[Albion] Midfield Options

[Nameless]

Forget putting Baluta and White in midfield, but that still leaves ten (with Trossard). That's too many.
I think Molumby might end the season much higher up the pecking order than many think. The evolution that Potter will want, I guess, is the phasing out of our older and/or slower midfielders so that's two or three out of Gross, Mooy, Propper and Stephens. Of course, as this isn't Football Manager, who actually goes depends on who other clubs want to buy, but I think we could get offers for any of those four.
I'm starting to look forward to next season though!

This is by far the strongest squad we've had since we got promoted. If I had to pick 3 to lose I would go Stephens, Molumby on loan again to a decent championship side to get one more full year of first team football which he probably won't get here unless injury occurs. Then Gross although I would hate to see him go with Mac Allister and Lallana he won't play as much and he's too good for the bench and would thrive at a team that plays a different style.

Also, i'm still not sure about Mac Allister he hasn't really had a chance yet

 

[peterward]

Can't see Baluta playing for our first team tbh, a bit like Mlaker a couple of good youngsters that won't make the grade in this country and will be sold on.

agree, he was with bellend Pardew at ADO Den Haag, bottom of the dutch league and after first game, he was sub for the following games. If thats his level he's not likely to be pushing our first team.

Then again Pardew is a clueless idiot who didn't always play Murray, so maybe he's quality.

 

[British Bulldog]

This is by far the strongest squad we've had since we got promoted. If I had to pick 3 to lose I would go Stephens, Molumby on loan again to a decent championship side to get one more full year of first team football which he probably won't get here unless injury occurs. Then Gross although I would hate to see him go with Mac Allister and Lallana he won't play as much and he's too good for the bench and would thrive at a team that plays a different style.

Also, i'm still not sure about Mac Allister he hasn't really had a chance yet

Whether it's our strongest remains to be seen, but I would certainly class it as our most exciting going in to a season? Amazing really as we havn't even spent £1m on transfer fee's yet?

 

[blue-shifted]

Genuinely weird for me that you say Popper is our most consistent. Shows its a game of opinions! I see him as the most inconsistent. Good on his day, but anonymous too often, too lightweight and a good many stray passes that were capitalised on by opposition. His failings not others.

I actually think Stephens is more valuable to the squad than Propper, but accept others see the opposite.

Agree Davy isn't our most consistent. On his day a wonderful midfielder with the best technique at the club. However he has had a few long spells of poor form whilst at the club and was deservedly left out at the end of the season.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Just looking at our squad..

Mooy, Bissouma, Azate, Molumby, Stephens, Propper, Gross, Lallana, Mac Allister

Plus Trossard who can play central attacking, Baluta and White have played central defensive..

I know we have a lot of centre backs but we also have a lot of central midfield options..

Reckon any will be sold or sent out on loan? Presumably if we're going to be signing anybody we need to thin the squad out a bit..

I agree that seems quite a lot. I am thinking we will probably play three at the back, meaning only two in central midfield. However, I'd expect Gross, Lallana and Mac Allister would be mainly competing for a place in the front three (and maybe even Mooy).

That leaves Bissouma (who I think will be first choice) and then Alzate, Molumby, Stephens, Propper and possibly Mooy competing for the other spot or two spots when Bissouma is unavailable or if we move to 433.

A lot may depend on Molumby. If he does well in pre season, maybe we will look to sell Stephens. If not, he may be loaned out again and others played. We may well leave it quite late to do that though with a number of rounds of the league cup in September so fringe/young players have a chance to impress Potter

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Agree Davy isn't our most consistent. On his day a wonderful midfielder with the best technique at the club. However he has had a few long spells of poor form whilst at the club and was deservedly left out at the end of the season.

He's the most skilful player we have on his day but he will quite often lose the ball in key areas too. He definitely struggled after lockdown so it will be a big pre season for him with quite a lot of competition and Bissouma especially having really impressed

 

[zefarelly]

My reason for saying consistent is that he's always on the team sheet and has the ability to compete in any formation against any opposition. Only Dunk and Ryan are with him in that respect, and they have less than variable roles like the creative end of the pitch

Genuinely weird for me that you say Popper is our most consistent. Shows its a game of opinions! I see him as the most inconsistent. Good on his day, but anonymous too often, too lightweight and a good many stray passes that were capitalised on by opposition. His failings not others.

I actually think Stephens is more valuable to the squad than Propper, but accept others see the opposite.

 

[Doc Lynam]

I think Molumby will be back up for Stephens this season.

 

[Doc Lynam]

My reason for saying consistent is that he's always on the team sheet and has the ability to compete in any formation against any opposition. Only Dunk and Ryan are with him in that respect, and they have less than variable roles like the creative end of the pitch

He's consistently on the team sheet and GP rates him as does Ajax, I must admit I'm not completely sold on him but when he's good, he's good, without wishing to state the obvious. I think he also offers something as a player no-one in and around the first team does he does a bit of everything well, a rounded player.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I think you can split our midfield options roughly into ‘deep-lying’ and ‘forward thinking’.
I include wingers in this.

Deep-Lying - 4 Players needed.

Bissouma
Alzate

And 2 from:

Stephens (Sale?)
Pröpper (Sale?)
Molumby (Loan or 1st team)
Sanders (Loan)
Băluță (Loan)

Forward-Thinking - 6 Players needed.

