[Albion] "This is somewhat of a transition season..."

[keaton]

and one more time.......... the players were bought for the future, not the here and now.

But we didn't lose our whole centre midfield or management?

But good point , until now I'd completely forgotten we'd never bought promising youngsters needing time to settle and always spent big on proven performers in their prime

 

[Shins]

It's funny, because people said that about Caicedo. And Bissouma before him.

I'm not sure that's true. Caicedo was clearly the Bissouma replacement and Baleba, Caicedo's. Am I missing someone in the squad with the same defensive and physical attributes?

 

[dazzer6666]

This. To not bash some of the more reactionary fans too hard on this, the club (or Bloom at least) have spent most of the season stating that Europe is the target and have built that idea as core to this season. It's great how ambitious he is, and we are as a club thanks to him, but maybe he and Barber should've either not spoken about Europe or placed less expectation on the season from the get go - it was obvious it would be difficult, at best, to get a European spot again.

No-one said ‘Europe this season’

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I'm not sure that's true. Caicedo was clearly the Bissouma replacement and Baleba, Caicedo's. Am I missing someone in the squad with the same defensive and physical attributes?

Yeah, it is true – they definitely said it. People had doubts about Baleba because he wasn't experienced enough. To be fair, there were partly justified because he did struggle in early games.

 

[chickens]

Hmmmmm - a bit of retrospective acknowledgement imho

Absolutely, but good as he is, I didn’t expect him to foresee that so many of those we brought in would spend the season on the treatment table. He also couldn’t have foreseen that Ferguson would continue to struggle to return to form post-injury, or that Milner (our old head on glass everything else) would be absent too.

We’ve done bloody well considering I suspect that Baleba and Ayari would not have been the central midfield pairing the club anticipated in pre-season. They both deserve plaudits for stepping up to the plate so consistently, both have been thrown in at the deep end and swam.

 

[Bozza]

I'm not sure that's true. Caicedo was clearly the Bissouma replacement and Baleba, Caicedo's. Am I missing someone in the squad with the same defensive and physical attributes?

It's Malick Yalcouyé isn't it?

A quick copy and paste from the NY Times:

​

"Physically strong for his tender age and slender frame, Yalcouye demonstrated a strong defensive mindset, excelling as a ball-winning midfielder. At Gothenburg, he showcased anticipation, athleticism and the ability to disrupt opponents' play, using his body effectively to protect the ball"​

 

[GrossTurn]

I'm not sure that's true. Caicedo was clearly the Bissouma replacement and Baleba, Caicedo's. Am I missing someone in the squad with the same defensive and physical attributes?

Baleba wasn’t at the club until Caicedo had already left, so I’m confused as to what your argument is now.

 

[oldboyroy]

In other words Paul Barber was wanting to challenge the top 4 and the investment in the summer was to help challenge the top 4. Its gone bloody pair shaped because we've had shit home form and we went for a good but inexperienced cheap manager who hasn't got a clue about the Premier league!
(All said in jest of course)

 

[Greg Bobkin]

It's Malick Yalcouyé isn't it?

A quick copy and paste from the NY Times:

​

"Physically strong for his tender age and slender frame, Yalcouye demonstrated a strong defensive mindset, excelling as a ball-winning midfielder. At Gothenburg, he showcased anticipation, athleticism and the ability to disrupt opponents' play, using his body effectively to protect the ball"​

He was part of the £200m gang, no? What the HELL has he done for the Albion this season? More money spaffed out for someone who I don't think I've seen in a PL game all season. Bloom OUT. Barber OUT. Fab OUT. £200 gang OUT.

 

[Bozza]

He was part of the £200m gang, no? What the HELL has he done for the Albion this season? More money spaffed out for someone who I don't think I've seen in a PL game all season. Bloom OUT. Barber OUT. Fab OUT. £200 gang OUT.

Someone knows someone who is a Sturm Graz season ticket holder, and that someone say he's shithouse.

 

[ConfusedGloryHunter]

I'm confused by all this. Who can I blame for my life not being perfect today? I'm thinking I might go a bit retro and blame Solly March. It's been years since he was the NSC scapegoat. Remember those days? Ah, they were fun...

