[Albion] Where in the world is Joao Pedro?

[Lady Whistledown]

No chance he wins it over say Delap, Rogers, or Huijsen but nice to be represented. Holding out hope we’re among the nominees for Goal of the Season.

If anyone other than Mitoma wins that, it'll be down to no more than a popularity contest or recency bias.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

No problem with Joao Pedro being nominated for young player of the year (although he had a better season last year) but surprised Carlos Baleba has been overlooked, he’s been way more important for us this year.

 

[Weststander]

Anyone who thinks it will be ok to sell João Pedro needs to give their head a wobble. He's Brazil's number 9 but we are ok with losing him to Chelsea? Give me a break. We can't have a team of nice lads, we need the dark arts somewhere in the team.

It’s more a realisation that you can’t really stop a big time Charlie leave mid contract. Cool about it, let’s take Chelsea to the cleaners.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

No problem with Joao Pedro being nominated for young player of the year (although he had a better season last year) but surprised Carlos Baleba has been overlooked, he’s been way more important for us this year.

Then again they've also nominated Cole Palmer who's had about one decent game since November, so it rather suggests they just tick boxes for players they've heard of.

The other ludicrous thing about that award is the age limit. Saliba is 24. At what stage does he stop being a "young player"??

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Then again they've also nominated Cole Palmer who's had about one decent game since November, so it rather suggests they just tick boxes for players they've heard of.

The other ludicrous thing about that award is the age limit. Saliba is 24. At what stage does he stop being a "young player"??

Apparently it’s players who were 23 or younger at the start of the season. A player who turns 25 in mid August could be nominated for the award which seems ridiculous.

Feels like it should be aligned with the squad rules for what constitutes a player who doesn’t need to be named in the 25 man squad.

 

[GrossTurn]

Danny Welbeck will be 35 in November, and whilst I have nothing but admiration for him in reaching double figures in the Prem for the first time in his career, only Joao Pedro can give us that 15-18 goals per season that massively helps a side aspiring to be in the European places. Yes, we finished 6th without one in 22/23, but we had the world class Alexis McAllister finish top scorer with 12 goals from midfield.

If Brentford do pip us for 8th it will be mainly due to Wissa and Mbeuno bagging 18 goals apiece, while us, Bournemouth and Fulham have top scorers with just 10, 12 and 11 goals apiece.

We need to hang on to JP, and I'm very excited to see him and Rutter develop their partnership in 25/26.

It had somehow passed me by that Wissa had notched 18 PL goals this season, that’s mad. All those seasons playing understudy to Toney and Mbeumo and he’s clearly stepped up massively in the former’s absence.

 

[Pavilionaire]

It had somehow passed me by that Wissa had notched 18 PL goals this season, that’s mad. All those seasons playing understudy to Toney and Mbeumo and he’s clearly stepped up massively in the former’s absence.

Thomas Frank has done an amazing job, and is one of a very small pool of managers I can think of that would be a good fit for the Albion.

 

[Beanstalk]

It had somehow passed me by that Wissa had notched 18 PL goals this season, that’s mad. All those seasons playing understudy to Toney and Mbeumo and he’s clearly stepped up massively in the former’s absence.

Don’t forget Mbuemo also has 18 (and 7 assists) and Schade has 11. It’s a remarkable for Brentford.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Thomas Frank has done an amazing job, and is one of a very small pool of managers I can think of that would be a good fit for the Albion.

Frank and Iraola would both be excelent fits for the Albion

 

[El Turi]

Was a reason given on why he didn’t attend the awards evening? He seemed to be the only player not there.

 

[Weststander]

Was a reason given on why he didn’t attend the awards evening? He seemed to be the only player not there.

In Vegas or Dubai ..... for rehab?

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I agree about JP. A fine player (but still young and developing) .
But nonetheless our goal scoring is pretty healthy even compared to Brentford (just 4 goals more) and comes from all over the pitch. We have more PL goal scorers (i think) that any other team. (16 different goalscorers) However its our defending and goals conceded thats the concern this season. Only Wolves, West Ham, Spurs and the bottom three have conceded more.

17 goal scorers now.

Lamptey
Van Hecke
Estupinan
Kadioglu
Ayari
Baleba
Hinsh
Weiffer
Gruda
O'Riley
Mitoma
Pedro
Welbeck
Adingra
Minteh
Rutter
Ferguson

 

[All Four Grounds]

João Pedro is definitely good enough for Liverpool let alone Arsenal and Chelsea. The only thing that could stop him going are profit and sustainability rules but I’m already getting visions of him linking up with Mac Allister to tear our defence apart next season. If he has to go I’d much rather he went abroad but that doesn’t seem very likely. He’s only going to get better and if he’s got a few bad habits I’d rather he was our shit houser than one of our rivals!

 

[warmleyseagull]

Love the coincidental contiguity of threads sometimes:

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

I had a quick look, but stats don't seem to suggest a particular pattern of JP & DW scoring/assisting less when partnering each other than when each plays with GR. My perception was that they were very good as a pair at the start of the season with JP playing behind. Welbeck was excellent at being the pivot that allowed the fliers like JP, Minteh and Mitoma to bomb on past defences.

The issue, came as it always seems to come when we faced the low block. With players lined up in front of them, the football becomes less free flowing and space is at a premium. JP has a tendency to drop deep and try to do too much, rather than battling centre halves. My view is that it's those games that need the 'big strong lad' option that Evan Ferguson may have provided. His lack of form/fitness has prevented us from taking the approach that City have utilised with Haaland in those games over the last few seasons: If the opponent wants to withdraw into the six yard box, use the battering ram.

We have usually been at our best when the 90 minutes of a match is shared between Welbeck, Rutter and Pedro, with two on the pitch and the other ready to come on. It means FH can instruct the starters to press relentlessly in the knowledge they can be replaced. Regardless of who of the three is on the bench, their dynamism, physicality and intelligence tends to shift the game in whichever direction we need it.