Lallana
Mac Allister
Troßard
Mooy

And 2 from:

Groß (Sale?)
Jahanbakhsh (Ajax Sale?)
Izquierdo (Released injured or 1st team)
March (Sale - Newcastle/West Brom?)
New Super Quick Signing (Diatta, Neres, Sarr etc)

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

AJ has just posted on Insta with his location as New Bond Street, isn’t he meant to be in Dundee?

Could be an old photo....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[blue-shifted]

I think you can split our midfield options roughly into ‘deep-lying’ and ‘forward thinking’.
I include wingers in this.

Deep-Lying - 4 Players needed.

Bissouma
Alzate

And 2 from:

Stephens (Sale?)
Pröpper (Sale?)
Molumby (Loan or 1st team)
Sanders (Loan)
Băluță (Loan)

Forward-Thinking - 6 Players needed.

Lallana
Mac Allister
Troßard
Mooy

And 2 from:

Groß (Sale?)
Jahanbakhsh (Ajax Sale?)
Izquierdo (Released injured or 1st team)
March (Sale - Newcastle/West Brom?)
New Super Quick Signing (Diatta, Neres, Sarr etc)

I agree with the distinction you've drawn. I don't think it's helpful to refer to Lallana, Gross, Ali J and Trossard as midfielders. They're not really. It's more that there's no universally accepted terminology for the more advanced position they usually play in. I also agree with the names you think are nailed on for the squad places and those less so

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I don't know, take those 10, add in March and Ali J, that's 12 midfielders of various types. If we keep last year's formation then 5 will start, 3 on the bench, 2 will probably be out most weeks with injuries or niggles, leaving 2 for rotation in a busy season. So that 12 seems like a decent number to me, maybe 1 or 2 will move on but it's the kind of squad size you'd want as a manager. Some people will see less game time than they'd like, but that's competition for you.

 

[AZ Gull]

AJ has just posted on Insta with his location as New Bond Street, isn’t he meant to be in Dundee?

Could be an old photo....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It is possible that he will be joining an Iranian training camp for the international break - Team Melli to begin training camp on Aug. 27th

There is an article on the Albion website that indicates he has been called up for two matches against Syria and Uzbekistan, but both those fixtures have been cancelled over the last 10 days. And the article I have linked to is from July 30, so I have no idea if the training camp is still going ahead; but if it is, he may be in London to head out there.

 

[Iford Albion]

I might be being a bit thick but why is mooy not in the squad pics on the Albion website?

 

[GT49er]

I might be being a bit thick but why is mooy not in the squad pics on the Albion website?

There have been some strange anomalies on there recently - i think a kid on work experience has been tasked with updating it. Have you checked to see if he's there in the U23s?

 

[edna krabappel]

Hadn't really thought of it until tonight but Naylor said something earlier about Stephens' role being reduced under Potter: might have used the term "phased out" or something like that (I could be mistaken).

I've never been a Stephens-hater: he's done a decent job for us over the years. But I did find him frustrating to watch for much of the time last season. I just don't think he's dynamic enough for a Potter side, not to mention that he's always had that one catastrophically bad pass per game in him (invariably followed by a hideously late tackle).

I wasn't sure whether we'd see Molumby this season, but the more I think about it, the more I could see him forcing his way into consideration. Bissouma has already jumped that queue over Stephens, and you'd have to imagine Lallana is on the team sheet, assuming he stays fit.

 

[zefarelly]

He's consistently on the team sheet and GP rates him as does Ajax, I must admit I'm not completely sold on him but when he's good, he's good, without wishing to state the obvious. I think he also offers something as a player no-one in and around the first team does he does a bit of everything well, a rounded player.

Agree, I think as a footballer he's intelligent considered and can be clinically precise with a turn or pass . . . His down fall is often being that get out of jail free card for others, and you can't win them all. . Especially when he gets dragged back to do defenders jobs. If there were stats for plasma hot potatoes thrown at a player he'd be sky high.

 

[Iford Albion]

There have been some strange anomalies on there recently - i think a kid on work experience has been tasked with updating it. Have you checked to see if he's there in the U23s?

He's not in the u23s pics either.

Big wage. He's a solid player and would have plenty of teams interested even though he is 30 in a few weeks. I think he matches the demographic of players likely to heading out to make way for new blood and lallana. I would like to see mac argie, alzate and molumby more involved so wouldn't miss Stephen's gross or mooy if one of two left despite their many merits, experience and good service to the club. They don't feel like first choice for the future.

Lamptey for montoya has been so successful you have to think we will see more of the same type of transformation of the squad. Pace, potential, potter style players.

 

[The Fits]

He's not in the u23s pics either.

Big wage. He's a solid player and would have plenty of teams interested even though he is 30 in a few weeks. I think he matches the demographic of players likely to heading out to make way for new blood and lallana. I would like to see mac argie, alzate and molumby more involved so wouldn't miss Stephen's gross or mooy if one of two left despite their many merits, experience and good service to the club. They don't feel like first choice for the future.

Lamptey for montoya has been so successful you have to think we will see more of the same type of transformation of the squad. Pace, potential, potter style players.

Agreed. After Bloom's comments about Potter, and the relative success of Alzate and Connolly, coupled with the absolute FAFF getting Mac here early, clearly he is going to feature predominantly. I also think Molumby appears too good not to be involved in at least the squad.
Alzate must be frustrated after the early promise of last season and Potter clearly rates him so he is going to be heavily involved and it patently a central midfielder first and foremost. Jenks has also been involved in first team training for yonks now and is VERY highly rated.
So something has to give and I think Stephens, Mooy and Gross are the (surprising) favourites to take the hit.