[Albion] The Great Albion Midfield Rebuild - Summer ‘24 edition

[Reddleman]

I don’t understand those of our fans saying we need more midfielders with physicality. With Baleba and Wieffer we are well covered.

Where we are short are the technical ball playing midfielders who can play centrally. Gross, Lallana and Gilmour leaving creates a real hole . I’m sure Hinshelwood can play there but he’s so young and Moder clearly isn’t fancied.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

In that same thread, the suggested CM backup for Man United is our own Lancing-grown Toby Collyer.

Very frustrating that even with the investment in our youth teams and facilities, some of our best prospects like Collyer and Mhueka still get poached. I hope the club have got a beady eye on the current crop of U17s because there's some really great kids in that group who we don't want to lose.

We can't stop them being poached. But we've poached plenty ourselves from other academies

 

[Gabbiano]

We can't stop them being poached. But we've poached plenty ourselves from other academies

Very true I suppose we have no leg to stand on there. We also don't know the reasons why they leave (could be family reasons for example, not simply money).

But to put all that money into developing the academy and still lose top talent is frustrating. I guess it's just where we are in the pecking order.

 

[Marshy]

we will defo replace Gross in the squad. And maybe another additional player in there.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Yup. Plenty of options in all midfield roles.

People just want more signings, all the time. Doesn't matter if there's 40 players in the squad like now, people want MORE. And in order to support their silly desire for shiny new things, they try to find flaws and problems that isn't there.

No, they want different players. Moder and Dahoud aren't up to it, Gilmour looks like he's off, Gross is. That's two that are no good, one definitely out and one probably out. And we've replaced them with Weiffer and a guy who's played about twice in a farmer's league.

 

[Han Solo]

No, they want different players. Moder and Dahoud aren't up to it, Gilmour looks like he's off, Gross is. That's two that are no good, one definitely out and one probably out. And we've replaced them with Weiffer and a guy who's played about twice in a farmer's league.

Yeah ok, different players/new players. The idea remains the same: inventing excuses to sign more players despite Baleba, Hinshelwood, Wieffer and Milner almost certainly staying, and one or two of Yalcouye, Ayari, Moran and Gilmour likely to stay. Add that Buonanotte could play in a two-way role and the midfield is stacked with depth and quality/potential quality.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

No, they want different players. Moder and Dahoud aren't up to it, Gilmour looks like he's off, Gross is. That's two that are no good, one definitely out and one probably out. And we've replaced them with Weiffer and a guy who's played about twice in a farmer's league.

Harsh on Moder. He might be not quite there, but not in the same way as Dahoud. Both will be off anyway

But yes I think we're one short. Experience also an issue. Having one 37 year old, who likely won't feature much doesn't really count as experience

 

[portslade seagull]

I don’t understand those of our fans saying we need more midfielders with physicality. With Baleba and Wieffer we are well covered.

Where we are short are the technical ball playing midfielders who can play centrally. Gross, Lallana and Gilmour leaving creates a real hole . I’m sure Hinshelwood can play there but he’s so young and Moder clearly isn’t fancied.

Think you'll probably change your mind when we repeatedly get overrun in midfield by much stronger physical players

 

[Guinness Boy]

Yeah ok, different players/new players. The idea remains the same: inventing excuses to sign more players despite Baleba, Hinshelwood, Wieffer and Milner almost certainly staying, and one or two of Yalcouye, Ayari, Moran and Gilmour likely to stay. Add that Buonanotte could play in a two-way role and the midfield is stacked with depth and quality/potential quality.

Hinshelwood will be predominantly playing RWB. Or if not then we need one of them because relying all season on the aging Veltman and glass Lamptey is just daft.

I'm quicker than Milner.

Ayari had very underwhelming loan spells at, er, Coventry and Blackburn (23 appearances across both, one goal).

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

If that's the best we've got then 14th / 15th place is probably our aim this season !!

That's the spirit.

