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2021/22 Lucas Digne

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TimHowardsBeardJuice said:
Here's where I am.

The Pro-Digne, Anti-Rafael Case

  1. Rafael is a belligerent, heavy-handed knob who has bullied players before (ostracizing Xabi for attending the birth of his son rather than play in CL game)
  2. Rafael is a couple of bad results from being run out of the squad, and then we've alienated Digne for nothing
  3. Digne has been a captain, is one of our senior leaders
  4. Digne has been one of our best performers since he's been here
  5. Digne especially offers something going forward which we're not exactly dripping with; one of the best assists men in the league past few yearsw
  6. Rafael has changed the system to take away the main club in Digne's bag, of course he's going to be upset
  7. Digne is one of our few players who can genuinely be called top-tier talent
  8. Other top players will look at Rafael putting Digne's balls on a plate and say, no thanks; we'll never recruit anyone decent
  9. Squad is thin already, why dump a good player

The Pro-Rafael, Anti-Digne Case

  1. If Rafael is going to do his job he's got to have a free hand. If this is how he sees fit to play it you have to back him. It's difficult because he really is only a couple of nightmares away from being run out on a rail, but I don't believe in backing the boss 50% or 75% or 90%. Rafael is the boss, and the boss calls the shots, full stop. Otherwise we're back to the Brands/Moshiri/Kenwright/DBB/whoever else committee.
  2. This side has been mentally weak under several managers. At some point you have to look at the leaders on the pitch. Under any measure Digne is, or should be, one of these, but the weak mentality has persisted. Someone who was really worth his salt would have rounded on his fellows and whipped them into shape. Digne could have been, probably should have been that guy, and hasn't been.
  3. Digne's form has been relatively poor, by his standards. My personal eye test, all disclaimers, the plural of anecdotes is not data, etc. - his set piece delivery has been poor. Before he got taken off corners he was putting them all in waist-high to the first man. Under Carlo his production had declined so it's not just Rafael.
  4. Look at his CV: Lille, PSG, Roma, Barcelona. That's awful fancy, but you have to wonder, why didn't he stick anywhere? Also, he did not make the squad for France's 2018 WC winner (some rando named Djibril Sidibe beat him out for a spot, go figure). Maybe all them weren't wrong, maybe once he's been around awhile it turns out he's not all that and a bag of chips
  5. Digne is arguably at or close to his peak. Probably only downhill from here. Maybe not now, maybe soon, maybe it's started already?
  6. Digne is one of our few players who can genuinely be called top-tier talent. This is a pro-Digne point but also a pro-Rafael point - sell high. Like shares, you'd rather sell too soon than too later.
  7. Whatever the cause, whoever's at fault, if it's going to fester, cut bait.
  8. The performances in the three games since Digne has been dropped: 2/3 were spirited, the Chelsea especially encouraging because the kids played so well. 1/3 was putrid. On the balance does that favor Rafael? I think so.
  9. The numbers (PL only):
    1. 13 games with Digne vs. 4 games without Digne (wol, ARS, cry, che)
      1. GF/90: 1.23 with, 1.25 without
      2. GA/90: 1.69 with, 1.75 without
      3. GD/90: -0.46 with, -0.5 without
      4. Pts/game: 1.15 ppg with, 1.0 without
    2. That's a wash (warning re: small sample size for the without-Digne data set). If he's so good then why did benching him not hurt the team? Baseball star Ralph Kiner, from 1947-54 or so, was one of the dominant players of the game on a terrible team. His club, Pittsburgh Pirates, consistently refused to raise his salary. Eventually they dumped him, telling him, "We finished last with you, we can finish last without you."

I have to say- I like Digne but when I put it down like this I think we sell while his value is high and get some badly needed cash.
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Nicely broken down ? I do feel Digne's attacking output has been declining since Carlo. And Carlo did play him further forward. So I don't think playing further forward would solve Digne's problem. Besides, with only Rondon upfront, it's not like his assist numbers would've risen.

I like Digne too but for his sake, he probably needs to move to a team that utilize his ability better...For our club's sake as well, selling him at a better value now is better than continue to let his value decline by not playing for us.
 
james_v02 said:
Nicely broken down ? I do feel Digne's attacking output has been declining since Carlo. And Carlo did play him further forward. So I don't think playing further forward would solve Digne's problem. Besides, with only Rondon upfront, it's not like his assist numbers would've risen.

I like Digne too but for his sake, he probably needs to move to a team that utilize his ability better...For our club's sake as well, selling him at a better value now is better than continue to let his value decline by not playing for us.
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Also at age 28, after another couple of years he will just become another Coleman or Baines, that we need to get rid but can't. We need younger players now to develop onto a team for the new stadium not has beens.
 
Honestly not bothered at all by the him vs Bentitez narrative. I like him and he's a good player but if we can sell him for good value and replace him for someone younger who can slot in and we make a profit then it's a no-brainer to me.

Right now the only players I would be sad to see go are DCL and Richarlison. Everyone else is replaceable imo.
 

Furey1878 said:
Honestly not bothered at all by the him vs Bentitez narrative. I like him and he's a good player but if we can sell him for good value and replace him for someone younger who can slot in and we make a profit then it's a no-brainer to me.

Right now the only players I would be sad to see go are DCL and Richarlison. Everyone else is replaceable imo.
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Not Pickford IMO.
 
Toffeelover said:
Not Pickford IMO.
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He's probably 3rd on my list tbf. I don't necessarily think we couldn't find another decent keeper for a respectable fee, it's just that the stories linking him with a move away have being throwing around 30 mil as the fee for him, and given that's what we paid for him in 2017 when he's undoubtedly a much better keeper now (after many ups and downs) it would just be crazy to entertain any offers for him.

However, if someone was willing to throw Kepa / Allison money at us for him then I'd happily let him go.
 
If this spanner stabs us in the back again for the second time - and under these impossible circumstances - I hope he's roundly condemned by everyone.

Ideally he doesn't get the chance to pull a royal blue shirt on again. But we are right up against it and he's being called on to aid his current team mates, so he better put that 'kin shirt on or he goes down in infamy.
 
davek said:
If this spanner stabs us in the back again for the second time - and under these impossible circumstances - I hope he's roundly condemned by everyone.

Ideally he doesn't get the chance to pull a royal blue shirt on again. But we are right up against it and he's being called on to aid his current team mates, so he better put that 'kin shirt on or he goes down in infamy.
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And good will to all men. 'tis the season, after all.
 

Toffeelover said:
Pity you cannot lift that bit from the DVD and post it here, it would be just the job. Folk would love seeing that.
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Would love to @Toffeelover, but I am afraid I am to technology of the computing variety what Herod was to child minding.
However, my children carry me through the mayhem I cause over the airwaves, so when the Festive season ebbs gently out of my hangover and I have brought the room back to a standstill, I shall ask one of them.
Good suggestion though.
 

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