[Albion] Brighton Depth Chart 25-26

[sussex_guy2k2]

You lost me at Adingra being a super sub.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

The squad now looks so big that properly thinking through the depth in every position is near enough a full time job.

We can certainly anticipate a second transfer window of several outgoings, many expected, some much less expected.

We also may still sign players, both the ones reported on already and others that may come out of the blue.

Finally, last year we had a "bolter" from nowhere, Ayari. The summer before Hinsh made the step up in a way that nobody predicted.

If we're going to get it down to that 24 mentioned by the OP, that really is some drastic surgery to the squad and would probably constitute our record number of senior outgoing in a given transfer window

Who will this year's Ayari be? I'm thinking Cozier-Duberry, if only because of the similarity with Ayari's experiences on loan at Blackburn. Minteh and Solly are ahead of him in theory but Wieffer and Milner were ahead of Ayari. Maybe he too just needs a chance and will run with it if it comes along.

For me, the outgoings have to be Adingra, Enciso, Sarmiento, Cashin (sorry kid), Igor, Joao Pedro and Pervis. All good-to-great players who should attract big fees but all flawed in one way or another. And these days, incredible as it still feels to say it, we are looking for top-ten-quality players.

 

[GT49er]

Who will this year's Ayari be? I'm thinking Cozier-Duberry, if only because of the similarity with Ayari's experiences on loan at Blackburn. Minteh and Solly are ahead of him in theory but Wieffer and Milner were ahead of Ayari. Maybe he too just needs a chance and will run with it if it comes along.

Khadra and Moran also had fairly crap loans at Blackburn; it didn't turn them into Brighton first team players! (Van Hecke also went to Blackburn, but he had a good loan there!)

For me, the outgoings have to be Adingra, Enciso, Sarmiento, Cashin (sorry kid), Igor, Joao Pedro and Pervis. All good-to-great players who should attract big fees but all flawed in one way or another. And these days, incredible as it still feels to say it, we are looking for top-ten-quality players.

Plus quite a few loanees returning (or rather, not returning) - and it wouldn't surprise me if one or two of last summer's bulk buying went too, O'Riley likely the first one on the list.

 

[Giraffe]

Still feels a little light at full back?

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I think this summer will feel different in the sense that more experienced players will leave and more players will leave for reasonable money.

I'm sure we will have our normal flood of young talent going on loan to Europe or down the leagues. I just think we'll have more "seen a lot of them, they are very decent, but not quite's" leaving.

 

[North Carolina Supporter]

Okay, but where does Rutter play?

He prefers to be called Georgino- and plays several positions- most effectively as a second striker or behind Welbeck as our 10… with Mitoma and Minteh on the wings.

 

[Mental Lental]

We would be mad to consider selling Webby imo

Aren't we getting a bit light on HG players?

 

[Richy_Seagull]

Hinsh is just not a right back, was painful seeing him forced to play out there this season when (perhaps inevitably) lamps and veltman were out. Getting a new right back is the main thing for me.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Hinsh is just not a right back, was painful seeing him forced to play out there this season when (perhaps inevitably) lamps and veltman were out. Getting a new right back is the main thing for me.

Agree about Hinsh. His versatility is great, but I think it's time for him to forge his career in his best position, in the centre of the park

 

[Machiavelli]

Aren't we getting a bit light on HG players?

Don't think it's quite the issue for us as it was. You can name a squad of 25 but only 17 non-HGPs. All of these are beyond an age limit of 21ish and, as we have such a young squad, we'll not be struggling to name enough players to hurdle this requirement.
I might have the precise details wrong and, if so, other posters can correct this.

 

[North Carolina Supporter]

Agree about Hinsh. His versatility is great, but I think it's time for him to forge his career in his best position, in the centre of the park

Agree on Hinshelwood being out of position at RB. But wonder if FH concurs. When we are not decimated by injuries, he seems to favor Ayari/Gomez paired with Baleba/Weiffer. If Veltman is healthy, moving Hinsh to midfield is ideal. Abundance

 

[chaileyjem]

Still feels a little light at full back?

I doubt we'll end up with this once the window has closed but currently...
Imagine Offiah will be sold, Tasker might well be loaned out. Estupinan must be a maybe as a departure.

Lamptey, Veltman, Hinshelwood, Estupinan, Tasker, Milner, Offiah, and Kadioglu are either full backs, or can play full back. .

And Wieffer (EDIT)

 

[pigmanovich]

I doubt we'll end up with this once the window has closed but currently...
Imagine Offiah will be sold, Tasker might well be loaned out. Estupinan must be a maybe as a departure.

