[Albion] Lewis Dunk.

[Dibdab]

Don't worry about it... he will be phased out.

He turns 34 in November and has one or two seasons left as a backup and then its good night. Hopefully the fans of Brighton & Hove Albion can avoid building some sort of hate campaign around him that makes him feel forced to leave the club, but I really don't know. Cashin played 20 minutes before he found it necessary to turn of comments on his Instagram, quite obvious that there's a sentiment of highly toxic fans especially on social media.

Bore off.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

People here are very f***ing condescending towards this legend. Plenty of people like scapegoating and ganging up on people and then try to sell the story that they didn't want to.

If Lewis Dunk was judged like others, almost every single player would have their thread bumped and flooded with "too bad, we need to get rid" today. Same last week. But that doesn't happen does it? Because the wind flows in the direction of "get rid of him" and many people follow the wind. It is no different from when Sanchez, Webster, Connolly or some other individual gets 90% of the critisism after we don't win a game.

Obviously people don't want to consider themselves as someone who always swims in whatever direction the water is going but its an irreversible fact that many people function like that, and this imo is the cause why we can miss a dozen good chances and 90% of the "he's shite/finished/too slow/too unfocused/has no leadership" shit is spammed in this thread and not in some of the other 10 threads where it as it least equally deserved.

People pretend to be "sad" and maybe that goes for one or two in this gangbang, but most of are smug entitled scavengers.

People here are very f***ing condescending towards this legend. Plenty of people like scapegoating and ganging up on people and then try to sell the story that they didn't want to.

If Lewis Dunk was judged like others, almost every single player would have their thread bumped and flooded with "too bad, we need to get rid" today. Same last week. But that doesn't happen does it? Because the wind flows in the direction of "get rid of him" and many people follow the wind. It is no different from when Sanchez, Webster, Connolly or some other individual gets 90% of the critisism after we don't win a game.

Obviously people don't want to consider themselves as someone who always swims in whatever direction the water is going but its an irreversible fact that many people function like that, and this imo is the cause why we can miss a dozen good chances and 90% of the "he's shite/finished/too slow/too unfocused/has no leadership" shit is spammed in this thread and not in some of the other 10 threads where it as it least equally deserved.

People pretend to be "sad" and maybe that goes for one or two in this gangbang, but most of are smug entitled scavengers.

FFS.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Dunk’s not fit and has been going backwards for a year or so. That’s just a fact. It gives no one here any pleasure. 99% of NSC would class him as a legend. But it’s time to start ringing in the new, centre back wise.

Very much this.

As an aside, I’m my mind, you can count Brighton legends on one hand, Dunk is a no brainer.

 

[American Seagle]

Dunk’s not fit and has been going backwards for a year or so. That’s just a fact. It gives no one here any pleasure. 99% of NSC would class him as a legend. But it’s time to start ringing in the new, centre back wise.

I don't think he has recovered since De Zerbi broke him by making him play through that groin injury. Seems to have affected him. He needs time to fully recover and rest and we may see alhim back

 

[Silverhatch]

I don't think he has recovered since De Zerbi broke him by making him play through that groin injury. Seems to have affected him. He needs time to fully recover and rest and we may see alhim back

It’s the chest injury that’s f***ing him.

 

[GJN1]

Every game he plays now there’s a moment or two where he is up the pitch and then has to sprint back towards his own goal and you can see him trying but there’s nothing there. Really quite sad.

 

[The Fits]

He looks like he’s been injured for about 18 months.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I don't think he has recovered since De Zerbi broke him by making him play through that groin injury. Seems to have affected him. He needs time to fully recover and rest and we may see alhim back

So you know for a fact that De Zerbi played him through an injury? And yet he made a full on England camp?

He’s playing through an injury now if you ask me and I don’t believe he was the only one this season.

 

[Silverhatch]

He looks like he’s been injured for about 18 months.

Tore a chest cartilage in mid 23. Has not been right since.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Every game he plays now there’s a moment or two where he is up the pitch and then has to sprint back towards his own goal and you can see him trying but there’s nothing there. Really quite sad.

Correct. Time has caught up with him. never been blessed with pace and now he is a snail compared to others. But it’s not just his defending he slows the game down. It is not a coincidence we look a better when he isn’t playing.
sad but a necessity we move on quickly

 

[aolstudios]

Oh indeed . . . . That's the intelligent leadership.

