[Albion] First Game Starting Line-Up Prediction 25/26

[Uh_huh_him]

Yeah, I'm not wholly convinced that Mitoma will go: a few clubs have a policy of not buying anyone over 25. Brighton turned down a big bid for him in the winter, so clubs know he won't be a cheap deal. Are they going to pay a tidy sum for a 28-year-old who's had two spells out with injury this season and will go missing for a month or so at the next Asian Cup? The only thing we don't know is if there's been a gentlemen's agreement for him to go at a low price; that would change matters,

I doubt there's a gentleman's agreement in place.
Pretty sure Tony would have liked to have any agreement written into the contract.

MAcAllister's gentlemn's agreement was signed off, before he went to the world cup.
Was surprised a similar arrangement didn't occur after the Saudi offer in January.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Seriously, do you honestly think Tony Bloom splurged £200m+ last year just so that we can be a downgraded, selling club? If that’s the case why did he even bother? My view is that he’s building the squad up with young, promising players to take us to the next level - European qualification.

Tony's splurge was strategic.
Lots of value in the market alongside us having an unmatched level of headroom in PSR.

We'll be back to normal this summer.
If there's value around we'll snap it up.
There will still be plenty of clubs strugglling to compete with us, but as this is the last season of the old rules, it will probabaly be more competitive than last.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

-------------------Verbruggen----------------------
New RB----JPvH-----------Webster--—-New LB
------------Wieffer-----------Baleba---------------
Solly—-----—--—--Rutter---————----Mitoma
---------------------Welbeck-----------------------

I so hope Wieffer and Baleba are our central midfielders. That will be a brutal engine room.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I so hope Wieffer and Baleba are our central midfielders. That will be a brutal engine room.

This!

Ayari and Hinsh have been very good, but they aren't ready to be the starting picks yet.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

This!

Ayari and Hinsh have been very good, but they aren't ready to be the starting picks yet.

They clearly are, given they have started a load of matches and generally been really good.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

They clearly are, given they have started a load of matches and generally been really good.

Ok - bad use of language on my part

In my opinion, they will be better served by being allowed to develop in back up roles, rather than being first choice.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

The club is going to have some surprises in place for us this summer as they always do.

That said, I think the summer is more about which of our existing players can we get to sign a new improved deal than how many new players can we get in the door. For example, I think Lamptey will sign on for another few years.

If we can do a deal with at least one of Van Hecke and Baleba along the lines of, "sign on till 2030, you'll be right up with our top wage earners and if anyone offers £60m+ you'll be free to go" I think we'll have done well.

We'll need full backs on both sides. I really think we need to see what is happening with Kadioglu. The way this is going, is he even going to be fit for the start of pre season?

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Ok - bad use of language on my part

In my opinion, they will be better served by being allowed to develop in back up roles, rather than being first choice.

I have a different opinion. I think Baleba and Hinsh are our best two midfielders .

Nothing against Ayari, Weiffer or Gomez. I think Hinsh has shown more for longer than any of the others

 

[JJ McClure]

As long as its better than this one I don't care
Stockdale;
Bruno, Greer, Hughes, Calderon;
Forster-Caskey, Ince, Crofts; LuaLua,
Fenelon, O'Grady

 

[Marshy]

I would be staggered if Webby stays. As good as he is when fit.

Got West Ham on a free written all over it.

 

[Marshy]

Bart

Ferdi
JPVH
New CB
New RB

Baleba
Weiffer
Mitoma
Minteh
Rutter
Pedro

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I have a different opinion. I think Baleba and Hinsh are our best two midfielders .

Nothing against Ayari, Weiffer or Gomez. I think Hinsh has shown more for longer than any of the others

Yeah, but he has had a couple of bad injuries, which may be due to him getting more minutes than his body is ready for.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

As long as its better than this one I don't care
Stockdale;
Bruno, Greer, Hughes, Calderon;
Forster-Caskey, Ince, Crofts; LuaLua,
Fenelon, O'Grady

Well one of those players has won TWO trophies this season......

 

[Weststander]

I so hope Wieffer and Baleba are our central midfielders. That will be a brutal engine room.

Even though Wieffer’s awful at everything?

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Full back has been talked about a bit

But centre back? There's likely to be a few in a few out here

Dunk - Stays of course, but clearly sucession planning needs to be in place.

Webby - 50/50 whether he says, but even if he does then he'll only play half the games. Put him down as a quarter of a player

Van Hecke - This is the big risk of the summer. The player we least want to lose, but if the right offer comes in we probably will.

Cashin - Unlikely he'll be here. Will be loaned out initially is my guess.

Igor -Does he want to stay as a perma back up? Does the club want him? I personally don't think he's done enough to realistically show he should be starting in a top half half PL team. I think we'll cut our losses on him.

Remodelling our defence is going to be the story of the summer in my view. I expect plenty of activity at centre back

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Full back has been talked about a bit

But centre back? There's likely to be a few in a few out here

Dunk - Stays of course, but clearly sucession planning needs to be in place.

Webby - 50/50 whether he says, but even if he does then he'll only play half the games. Put him down as a quarter of a player

Van Hecke - This is the big risk of the summer. The player we least want to lose, but if the right offer comes in we probably will.

Cashin - Unlikely he'll be here. Will be loaned out initially is my guess.

Igor -Does he want to stay as a perma back up? Does the club want him? I personally don't think he's done enough to realistically show he should be starting in a top half half PL team. I think we'll cut our losses on him.

Remodelling our defence is going to be the story of the summer in my view. I expect plenty of activity at centre back

I don't think we will look to remodel in one go.
Our model is to buy in prospects and develop towards a starting place.

Webster/Igor/Dunk to cover the left side.
Cashin on loan and probably another left sided prospect straight out on loan.
We need to buy in cover for Van Hecke.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Even though Wieffer’s awful at everything?

Bring back WBG!

 

[GT49er]

I have a different opinion. I think Baleba and Hinsh are our best two midfielders .

Nothing against Ayari, Weiffer or Gomez. I think Hinsh has shown more for longer than any of the others

I'd put Ayari in the upper list, with Baleba and Hinsh. The way he has improved since last season is so dramatic, we have to wonder what his ceiling is. Weiffer and Gomez, IMHO, still have a way to go.

 

[chickens]

It’s JPvH that I fear losing most. What with the blessing/curse of getting POTS, I fear it’s almost inevitable that a club with a pedigree above our own comes in for him. I was delighted to hear that he had no plans to leave, but I suspect that position will be tested before the end of the transfer window.

Meaning no disrespect to Lewis, who’s clearly had to play through injury for parts of this season, JPvH has been incredible this year.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

It’s JPvH that I fear losing most.

We can't replace what he does internally and I don't see how we would replace it externally. I know the club have pulled quite a few rabbits out of hats in the transfer market, but realistically, selling JPVH weakens us.

What we don't have, which i'm surprised about is any 20 or 21 year old centre backs, loaned in a mid European league waiting for a chance to come into the side having already played 50 odd games.