Lucas Digne

[Matt]

1 hour ago, Romey 1878 said:

Don’t worry, we’ve got a young LB just waiting for his opportunity… wait, scrap that, we loaned him out. 

And the other one left

[Romey 1878]

 

[Aidan]

Would in part explain his 'lack of form' despite the previous post suggesting otherwise.

[Shukes]

This is why he looks off form. He just isn't a good defender and gets targeted one on one.

[Palfy]

A defender who isn’t good at defending well that’s a novelty, should we fill all positions with players who aren’t good at playing in them. 

[Cornish Steve]

Frankly, I've not been impressed with him for a while because of his vulnerability. I'd swap him for Aarons (who can play left or right) any day - despite the latter not having the best of seasons so far. Maybe that would lower the asking price.

[c1982]

5 hours ago, Cornish Steve said:

Frankly, I've not been impressed with him for a while because of his vulnerability. I'd swap him for Aarons (who can play left or right) any day - despite the latter not having the best of seasons so far. Maybe that would lower the asking price.

This is bonkers! So replace our French international left-back who, granted, isn’t having his best run of form with a right-back who is also suffering from poor form? What about our ageing right-back whose form has been poor too? Are we selling Digne then? That’d mean our only natural left-back is out on-loan leaving us with 3 right-back and a couple of centre backs who can do a job in the position.

Here’s an idea - sell some of the shite we have e.g. Holgate, Iwobi, Kenny, Tosun and sign an actual right back to replace Seamus and maybe even another left back to challenge Digne.

[Bill]

 

Lucas Digne has created 18 chances in the Premier League this season but is yet to register an assist - only Raphinha (22) has created more chances with no assists.

 

Considering that people think he's been playing rubbish that's not a bad stat. And he's in good company with Raphinha.

[London Blue]

We have a bad patch and the most lunatic suggestions come out of the wood work.

[Cornish Steve]

1 hour ago, London Blue said:

We have a bad patch and the most lunatic suggestions come out of the wood work.

Each to their opinions. Personally, I think Digne is overrated.

Yes, of course we need a right back. Our first team right now has to be one of the oldest in the league, especially since we're bringing in older players instead of bringing through players from the U23s. We need a solid right back, for sure, but we need a better left back as well.

[Btay]

11 hours ago, c1982 said:

This is bonkers! So replace our French international left-back who, granted, isn’t having his best run of form with a right-back who is also suffering from poor form? What about our ageing right-back whose form has been poor too? Are we selling Digne then? That’d mean our only natural left-back is out on-loan leaving us with 3 right-back and a couple of centre backs who can do a job in the position.

Here’s an idea - sell some of the shite we have e.g. Holgate, Iwobi, Kenny, Tosun and sign an actual right back to replace Seamus and maybe even another left back to challenge Digne.

Get out of here with you reason and sensible logic. 

[StevO]

8 hours ago, Cornish Steve said:

Each to their opinions. Personally, I think Digne is overrated.

Yes, of course we need a right back. Our first team right now has to be one of the oldest in the league, especially since we're bringing in older players instead of bringing through players from the U23s. We need a solid right back, for sure, but we need a better left back as well.

Which older players have we brought in that’s making the team so old? Just Townsend then? Or are we including Begovic and Rondon, who aren’t planned on being first team regulars, in that too?

We also brought in Grey, who isn’t exactly old. Gordon has become a bit of a regular in the starting 11, Dobbin has been on the bench most weeks. 

If more players in the U23s were good enough to be brought through they would be. The reality, for easily the 1000th time on TT, is that less than 5% of players who come through the younger ages groups make it in the premier league. 
 

We also have Godfrey, Richarlison and DCL playing regularly (when fit) and they are young too. 
 

We don’t just need young players, we need better players! 

[Cornish Steve]

2 hours ago, StevO said:

Which older players have we brought in that’s making the team so old? Just Townsend then? Or are we including Begovic and Rondon, who aren’t planned on being first team regulars, in that too?

We also brought in Grey, who isn’t exactly old. Gordon has become a bit of a regular in the starting 11, Dobbin has been on the bench most weeks. 

If more players in the U23s were good enough to be brought through they would be. The reality, for easily the 1000th time on TT, is that less than 5% of players who come through the younger ages groups make it in the premier league. 
 

We also have Godfrey, Richarlison and DCL playing regularly (when fit) and they are young too. 
 

We don’t just need young players, we need better players! 

How many cast-offs have we recruited in recent years? Iwobi, Schneiderlin, Walcott, Delph, Rondon, ... For sure, you'll quote Gray and Townsend, but they're the exceptions. I understand that only a few of the youth players will make it, but why are we not playing Dobbin or Welch or Whitaker? This is the perfect time to do so - instead of wasting our time with aging players.

But the topic at hand is Digne, and personally I think he's overrated.

