[Albion] Bissouma (Gone to Spurs 17/06/2022)

[GT49er]

Barcelona have made a £34.4m offer for Robert Lewandowski.

Let's nip in with the Bis money (+ maybe a little more) and bring him to the Albion instead! Wages may be a problem of course.

Yes indeed - you do realise that that £34.4M is per week, don't you!

 

[levs]

I still think we need some cover in central midfield since bissouma’s departure. I rate caicedo very highly but he’s still inexperienced, mwepu has had his injury problems and Moder is out for a while. I don’t really see Mac Allister, Lallana, Alzate or Gross playing the same role regularly or as effectively.

I can see us going back in for Sander Berge, who we we were heavily linked with before. We’ve got form for going back in for players. And after a year in the Champ his value has probably dropped a bit. Leeds are linked as a Phillips replacement and if that’s true I’d like us to get one over on them

 

[Stat Brother]

I still think we need some cover in central midfield since bissouma’s departure. I rate caicedo very highly but he’s still inexperienced, mwepu has had his injury problems and Moder is out for a while. I don’t really see Mac Allister, Lallana, Alzate or Gross playing the same role regularly or as effectively.

I can see us going back in for Sander Berge, who we we were heavily linked with before. We’ve got form for going back in for players. And after a year in the Champ his value has probably dropped a bit. Leeds are linked as a Phillips replacement and if that’s true I’d like us to get one over on them

Tough on Alexis.

 

[levs]

Tough on Alexis.

I like him a lot but he’s more of a number 10, he’s very neat on the ball but I don’t think he’ll ever be as good as Biss at breaking up play, just his physical attributes alone make that a challenge

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I like him a lot but he’s more of a number 10, he’s very neat on the ball but I don’t think he’ll ever be as good as Biss at breaking up play, just his physical attributes alone make that a challenge

Though he seemed to handle the Declan Rice challenge well against West Ham.

Put a different way, if he did play deeper, I think it may harm us further up the pitch.

 

[Stat Brother]

Though he seemed to handle the Declan Rice challenge well against West Ham.

Put a different way, if he did play deeper, I think it may harm us further up the pitch.

Yes there's that but further up the pitch is becoming increasingly well stocked with flair.


If the club don't sign an out and out Biss replacement I can see the position being a little more fluid.

I don't think one player will be given sole responsibility.
'Bissouma I' will be filled by whoever is nearest for whatever sequence of play, and if they have an opportunity to press 'Bissouma II' will be expect to fill in.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Yes there's that but further up the pitch is becoming increasingly well stocked with flair.


If the club don't sign an out and out Biss replacement I can see the position being a little more fluid.

I don't think one player will be given sole responsibility.
'Bissouma I' will be filled by whoever is nearest for whatever sequence of play, and if they have an opportunity to press 'Bissouma II' will be expect to fill in.

Yes, but whilst I agree with the increased flair options, in terms of consistency of application I don’t feel we are particularly set up, MacAllister and Caciedo (so far) perhaps, but the others are a little in and out performance wise.

 

[Stat Brother]

Yes, but whilst I agree with the increased flair options, in terms of consistency of application I don’t feel we are particularly set up, MacAllister and Caciedo (so far) perhaps, but the others are a little in and out performance wise.

There's absolutely no doubt on top form (jeez even on an off day) Biss leaves a massive hole to fill.

Any player doing so will need to up their game, or share the workload.
But I think there's enough quality in the squad to give it a go.

That said a lot of the issues around the position almost disappear if goals were to be scored at one end, and 3 actual centre backs played at the other.

 

[levs]

There's absolutely no doubt on top form (jeez even on an off day) Biss leaves a massive hole to fill.

Any player doing so will need to up their game, or share the workload.
But I think there's enough quality in the squad to give it a go.

That said a lot of the issues around the position almost disappear if goals were to be scored at one end, and 3 actual centre backs played at the other.

I think with that hole, we could do with some cover with similar physicality. In the not unlikely event that Mwepu is injured and Caicedo is rested we’d be vulnerable to being overrun in the central battles. I think Berge could do that job and will be a similar price to what we received for Biss

 

[Badger Boy]

I like him a lot but he’s more of a number 10, he’s very neat on the ball but I don’t think he’ll ever be as good as Biss at breaking up play, just his physical attributes alone make that a challenge

I think you're wrong. He wore the number 5 for the last couple of Argentina games (although I'm not sure he actually got on the pitch), he is very much a central midfielder and I think his longer term future is in the engine room for us. I think we're going to be surprised by the more responsible role he's going to play, he's very good in the tackle and gets around the pitch well. I think he's going to have a real breakthrough season for us and Argentina this season, I rate him highly.

 

[Brian Fantana]

I think you're wrong. He wore the number 5 for the last couple of Argentina games (although I'm not sure he actually got on the pitch), he is very much a central midfielder and I think his longer term future is in the engine room for us. I think we're going to be surprised by the more responsible role he's going to play, he's very good in the tackle and gets around the pitch well. I think he's going to have a real breakthrough season for us and Argentina this season, I rate him highly.

Agreed. In my view, he's the top priority within the squad to tie down to a longer-term contract. He's got 12 months left, but there seems to have been some chat that we have an option for a further year, which would be great, but I can't see that confirmed anywhere.

 

[levs]

I think you're wrong. He wore the number 5 for the last couple of Argentina games (although I'm not sure he actually got on the pitch), he is very much a central midfielder and I think his longer term future is in the engine room for us. I think we're going to be surprised by the more responsible role he's going to play, he's very good in the tackle and gets around the pitch well. I think he's going to have a real breakthrough season for us and Argentina this season, I rate him highly.

