[Kookiebags]

Afternoon All,
Totally agree with 96, if Sako tears another ---hole in our defence when we play Palace, due to his pace and our lack of, we will look rather naive at best.
Do we need another winger, or a guy who can play the 10 role in the hole ?
I know my preference. Zolly Gera was sadly never with us long enough to be a GREAT baggie, but always gave you another option behind the forwards, and always put a shift in.
If we could find someone with his ability and stronger physique, would he not be the answer ?
Cheers,
Kookiebags.

[BaggyBomber]

Irvine played with a number 10, Sessegnon is the best number 10 at this club. Pulis doesn't, hence why Sess doesn't play and why we won't be signing any number 10's whilst Pulis is manager.

That is the point I was making and people are arguing for the sake of arguing.

As for missing out on Sako, we left him on the backburner in the hope of signing a better winger - if we fail to get in Phillips or whoever else Pulis rates as better than Sako then we will look very silly come the end of the window.

You state your opinions as unarguable facts and seem irritated when others don't concur.  I've given my opinion on Sessegnon.  That's one of the reasons for the existence of this type of website, I believe.

Also, in this particular instance I'm not sure what the number 10 point is that you are attempting to make.  Is not Anichebe no 10 and Sessegnon no 29?  Are you saying no 10 is a particular known standard playing position?  If so, what?

Whatever, it won't change my opinion on Sessegnon.  "All that glisters is not gold" as The Bard said.  He must have seen Sessegnon play.

[May68]

Does anyone know of a website which shows assist stats for the last few seasons? I've had a quick look on the information superhighway and the only info I can find is games played/goals scored. It'd be interesting to see how much Sess really does flatter to deceive.

BTW a No10 is a central attacking midfielder. It's a position that doesn't exist in a 442 hence Sess doesn't get much of a look in and we won't sign Praet as 1996 says.

[aries22]

Irvine played with a number 10, Sessegnon is the best number 10 at this club. Pulis doesn't, hence why Sess doesn't play and why we won't be signing any number 10's whilst Pulis is manager.

Just what is this number 10 role? People have tried to explain it, and to be honest (and I'm not trying to be rude to you, wba_1996) it sounds like pretentious bollocks.

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Does anyone know of a website which shows assist stats for the last few seasons? I've had a quick look on the information superhighway and the only info I can find is games played/goals scored. It'd be interesting to see how much Sess really does flatter to deceive.

BTW a No10 is a central attacking midfielder. It's a position that doesn't exist in a 442 hence Sess doesn't get much of a look in and we won't sign Praet as 1996 says.

Try Statto.com
And thanks for the number 10 explanation, but that doesn't work either. Surely it can exist perfectly well in a 442 formation, or any other formation for that matter. Otherwise you're saying that teams that play 442 don't play with a central attacking midfielder.

[DanTheSmethwickMan]

Playing a solid 442 means that there will be no attacking midfielder. It is basically 2 banks of 4, with the two central midfielders able to get up and down the pitch. However, an alternative 442 is a 442 diamond (also called 41212) where there is a defensive midfielder (Yacob) positioned in front of the back 4 and 2 wingers as normal. There is also however an attacking midfielder (number 10) that plays just off the striker and has license to roam around the pitch and get on the ball and make things happen. These players are often not good defensively hence why they play so far forward (Sess). An example would be someone like an Oscar, small and weak so plays further forward but makes things happen on the ball.

[aries22]

Did Albion give Bakary Sako a medical?

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Playing a solid 442 means that there will be no attacking midfielder.

Sorry, Dan, but that can't be right. What are Jimmy Morrison and Craig Gardner?

[BC Baggie]

I'd be pretty p***ed if I was him though. Some of the garbage we had and he couldn't even make the bench even though he's one of our best and creative 

I know, I never said what he did was right. Just making the point that I'd feel pretty annoyed if I was him too with the garbage we had and he wasn't even making the bench

By Garbage I presume you mean Gardener, McMannaman, Brunt , Morrison etc. All of whom created more and racked up more goals and assists than Sessegnon. 

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I see the Marshall from Cardiff saga getting even more confusing with the font of all knowledge Howells now saying the offer and valuation being miles apart!! Two days ago he was saying, a price was all but agreed.

That however is not the confusing bit.  With a press release yesterday saying Fossy IS on course to be back by October and Marshall being banned for the first three games of the season anyway, would we really by a player just to provide cover for three games? I don't think so, do we need three number 1 keepers? probably not.

So what is going on

IMO Marshall will be No.1 until Foster is fully fit, and then will be his main challenge for the GK slot, with Myhill probably leaving on loan 

It's Gardner not Gardener...and are they wingers? Creative and take players on? Excite the fans when they get the ball.... Mcmanaman hardly played so for you to count him is stupid

Never said they were wingers, just that they are more creative than Sessegnon. As I said Sessegnon played constantly in the first half of the season and created nothing 

[BaggyBomber]

So is there an approved list of these position numbers? Is it an FA coaching gobbledegook publication? If it's FA approved, I wonder what are the chances of having this number printed in brackets next to the player number for the old folks like me and providing us with a conversion table along with a big explanation on what the bracketted numbered position player is supposed to be doing? I suspect it might all be made up by people who've never kicked a ball trying to look clever. What did you call it, Aries?

[DanTheSmethwickMan]

Did Albion give Bakary Sako a medical?

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Playing a solid 442 means that there will be no attacking midfielder.

Sorry, Dan, but that can't be right. What are Jimmy Morrison and Craig Gardner?

You asked what it was and I tried my best to explain the whole thing, no need to be an arse

[Slick_Footwork]

Sessegnon plays best as a second striker, essentially an attacking midfielder playing just off the forward, without any defensive duties.

Personally I'm a big fan of Sessegnon because he's tricky, carries the ball with pace and moves you up the pitch. While I'd agree that he's far from the finished article, he is the best dribbler in the squad and when you have players who carry a threat in one on one situations, that's when space opens up elsewhere. It also wins you your share of free kicks and corners, which tends to be where we were most threatening last year.

Pulis appears to prefer 2 out and out strikers though, which does tend to make Sess' best role redundant. Arguably he's capable of playing on the wing too, but we can only speculate if it's his lack of defensive nounce or that he's a pretty poor professional (so I've been told) that is behind him being left out.