[StevO]

4 hours ago, Cornish Steve said:

How many cast-offs have we recruited in recent years? Iwobi, Schneiderlin, Walcott, Delph, Rondon, ... For sure, you'll quote Gray and Townsend, but they're the exceptions. I understand that only a few of the youth players will make it, but why are we not playing Dobbin or Welch or Whitaker? This is the perfect time to do so - instead of wasting our time with aging players.

But the topic at hand is Digne, and personally I think he's overrated.

Well your comment was about old payers, not cast offs. So really can’t be arsed getting into cast offs now.
 

You really need an answer as to why Dobbin, Welch or Whitaker aren’t playing in the first team? They aren’t good enough according to the manager. It’s really very very simple. If the manager thought they were good enough they would play. 
 

Digne isn’t in the best form, but he’s far from a major problem. 

[Palfy]

1 hour ago, StevO said:

Well your comment was about old payers, not cast offs. So really can’t be arsed getting into cast offs now.
 

You really need an answer as to why Dobbin, Welch or Whitaker aren’t playing in the first team? They aren’t good enough according to the manager. It’s really very very simple. If the manager thought they were good enough they would play. 
 

Digne isn’t in the best form, but he’s far from a major problem. 

I think our defence is our biggest problem at the moment as a team and Digne is just a bigger factor in that as any of the other’s, as long as he can walk he plays no matter how poor he plays each week. Now I know that’s not his fault that we haven’t got a credible replacement to step into his boots when he’s out of form, but for 2 seasons he has just gone backwards with every game that passes. He has had one really good season for us his first and nothing to right about since, was that a one off and now we are seeing the real Digne the one that couldn’t get anywhere near the Barca team personally I think we are and I can’t see him ever replicating his first season. And the fact we have a new manager who his asking to pay more attention to his defending which is poor at best makes me think he things will only get worse for him. 

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

11 hours ago, Cornish Steve said:

How many cast-offs have we recruited in recent years? Iwobi, Schneiderlin, Walcott, Delph, Rondon, ... For sure, you'll quote Gray and Townsend, but they're the exceptions. I understand that only a few of the youth players will make it, but why are we not playing Dobbin or Welch or Whitaker? This is the perfect time to do so - instead of wasting our time with aging players.

But the topic at hand is Digne, and personally I think he's overrated.

Maybe because they are not ready?

Throwing young players in at the deep end before they are ready can destroy them. Look how long it’s taken Gordon to start finding his feet at this level and he was far better at U23 football than any of them

JJK also looked like the Scouse Cafu at that level, Kieran Dowell is another example, so just because a kid is doing well for the U23’s doesn’t mean they should be thrown straight into the first team, especially when the first team is struggling 

 

… think I replied to the wrong post was meant to reply to Cornish !

[Cornish Steve]

5 hours ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

Maybe because they are not ready?

Throwing young players in at the deep end before they are ready can destroy them. Look how long it’s taken Gordon to start finding his feet at this level and he was far better at U23 football than any of them

JJK also looked like the Scouse Cafu at that level, Kieran Dowell is another example, so just because a kid is doing well for the U23’s doesn’t mean they should be thrown straight into the first team, especially when the first team is struggling 

 

… think I replied to the wrong post was meant to reply to Cornish !

I found it and read it.

[Cornish Steve]

5 hours ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

Maybe because they are not ready?

Throwing young players in at the deep end before they are ready can destroy them. Look how long it’s taken Gordon to start finding his feet at this level and he was far better at U23 football than any of them

JJK also looked like the Scouse Cafu at that level, Kieran Dowell is another example, so just because a kid is doing well for the U23’s doesn’t mean they should be thrown straight into the first team, especially when the first team is struggling 

 

… think I replied to the wrong post was meant to reply to Cornish !

Dobbin has been on the bench a few times, and I see absolutely no reason why he shouldn't have started over Rondon or Iwobi. The same is true of Whitaker, who's been having a great season. Welch is earning himself a strong reputation, and the manager believes he's strong enough for the bench. To me, anyone who's strong enough to be on the bench is strong enough to be on the field - especially when those on the field are not performing. Against Wolves, I would have made three substitutions at half-time and shamed the starters by replacing them with U-23 players.

[Bill]

The young lads are on the bench because we have nobody else, the manager has no option but to fill the bench with whoever he can.  If Ellis Sims had not been injured when he was i think he might have been one youngster who would have got a game.

[Bailey]

On 13/11/2021 at 14:53, Cornish Steve said:

Dobbin has been on the bench a few times, and I see absolutely no reason why he shouldn't have started over Rondon or Iwobi. The same is true of Whitaker, who's been having a great season. Welch is earning himself a strong reputation, and the manager believes he's strong enough for the bench. To me, anyone who's strong enough to be on the bench is strong enough to be on the field - especially when those on the field are not performing. Against Wolves, I would have made three substitutions at half-time and shamed the starters by replacing them with U-23 players.

