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[Albion] Has our midfield gone AWOL?







Lifelong Supporter

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2009
2,053
Burgess Hill
Playing two wingers is too much of a luxury, certainly away from home. We should have an extra midfielder and expect our full backs to get forward more. Unfortunately they are rather limited. If say we had a quality player like Wayne Bridge in action things could be different.
 


















BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
I would suggest that the number of games that he played well in you could count on 1 hand but I dont wish to get involved in an argument about him as I believe that we have bigger problems until Gross Propper and Stephens are all back playing to their best level and together.
 


Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,620
Cowfold
Playing two wingers is too much of a luxury, certainly away from home. We should have an extra midfielder and expect our full backs to get forward more. Unfortunately they are rather limited. If say we had a quality player like Wayne Bridge in action things could be different.

Lololol. Sorry l dont mean to laught at all, in fact l'm inclined to agree with what you say. It's simply that the vast majority of posters on here, seem to be of the view that we aren't nearly ambitious enough away from home.

If Bruno was a few years younger things might be very different, in the old days I seem to recall we were forever on his back for venturing too far forward and not able to recover in time when the opposing team attacked. Quite the reverse now his career is almost over..
 


Billy the Fish

Technocrat
Oct 18, 2005
17,496
Haywards Heath
Agree with all the comments about Propper and Groß. It shows that we need more depth in those positions. The last couple of seasons I've heard Bloom, Barber and Hughton all mention incremental improvements. I think next summer the midfield is due an incremental improvement, they need to find someone who does what Stephens does to break up play but is quicker and better on the ball.
 




Weststander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 25, 2011
63,910
Withdean area
Agree with all the comments about Propper and Groß. It shows that we need more depth in those positions. The last couple of seasons I've heard Bloom, Barber and Hughton all mention incremental improvements. I think next summer the midfield is due an incremental improvement, they need to find someone who does what Stephens does to break up play but is quicker and better on the ball.

Agree with most of your post, except Stephens is fine. He does the Matic/Makelele/Kante DM role very well. We simply need the more advanced CM's, to possess greater creativity, speed of thought and ball retention. Clubs like Watford and Bmuff have cracked that, and even awful Hudd have Pritchard.
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,664
West west west Sussex
Agree with most of your post, except Stephens is fine. He does the Matic/Makelele/Kante DM role very well. We simply need the more advanced CM's, to possess greater creativity, speed of thought and ball retention. Clubs like Watford and Bmuff have cracked that, and even awful Hudd have Pritchard.
We're not that desperate or bad.
 


Farehamseagull

Solly March Fan Club
Nov 22, 2007
13,958
Sarisbury Green, Southampton
We just haven’t had a midfield the last few games, it’s a major problem. Hopefully now people are starting to appreciate just how good Propper is.

A number of times last season Propper had to cover for for Stephens and without Propper there now, Stephens, who has had a terrible season generally, looks even more exposed. Kayal is good but not in Propper’s class.

He’ll still be a good squad player but we do really need to find a replacement for Stephens in the starting 11 if we’re going to progress and not be in a relegation battle each season.

Gross has obviously also been a massive miss. He and Propper are comfortably our best players so it’s always going to be difficult without them.
 




Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,620
Cowfold
Agree with most of your post, except Stephens is fine. He does the Matic/Makelele/Kante DM role very well. We simply need the more advanced CM's, to possess greater creativity, speed of thought and ball retention. Clubs like Watford and Bmuff have cracked that, and even awful Hudd have Pritchard.

Totally agree re Dale Stephens, does an unglamourous role really well. I'm not so sure about not having enough good attacking midfielders, I suspect he ones we have a re fine, but it's more about the way they are being asked to play.
 


Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,620
Cowfold
We just haven’t had a midfield the last few games, it’s a major problem. Hopefully now people are starting to appreciate just how good Propper is.

A number of times last season Propper had to cover for for Stephens and without Propper there now, Stephens, who has had a terrible season generally, looks even more exposed. Kayal is good but not in Propper’s class.

He’ll still be a good squad player but we do really need to find a replacement for Stephens in the starting 11 if we’re going to progress and not be in a relegation battle each season.

Gross has obviously also been a massive miss. He and Propper are comfortably our best players so it’s always going to be difficult without them.

Sorry we will have to agree to disagree, I think Dale Stephens is the man who really makes us tick in midfield. Having a terrible season? hardly.
 










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