[Albion] Lewis Dunk.

[jonny.rainbow]

Partly this and partly that Rutter was injured at the same time as Dunk returning to the match day squad.

LD returns and we’ve been useless. It’s not a coincidence. Time to move on and get a new partner for JP

 

[spongy]

I'd argue that GPot's squad was even better, just think about it, he had Caicedo and MacAllister two truly great midfield players, Cucurella who despite what some critics say was an excellent left back for us, we had Dunky in his prime of course, and a younger Danny Welbeck too. Bruno at right back was captain fantastic.

The only positions where l think we are better off now, are in goal with Bart taking the gloves off Sanchez, plus Kauru Mitoma we certainly had no one like him.

Trossard.

Could be devastating in attack and skillful but either bang on it or missing entirely, no average with either of them

 

[Super Sub]

Imho Lewis is being asked to play so much higher than he is comfortable with. He knows his limits and what he is good at. Foot races isn’t at the top of this list.
Yes, he scored 2 own goals today but at least he was there trying to block these shots.
He may be done in a FH line up but if we dropped off a little, he’d still be decent.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Imho Lewis is being asked to play so much higher than he is comfortable with. He knows his limits and what he is good at. Foot races isn’t at the top of this list.
Yes, he scored 2 own goals today but at least he was there trying to block these shots.
He may be done in a FH line up but if we dropped off a little, he’d still be decent.

Yeah this

still a good ball playing CB - But a f***ing disaster in a high pressing/high line defence.

Diminishing returns for our last 3 managers.
Either we change tactics or accept he is no longer first choice/captain.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Could of signed both Forest CBs and had spare for the 25million spent on Gruda

Just when I thought today couldn’t get worse…..

 

[London Irish]

Poor bloke can’t catch a break - was it two deflected goals today? A few centimetres and they would have goal stopping blocks. Thin line between success and failure

We’ll need the success next week if Van Hecke is concussed

 

[Hugo Rune]

Yeah this

still a good ball playing CB - But a f***ing disaster in a high pressing/high line defence.

Diminishing returns for our last 3 managers.
Either we change tactics or accept he is no longer first choice/captain.

We accept that he is no longer 1st choice but do that thing where you have a 'club' captain and a 'team' captain. He can be club captain for sure.

He is the Albion Goat but I think age and injuries have caught up with him this season. It's been his worst in the Premier League by a distance.

I can't see him getting better this season but a good pre-season and lack of injuries will surely mean he makes the squad again in August.

However, we need to have a massive overhaul of our defence. The priorities would be that we have full backs who don't get injured all the time and at least two very fast centre backs who can complement our other super slow ones.

JPvH needs to be first choice alongside a new CB. Then we keep 1 or 2 from Dunk, Webster, Cashin and Igor.

I suspect this will cost a lot and break a model a little but we must invest if we are to have top six ambitions.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

His passing was awful yesterday. Too many loose balls not quite reaching the intended player’s feet and causing trigger presses.

I get that he is struggling for physical fitness, but something that was his strength (most passes played in the whole PL under RDZ season 1) being a weakness rings alarm bells.

 

[Albion my Albion]

His passing was awful yesterday.

I think I'm gonna cry especially if there is a R.I.P. Lewis Dunk's playing career

 

[jonny.rainbow]

I think I'm gonna cry especially if there is a R.I.P. Lewis Dunk's playing career

It might not be the end.

I love Dunk and hope that this is down to him not being quite as well-drilled in these passing patterns as he was under previous coaches.

 

[Milano]

It might not be the end.

I love Dunk and hope that this is down to him not being quite as well-drilled in these passing patterns as he was under previous coaches.

Blue and white tinted glasses I’m afraid. ‘Drills’ had nothing to do with the awful back pass to Bart in about the 5th minute, forced the keeper to kick out for a throw. He did that for the rest of the match, underhit, overhit, in short by his standards he had a shocker, sadly it’s becoming a theme.

