[Albion] Lewis Dunk.

[Mustafa II]

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.

That's just not true, is it. Sports science and physiotherapy has come a LONG way.

Go back 20 years, and 33 would be pretty much the retirement age for a vast majority of players. There were only a handful of players at that age in the Premier League. And their declines occurred far earlier than today.

Today, it is not uncommon for players to play at this level at 36, 37 or older.

Of course there will be decline for many players in their early 30s, in part due the genetic lottery. But saying that Dunk has gone from one of our best players & England international to a catastrophic decline in less than a year is frankly ridiculous.

 

[GJN1]

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.

I

 

[The Wizard]

I think we all knew one day we would have to watch the downfall of Sir Lewis of Sussexshire, it’s really quite sad actually I felt a deep sense of sadness watching yesterday, you could see the cracks in his own self confidence and aura.

One thing I will never do is get on his back, he’s given this club so much, he’s had several injuries this season which haven’t helped his form, whether this is a dip or a sustained downfall time will tell, it was horrible yesterday when Mavididi ran past him to hear the Albion faithful actively turn against him.

One thing is for sure, he’s giving his all for this club as he always has, Father Time catches up to us all.

 

[GJN1]

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.

If you genuinely think he’s ever going to get back to his best then I’ve got a bridge to sell you.

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lens]

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.

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.

I think there is something in that.. not sure that I would class Ali Mac as experienced (when he was here ) , but he was good at what you say but our current “leaders” are limited in that ability to calm it all down , grab hold of people in moments of crisis.. keep hold of the ball for a bit, disrupt the game etc. they are more role models , leading by example and that’s ok if they are playing well themselves ..

 

[Skuller]

He's had a remarkable career, especially in the PL, but he's never had pace. But football at this level is no longer played like it was when we joined the PL and if you don't have pace, you'll get found out. There are only a few exceptions. The problem isn't the tactics, it's Lewis.
I'd gone to the toilet when they got their first but there were several errors prior to that. He wasn't concentrating.

..and you blame him for not concentrating!

 

[aolstudios]

I think there is something in that.. not sure that I would class Ali Mac as experienced (when he was here ) , but he was good at what you say but our current “leaders” are limited in that ability to calm it all down , grab hold of people in moments of crisis.. keep hold of the ball for a bit, disrupt the game etc. they are more role models , leading by example and that’s ok if they are playing well themselves ..

Veltman (almost exclusively) has all of that.
A huge miss whenever he's out

 

[jackalbion]

Veltman (almost exclusively) has all of that.
A huge miss whenever he's out

If the entire way we‘re playing relies on a 30+ right back, then we haven’t built a squad capable of challenging for Europe.

 

[One Love]

This is a big part of problem IMHO

Strong quickish overlapping fullbacks who are also solid at defending, none in the squad.

 

[Skuller]

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.

yea, wouldn’t it be dreadful if a toxic fan slagged-off an individual Brighton player endlessly on social media. Just to pull a name from the air: Enciso.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

I'm told that England training last summer was pretty much full-on every day and after that Dunk had a very brief holiday before coming back for pre-season. He's running on fumes right now.

Well he had a six week break in October/November and a two month break between February and April. I think it’s reaching to suggest that tiredness is a reason for his struggles.

 

[aolstudios]

If the entire way we‘re playing relies on a 30+ right back, then we haven’t built a squad capable of challenging for Europe.

Our calmness under pressure & ruthless professionalism pretty much does.
In the absence of Milner & Lallana he's the only one that always has it & it's catching.
Maybe our recruitment has missed a trick?

 

[jackalbion]

Our calmness under pressure & ruthless professionalism pretty much does.
In the absence of Milner & Lallana he's the only one that always has it & it's catching.
Maybe our recruitment has missed a trick?

Our recruitment has 100% missed a trick, FH shouldn’t be worried, David Weir should be the one looking over his shoulder.

 

[Han Solo]

yea, wouldn’t it be dreadful if a toxic fan slagged-off an individual Brighton player endlessly on social media. Just to pull a name from the air: Enciso.

I would say that one person going against the general sentiment of the player being supergood and very thrilling etc. is different from participating in some sort of group bashing of someone who is struggling. Me saying such things about Enrico is because I'm a bad person. Me being a bad person with eccentric views won't cause much damage though. The kind of people eager to blindly, motivated by parts of their brain they don't even understand, pull out their pitchforks at the first sniff of someone being weak or vulnerable, like our struggling captain, is potentially a lot more damaging.

 

[American Seagle]

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.

Yeah he said so...

Roberto De Zerbi: Brighton’s Lewis Dunk has been playing through pain barrier

Seagulls skipper Dunk has been ever-present in the Premier League this campaign.

www.independent.co.uk

 

[jackalbion]

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

We can’t blame RDZ for everything he’s been gone nearly a year now.

 

[Silverhatch]

This is a big part of problem IMHO

Strong quickish overlapping fullbacks who are also solid at defending, none in the squad.

Might be some in the 21s

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Our calmness under pressure & ruthless professionalism pretty much does.
In the absence of Milner & Lallana he's the only one that always has it & it's catching.
Maybe our recruitment has missed a trick?

Many clubs I can think of have one particular talismanic player right now, often a bit of a bastard.
And when the are not available and on song everyone shits the bed.

Guimarães,
Van Dijk,
Fernandes,
Ødegaard,
Palmer,
and the late Rodrigo, reason for everything not right at Citeh, apparently.

and so on.

It is what it is.

 

[Doug-ees-evil]

I think we all knew one day we would have to watch the downfall of Sir Lewis of Sussexshire, it’s really quite sad actually I felt a deep sense of sadness watching yesterday, you could see the cracks in his own self confidence and aura.

One thing I will never do is get on his back, he’s given this club so much, he’s had several injuries this season which haven’t helped his form, whether this is a dip or a sustained downfall time will tell, it was horrible yesterday when Mavididi ran past him to hear the Albion faithful actively turn against him.

One thing is for sure, he’s giving his all for this club as he always has, Father Time catches up to us all.

All of this. 100% agree. Sadness was indeed the over-riding emotion watching Lewis yesterday. He’s set such incredible standards over the years that witnessing what was probably his worst performance was quite shocking.

A perfect cocktail of not fully fit, not fully recovered from recent injuries, a lack of game time and being asked to play a new style that exposes all of his historic weaknesses. And maybe a style that he and many others in the squad have not bought into or fully believe in?

The lack of confidence in his body has led to a lack of confidence in his mind, which has as also dented his leadership and judgement.

Needs the mother of all rests this summer. A reset and sensibly must be used sparingly next year with smart recruitment for his long term successor. Arguably the biggest decision for the recruitment team.

But he is a legend. We would not have made it back to the top flight (or stayed in it) without him. If there’s any statues being built in 5-10 years. Then for me, he is on that plinth.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

If there’s any statues being built in 5-10 years. Then for me, he is on that plinth.

100%

He lives and breathes BHAFC and has done since being a kid. He's given everything he can to help get the club to where it is now, and I wouldn't begrudge him a statue right now!