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2023/24 Kevin Thelwell

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….started last season with Gordon playing Centre Forward. Finished last season with Gray playing CF despite Thelwell bringing in Maupay a month after the season started. He gambled on DCL being fit when even folk on here knew he’d have an interrupted career. We avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth.
Easy to say in hindsight what should and should not be done.

I actually think it was a risk worth doing. When Lampard came in, Everton had massive midfield issues. Van de Beek or Alli did not solve anything and the midfield had to be the priority last season.

We had Gomes and Davies that struggled with fitness and could not be relied on. Both Allan and Doucoure struggled with both form and staying fit the first months after Lampard came in. There was not a single midfielder in the club that could be trusted. Playing Iwobi centrally and in addition sign Onana, Garner and Gana made perfect sense. Regardless of how much money was available, the midfield had to be prioritized.

Yes, we needed a striker. In hindsight they should probably have signed a like for like back up for DCL, but I don't think people realize how hard it is to find a Premier League quality player that are willing to be a second choice. It would always be easier to recruit a striker with a profile that made it possible to also play with DCL.

Last season was bad, but the club also had some terrible luck. Not only did DCL get injured days before season starting, we also had two long term injuries on starting CDs the very first match. Without money to get a proper replacement.

There was a lot to like with Coady as a person, but he was a terrible fit for the club. Always wanting to defend deep. Always dropping an extra five yards behind the rest of the defense. The team became so stretched. With a manager and offensive players that want to press high and a defense dropping way to deep. These 10 or 15 extra yards between the striker and defense mean that midfield must cover a 30-40% bigger area. Every team could play through us with ease.

If we had a more offensive, front foot defense, we would have had more players around the striker. We would have started to win the ball in good positions. We would have seen another version of Maupay. Isolated on top and at the end of all those long balls Maupay would always look bad.

Maupay showed for Brighton that he can be a decent goal scorer. He does have clever movements in and around the box. He creates space for others and combine well. He does press and he rattles opponents and gets under their skin. But he does not have the height and pace needed to play alone as a striker for a team that is happy with defending deep and have 40% possession.

If Dyche were to go back to his 442 formation, I would like to see DCL and Maupay together. I think they could have surprised many and created serious problems for a lot of defenses.
 

….sorry @caliblue, I’d almost read enough with you first sentence ‘Easy in hindsight what should and should not be done’. Posters on here have been saying for 2 seasons that DCL was fragile and we ‘desperately’ needed an effective and robust central striker. Not a 2nd striker. To call posters frustration on here ‘hindsight‘ is an insult to their football integrity.

I did finally stop reading at ‘I don’t think people realise how hard it is to find a PL quality player that is willing to be 2nd choice. It would always be easier to recruit a striker with a profile that made it possible to play with DCL’. You obviously mean somebody like Maupay.

I suggest you give this a read;

IMG_4368.jpeg
 
Heard a rumour that Mosh was the 1 who sorted the Young, Chermo and Danjuma deals and Kev is widely considered a tea boy at the club.

And when I say heard, I do of course mean literally just made it up.

But, what if??
 
Heard a rumour that Mosh was the 1 who sorted the Young, Chermo and Danjuma deals and Kev is widely considered a tea boy at the club.

And when I say heard, I do of course mean literally just made it up.

But, what if??

Id need to know precisely what kind of tea each one of them prefers ?
 

In my mind a Dyche team will be backs to the wall and counter attacking at speed and very directly.

Not sure we need Roberto Carlos and Cafu coming into the team either. Like you say, add young quality advanced players and we may see that were a threat.


If he had the money there were some top names heavily linked last summer (and good signings).

Hes got Chermiti and clearly hes tried for El Bilal and has been trying for Gnonto.

Lets see how it turns out.
Can only judge him on what he's got done, not what he might have got done.

At the moment he hasn't done very much to kick us on.

I hope Danjuma and Young make an immediate improvement to the team but I'm not wholly convinced by either.

Chermiti is a free hit but one that will come under heavy scrutiny if this is the only striker brought in.
 
Easy to say in hindsight what should and should not be done.

I actually think it was a risk worth doing. When Lampard came in, Everton had massive midfield issues. Van de Beek or Alli did not solve anything and the midfield had to be the priority last season.

We had Gomes and Davies that struggled with fitness and could not be relied on. Both Allan and Doucoure struggled with both form and staying fit the first months after Lampard came in. There was not a single midfielder in the club that could be trusted. Playing Iwobi centrally and in addition sign Onana, Garner and Gana made perfect sense. Regardless of how much money was available, the midfield had to be prioritized.

Yes, we needed a striker. In hindsight they should probably have signed a like for like back up for DCL, but I don't think people realize how hard it is to find a Premier League quality player that are willing to be a second choice. It would always be easier to recruit a striker with a profile that made it possible to also play with DCL.

Last season was bad, but the club also had some terrible luck. Not only did DCL get injured days before season starting, we also had two long term injuries on starting CDs the very first match. Without money to get a proper replacement.

There was a lot to like with Coady as a person, but he was a terrible fit for the club. Always wanting to defend deep. Always dropping an extra five yards behind the rest of the defense. The team became so stretched. With a manager and offensive players that want to press high and a defense dropping way to deep. These 10 or 15 extra yards between the striker and defense mean that midfield must cover a 30-40% bigger area. Every team could play through us with ease.

If we had a more offensive, front foot defense, we would have had more players around the striker. We would have started to win the ball in good positions. We would have seen another version of Maupay. Isolated on top and at the end of all those long balls Maupay would always look bad.

Maupay showed for Brighton that he can be a decent goal scorer. He does have clever movements in and around the box. He creates space for others and combine well. He does press and he rattles opponents and gets under their skin. But he does not have the height and pace needed to play alone as a striker for a team that is happy with defending deep and have 40% possession.

If Dyche were to go back to his 442 formation, I would like to see DCL and Maupay together. I think they could have surprised many and created serious problems for a lot of defenses.
What are your thoughts on Kenwright in all this...
 

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