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[Albion] Midfield today



Weststander

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Aug 25, 2011
64,315
Withdean area
I’m not a Stephens fan, but we missed him today. Propper cannot play that role, his game is to intricate. The idea that Burn and Schelotto would provide attacking width today was easily unpicked by a high press. A great point away from home, I don’t think we deserved anything more from the game

It’s also a waste of Propper’s creative ability when he’s having to work in front of the CB’s doing Stephens job.
 




Don Tmatter

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
4,993
dont matter
It’s also a waste of Propper’s creative ability when he’s having to work in front of the CB’s doing Stephens job.

And precisely the reason, we still after 3 seasons desperately need another DM in the squad of equal or better quality to DS.
 


crookie

Well-known member
Jun 14, 2013
3,313
Back in Sussex
I feel Alzate has the energy to play that role better than Propper who is more effective further forward. Bit bizarre that he was left out for tactical reasons. Still, a great result so what do I know !!??

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Jimmy Grimble

Well-known member
I though Bissouma was the pick to be fair. He used two of the traits he has above the rest of them well - drive and pace. When he’s on, he’s a Premier League midfielder easily.
 


Weststander

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And precisely the reason, we still after 3 seasons desperately need another DM in the squad of equal or better quality to DS.

6 PL transfer windows and £200m, doesn’t seem enough to nail every position needing strengthening. Perhaps there’s awful value out there where you have a sensible wage cap? Never having a RB with pace who can actually defend for 90 minutes game after game, is an obvious example.
 




Paulie Gualtieri

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May 8, 2018
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6 PL transfer windows and £200m, doesn’t seem enough to nail every position needing strengthening. Perhaps there’s awful value out there where you have a sensible wage cap? Never having a RB with pace who can actually defend for 90 minutes game after game, is an obvious example.

Just haven’t used him yet.




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Kalimantan Gull

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Aug 13, 2003
12,949
Central Borneo / the Lizard
Propper can definitely play that role when the team sits off, he was excellent at Palace in the Stephens role. But today he was poor, unfortunately, because there was definitely something more there for us today if Propper, Burns and Mooy had been more on it.

Tough game though, they competed well. I liked bissoumas energy, I think he galvanised us first half
 


Ozymandias86

Active member
Jun 24, 2011
121
Kanazawa
No doubt we missed Stephens, this game was tailor made for him

100% - not that it’ll mean much to the forwards pass brigade on here, but Stephens has been significantly missed during this period out in general - forces Davy to drop deeper, stifles his forward thinking pros and exacerbates his riskier holding midfielder characteristics (which Dale is the ideal foil covering for) - which in turn stifles Mooy etc etc. Like it or not, DS in the team facilitates the forward thinking of a number of other players
 




Ozymandias86

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Jun 24, 2011
121
Kanazawa
Last edited:


Perkino

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Dec 11, 2009
5,989
The set up was about protecting the defence, this isn't usually a tactic that Potter uses. We tried to ensure that they couldn't pass through the middle and had to try and go wide and swing crosses in, we were effective in this and towards the end brought on more pace to try and snatch a win.

Without Stephens, Alzate, Gross and not playing Trossard, Jahanbakash or MacAllister ment we were unlikely to be all out attack. But a point away from home against a very tricky and consistent side is no embarrassment
 


BadFish

Huge Member
Oct 19, 2003
17,147
Only watched the second half but thought Propper and Bisouma played pretty well. Not an attacking it possession master class by any means but they did what was asked.


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One Teddy Maybank

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Aug 4, 2006
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Worthing
Just got back.

Mooy is terrible at the moment. Propper was okay in places, but it's the wingback's, Schelotto was actually okay in the main, but Burn was absolutely shocking and even when the midfield got the ball there was rarely an outlet.

Very poor game with little quality shown from either side.

Stephens badly missed.
 


Just got back.

Mooy is terrible at the moment. ....

He seems to have gone off the boil since we signed him. Dont get why Alzate didn't even make the squad but Donelly did. I Alzata is a DM and Connelly an AM but lets face it we went there not to lose.
 


BRIGHT ON Q

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Jul 5, 2003
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But Stephens played at home to these and we never had a sniff.
 






Weststander

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Just got back.

Mooy is terrible at the moment. Propper was okay in places, but it's the wingback's, Schelotto was actually okay in the main, but Burn was absolutely shocking and even when the midfield got the ball there was rarely an outlet.

Very poor game with little quality shown from either side.

Stephens badly missed.

I see no harm in playing specialist Bernardo every match, a quality defender and excellent footballer.

Not sure what we gain when Propper drops him?
 


portlock seagull

Why? Why us?
Jul 28, 2003
17,201
As I wrote in the match thread: was obvious from minute one that we did not want this game to be about the midfield. Hoof it long and force Sheffield to do the same was the tactic and it worked quite well. I think we should be pretty happy that Mooy-Pröpper-Bissouma vs Fleck-Berger-Norwood wasnt the key aspect of this game.

What’s, wrong with OUR midfield taking control for a change? Some of the replies on this thread seem to think our lot should have sat down and smoked once it became clear what SU wanted to do. It is ok for our lot to command, dictate play. You know, do their job. That sort of thing. Works for other teams, why not us?
 


Swansman

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May 13, 2019
22,320
Sweden
What’s, wrong with OUR midfield taking control for a change? Some of the replies on this thread seem to think our lot should have sat down and smoked once it became clear what SU wanted to do. It is ok for our lot to command, dictate play. You know, do their job. That sort of thing. Works for other teams, why not us?

For a change? Have you seen our possession stats in most games? This game was an exception. Potter & the staff decided "ok, trying to win this through our midfielders is going to be really tough and instead of losing the ball in dangerous positions where they can counter against our slow defenders, we will lose the ball in less dangerous positions and try to force them to hit it long". Contrary to a lot of teams, including our own, trying to win the game by outplaying them, we went for another strategy. And contrary to a lot of other teams, we got a point.
 




dazzer6666

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Mar 27, 2013
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Burgess Hill
For a change? Have you seen our possession stats in most games? This game was an exception. Potter & the staff decided "ok, trying to win this through our midfielders is going to be really tough and instead of losing the ball in dangerous positions where they can counter against our slow defenders, we will lose the ball in less dangerous positions and try to force them to hit it long". Contrary to a lot of teams, including our own, trying to win the game by outplaying them, we went for another strategy. And contrary to a lot of other teams, we got a point.

Yep, big kudos to GP for me, selection and tactics worked (after the tweak on 25 mins or so).
 


fisons

Well-known member
Feb 21, 2005
657
Literally stunned by some of the posts on here tonight. How today's performance and the results elsewhere in the country can be used as evidence that we will be relegated is staggering.

Mr Potter's picked a team to go to a Top 6 club, who have completely outplayed us earlier in the season, and get a point, or nick a win. And, with a magnificent all round effort, our boys have delivered the point, which would have been the nicked win if Dunky had hit the target from his chance in the second half. The criticism of Mooy is just bizarre. I'd love to know how many yards he covered this afternoon. He was absolutely everywhere and epitomised the effort that went into this great point.

I had a great day out in Sheffield and am very grateful to Potter and the Lads for all they did to make that possible.
 


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