[Albion] Brajan Gruda, what does he do?

[Iggle Piggle]

And this is the crux of my question, we've spent £30 million on a player here, who I do agree has a lot of potential and works very hard, I cannot fault his work rate or commitment. But I'm not seeing him contribute anything, I'm not seeing what he brings over Buonanotte, who is out on loan, seems like he needed some more development and he's been thrown in. A lot to prove the pricetag for me.

Reading between the lines - and I could be miles off - I think Gruda is a player that Hurzeler likes a lot and was pushing to sign. It would make a bit of sense given the intense competition in that area of the pitch. If it came to the crunch of Buonaotte or Gruda on loan , I guess he'd back "his" player.

There is an argument that we'd have got more with Buonaotte or Enciso in the available playing time. I'd certainly like to have seem their directness against Palace off the bench when we were 11 V 9. As the corporate saying goes though, we are where we are. I hope Gruda uses the time he's going to get to really kick on or Pedro looks like the Brazil number 9.that he can be. There's 7 games where they all need to be on it.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

And this is the crux of my question, we've spent £30 million on a player here, who I do agree has a lot of potential and works very hard, I cannot fault his work rate or commitment. But I'm not seeing him contribute anything, I'm not seeing what he brings over Buonanotte, who is out on loan, seems like he needed some more development and he's been thrown in. A lot to prove the pricetag for me.

I have no idea (about this scenario – but some may say anything), but could it be the case of the club having a look at him to see how he gets on this season and decide from there? TB is a gambler, so he may have wanted to take the risk on Gruda (and maybe others) that would've seen them take to the PL like ducks to water. Then a loan wouldn't have been the best option because they would've be tearing it up.

In the case of FB, he HAD the season here last season – did OK, but clearly the club thought the best course of action was a loan spell in his second season. Maybe that will be the case with Gruda, who knows? Both 'a lot of potential' and 'works very hard' are both things that have been said about FB and other players who are either here or out on loan (Enciso, for another one), so maybe Gruda will follow the same development path.

Edit: TL;DR: what @brighton_tom said!

 

[albionalex]

That’s what O’Riley and Wieffer should be, IMO. They’ve got bags more experience and have played in European competitions. Hence why I’m a lot more underwhelmed by them than I am with Gruda

Tbf to both of them, they have had bad luck with injuries.

 

[macbeth]

Tbf to both of them, they have had bad luck with injuries.

They have but when they’ve played they’ve both looked bang average. Kadioglu. has also struggled with injuries but has looked miles better when he’s been on the pitch. Wieffer actually caused more problems when he came on at Palace, whatever he was doing for JPVH’s red card was awful. Also recall him totally giving up and stopping defending for Liverpool’s third goal in the Carabao Cup match, and of course there’s the Wolves debacle.

O’Riley has looked decent at points and has at least managed a couple of goal contributions, but he’s generally been passed by in most games, and for a tall lad he doesn’t assert himself at all and has often seemed a bit pathetic to me.

 

[Flounce]

They have but when they’ve played they’ve both looked bang average. Kadioglu. has also struggled with injuries but has looked miles better when he’s been on the pitch. Wieffer actually caused more problems when he came on at Palace, whatever he was doing for JPVH’s red card was awful. Also recall him totally giving up and stopping defending for Liverpool’s third goal in the Carabao Cup match, and of course there’s the Wolves debacle.

O’Riley has looked decent at points and has at least managed a couple of goal contributions, but he’s generally been passed by in most games, and for a tall lad he doesn’t assert himself at all and has often seemed a bit pathetic to me.

Funny how we see things differently, I thought O’Riley looked our best player in the first half.

He made things happen and looked to go forward imo

Against Villa he just ran around fouling players though.

 

[macbeth]

Funny how we see things differently, I thought O’Riley looked our best player in the first half.

He made things happen and looked to go forward imo

Against Villa he just ran around fouling players though.

Yes I thought he was decent on Saturday. About only the third time I’ve been able to say that this season, however

 

[albionalex]

They have but when they’ve played they’ve both looked bang average. Kadioglu. has also struggled with injuries but has looked miles better when he’s been on the pitch. Wieffer actually caused more problems when he came on at Palace, whatever he was doing for JPVH’s red card was awful. Also recall him totally giving up and stopping defending for Liverpool’s third goal in the Carabao Cup match, and of course there’s the Wolves debacle.

O’Riley has looked decent at points and has at least managed a couple of goal contributions, but he’s generally been passed by in most games, and for a tall lad he doesn’t assert himself at all and has often seemed a bit pathetic to me.