Lamptey, Veltman, Hinshelwood, Estupinan, Tasker, Milner, Offiah, and Kadioglu are either full backs, or can play full back. .

You've left Wieffer out, whether or not we want him played at RB

 

[chaileyjem]

You've left Wieffer out, whether or not we want him played at RB

ha ! turns out we have a lot of full backs !

 

[pigmanovich]

ha ! turns out we have a lot of full backs !

Oh, and Boscagli too

 

[chaileyjem]

Oh, and Boscagli too

FULL at FULL BACK

 

[Beanstalk]

Agree that Yalcouye plays various positions... slotted him at LW based upon the somewhat sketchy TransferMrkt data.
View attachment 204576

He is not a winger at all though. More of a defensive wide midfielder. Unless we dramatically change how we play, he won't be getting minutes instead of a Mitoma or Minteh type.

His defensive stats are fabulous, and I think he's probably going to end up being the right-side of the pivot in central midfield for us if we play the 4-2-3-1 we did last season. Conversely, there is some chat about Hurzeler maybe going back to the 3-4-3 he favoured at St. Pauli with all the additional centre-backs coming through the door. If we did that, he'd be a very good choice as a wide defensive midfielder on the right (or left).

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

He is not a winger at all though. More of a defensive wide midfielder. Unless we dramatically change how we play, he won't be getting minutes instead of a Mitoma or Minteh type.

His defensive stats are fabulous, and I think he's probably going to end up being the right-side of the pivot in central midfield for us if we play the 4-2-3-1 we did last season. Conversely, there is some chat about Hurzeler maybe going back to the 3-4-3 he favoured at St. Pauli with all the additional centre-backs coming through the door. If we did that, he'd be a very good choice as a wide defensive midfielder on the right (or left).

I agree with this and I agree with your instinct to urge caution at the positional data of players when they play for clubs with a completely different set up.

My take is that if Yalcoulye comes in, which i'm 50/50 on, he's competing with Baleba (and Weiffer) for a central midfield slot which they currently occupy.

 

[Mmkay]

Clearly, we have an abundance of talent going into next season. Unlike other clubs with great depth, however, Brighton has several positions without an undisputed starter. The exceptions, IMO, being:
LW Mitoma
RW Minteh
AM/ST Georginio
DM Baleba
CB van Hecke
GK Verbruggen

Below, I have listed 38 players. FH would like to have ~24. It will be interesting to see which players are among the 14 that are not in the squad. I have no idea how Boscagli and Coppola will compare with Dunk, Webster, van Hecke and Igor. Here is one attempt at paring 14 players from the list:

I. Sell?
1. Joao Pedro- most likely off
2. Enciso - probably leaving
3. Barco - contractually gone
4. O'Riley- odd man out with so much talent in midfield
5. Adingra- not happy with super sub status?
6. Webster- appreciate his selfless play when healthy- but others will surpass
7. Estupinian- not my choice (!) but Tony gets an offer he cannot refuse...

II. Loan?
1. Watson- promising, overcoming injuries (as per usual)
2. Osman- needs to stand-out on next loan
3. Ferguson- an enigma
4. Cashin- insurance policy that is no longer necessary
5. Rushworth- would like to see him challenge Steele for #2
6. Howell (U-21, or Championship?)
7. Igor- new signings do not bode well


View attachment 204574

It's worth remembering that there's AFCON next season from mid December to mid January, so we may be able to have a larger squad without anyone getting too upset at the lack of game time next year

Of those you've listed Baleba, Lamptey, Minteh, Adingra (if he isn't sold/loaned), Yalcouye and Osman could all miss a month+ of the busiest part of the season, even ignoring the fact that a lot of players seem to struggle for form for a bit when returning from AFCON

 

[WhingForPresident]

Most likely scenario I think, pretty heavy on the outs but the squad is so bloated at the moment, we probably only need three or four to replace them.

Bart
Steele
Rushworth/Beadle

New RB
Veltman
Lamptey

Van Hecke
Dunk

Boscagli
Webster
Coppola

Kadioglu
New LB

Baleba
Wieffer
Milner

Ayari
Hinshelwood

New CM
Gomez
Yalcouye

Minteh
New RW
March

Georginio
Gruda
Buonanotte

Mitoma
Watson

Tzimas
Welbeck
Kostoulas

Out:
Joao Pedro
Adingra
Pervis
Igor
Enciso
Sarmiento
O'Riley
Scherpen
Ferguson

= £200m+ in the kitty, meaning we have cash for the required signings and PSR wiggle-room without selling one of the crown jewels (Van Hecke, Baleba, Mitoma, Georginio)


Loan:
Cashin
Osman
Tasker
Howell