[Albion] Marc Cucurella *Signed For Chelsea 05/08/2022*

[Guinness Boy]

your memory.
.

My memory is weird. I can remember details of matches in the early 90s and the day trips around them enough to write about them, yet often I find myself saying things like "I need to use that THING.......you know, the white thing you do a poo on......the thing in the bathroom".

When you get to our age I have a theory that the brain is fairly much full up and stuffing something new in makes the word for spaghetti, or dog, or aeroplane fall out.

 

[Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms]

While I won't expect the club to find a player as good as Cucurella, I sure hope it will do better than signing someone similar to that lot... still have occasional Montoya-related nightmares.

You killed my father, prepare to die.

 

[rigton70]

I'm left footed . . . . got brought on a Right back once.

That's not a good idea

If i remember your football skills was not great at Buckingham. )

 

[dazzer6666]

Not the whole world. [MENTION=21158]Weststander[/MENTION] was talking about a left wing back for much of last summer and I posted this as part of my pre-season preview article.

"So, while the usual striker threads remain on NSC, surely we have to sign a full back or wing back of some description?"

https://www.northstandchat.com/content.php?892-Season-Preview-2021-22-Hedging-My-Bets

Left wing backs do not grow on trees, good ones even less so, which is why Pep wants Cucurella. Selling him will seriously weaken us and I think the best we could do next season would be back to 14-18th.

Sorry, can’t buy that at all. Unexpectedly losing one player in isolation won’t make or break where we finish IMO. Maybe Undav and Welbeck become the dream front pair and bang in 35 between them…..that or a million other permutations of what might happen from the as yet unknown full squad. Way to early to be making a call like that for me.

 

[Gabbafella]

While I won't expect the club to find a player as good as Cucurella, I sure hope it will do better than signing someone similar to that lot... still have occasional Montoya-related nightmares.

Inconceivable!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

File Solly March in the same bin as Kerry Mayo. Loyal Club Servants both - mainly on account of no other club rating them enough to ever put in an offer

Utter bollocks. One was one of our poorer players, when we were the second worst team in the country. The other despite being under appreciated by the simple minded amongst the fan base, has been played under two managers, in almost every game he’s been fit, since we made it to the Premier League (36, 35, 19, 21, 31 appearances).

(And Newcastle, and Saints, for starters, have tried to sign him).

 

[GT49er]

Utter bollocks. One was one of our poorer players, when we were the second worst team in the country. The other despite being under appreciated by the simple minded amongst the fan base, has been played under two managers, in almost every game he’s been fit, since we made it to the Premier League (36, 35, 19, 21, 31 appearances).

(And Newcastle, and Saints, for starters, have tried to sign him).

Werll said (although I'd have just stopped typing after 'Utter bollocks'!)

 

[macbeth]

problem with letting him go is he's that good that we're essentially gonna have to replace a player at j two positions, we need someone to play in the left centre back role (could be internal like webster) that burn also played and the attacking full back role.

 

[The Fits]

problem with letting him go is he's that good that we're essentially gonna have to replace a player at j two positions, we need someone to play in the left centre back role (could be internal like webster) that burn also played and the attacking full back role.

Yep. I think with Webster getting injured every time he hits form we really will need a more orthodox left footed centre back. We have been linked with the young Chelsea player who’s been on loan at Huddersfield. Someone like that might fit the bill. Ultimately, we might have to look at two signings to cover Cucu (who also made a pretty good left winger and DM- he’s an incredibly dynamic player with a huge engine). I really think that if Cucu is off we might see quite a few signings. We have a very obvious core, and quite a few players who we are likely to try and get rid of (Andone, Karbo, Clarke, Duffy), plus players I’m fairly sure we’d like to loan out (the young CMs, Turns, Offiah, Roberts, Ferguson). Wouldn’t surprise me if we signed five players who look like first team squad members.

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

We’re not in an unbelievably strong position if Cucurella departs.

Overnight he solved our very longterm achilles heel of being weak at LB, just as Veltman did down the right.

We have no other quality LB or LWB.

Solly can do a job, but Cucurella took us to another level, we saw that last August.

Unless …. the recruitment team pull another signing rabbit out of the hat.

You say he solved our Achilles heel, but did he really? He scored 1 goal and made 2 assists all season.