We've missed him hugely.

Yep.
& the calmness under pressure. Ruthless professionalism. Both of which were utterly lacking.
Plus he's a bloody good defender

 

[Mancgull]

I absolutely think it's down to the current system being a real struggle for Lewis.
I commented on another thread right at the beginning of the season I had never seen Lewis's face so stressed.
Obviously injuries and age haven't helped either. I hope he's OK because he's always been a legend for Albion but I don't think he's enjoying it much at the moment.
Don't know what the answer is, but I hope for him, whether at the Albion or somewhere else, next season is more enjoyable.

From the very first game at Everton.
Under RDZ he had time to pass the ball and knew the formations very well.
We were occasionally hit by transitions but because our ability to keep possession was so high this rarely happened.
In our helter skelter system this season it’s all about physicality and movement around the pitch. It doesn’t play to his strengths.
I could see him having another season under a different manager but not FH. Best he can hope for would be for a few substitute appearances.
I believe next season is the last under his current contract. Maybe he’ll stay and he part of the squad.

 

[GloryDays]

So you know for a fact that De Zerbi played him through an injury? And yet he made a full on England camp?

He’s playing through an injury now if you ask me and I don’t believe he was the only one this season.

Given that Southgate called up Luke Shaw and an injured Maguire (fact check) you can’t dismiss the idea he called up an injured LD as well.

The shame for Lewis is how overlooked he was during the years of his best football and it was too little too late from an international perspective. Nice for him to experience it though.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

On a related subject, I thought Baleba looked immensely promising in central defence and would give us that left-footed option with a bit of pace. But that, of course, would take away our best defensive midfield player. Such a shame he's not twins.

 

[brighton_tom]

Nearing towards being 34, and 500 games up. Age comes to us all, plus a recent injury, mean a decline in level of performance is inevitable. No need for anyone to dig him out though, he'll still be a very useful squad player. I imagine in the summer we'll bring in a hopefully first choice centre back, and Lewis will be a rotation option.. and that's just fine for him & us.

 

[Mustafa II]

There is a chance that you lot are correct, and his recent injury has resulted in the rapid decline of Lewis Dunk.

But 33 is no longer old for a top level footballer. Chances are once he's match fit again, he'll be back to his best... And he'll be one of the first names on the team sheet for a few more years yet.

 

[Curious Orange]

Every game he plays now there’s a moment or two where he is up the pitch and then has to sprint back towards his own goal and you can see him trying but there’s nothing there. Really quite sad.

This is where a lack of experienced midfielders comes into play. The biggest attribute we miss from the sale of Ali Mac is his ability to identify early and drop into positions that need covering.

 

[Luke93]

Murillo made an equally shocking mistake for Forest yesterday. He’s arguably gonna make the premier league team of the season so clutching at stews here that mistakes can happen to anyone. Just a shame Dunk has accumulated a fair amount.

I do think Dunk has never quite recovered from his injury issues last season when he was pushing for the England squad.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

Dunky just doesn't look like the best version of Dunky at the moment.

It's a Catch 22 situation though. Without playing him regularly he won't be fully match fit and sharp. When he does make mistakes he gets dropped, so is never fully match fit and sharp.

Would it be good for him to play in the Championship to see his career out (and be a bloody good Championship Defender) then come back to us in a coaching role?

Who knows...

 

[Han Solo]

There is a chance that you lot are correct, and his recent injury has resulted in the rapid decline of Lewis Dunk.

But 33 is no longer old for a top level footballer. Chances are once he's match fit again, he'll be back to his best... And he'll be one of the first names on the team sheet for a few more years yet.

33 has never been older for a top footballer than it is today.

Lewis Dunk turns 34 in November. This season, only six players older than Dunk has made 20+ starts. Among those, two players play for relegation teams.

Its a cruel, cruel league to hit your mid-30s in. Look at Kevin de Bruyne.

The dropoff in number of appearances and quality of performances is dramatic between 32-34 in todays very rapid football. If we go into "a few more years" of him being a starting player, we're really asking for trouble and demanding virtually superhuman abilities from Dunk. Not fair on the team or the player. He needs to become a backup/fringe player next season or we're in trouble.