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I have a couple of things running through my head after reading the op quote and some of the replies.

Firstly, like others have said, every season is transitional for us. It seems to me that this season should be one of the least transitional seeing as it's the first time in a few years when we haven't sold any key players.

Last season would have been transitional. We sold our midfield and it's that squad that we are, in PB's words, replenishing. The year before we sold Bissouma, Cucurella and Trossard. We had a new manager who came in mid season and we finished 6th. That season was transitional.

So, to me, claiming this is a transitional season is a bit of a nothing statement. Unless we go another summer without selling anyone...

Second, for those people using this to attack those who are not impressed yet with FH. I'd suggest that for the vast majority of people it's not the league position that is the problem, it's performances and a whole host of things around that. There have been enough threads and posts on the subject explaining that that you should be able to understand that viewpoint. But no, 'entitled', 'entitlement' gets chucked out time after time.

 

[chaileyjem]

In other words Paul Barber was wanting to challenge the top 4 and the investment in the summer was to help challenge the top 4. It’s gone bloody pair shaped because we've had shit home form and we went for a good but inexperienced cheap manager who hasn't got a clue about the Premier league!
(All said in jest of course)

Or on other words - The investment was after 3 windows where we’d sold players - but it was still largely on players who were young so fits the long term model. It certainly hasn’t gone pear shaped - just inconsistent . And TB spends sensibly but crazy to argue that FAB choice was about need to be “cheap”, and the vision of being a consistently top 10 PL is well known not all of a sudden a top 4 side. And that itself is an incredibly hard target for teams with more ££/wage bills etc ( ask West Ham, man united, and Spurs)

 

[Shins]

Baleba wasn’t at the club until Caicedo had already left, so I’m confused as to what your argument is now.

But that is my argument (not ignoring Bozza's comment below). We sold Caicedo early than we had hoped/expected to and it left us with a hole which we plugged with a player that needed 12/18months to get up to speed. I'm just saying if we sold Baleba in the summer, we don't have a ready made replacement and we wouldn't sign an established 24/5/6 year old to plug the gap. Maybe Yalcouye is that player? I'd rather he spent next season with the squad before Baleba leaves.

Yeah, it is true – they definitely said it. People had doubts about Baleba because he wasn't experienced enough. To be fair, there were partly justified because he did struggle in early games.

See above.

It's Malick Yalcouyé isn't it?

A quick copy and paste from the NY Times:

​

"Physically strong for his tender age and slender frame, Yalcouye demonstrated a strong defensive mindset, excelling as a ball-winning midfielder. At Gothenburg, he showcased anticipation, athleticism and the ability to disrupt opponents' play, using his body effectively to protect the ball"​

I did think about Yalcouye but from what I had read it seemed he maybe doesn't have the same physical profile. Pre-season he did look slight and maybe only 5'8ish. If he is the replacement hopefully he does really well. Signs are promising just didn't think he was like for like enough. Could be wrong!

 

[chaileyjem]

I did think about Yalcouye but from what I had read it seemed he maybe doesn't have the same physical profile. Pre-season he did look slight and maybe only 5'8ish. If he is the replacement hopefully he does really well. Signs are promising just didn't think he was like for like enough. Could be wrong!

he's 19 but has made multiple appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga (an ever present for the last 12 games at Right Midfield) and Champions League this season.
He's the real deal.

How Malick Yalcouye is readying himself for Brighton – in the Champions League

The 19-year-old midfielder is cutting his teeth in Europe's top club competition during his loan with Sturm Graz

www.nytimes.com

Hurzeler said this about him a few weeks ago...
“I’m a big, big fan of him. Because I experienced (in Japan) a young player who comes from a different culture, who was not speaking the language perfectly, and understands the game in a really special way.
“Especially for his very young age. He is so competitive, has such a good understanding of game situations, and that is something special for such a young player. He always gives 100 per cent."

