Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

[Albion] Dunk 'a top-four defender if ever I saw one'



Jul 5, 2003
6,776
Bristol
Apologies if this has already been done, i'm full of cold.

From Garth Crooks team of the festive period...

'It was Dunk's performance against Watford, and again at Newcastle, that left me thinking he is a top-four defender if ever I saw one. Whether he can mentally cope in that environment would be my only concern, but in terms of his defensive qualities I don't think I've seen a better centre-back this season. I've seen more polished performances but nothing quite so efficient.

It struck me that Liverpool could do themselves a great service by making an audacious move for Dunk. What would he cost - £35m in today's grossly over-inflated market?

Offer £45m and I've no doubt Brighton boss Chris Hughton would drive him to Anfield himself. Could Brighton afford to turn that down? Alongside Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool would suddenly have two towering defenders who know how to defend. They should be paying me a consultancy for this column!'
 




Feb 23, 2009
22,836
Brighton factually.....
Apologies if this has already been done, i'm full of cold.

From Garth Crooks team of the festive period...

'It was Dunk's performance against Watford, and again at Newcastle, that left me thinking he is a top-four defender if ever I saw one. Whether he can mentally cope in that environment would be my only concern, but in terms of his defensive qualities I don't think I've seen a better centre-back this season. I've seen more polished performances but nothing quite so efficient.

It struck me that Liverpool could do themselves a great service by making an audacious move for Dunk. What would he cost - £35m in today's grossly over-inflated market?

Offer £45m and I've no doubt Brighton boss Chris Hughton would drive him to Anfield himself. Could Brighton afford to turn that down? Alongside Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool would suddenly have two towering defenders who know how to defend. They should be paying me a consultancy for this column!'

To be fair that is about right in his capabilities and cost.
 




Bob!

Coffee Buyer
Jul 5, 2003
11,058
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42547711

Mat Ryan in his team of week as well.
Garth still thinks we won't stay up.

Ryan was outstanding during the 1-0 win over Watford and the 0-0 draw with Newcastle, helping provide four massive points for the Seagulls. I find Brighton deadly dull as an attacking force, but as a defensive unit they were magnificent against the Hornets and Magpies, and did not give Chelsea a sniff for 45 minutes on Boxing Day. They work hard as a team, are so brilliantly drilled, and give their manager everything.

Ryan's performances have been so compelling he has left Tim Krul with very little chance to come in and prove himself. In the Newcastle game the stop from Isaac Hayden that took a massive deflection en route to goal was wonderful but the save from a flicked header from Dwight Gayle was even better.

I've been saying all season that Brighton will run out of gas, and it seemed to be happening quicker than I thought against Bournemouth on New Year's Day. They must pick up maximum points at home against teams such as the Cherries otherwise their existence in the Premier League will be short-lived. However, neither of the two goals they conceded in the 2-2 draw were down to Ryan.
 








Ecosse Exile

New member
May 20, 2009
3,549
Alicante, Spain
Have to admit, when Liverpool signed VVD i thought to myself if they pair him with Dunk they will possibly have the best centre back pairing in the league, to go with possibly the best strike force. Hope they dont agree!
 






Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull
May 22, 2012
14,744
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42547711

Mat Ryan in his team of week as well.
Garth still thinks we won't stay up.

Ryan was outstanding during the 1-0 win over Watford and the 0-0 draw with Newcastle, helping provide four massive points for the Seagulls. I find Brighton deadly dull as an attacking force, but as a defensive unit they were magnificent against the Hornets and Magpies, and did not give Chelsea a sniff for 45 minutes on Boxing Day. They work hard as a team, are so brilliantly drilled, and give their manager everything.

Ryan's performances have been so compelling he has left Tim Krul with very little chance to come in and prove himself. In the Newcastle game the stop from Isaac Hayden that took a massive deflection en route to goal was wonderful but the save from a flicked header from Dwight Gayle was even better.

I've been saying all season that Brighton will run out of gas, and it seemed to be happening quicker than I thought against Bournemouth on New Year's Day. They must pick up maximum points at home against teams such as the Cherries otherwise their existence in the Premier League will be short-lived. However, neither of the two goals they conceded in the 2-2 draw were down to Ryan.

What an odd thing to say, given both teams continued going at it until the final whistle? I get the point he's making but a) he's made it time and time and time again and b) He's not really backing it up with anything.

He also contradicts himself from earlier on when he stated that 'Brighton and Huddersfield moved themselves into the relative safety of mid-table with a pair of key draws apiece.' So which is it to be, Garth – relative safety or a 'short-lived' PL existence?
 


Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
69,869
If it wasn't for Ryan, Dunk, Duffy and Bruno we'd be good as relegated already. Rest of our first-choice line-up would be hard pushed to make the Championship play-offs. IMHO, like.
 






McTavish

Well-known member
Nov 5, 2014
1,562
If it wasn't for Ryan, Dunk, Duffy and Bruno we'd be good as relegated already. Rest of our first-choice line-up would be hard pushed to make the Championship play-offs. IMHO, like.

Agreed. But I think even Man City would struggle with only seven players.
 


sussex_guy2k2

Well-known member
Jun 6, 2014
3,678
If it wasn't for Ryan, Dunk, Duffy and Bruno we'd be good as relegated already. Rest of our first-choice line-up would be hard pushed to make the Championship play-offs. IMHO, like.

I agree re Dunk, Ryan and Bruno. And I think you can easily add Gross to that list.
 






The Tactician

Well-known member
Feb 18, 2013
1,052
If it wasn't for Ryan, Dunk, Duffy and Bruno we'd be good as relegated already. Rest of our first-choice line-up would be hard pushed to make the Championship play-offs. IMHO, like.

Good point, we saw with Murray's pitiful return last year of 23 last year that he's clearly not good enough even to make the play-offs. Same goes for Knockaert, player of the season last year doesn't mean he's good enough for a promotion chasing side, Didn't have Gross last year but he only cost £3 million so he'd be useless, forget what he's doing in the league above. As for the rest, just all useless, you're 100% correct in the defence is carrying them-we only scored 74 goals last year! Hemed, March, Bong, Kayal-useless the lot of them, and the fact that we finished with 89 and 93 points in our last 2 championship seasons has no reflection on their ability, no way we'd get in the play-offs this year were we in the championship, you're right. I mean I know we're 13th in the Premier League, but that doesn't mean our players are any good.
 


Beanstalk

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2017
2,454
London
I'm still unmoved in my opinion that he'll go in the summer. I would presume to either Arsenal or Liverpool mainly as, one would assume, they will be in Europe next season, and he'll qualify as a home-grown player.

If that's the case, it'll be absolutely deserved on his behalf and I am sure we would be recompensed handsomely.
 








Biscuit

Native Creative
Jul 8, 2003
22,205
Brighton
If it wasn't for Ryan, Dunk, Duffy and Bruno we'd be good as relegated already. Rest of our first-choice line-up would be hard pushed to make the Championship play-offs. IMHO, like.

TBH, playing with seven men would be pretty difficult - even in the Championship.

Edit: @McTavish beat me to it
 



Paying the bills

Latest Discussions

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here