Hopefully we sign Igor this week.
After that a Caicedo replacement if his fee is met.
And a specialist right back.
Why RB rather than LB?
Hopefully we sign Igor this week.
After that a Caicedo replacement if his fee is met.
And a specialist right back.
Because Igor would be the left back ( also centre back ) reinforcement.Why RB rather than LB?
RDZ has played March at LB a fair bit, when Pervis has been taken off. He hasn't started him there to the best of my memory.Not sure that Roberto is as keen on playing March there as others have been.
Oh THIS. For sure.If we're talking in terms of a player who CAN play full back, I don't think that's good enough if we're considering a tilt at a higher league spot and a trophy. We need players who DO play full back.
Last season the team had a very clear and straight forward structure, at least compared to the "well, here's 11 players and they will all be everywhere and play in five different positions every game". I would not be surprised if we see something a bit more in between those approaches this season now when the players and the coach know each other properly.I have watched the game against Chelsea a couple of times now and how any of you people can come to conclusions about positions that need covering is beyond me. I mean, I saw Solly playing RW and LB which is fine then I saw him and Mitoma together on the LW! Most commentators have no idea how we will line up and tbh neither do i.
Well, we’ll see. Conventional positions don’t seem all that important to this team or I’m easily confused. Yes, that’s probably it. I am easily confused.Last season the team had a very clear and straight forward structure, at least compared to the "well, here's 11 players and they will all be everywhere and play in five different positions every game". I would not be surprised if we see something a bit more in between those approaches this season now when the players and the coach know each other properly.
During the second half of last Season, I noticed Solly and Kaoru suddenly turning up on the same side of the pitch, One of the wingers appearing down the middle, whilst Welbeck went wide and one of the central defenders pushing up into midfield. I suspect we will see even more of that sort of fluidity this season as we become better drilled in DeZerbiBall.I have watched the game against Chelsea a couple of times now and how any of you people can come to conclusions about positions that need covering is beyond me. I mean, I saw Solly playing RW and LB which is fine then I saw him and Mitoma together on the LW! Most commentators have no idea how we will line up and tbh neither do i.
This is useful from Transfermarkt: https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/brighton-amp-hove-albion/kadernachposition/verein/1237
As far as positions go we seem to currently have (secondary positions in brackets)
GK 5, CB 4 (1), LB 2 (0), RB 2 (2), DM 1 (6), CM 8 (2), RM 0 (4), LM 0 (5), AM 4 (6), LW 2 (8), RW 1 (6), SS 1 (3), CF 6 (1)
Of the players listed, I suspect that the following will leave or go out on loan: Sanchez, Rushworth, Turns, Karbonwik, Leonard, Sarmiento, Moran, Connolly & Zeqiri. Caicedo obviously may be another departure, but Igor is apparently about to join and Mazilu comes in January. Assuming that, if Caicedo goes, we sign a replacment, as RDZ indicated the other night, and that Moder still won't be available his would give us a squad of 27* made up of the following:
GK 3, CB 4(1), LB 1 (1), RB 2 (1), DM 1 (4), CM 6 (2), RM 0 (4), LM 0 (5), AM 2 (3), LW 2 (5), RW 1 (3), SS 1 (3), CF 4 (1).
The squad obviously includes players like Gross, Milner and March who have histories as utitlity players and can support more areas than indicated by Transfermarkt. Taking into account RDZ's preferred formation and assuming the need for good cover in each position, I would suggest we need minimums of:
GK 3, CB 4, LB 2, RB 2, DM/CM 4, LW 2, RW 2, AM/SS 2, CF 2.
This means that left back and right wing are the two areas where we are under the number of specialists that we would need. The latter can be covered by Buonanotte, Adringa & Welbeck and will be bolstered in January. Igor would be the cover for Estupinan at left back and he's only played 11 of his over 200 games in the position. Given Tariq's injury history and the possibility that Veltman might be needed at CB, right back also looks a bit thin. Therefore, as we all suspect, defence is the area lacking. A full back who can play on both sides and cover in the middle at a stretch would be lovely thanks. Any news on the recovery of this bloke? If fit, available and affordable, he'd be ideal. Whoever we sign, we're back to asking the favourite question of the much missed BG: 'Yes, but can he play left back?'
* This 27 contains many youngsters who wouldn't need to be named in the 25 man squad and would be bolstered by players from the U21s, some of whom (Offiah, Samuels, Furlong), if they're not being sent out on loan, may be considered ready to provide the defensive cover if necessary.
Well if there is any point in signing players that are primarly full-backs, they need to be better than the other squad players that "could" play there. Essentially we need to find some LB who is better in that role than Solly (and others) but who would still be fine to sit and watch Pervis play 90% of the games. RB is a bit different as it is somewhat realistic to find a player who would start ahead of Veltman, but certainly won't be easy.Currently (unless we see a marked improvement in terms of fitness and defensive awareness from Lamptey) we have only TWO senior full backs in the whole squad. For a side with any kind of genuine ambition, that situation is ludicrous.
Unless we have real confidence in a couple of the younger players, that is an area we really have to strengthen. Cue lots of blah blah blah CAN play there, out of position. That isn't good enough if we are serious.
Impressed with Imari Samuels against Chelsea though, and keen to see a bit more of him. Looked to have more quality than Offiah has shown in his limited appearances, IMO. Furlong has looked good when I have seen him, too - but has gone out on loan.