[Albion] If you were Super Sam - What would you do?

Machiavelli said:

Bissouma could well be cover for Gross too, as well as competition for Propper, Stephens and Kayal.
I can't see either Hemed or Baldock being with us next season. Both deserve to play football, and they're not going to get much here.

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B.W. said:

Box-to-box covering Number 10 Gross? No... that will be Tau's job...

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dazzer6666 said:

Most of what I've read about Tau talks about his assists as well as his goals - seems to be a clear Gross cover signing (if it happens). Bissouma is a CM so Propper/Stephens/Kayal competition/cover we desperately need.

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Machiavelli said:

Do bear in mind that when we are protecting a result, CH will shift his preferred 4-4-1-1 system, and play 4-5-1 (perhaps with Bissouma replacing Gross); when chasing a game, he may well want to play more advanced players, such as keeping Gross on the pitch and sacrificing one of Stephens or Propper, which might result in more of a 4-1-4-1 formation. Tau will provide similar options.

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Tom Hark said:

Be honest. He's Superfluous Sammy Baldock nowadays. Still got a couple of decent seasons service to a club at a lower level if he stays clear of injury. But his work here is done.

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Machiavelli said:

Not remotely. If we didn't offer a new contract, then his existing one would be run down, and he could leave on a free. By updating his contract, we had more opportunity to assess his ability at PL level, the opportunity to retain him if we got relegated, and to cash in on him if we didn't. It would have been bizarre not to offer him a new contract.

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Icy Gull said:

Three years seems excessive to me for a player who won’t have a future here unless we are relegated. When have we assessed his ability at Premier League level btw?

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Machiavelli said:

He played for 30 mins away at West Brom, and on one other occasion. He doesn't fit into the style that we play in the PL. Three years isn't excessive, it means he will command a higher fee when he is sold, which I predict he will be this window.

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Perkino said:

Surely this is where his agent earns his wedge. The agent must be trying to summon up some interest to get a move in motion, even a loan move will give him a better opportunity to return and play games if we sign Tau then he will be behind: Locaidia, Murray, Andone, Tau and that's a lot considering we don't often have more than 1 of them on the pitch at any one time

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Seasider78 said:

Or he has a deal with us that is unlikely to be matched elsewhere so is quite happy sitting in the background taking a nice salary

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Icy Gull said:

He was never going to fit into the way we play in the Premier League and I’m not convinced a three year deal will make him worth more than a two year deal when we come to sell, which I agree will probably be this summer or January when Championship clubs are desperate for more quality up front for the final push. Still seems bizarre to me to give him three years but the club indubitably know better than me.

Shame, I like him but do see he is probably not good enough for us now,

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