 

[Greg Bobkin]

But that is my argument (not ignoring Bozza's comment below). We sold Caicedo early than we had hoped/expected to and it left us with a hole which we plugged with a player that needed 12/18months to get up to speed. I'm just saying if we sold Baleba in the summer, we don't have a ready made replacement and we wouldn't sign an established 24/5/6 year old to plug the gap. Maybe Yalcouye is that player? I'd rather he spent next season with the squad before Baleba leaves.


See above.


I did think about Yalcouye but from what I had read it seemed he maybe doesn't have the same physical profile. Pre-season he did look slight and maybe only 5'8ish. If he is the replacement hopefully he does really well. Signs are promising just didn't think he was like for like enough. Could be wrong!

I think you're getting a bit caught up with a complete like-for-like replacement, possibly because that has been what has been there before.

If not Yalcouye, maybe Weiffer could do a job there (maybe not exactly the same job in exactly the same way – which was what I said originally) or Ayari, or Gomez? Or maybe the team adjusts to play in a slightly different way to compensate for Baleba not being there and his defensive prowess being missing. Or someone new could come in and hit the ground running, arguably like Georgio has?

 

[Shins]

he's 19 but has made multiple appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga (an ever present for the last 12 games at Right Midfield) and Champions League this season.
He's the real deal.

How Malick Yalcouye is readying himself for Brighton – in the Champions League

The 19-year-old midfielder is cutting his teeth in Europe's top club competition during his loan with Sturm Graz

www.nytimes.com

Hurzeler said this about him a few weeks ago...
“I’m a big, big fan of him. Because I experienced (in Japan) a young player who comes from a different culture, who was not speaking the language perfectly, and understands the game in a really special way.
“Especially for his very young age. He is so competitive, has such a good understanding of game situations, and that is something special for such a young player. He always gives 100 per cent."

Not disputing that he might not be be the real deal! Just wasn't sure he was the like for like replacement for Baleba from what I'd seen and read. Maybe he is. To my point in my last post, if he spent next season with us before Baleba left that would make the following season feel less transitional in that position as he'd be more up to speed. I've said nothing about how good he may or may not be.

My only argument here is that if Baleba leaves in the summer it will feel like another transitional season. Especially at CM.

My original post on this didn't have a go at anyone. Only that we can call this season transitional if we keep our best players again and have the players that arrived this year fully up to speed. You can't call something a transition when that is the perpetual cycle.

I agree with a lot of @Garry Nelson's Left Foot posted above.

 

[boik]

They are not £140m better - nowhere near

Not yet. Patience dear boy.

 

[Shins]

I think you're getting a bit caught up with a complete like-for-like replacement, possibly because that has been what has been there before.

If not Yalcouye, maybe Weiffer could do a job there (maybe not exactly the same job in exactly the same way – which was what I said originally) or Ayari, or Gomez? Or maybe the team adjusts to play in a slightly different way to compensate for Baleba not being there and his defensive prowess being missing. Or someone new could come in and hit the ground running, arguably like Georgio has?

I mean the last sentence would be a dream, obviously. If we don't think anyone in the squad is the replacement and we spend 40mil on someone who immediately has the impact of Baleba, great. Think the chances of that are fairly small.

Yeah agree we could set up differently and rely on different attributes of players. I've seen nothing to suggest other than the Forest game that we'll consider anything other than two man midfield, in which case you want someone with Baleba's profile. not interested in players that can do a job at this level.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I mean the last sentence would be a dream, obviously. If we don't think anyone in the squad is the replacement and we spend 40mil on someone who immediately has the impact of Baleba, great. Think the chances of that are fairly small.

Yeah agree we could set up differently and rely on different attributes of players. I've seen nothing to suggest other than the Forest game that we'll consider anything other than two man midfield, in which case you want someone with Baleba's profile. not interested in players that can do a job at this level.

Sorry I didn't mean 'do a job' in the normal, almost derogatory, sense, I meant someone could still be a decent player, but not have exactly the same attributes as the three that have gone before him.

Personally I'm not too fussed about it. The club have a pretty good record of getting it right, so I'm more than happy to trust their judgement...