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[Albion] Stronger or Weaker



Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,780
The Fatherland
Difficult to say at the moment. If Welbeck plays more games and this Undav chap can score goals this might more than offset the loss of Biss and Cucurella. As someone else said, we lost Ben White but got better.
 




Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
18,847
Born In Shoreham
Difficult to say at the moment. If Welbeck plays more games and this Undav chap can score goals this might more than offset the loss of Biss and Cucurella. As someone else said, we lost Ben White but got better.

Because we signed Cucurella that’s why we progressed. Mwepu was a sick note last season and still a bit of an enigma.
 




Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,780
The Fatherland
Because we signed Cucurella that’s why we progressed. Mwepu was a sick note last season and still a bit of an enigma.

I don’t believe the difference between finishing 16th and 9th was purely down to Cucurella.
 


Swansman

Pro-peace
May 13, 2019
22,320
Sweden
I don’t believe the difference between finishing 16th and 9th was purely down to Cucurella.

Indeed. Definitely wasn't.

The PL stood still compared to previously IMHO, but the Brighton squad kept developing. This year we have several "weak" (a.k.a. pretty ****ing good but by usual PL standards ordinary) teams - we have Everton and Fulham that haven't been able to recruit due to FFP, Brentford facing a difficult second year, Wolves and even Leicester in a downwards spiral, CP with no replacement for Gallagher, Nottingham with a question mark squad, a Leeds side that won't be able to cope with injuries, and a Bournemouth not looking all that. And god knows where Aston Villa will end up. Reaching 9th again will be difficult unless the club can find a really, really good replacement for Cucurella, but 10-11 seems very likely. Don't see us go back to 15th-16th.

Main difference last year was probably the somewhat unlikely development of older players like Veltman, Gross and Welbeck, coupled with Caicedo and Mac Allister bringing new midfield dynamics. Cucurella obviously played a part but its not like he was scoring and assisting for fun and the way we played for the last few months, Adam Webster is his real replacement I have a lot of faith in him if he can keep... alive.
 




Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
18,847
Born In Shoreham
I don’t believe the difference between finishing 16th and 9th was purely down to Cucurella.
No but it helped, we were on the normal Potter trajectory start ok mid season drop off followed by some form at the back end of the season. After the dismal run GP dropped Maupay and we looked like a team again.

Covering Bissouma and Cucurella by using current squad players is ok in an injury crisis but for the long term it just seems like bad planning. What do you then do in an injury situation in those positions, the squad would start looking rather thin.
 
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sydney

tinky ****in winky
Jul 11, 2003
17,756
town full of eejits
financially in a good place , Mr Bloom will be happy but aware that we may be 2 or 3 players shy , we will see how we go against Utd tonight , it's all about confidence.

i would say we are marginally weaker on the pitch.
 








bobbysmith01

Well-known member
Feb 6, 2015
786
Stronger Squad, but might need a few weeks to deal with losing Biss and Cucurella, pretty happy with window as made club stronger and has followed the clubs methodology.


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Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,780
The Fatherland
Main difference last year was probably the somewhat unlikely development of older players like Veltman, Gross and Welbeck, coupled with Caicedo and Mac Allister bringing new midfield dynamics. Cucurella obviously played a part but its not like he was scoring and assisting for fun and the way we played for the last few months, Adam Webster is his real replacement I have a lot of faith in him if he can keep... alive.

This is agree with. I’d put a bit more emphasis on the midfield as well; it was no coincidence that when Mwepu and Caicedo started playing our fortunes improved.
 
















Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,244
Surrey
We are weaker, surely. But it's part of the business model so I'm comfortable with that. Selling world class players we've discovered is like taking a step back in order to take the two steps forward that invariably come from excellent recruitment.
Anyone moaning should remember how far we've come in the ten Amex years by following this strategy. I honestly don't think we've reached our ceiling yet either.
 


Moshe Gariani

Well-known member
Mar 10, 2005
12,101
Obviously much weaker.

Evidence today. We beat Man Utd 4-0 last season.
 






GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,852
Gloucester
Manure just weren't quite as bad after spending squillions on new players
But ........ but, but, but - they've lost Cavani, Matic, Mata, Lingard and Pogba, poor lambs. They did so well just to put out a team. To be fair, that Tierney bloke looked a pretty good bit of recruitment though.
 


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