[Albion] The Pascal Gross mystery

supaseagull · Jan 13, 2019

Weststander said:
But then this discussion was extended to: Gross wasn’t all that last season. Comedy gold.

Said it before that Gross had a decent season in a newly promoted team but has now been found out by opponents who know he is too slow on the ball and so gets crowded quickly. Issue is that we don’t have a replacement yet but I don’t think it will be long

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clockend1983 · Jan 13, 2019

PILTDOWN MAN said:
He was slow last season this season is painful to watch at times.

Yes indeed
Constantly on his heels

Greg Bobkin · Jan 13, 2019

I thought he was off to Liverpool in this transfer window, anyway :shrug:

'I'll drive him there myself...' etc etc

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Sussex Nomad · Jan 13, 2019

Farehamseagull said:
No that won’t be necessary because Dunk and Duffy have been brilliant all season. Gross has been poor all season, hence the thread. Thanks for the response though.

Perhaps to placate the snowflakes you should start a new thread to counter balance: Dunk and Duffy - no mystery - Brilliant!
Then all those that won't have a word of criticism can have the joys of the hand palm.

Giraffe · Jan 13, 2019

Was never as good as everyone said last season, isn’t as bad as everyone is saying now. Drop off is therefore negligible.

Telling that the players player of the season last season was Dunk not Gross.

Sussex Nomad · Jan 13, 2019

Giraffe said:
Was never as good as everyone said last season, isn’t as bad as everyone is saying now. Drop off is therefore negligible.

Don't think the majority, in fact just about everyone is saying he's bad, they are discussing his noticeable drop in form this season.

NooBHA · Jan 13, 2019

Farehamseagull said:
Have we ever witnessed such a decline in a player between one season and the next? What has happened this season?

Like most, I was in love with him last season but he has looked woeful so far this. Incredibly lucky to keep his place at the moment. How do we get the old Gross back?!

Gross / Propper / Stephens - Were the reason Liverpool couldn't really play through us yesterday YES Gross as well. He worked his socks of defensively in the middle of the park and offensively, he got a few crosses in and had a shot on goal.

He got done by Salah for the Penalty but that can happen when you come up against Salah on a one on one. He shouldn't have challenged him once he had lost him, that was his only bad decision yesterday. Dunk would have got a challenge in.

Gross is still doing well despite the fact his goals and assists have dried up. I still like him

dazzer6666 · Jan 13, 2019

NooBHA said:
Gross / Propper / Stephens - Were the reason Liverpool couldn't really play through us yesterday YES Gross as well. He worked his socks of defensively in the middle of the park and offensively, he got a few crosses in and had a shot on goal.

He got done by Salah for the Penalty but that can happen when you come up against Salah on a one on one. He shouldn't have challenged him once he had lost him, that was his only bad decision yesterday. Dunk would have got a challenge in.

Gross is still doing well despite the fact his goals and assists have dried up. I still like him

Spot on. He’s in a midfield three now instead of a lone no 10 role, so he isn’t having the visible impact in terms of assists etc but he’s a pivotal part of that group. You’re also right in that he put a massive defensive shift in yesterday, and made some decent crosses. That said, think Bissouma will be seriously challenging him for a starting place soon.

NooBHA · Jan 13, 2019

dazzer6666 said:
Spot on. He’s in a midfield three now instead of a lone no 10 role, so he isn’t having the visible impact in terms of assists etc but he’s a pivotal part of that group. You’re also right in that he put a massive defensive shift in yesterday, and made some decent crosses. That said, think Bissouma will be seriously challenging him for a starting place soon.

Bissouma is an absolute star in the making and he will threaten everyone in the Midfield's place in the next year but he is still young and not so consistent yet.. This time next year, he is probably a regular starter but he has a lot to learn in the next 5 months before that's the case. My favourite player at the club now.

Sussex Nomad · Jan 13, 2019

dazzer6666 said:
Spot on. He’s in a midfield three now instead of a lone no 10 role, so he isn’t having the visible impact in terms of assists etc but he’s a pivotal part of that group. You’re also right in that he put a massive defensive shift in yesterday, and made some decent crosses. That said, think Bissouma will be seriously challenging him for a starting place soon.