 

[Frankworthington]

Yeah ok, different players/new players. The idea remains the same: inventing excuses to sign more players despite Baleba, Hinshelwood, Wieffer and Milner almost certainly staying, and one or two of Yalcouye, Ayari, Moran and Gilmour likely to stay. Add that Buonanotte could play in a two-way role and the midfield is stacked with depth and quality/potential quality.

The voice of reason and I'm not trolling

 

[brighton_tom]

Yeah ok, different players/new players. The idea remains the same: inventing excuses to sign more players despite Baleba, Hinshelwood, Wieffer and Milner almost certainly staying, and one or two of Yalcouye, Ayari, Moran and Gilmour likely to stay. Add that Buonanotte could play in a two-way role and the midfield is stacked with depth and quality/potential quality.

I’m with you in the sense that we have the numbers, but a lot of those players mentioned are either going to be loaned or sold, or are still young & unproven, or aren’t an improvement on what our centre mid was last season. I would imagine many of the current crop will be loaned or sold, Gomez will come in january, and if Gilmour goes then another centre mid (of some description) that we’re confident can hold their own in a top league will come in. With gross gone, Gilmour/dahoud/Moder possibly going, and other youngsters possibly being loaned, I’d say there’s definitely room for another incoming player. But if say Gilmour & Moder stay then we could be fine, who knows, there’s just lots of question marks at the moment.

 

[The Fits]

Not sure on what planet a team of...

Bart
Veltman JPVH Dunk Pervis
Wiefer
Minteh Hinsh Baleba Mitoma
JP

...remotely suggests 'easily overrun'.

 

[dwayne]

Yeah ok, different players/new players. The idea remains the same: inventing excuses to sign more players despite Baleba, Hinshelwood, Wieffer and Milner almost certainly staying, and one or two of Yalcouye, Ayari, Moran and Gilmour likely to stay. Add that Buonanotte could play in a two-way role and the midfield is stacked with depth and quality/potential quality.

Come on !

You know better than most that yalcouye and ayari are at least 2 seasons off EPL quality. Yalcouye has played about 12 competitive games at league 2 level hasn't he ?!?!

Baleba had an average season last time around. Milner was anonymous. And wiefer has come from a farmers league.

I'm a little worried to say the least. We were rubbish second half of last season and that was with gross in midfield.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

It won’t be 6 months , they won’t buy players in the January window

Here are the purchases I found in the Jan window from 2017:

January 2017​

1. Jiri Skalak (from Mladá Boleslav)
2. Chuba Akpom (loan from Arsenal)
3. Fikayo Tomori (loan from Chelsea)

January 2018​

1. Leonardo Ulloa (loan from Leicester City)
2. Jurgen Locadia (from PSV Eindhoven)
3. Warren O'Hora (from Bohemians)
4. Viktor Gyökeres (from IF Brommapojkarna)

January 2019​

1. Alexis Mac Allister (from Argentinos Juniors)
2. Jan Mlakar (from Maribor)

January 2020​

1. Tariq Lamptey (from Chelsea)
2. Aaron Mooy (permanent from Huddersfield Town after initial loan)

January 2021​

1. Moises Caicedo (from Independiente del Valle)
2. Jakub Moder (from Lech Poznań)
3. Kacper Kozłowski (from Pogoń Szczecin)

January 2022​

1. Deniz Undav (from Union SG, but loaned back to the club)
2. Kaoru Mitoma (from Kawasaki Frontale, but loaned back to the club)

January 2023​

1. Facundo Buonanotte (from Rosario Central)
2. Yasin Ayari (from AIK)
3. Bartosz Bialkowski (from Southampton)
4. Jens Scheuer (Manager for the women’s team)
5. Jamie Mullins (from Bohemians)

 

[S'hampton Seagull]

Hinshelwood will be predominantly playing RWB. Or if not then we need one of them because relying all season on the aging Veltman and glass Lamptey is just daft.

I'm quicker than Milner.

Ayari had very underwhelming loan spells at, er, Coventry and Blackburn (23 appearances across both, one goal).