It's not that I don't rate him highly, I think he's quality, and is hugely important to the team. I can imagine him playing a slightly deeper role like a number 8, but he has played that majority of his career in the number 10 role. I don't think the squad number Argentina gave him has any real significance given they have about 6 players that can play 10.

I can see him being a very good number 8, but I find it hard to imagine his primary role being as a defensive midfielder as Biss was. Not only do I not see him being as effective as Biss at it, because he doesn't offer the same physical presence, but I don't believe that plays to his strengths either, which is playing on the half turn between the lines.

 

[Badger Boy]

It's not that I don't rate him highly, I think he's quality, and is hugely important to the team. I can imagine him playing a slightly deeper role like a number 8, but he has played that majority of his career in the number 10 role. I don't think the squad number Argentina gave him has any real significance given they have about 6 players that can play 10.

I can see him being a very good number 8, but I find it hard to imagine his primary role being as a defensive midfielder as Biss was. Not only do I not see him being as effective as Biss at it, because he doesn't offer the same physical presence, but I don't believe that plays to his strengths either, which is playing on the half turn between the lines.

I don't disagree with you, I think he looks most dangerous in forward areas of the pitch but I wouldn't say Bissouma was a particularly disciplined holding midfielder. I think Alexis Mac and Bissouma would play the central midfield role in a similar way with a lot of energy and covering a lot of ground. Bissouma's reading of the game was arguably his biggest strength, he was so often in the right place to make the tackle and win back the ball. He also contributed to attacks and got into some good areas, which Mac also does. I think the Bissouma-role can be played by Mac already and I think he'll really grow into it, but there's no direct replacement for Bissouma.

 

[levs]

I don't disagree with you, I think he looks most dangerous in forward areas of the pitch but I wouldn't say Bissouma was a particularly disciplined holding midfielder. I think Alexis Mac and Bissouma would play the central midfield role in a similar way with a lot of energy and covering a lot of ground. Bissouma's reading of the game was arguably his biggest strength, he was so often in the right place to make the tackle and win back the ball. He also contributed to attacks and got into some good areas, which Mac also does. I think the Bissouma-role can be played by Mac already and I think he'll really grow into it, but there's no direct replacement for Bissouma.

I think we're not far away from each other in our views, I certainly agree that Bissouma wasn't an out and out defensive midfielder. But there were a lot of times when he would use his strength to out muscle people and win the ball and I worry that at 5ft 8 Alexis just isn't able to do that as well. I don't think it would do us any harm to bring in someone who can offer that to be used tactically in certain situations or against particular opposition. We know that Potter likes to play different systems, I don't think it's a coincidence we are being linked with players like Camara or the chap from Reims, I just wanted to throw Burge into that conversation, the main point of my post wasn't to criticise Mac Allister.

 

[Badger Boy]

I think we're not far away from each other in our views, I certainly agree that Bissouma wasn't an out and out defensive midfielder. But there were a lot of times when he would use his strength to out muscle people and win the ball and I worry that at 5ft 8 Alexis just isn't able to do that as well. I don't think it would do us any harm to bring in someone who can offer that to be used tactically in certain situations or against particular opposition. We know that Potter likes to play different systems, I don't think it's a coincidence we are being linked with players like Camara or the chap from Reims, I just wanted to throw Burge into that conversation, the main point of my post wasn't to criticise Mac Allister.

I think you're right, I can see another player coming in as an option but also for the future progression of the position. I think Jakub Moder will be a big player when he returns but realistically he won't be fully back to fitness and be a key player until the start of next season. Berge would be the type of signing we tend to make, miss out on a player in one window but then pick them up (probably for less than the original fee would have been!) a little while later on. If the fee is right then I think it would be a good signing.

 

[Machiavelli]

I think you're wrong. He wore the number 5 for the last couple of Argentina games (although I'm not sure he actually got on the pitch), he is very much a central midfielder and I think his longer term future is in the engine room for us. I think we're going to be surprised by the more responsible role he's going to play, he's very good in the tackle and gets around the pitch well. I think he's going to have a real breakthrough season for us and Argentina this season, I rate him highly.

While I agree with most of this, I'd offer that 21/22 was his breakthrough season, but I'm really looking forward to what he does in 22/23 (and that we retain him beyond that).

 

[GT49er]

Talk of Mac replacing Biss, but the major replacement is likely to be Caicedo rather than Mac - although nobody is an out-and-out, like-for-like Biss replacement; I expect midfield to be more flexible next season, with defensive duties more shared, as with CBs, on a one-goes, one-stays sort of basis.

I for one wouldn't be disappointed if we don't bring in anyone to replace him, bearing in mind the midfield options we already have - but no way am I going to try to second guess what the club actually will do! None of us have a chance of doing that!

 

[Farehamseagull]

I think you're wrong. He wore the number 5 for the last couple of Argentina games (although I'm not sure he actually got on the pitch), he is very much a central midfielder and I think his longer term future is in the engine room for us. I think we're going to be surprised by the more responsible role he's going to play, he's very good in the tackle and gets around the pitch well. I think he's going to have a real breakthrough season for us and Argentina this season, I rate him highly.

Great post, agree with every word. I think he's a natural in that position. I watched him closely in that role against Southampton and he was outstanding. His awareness of space and others around him was absolutely superb. He's got a great pass and has that Argentinian toughness so is incredibly strong in the challenge too.

I'd be delighted to see him start there with the more dynamic and pacey Caicedo and Mwepu either side of him in the middle.

I said in another thread previously I expected Man City to try and sign him next summer as he would fit perfectly into their side in the 6 or 8 role but maybe not now they''ve gone for Phillips.

 

[A1X]

[tweet]1542181332960399363[/tweet]

 

[Hugo Rune]

[tweet]1542181332960399363[/tweet]

Hopefully we’ll be due a bonus payment on that!