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[Albion] The day Hughton won back the fans...but lost the backing of Bloom



Ninja Elephant

Doctor Elephant
Feb 16, 2009
18,855
Wasn't Firmino one of Klopp's earliest signings? Last time I saw it, he puts in the most intensive sprints of anybody in the PL. All of this does raise the issue of the much vaunted pressing of pre-season that we saw home against United, but I really don't remember witnessing again thereafter. It also raises the point that it's not just technically and tactically but, perhaps even more so, physically that we have bottom six PL players in our squad. Go through the spine of our team and ask the question, where's the pace. But there's also the question of physicality, too many of our players don't seem to have the suppleness or strength to outperform their physical characteristics.

No, Firmino was a Brendan Rogers signing. I agree with your post though - it's quite obvious where the weaknesses in our team are, but the question is whether we sign the players to play a style, or appoint a manager and play to theirs whether the fans like it or not. Makes the early part of this window quite tough, not knowing who to target or how far to take negotiations, pending the appointment of a manager. Unless we go for a Head Coach and tell them to make the best out of what they find.
 


METALMICKY

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2004
5,935
A fitter and younger squad will give us more options. Too many of our players lack pace :Murray, Bruno, Stephens, Gross, Knocky lack the pace to match the players they are matched up against, so we start every match at a disadvantage.

Players take an age coming back from injury, with most injuries requiring an operation of some sort. Perhaps our recruitment limitations mean we have to buy “sub standard” players and hope nothing goes wrong.

I realise this only has a tenuous link to this brilliant analysis but I had to get it off my chest.

Oh and the free kicks. For me the shambles of the last few would have tipped the balance.

Knockhaert is hardly a slouch. The issue is that he has been found out by the step up in class of the defenders. They are quick physically and mentally and just don't get sold by his fancy Dan stuff that bamboozled so many championship players.
 




timbha

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
9,834
Sussex
I’d love to see some stats but if I had to rank the whole squad for explosive pace I’d probably go:

The others I agree with.

My point is that Knocky doesn’t have (or doesn’t use) pace to get past his full back on the outside. He’s quick in sudden bursts and his low centre of gravity helps him wriggle through small gaps but in a sprint from the half way line he rarely gets away from anyone (except perhaps an overweight Luke Shaw)
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
49,989
Goldstone
Reading that makes me realise that despite 40 years of watching matches I only really have a tenuous understanding of what is happening before my eyes. I can however just about spot an offside...
Sometimes I'll re-watch a full game that I've recorded, and try to analyse what I think each team has attempted (I'm not confident how much I fully understand), but when the game is live, you can forget it. I'm far too emotionally invested in the result.

That first half against Newcastle didn't look pretty though, I just couldn't understand why Gross was on the right, when March looked so good after coming on.
 




Nobby

Well-known member
Sep 29, 2007
2,580
Ha! I wish, would be an absolute dream job. Definitely happy to do more of these if people are interested, and indeed, hopefully next year I'm able to write up a piece on how we stunned Man City at the Etihad, or dominated Palace in our 0-4 win at Selhurst :wink::albion2:

Is the Swansea offer better than you expected - or are you joining us?
 


Igzilla

Well-known member
Sep 27, 2012
1,641
Worthing
Ha! I wish, would be an absolute dream job. Definitely happy to do more of these if people are interested, and indeed, hopefully next year I'm able to write up a piece on how we stunned Man City at the Etihad, or dominated Palace in our 0-4 win at Selhurst :wink::albion2:

Yes please definitely!
 


The Tactician

Well-known member
Feb 18, 2013
1,052
Is the Swansea offer better than you expected - or are you joining us?

Still undecided...I’ve been offered the Freedom of Swansea as part of my contract if I stay - I’m holding out for them to remove that clause.
 





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