Disagree with you on Hinsh. I think we'll sign a first XI RB and then we have Lamptey and Veltman (plus Hinsh if needed of course) as cover.

 

[Han Solo]

Come on !

You know better than most that yalcouye and ayari are at least 2 seasons off EPL quality. Yalcouye has played about 12 competitive games at league 2 level hasn't he ?!?!

Baleba had an average season last time around. Milner was anonymous. And wiefer has come from a farmers league.

I'm a little worried to say the least. We were rubbish second half of last season and that was with gross in midfield.

Last year, Brighton made the two most experienced midfield signings since Aaron Mooy was signed x years ago. James Milner and Mohamed Dahoud came from Premier League and Bundesliga and, in case anyone missed it, didn't do a whole lot better than their predecessors Caicedo and Alexis, brought in from what would certainly best be described as "farmers leagues".

That Baleba was average last year doesn't mean he'll be bad this season. Quite the opposite, he is likely to improve. Same goes for Billy and Hinshelwood who has now gathered some experience.

The competion right now is strangling enough. If Baleba/Hinsh/Gilmour/Wieffer receive adequate game time, there will be little room for anyone else to make their mark. And those sporadic appearances does not require a new player.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I don’t understand those of our fans saying we need more midfielders with physicality. With Baleba and Wieffer we are well covered.

Where we are short are the technical ball playing midfielders who can play centrally. Gross, Lallana and Gilmour leaving creates a real hole . I’m sure Hinshelwood can play there but he’s so young and Moder clearly isn’t fancied.

I believe that our defensive strategy may well be the one used at St Pauli.

Essentially a low block, 5-4-1 with a few coordinated players going for small scale presses in order to gain repossession.

If a low block is well organised, I’m not sure how much difference big and strong midfielders make. We have three currently in Moder, Wieffer and Baleba. We probably only need one in the team at once playing between the centre backs.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Here are the purchases I found in the Jan window from 2017:

January 2017​

1. Jiri Skalak (from Mladá Boleslav)
2. Chuba Akpom (loan from Arsenal)
3. Fikayo Tomori (loan from Chelsea)

January 2018​

1. Leonardo Ulloa (loan from Leicester City)
2. Jurgen Locadia (from PSV Eindhoven)
3. Warren O'Hora (from Bohemians)
4. Viktor Gyökeres (from IF Brommapojkarna)

January 2019​

1. Alexis Mac Allister (from Argentinos Juniors)
2. Jan Mlakar (from Maribor)

January 2020​

1. Tariq Lamptey (from Chelsea)
2. Aaron Mooy (permanent from Huddersfield Town after initial loan)

January 2021​

1. Moises Caicedo (from Independiente del Valle)
2. Jakub Moder (from Lech Poznań)
3. Kacper Kozłowski (from Pogoń Szczecin)

January 2022​

1. Deniz Undav (from Union SG, but loaned back to the club)
2. Kaoru Mitoma (from Kawasaki Frontale, but loaned back to the club)

January 2023​

1. Facundo Buonanotte (from Rosario Central)
2. Yasin Ayari (from AIK)
3. Bartosz Bialkowski (from Southampton)
4. Jens Scheuer (Manager for the women’s team)
5. Jamie Mullins (from Bohemians)

So out of that lot, I think I might be right in saying that the only player we have actually bought in January who has gone straight to the first team squad and played a reasonable number of games that season is Mooy. But we had him anyway. Oh and Locadia ... he played some games, to limited effect

So I think the point you're making, is that we've never made a permanent signing of a new player in January which has impacted the first team that season, since we've been in the top league?

So it follows from that, if we're struggling for form, or have an injury crisis, we can't rely on the January window to help us out for the next 6 months. It follows from that, we need to stack our squad now

 

[Hugo Rune]

The competion right now is strangling enough. If Baleba/Hinsh/Gilmour/Wieffer receive adequate game time, there will be little room for anyone else to make their mark. And those sporadic appearances does not require a new player.

Time to give over on Gilmour. He’ll be a Napoli player by this time next week. Enough credible sources have backed this story up.