If he's part of a midfield three as opposed to a no.10 then he doesn't have the sheer mobility and physicality of Bissouma, so I don't get why he gets the nod ahead of him.

NooBHA · Jan 13, 2019

Sussex Nomad said:
If he's part of a midfield three as opposed to a no.10 then he doesn't have the sheer mobility and physicality of Bissouma, so I don't get why he gets the nod ahead of him.

I think Bissouma might have played yesterday if he had been fit. That said - Gross apparently has one of the highest running stats at the club when he plays ( I know, I was surprised when I heard that) because it doesn't always look obvious.

jackanada · Jan 13, 2019

Part of the reason Liverpool "were poor in the first half" (MOTD et al) was Pascal expertly positioned to prevent any balls to feet for Mane.

dazzer6666 · Jan 13, 2019

jackanada said:
Part of the reason Liverpool "were poor in the first half" (MOTD et al) was Pascal expertly positioned to prevent any balls to feet for Mane.

100% this....he and Solly were brilliant at stopping Mane and Robertson working down their left. Time and again Liverpool ended up having to play the ball backwards

Weststander · Jan 13, 2019

dazzer6666 said:
100% this....he and Solly were brilliant at stopping Mane and Robertson working down their left. Time and again Liverpool ended up having to play the ball backwards

Exactly as it happened, in the first half particularly, working tightly with Stephens and Propper.

Ironically, some Albion fans (and Ian Wright) are then conversely critising the starting team selection and tactics, as being negative yesterday.

Personal view, I think CH got it right.

London Irish · Jan 13, 2019

I don't think anyone is criticising Gross for the stuff he does well, the positioning, the workrate, those lovely Cryuff feints. It's more the stuff that he struggles with, there were at least 3 times yesterday moves broke down because his teammates played passes to him expecting him to run on to the ball, and it was quite painful watching him run in quicksand to them for the passer to realise that all balls to Gross have to be hit closer to him due to his lack of wheels.It's a fact that the chances he creates have dried up this year as the team has improved overall. He's not indispensible.

The Murray-Gross combo got us the 15th and that's nothing to be sniffed at but progress above that may mean one or both may no longer be automatic starters. Everyone seems to accept that OK for Murray but get offended when it's pointed out Gross may be in that category also? Murray also did a hell of a lot to keep us up last year

sussex_guy2k2 · Jan 13, 2019

I’d imagine injuries and then a change in formation. Injuries have disrupted his flow and he’s just not as suited to playing in a 3. He doesn’t have the mobility or pace for it really, despite his technical superiority compared to much of our squad. Yesterday was a really unfortunate performance but there’s still a good player in there.

sussex_guy2k2 · Jan 13, 2019

London Irish said:
I don't think anyone is criticising Gross for the stuff he does well, the positioning, the workrate, those lovely Cryuff feints. It's more the stuff that he struggles with, there were at least 3 times yesterday moves broke down because his teammates played passes to him expecting him to run on to the ball, and it was quite painful watching him run in quicksand to them for the passer to realise that all balls to Gross have to be hit closer to him due to his lack of wheels.It's a fact that the chances he creates have dried up this year as the team has improved overall. He's not indispensible.

The Murray-Gross combo got us the 15th and that's nothing to be sniffed at but progress above that may mean one or both may no longer be automatic starters. Everyone seems to accept that OK for Murray but get offended when it's pointed out Gross may be in that category also? Murray also did a hell of a lot to keep us up last year

Aren’t he and March the top chance creators for us?

CheeseRolls · Jan 13, 2019

Based on nothing other than speculation and watching him, fail to reach a couple of balls that looked reachable, I wonder if he is carrying an injury? We had a spate of players with hernias a few years back including Murray, that ultimately needed surgery and they way he was moving yesterday, made me question this.

Silverhatch · Jan 13, 2019

****ing genius footballer who plays for us. Get back in your box if you don’t realise this

Sussex Nomad · Jan 13, 2019

Silverhatch said:
****ing genius footballer who plays for us. Get back in your box if you don’t realise this

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