJ if he’s got Muscle Bound by Spandau Ballet

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I'm thinking of tidying my shed. I will need to clear out a lot of non recyclable shite though.

And yet....this . . .

Oh never mind. I think this thread is a tad pejorative.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Desperately trying to find on YouTube the Steve Coogan - Paul Calf sketch- when he walks into some rave type disco and asks the DJ if he is taking requests and asks for muscle bound by spandau ballet ?

For context- it’s a Long standing joke now that whatever occasion I’m at and there is a DJ, normally a wedding or some special birthday- without fail, in my best northern accent, I ask the DJ if he’s got Muscle Bound by Spandau Ballet

Somewhat surprisingly, I have the original 45.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

But what did we pay for Bissouma, 15m or something? Not loads more for Baleba, certainly not when counting transfer fee inflation

And all Bissouma had to do when he first came in was help keep us up (and initially he was behind Stephens and Propper in that job). We're looking for Baleba to fire us into Europe, or at least in the top 10.

Baleba is young, yes, but it's just totally obvious that our plan is to buy them before they become out of reach. A much riskier process than buying proven talent.

That said Baleba needs help in there. A young player should be managed by bringing them in for certain games, then bringing them out. We've had no choice but to chuck him in and let him sink or swim against world class players. We're at least two players short in that position

Baleba cost £23.2m, more than half as much again as Bissouma to become Brighton's second most expensive player ever. Contextually, that's why expectations are rather higher than they were for Bissouma.