 

[ROSM]

Blue and white tinted glasses I’m afraid. ‘Drills’ had nothing to do with the awful back pass to Bart in about the 5th minute, forced the keeper to kick out for a throw. He did that for the rest of the match, underhit, overhit, in short by his standards he had a shocker, sadly it’s becoming a theme.

I've said before and will say again. Dunk isn't finished at epl level but he isn't up to playing the tactics asked for by this manager. He must be hurting as much as we are by that

 

[aolstudios]

It might not be the end.

I love Dunk and hope that this is down to him not being quite as well-drilled in these passing patterns as he was under previous coaches.

He's just not fit & seemingly playing through injury out of necessity. Poor bloke's doing himself no favours but but he's trying for team. If he was selfish I think he'd be refusing to play right now

 

[chrisg]

Heartbreaking to say it but I agree. Him retiring would absolutely mean we have to go all out for defenders this summer.

Hardly going to retire with 1 more year on his lucrative contract is he.

 

[Bozza]

He's just not fit & seemingly playing through injury out of necessity. Poor bloke's doing himself no favours but but he's trying for team.

That's precisely it.

Lewis Dunk shouldn't be playing for a European-chasing Premier League chasing side right now, but that European-chasing Premier League side has very few alternatives.

When selected, he'll go out and give it his very best, just as he always has. Mr 110% wearing his Albion heart on his sleeve.

His fitness isn't there, and that can be cruelly exposed in this division, especially against players like a fit-and-firing Brian Mbeumo.

Some of the comments I've read about him are pretty poor. We're all disappointed at how the last few weeks have gone, but don't turn on a club legend who has contributed so much to getting us to the position where 10th in the Premier League feels underwhelming.

 

[birthofanorange]

Tbh, I'd like to think nobody here is 'turning on him', as that would be crass and unjustified. I would imagine that LD himself is fully aware (far more than any of us) that this season has been a poor one by his standards, and that time and injury has played a big part in that.
His commitment to the team and club still hasn't wavered one iota and sure he's feeling far worse about it than we do.
He cannot turn back the clock, but I hope he can regain full fitness and can still play a big part for us next season - and he'll do everything possible to do just that.

 

[El Turi]

I did think he should have have a penalty when it was 3-2 though. He would have won the header in the box if Henry hadn’t manhandled him.

 

[martin tyler]

Tbh for the rest of the season we appear not to have many options. A tweak of tactics may leave us less exposed. The 3rd goal yesterday with the ball over the full back was so easy and it’s clear dunk doesn’t have the pace or fitness to get out to him to make a challenge. Even with the blocks he’s half a yard off where he normally would be. We need to realise or adapt to what and who is actually left to play CB. If it’s Dunk and Cashin next week the high line has to go.

 

[The Fits]

The obvious option is to play Baleba there and I don’t get the argument for not doing that. Teams beat us by playing balls through the channels and over the top so we don’t even need to win the midfield battle. If we can’t rely on Hinsh, Gomez, Ayari, Wieffer, O’Riley etc to contribute without Baleba there we are kinda f***ed.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Tbh for the rest of the season we appear not to have many options. A tweak of tactics may leave us less exposed. The 3rd goal yesterday with the ball over the full back was so easy and it’s clear dunk doesn’t have the pace or fitness to get out to him to make a challenge. Even with the blocks he’s half a yard off where he normally would be. We need to realise or adapt to what and who is actually left to play CB. If it’s Dunk and Cashin next week the high line has to go.

As l mentioned in another thread, after yesterday's defensive debacle, I think Cashin just has to be given his chance for the Wet Spam game.

It's time for him to stand up and be counted. If not l'd expect him to be banging on the Manager's door demanding to know why he is being overlooked. If he isn't deemed good enough to play, even in an emergency situation like this, why is he even here?

To avoid up being overrun in midfield again, l'd want Baleba to resume his usual midfield duties.