This screen shot from whoscored hints thay he performed best on the left of a back 3.


Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed his energy but our form really took a turn for the better once we sold Burn and Webster got injured, that forced us to revert to a back 3, and use Cucurella in a more defensive role. We then played Trossard on the left of 5 in midfield, Trossard started scoring and we were stronger defensively.

The real change though was when we introduced Moises Caicedo, as it's in midfield that the game is won and lost, not the left wing.

I just hope that McAllister can fill that Bissouma shaped hole, drop deeper and allow Mwepu to fill the no10 roll.

Van Heck, Dunk, Webster and Veltman can fill in for Cucurella in defence and Trossard can on the wing.

 

[Weststander]

Sorry, can’t buy that at all. Unexpectedly losing one player in isolation won’t make or break where we finish IMO. Maybe Undav and Welbeck become the dream front pair and bang in 35 between them…..that or a million other permutations of what might happen from the as yet unknown full squad. Way to early to be making a call like that for me.

As long as we sign a quality LB/LWB. To fill the void.

Might not cost the earth, the Veltman fee shows that.

 

[The Fits]

You say he solved our Achilles heel, but did he really? He scored 1 goal and made 2 assists all season.

This screen shot from whoscored hints thay he performed best on the left of a back 3.
View attachment 148924

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed his energy but our form really took a turn for the better once we sold Burn and Webster got injured, that forced us to revert to a back 3, and use Cucurella in a more defensive role. We then played Trossard on the left of 5 in midfield, Trossard started scoring and we were stronger defensively.

The real change though was when we introduced Moises Caicedo, as it's in midfield that the game is won and lost, not the left wing.

I just hope that McAllister can fill that Bissouma shaped hole, drop deeper and allow Mwepu to fill the no10 roll.

Van Heck, Dunk, Webster and Veltman can fill in for Cucurella in defence and Trossard can on the wing.

I’d argue Cucu allowed to us play almost formation free down the left. Websites like whoscored might say he played here that game and there that game, but the reality is, especially towards the end of the season, he played everywhere at times. It’s that dynamism we will miss. We were basically saying ‘left side is locked down’ when Cucu played. Anyone else coming in is likely to be encouraged to play like that, but for me his biggest attribute is his engine and that’s hard to find. The guy is a total machine. He’s actually not that brilliant at a lot of the basic skills but he is everywhere at all times. The positive is that Potter will know what Cucu brings and he’ll definitely be working on solutions if we end up Cucu-less come August.

 

[GT49er]

Yep. I think with Webster getting injured every time he hits form we really will need a more orthodox left footed centre back. We have been linked with the young Chelsea player who’s been on loan at Huddersfield. Someone like that might fit the bill. Ultimately, we might have to look at two signings to cover Cucu (who also made a pretty good left winger and DM- he’s an incredibly dynamic player with a huge engine). I really think that if Cucu is off we might see quite a few signings. We have a very obvious core, and quite a few players who we are likely to try and get rid of (Andone, Karbo, Clarke, Duffy), plus players I’m fairly sure we’d like to loan out (the young CMs, Turns, Offiah, Roberts, Ferguson). Wouldn’t surprise me if we signed five players who look like first team squad members.

We could indeed look at a Chelsra youngster who has been on loan at Huddersfield. We could equally well look at a youngster who has played a whole season (including a Scottish Cup Final) for Heart of Midlothian (top 3 in SPL). Not as sexy maybe?

 

[The Fits]

We could indeed look at a Chelsra youngster who has been on loan at Huddersfield. We could equally well look at a youngster who has played a whole season (including a Scottish Cup Final) for Heart of Midlothian (top 3 in SPL). Not as sexy maybe?

Not sure he’s a centre back either...

 

[Weststander]

I’d argue Cucu allowed to us play almost formation free down the left. Websites like whoscored might say he played here that game and there that game, but the reality is, especially towards the end of the season, he played everywhere at times. It’s that dynamism we will miss. We were basically saying ‘left side is locked down’ when Cucu played. Anyone else coming in is likely to be encouraged to play like that, but for me his biggest attribute is his engine and that’s hard to find. The guy is a total machine. He’s actually not that brilliant at a lot of the basic skills but he is everywhere at all times. The positive is that Potter will know what Cucu brings and he’ll definitely be working on solutions if we end up Cucu-less come August.

