[Albion] De Zerbi quote

[trueblue]

Have only seen this from RDZ in one place, The Times, but it strikes a slightly concerning note. Nothing that isn’t obvious in some ways as we’d all love to see us build on what we’ve got, but a tiny hint of Gus and his glass ceiling too… I don’t think it was meant in such a self-serving way in this instance but have to hope that meeting goes well in June:

“Next year, when we finish this season, we have to speak with the club and I want to know their plan to understand if we can improve the squad or not because [we] arrived without a lot of important players,” he said. “We have to be stronger to fight to compete another year at this standard, this level of football, these performances and results.””

 

[Zeus]

He’s absolutely right. Our failure to bolster the squad with some experience in the last window after losing two huge players in Trossard and Mwepu has left us very light. The bench yesterday was incredibly weak for a team that wants to qualify for Europe or win a cup and RDZ isn’t here to make up numbers in the league.

When your only attacking option is to bring in Denis Undav you know you’re in trouble.

 

[Mancgull]

To be fair he’s right. If we want to move forward we will need to improve the squad.
We will probably lose MacAllister and we lost Trossard and so we need some replacements.
We will have some money to spend you’d think.
We do of course also have some players breaking through like Julio and who knows what Adingra and Buonanotte will bring.

 

[Seagull27]

Yep. Looking at the bench yesterday, there wasn't a single player who I thought could have come on to change the game if we needed more attacking options. When one of Ferguson or Welbeck is injured, Undav is not good enough for this level. It showed that we only made 2 subs.

I know we're a bit unlucky with a number of injuries currently - Sarmiento, Lamptey, Ferguson, Lallana would all have been great options. But if we want to be competing in Europe, we need more strength in depth.

 

[trueblue]

Totally agree he’s right. I just don’t know whether we will, or should, break too far from the model that’s got us to this point.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Oddly the narrative prior to the game was about United's injury crisis, but they still had a very strong bench to select from.

Our injury list may not have been as long but it was far more impactive on our depth.

I agree that we do need a deeper squad if we want to compete, and that is doubly important if we qualify for Europe.

 

[Farehamseagull]

Yep, as said above, we all know he’s right and Barber/Bloom/Weir will too. You only had to look at the two benches to see that.

They brought on 5 subs, all international players and 2 of which cost £125m combined. Half their outfield team had fresh legs in extra time and no drop in quality. We just brought on Veltman and Undav in the whole 120 minutes.

 

[Half Time Pies]

Absolutely bang on, the fact that we started with enciso meant that we had no potential game changing players on the bench. I thought Mitoma looked like he was having a bad game to me (maybe carrying a slight injury?) but there was nobody on the bench to replace him.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

He’s of course, correct

Trossard / Mwepu and likely a CM will need replacing in the summer.

We also need another striker who can play our game. Undav apart from a couple of nice link up plays hasn’t got the touch (or reaction to hide the touch) to play out system at this level sadly

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

To be fair he’s right. If we want to move forward we will need to improve the squad.
We will probably lose MacAllister and we lost Trossard and so we need some replacements.
We will have some money to spend you’d think.
We do of course also have some players breaking through like Julio and who knows what Adingra and Buonanotte will bring.

Of course he is right, and if we don’t at some point hold on to, or invest in more quality players, sooner or later I am worried we will become a busted flush, in that, it may become more difficult to entice the same calibre of manger as RDZ as a replacement when he leaves.

He did look very despondent actually yesterday on the bench, probably frustrated by his lack of options on the bench.
I would not be surprised his gone in the summer.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

sadly, i have a feeling RdZ won’t be with us that long.

Great manager…..

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

TB didn’t get where he is by sticking his head in the sand, him and RDZ will have regular, honest open dialogue. Rule one of BHA club - consume less BHA online or print content, the less you read about us (interviews, debates, NSC etc.) the less neurotic you’ll be, it ain’t worth it, especially after something like yesterday. Whatever will be will be, regardless of whether you waste time fretting on it or not.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Totally agree he’s right. I just don’t know whether we will, or should, break too far from the model that’s got us to this point.

This.

However, Moder & Alzate are good enough for the first team so that’s two more for next season. I expect another 1/2 dozen signings on top of that with perhaps one or two leaving. More fullbacks and wingers please and perhaps a striker.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Nailed it.

Still gutted, but also very aware we paid dearly for the size of the squad yesterday and the lack of activity at the last two windows, did we not make any more substitutions because they simply didn’t have anything to offer?

 

[stss30]

Our squad is the strongest it's been in the Prem but there are still glaring deficiencies. Undav's first touch for a professional footballer at this level is totally unacceptable and it's clear he's not going to make it. Couple that with Welbeck who has always been injury prone and Ferguson (amazing potential but still very young) we are still desperately lacking in attacking options. Hopefully Welbeck and Ferguson's injuries aren't too long term but if they are, given our fixture schedule, I fear it could be a glum end to a season which had so much promise.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

That game yesterday was crying out for Ferguson to bully that makeshift united defence. Instead we got Undav doing his best Maupay impression.

Wednesday could be interesting if we have neither Welbeck or Ferguson.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Yep. Looking at the bench yesterday, there wasn't a single player who I thought could have come on to change the game if we needed more attacking options. When one of Ferguson or Welbeck is injured, Undav is not good enough for this level. It showed that we only made 2 subs.

I know we're a bit unlucky with a number of injuries currently - Sarmiento, Lamptey, Ferguson, Lallana would all have been great options. But if we want to be competing in Europe, we need more strength in depth.

Yup, this, sadly. Think we've seen enough of Undav now to form the opinion that he adds very little to our play at this level

 

[Springal]

He does have a bunch of £10M+ youngsters, one of whom is already being called up to the Argentina squad with Messi and co.

We are probably a bit short but our squad is quite large already in my opinion.

 

[CheeseRolls]

He’s absolutely right. Our failure to bolster the squad with some experience in the last window after losing two huge players in Trossard and Mwepu has left us very light. The bench yesterday was incredibly weak for a team that wants to qualify for Europe or win a cup and RDZ isn’t here to make up numbers in the league.

When your only attacking option is to bring in Denis Undav you know you’re in trouble.

Not weak, just inexpereinced. If we do qualify for Europe this is something we need to address.

 

[Seecider]

Yesterday, for perhaps the first time, it felt that we missed Trossard. Was Mitoma carrying a knock ,or did United find a way of containing him by not getting too close to him? We seemed very reluctant to try and play the ball over the top for him to chase.