Kadioglu has barely played. Whereas both Wieffer and O'Riley have had stop start seasons with injuries.

 

[macbeth]

Kadioglu has barely played. Whereas both Wieffer and O'Riley have had stop start seasons with injuries.

Yes and I think Kadioglou has looked much better despite having much more limited game time

 

[albionalex]

Yes and I think Kadioglou has looked much better despite having much more limited game time

I think you missed my point. Kadioglou had a consistent run of games and looked good.

Neither O'Riley or Weiffer have really had a consistent run of games

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Worked wonders for Spanish Dave, hoping for a similar redemption arc.

I love a redemption arc

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

It sounds like you, of all people, should be using the 'ignore thread' feature more, Harry!

I tend to not ignore entire threads.
If I don't like, I may piss on them, then wander off, tutting.
To sometimes return later to stick another boot in.
Vindictive, moi?

 

[macbeth]

I think you missed my point. Kadioglou had a consistent run of games and looked good.

Neither O'Riley or Weiffer have really had a consistent run of games

I do see your point, but he’s managed one full 90 compared to O’Riley’s zero and Wieffer’s two, so I wouldn’t say exactly a night and day difference

 

[John Byrnes Mullet]

Gruda is nowhere near the talent of Buonanotte or Enciso. Obviously they both went out to get game time. I suppose we have to make the most of what we have. More should be done to keep the fringe players happy than sending them out then leaving us short on the ground when injuries and impact subs are needed.

 

[Freddo]

Gruda is nowhere near the talent of Buonanotte or Enciso. Obviously they both went out to get game time. I suppose we have to make the most of what we have. More should be done to keep the fringe players happy than sending them out then leaving us short on the ground when injuries and impact subs are needed.

I'm sorry, but that's just rubbish. All 3 players have masses of potential, but IMO Gruda and Buonanotte have higher ceilings than Enciso.

The point of loaning out these young players is not to keep them happy, but to have them play competitively at the highest level they can, so that they return a better player. They'll become better players by playing rather than sitting on our bench getting 10 minutes here and there.

That's the theory anyway, but the vast majority of our loans out this year have been pretty poorly picked IMO, and as a consequence not many of them are getting regular game time at their loan clubs anyway.

 

[jackalbion]

I'm sorry, but that's just rubbish. All 3 players have masses of potential, but IMO Gruda and Buonanotte have higher ceilings than Enciso.

The point of loaning out these young players is not to keep them happy, but to have them play competitively at the highest level they can, so that they return a better player. They'll become better players by playing rather than sitting on our bench getting 10 minutes here and there.

That's the theory anyway, but the vast majority of our loans out this year have been pretty poorly picked IMO, and as a consequence not many of them are getting regular game time at their loan clubs anyway.

I completely agree, but for me personally I thought we saw a lot of development with Facundo last year and he was showing some glimpses of how good he can and will be. I personally thought with a full pre season he could have really showed it this year, alas we brought in Gruda, and it would look a bit strange loaning out a £30m signing, but personally I don’t think it would have done any harm. I think Facundo would have contributed more G/A than Gruda thus far this season.

 

[Milano]

I'm sorry, but that's just rubbish. All 3 players have masses of potential, but IMO Gruda and Buonanotte have higher ceilings than Enciso.

The point of loaning out these young players is not to keep them happy, but to have them play competitively at the highest level they can, so that they return a better player. They'll become better players by playing rather than sitting on our bench getting 10 minutes here and there.

That's the theory anyway, but the vast majority of our loans out this year have been pretty poorly picked IMO, and as a consequence not many of them are getting regular game time at their loan clubs anyway.

The club weren’t to know that Leicester would sack their proven EPL manager and replace him with an unproven EPL rent-a-cliche ‘big name’ fraud.
I get the Enciso loan too - Ipswich play expansive football and I think we quite rate their manager…….
The Ferguson loan still baffles me though.

 

[pigmanovich]

The Ferguson loan still baffles me though.

Have to assume it’s down to Evan or his agent insisting on a PL loan - rather than a European club like Leverkusen.

 

[albionalex]

I do see your point, but he’s managed one full 90 compared to O’Riley’s zero and Wieffer’s two, so I wouldn’t say exactly a night and day difference

Ferdi has started 6 games, all of which came in a 5 week period.

Wieffer has started 5 games, which have been spread out since the first game of the season.

O'Riley has started 6 games (including one where he got crocked 5 minutes in), which have been spread out since the end of August.

 

[pigmanovich]

Win us games?

 

[Mustafa II]

Win us games?

He's 20 years old.

He's good now - but he's gonna be absolutely quality one day.

Superb actions today to help win us the game.