Cucu also meant that we offered threat and pace down our left, for the first time in our EPL years. Sewing uncertainty.

In season 2020/21 I remember Sheffield Utd visiting the Amex, where George Baldock of all players had the freedom of their right wing for the 90 minutes. He could attack at will, knowing that our no-pace left side offered no real threat. A horrible watch.

Season 2021/22 we were transformed down our left almost as soon as Cucu started,

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

I’d argue Cucu allowed to us play almost formation free down the left. Websites like whoscored might say he played here that game and there that game, but the reality is, especially towards the end of the season, he played everywhere at times. It’s that dynamism we will miss. We were basically saying ‘left side is locked down’ when Cucu played. Anyone else coming in is likely to be encouraged to play like that, but for me his biggest attribute is his engine and that’s hard to find. The guy is a total machine. He’s actually not that brilliant at a lot of the basic skills but he is everywhere at all times. The positive is that Potter will know what Cucu brings and he’ll definitely be working on solutions if we end up Cucu-less come August.

I agree that we would miss his energy, but a fully fit Lampety on the right could offer the same but different.

Ideally we could have both, but that now seems unlikely.

Yes we will miss Cucurella, but not as much as some think. We've moved beyond one player being the difference between feast and famine.

 

[Weststander]

I agree that we would miss his energy, but a fully fit Lampety on the right could offer the same but different.

Ideally we could have both, but that now seems unlikely.

Yes we will miss Cucurella, but not as much as some think. We've moved beyond one player being the difference between feast and famine.

Not a negative thought, as we have 2 months plus of the transfer window remaining and large cash inflows, but with our squad assuming Cucu departs, I’d be very concerned if there were injuries to either:

Caicedo - who else can expertly protect the back 3 or 4 for 90 minutes, proven at EPL level?
Welbeck - we’re transformed when he’s fit and starts.

I hope we buy/loan in DM cover, a LB and I’m not sure about Undav …. no one can be yet.

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

Not a negative thought, as we have 2 months plus of the transfer window remaining and large cash inflows, but with our squad assuming Cucu departs, I’d be very concerned if there were injuries to either:

Caicedo - who else can expertly protect the back 3 or 4 for 90 minutes, proven at EPL level?
Welbeck - we’re transformed when he’s fit and starts.

I hope we buy/loan in DM cover, a LB and I’m not sure about Undav …. no one can be yet.

I totally agree, thankfully we look like we've got that cash on the hip. Not only the wherewithal and time but also the sense to spend it wisely. Fingers crossed.

 

[American Seagle]

Yeah Potter is excellent, and I'm sure he would take any rebuilding in his stride. The only nagging worry is that Southgate gets sacked as England manager as I think Potter is definitely the number 1 candidate to take over.

But I guess that's why it's only a nagging feeling, we can't dwell on those thoughts for too long, we have to enjoy things while the club is on the up.

It would surprise me that a manager of Potters age would take the England job. He has a successful club career. I would be surprised if he paused it at this point of his career. That was not the case for Southgate.

 

[Braggfan]

It would surprise me that a manager of Potters age would take the England job. He has a successful club career. I would be surprised if he paused it at this point of his career. That was not the case for Southgate.

The truth is we don't know what Potter thinks about it, so hopefully you're right and that he's enjoying himself here and would be reluctant to leave.

But like I say, this nagging feeling is based on a few things.
1. The England job is considered to be the pinnacle of management for a lot of English managers, maybe its lost some of its attraction, but it's still a big draw.
2. There is a trend and a desire amongst the fan base to appoint English managers, and Potter is the best English manager right now.
3. That could change over the next few years, because you never know what's round the corner, and he might not get another chance to take it.
4. It pays well, and he wouldn't have to up root his family to take the job. He could carry on living in Brighton and his kids could stay in their schools down here.
5. The FA like his style. They appointed Dan Ashworth , who then came to Brighton and appointed Potter. Also Southgate's style of bringing youngsters through and developing players and a team, is exactly what Potter does, except Potter is tactically more adept.

In my opinion it will come down to whether Potter wants it or not, because I think he'll definitely get offered it. Hopefully you're right and he'll want to carry on the journey with us, but I just can't shake the nagging feeling. I'll try not to think about it