There is having a great season in the U21's and then there is being half capable in mens football in the Premier League.

The most obvious example is Gordon. He looked like a star for England U21's the other day, loads of end product. In the league, he doesn't have much. He didn't have a lot in the Championship last year either. It is chalk and cheese and the U21 level is so low in the grand scheme of mens football.

I also don't think it would be fair on those young lads to chuck them into a first team game where they are expected to challenge for every ball against experienced men. Dobbin looks the bulkier of the two but they are both just young lads that need to be brought through and not thrown in the deep end. Again, look at how long it has taken Gordon to look even remotely like a Premier League footballer. He wasn't even fancied at Preston.

[Cornish Steve]

On 12/11/2021 at 02:08, c1982 said:

This is bonkers! So replace our French international left-back who, granted, isn’t having his best run of form with a right-back who is also suffering from poor form? What about our ageing right-back whose form has been poor too? Are we selling Digne then? That’d mean our only natural left-back is out on-loan leaving us with 3 right-back and a couple of centre backs who can do a job in the position.

Here’s an idea - sell some of the shite we have e.g. Holgate, Iwobi, Kenny, Tosun and sign an actual right back to replace Seamus and maybe even another left back to challenge Digne.

When was the last time he actually played for France? (Sitting on the bench doesn't count.)

 

I could be embarrassed here, because I couldn't find the team lineup for all recent games, but he didn't play in any of those I could find.

[dunlopp9987]

7 minutes ago, Cornish Steve said:

When was the last time he actually played for France? (Sitting on the bench doesn't count.)

 

I could be embarrassed here, because I couldn't find the team lineup for all recent games, but he didn't play in any of those I could find.

Started their WCQ's on September 1st and 4th

[Cornish Steve]

8 hours ago, dunlopp9987 said:

Started their WCQ's on September 1st and 4th

The ones I couldn't find!

But I'm pleased that he did start. Watching again our game against Spurs, I'm convinced the underlying problem is either confusing or inappropriate tactics. Indeed, I'm struggling to explain what our tactics actually were in recent games. There were so many long balls that floated harmlessly out of touch, and plenty more energetic but pointless passes that were intercepted. Thank goodness Spurs were terrible because an incisive team would have torn us apart. Maybe Digne's struggles right now are more a management issue than a player issue - not that this would be any comfort.

[Palfy]

33 minutes ago, Cornish Steve said:

Maybe Digne's struggles right now are more a management issue than a player issue - not that this would be any comfort.

Not management he’s been poor for a quite a while, just not a very good defender and reader of the game, he looks better when going forward but even that side of his game has deserted him for over a season. Benitez has asked him to concentrate more on his defending as we have had so many injuries we are playing what I call survival football defending in numbers and hitting on the break, but this tactic has emphasised Digne’s lack of defending ability. No matter who you are  or what position you play in defence your number one requirement above all else that is asked of you is that you can defend your position on the pitch and he is showing he can’t. 

[Shukes]

For a full back he doesn’t have great acceleration. This makes him poor when defending one on one. Teams target this k owing it’s a weakness in our team, and generally an easy cross.

When we are on the front foot and attacking, he looks a different player.

But watch him defend and you will notice he gets terrorised.

[Bailey]

9 hours ago, Palfy said:

Not management he’s been poor for a quite a while, just not a very good defender and reader of the game, he looks better when going forward but even that side of his game has deserted him for over a season. Benitez has asked him to concentrate more on his defending as we have had so many injuries we are playing what I call survival football defending in numbers and hitting on the break, but this tactic has emphasised Digne’s lack of defending ability. No matter who you are  or what position you play in defence your number one requirement above all else that is asked of you is that you can defend your position on the pitch and he is showing he can’t. 

I don't think it has deserted Digne, more that it has deserted Everton football club. He has consistently shown that when he can get forward that he will create chances.

7 hours ago, Shukes said:

For a full back he doesn’t have great acceleration. This makes him poor when defending one on one. Teams target this k owing it’s a weakness in our team, and generally an easy cross.

When we are on the front foot and attacking, he looks a different player.

But watch him defend and you will notice he gets terrorised.

I don't think he is a bad defender 1 v 1, I just think there have been more instances this season of him switching off, or not focusing on the biggest danger. He is no worse than most full backs at defending in this league, but that doesn't say much!

My view is that it is a little pointless having one of the best attacking full backs in the league and to play him in a way that doesn't utilise that ability.

[c1982]

23 hours ago, Cornish Steve said:

When was the last time he actually played for France? (Sitting on the bench doesn't count.)

 

I could be embarrassed here, because I couldn't find the team lineup for all recent games, but he didn't play in any of those I could find.

Tonight

[Romey 1878]

13 hours ago, c1982 said:

Tonight

And got an assist.

[c1982]

 

[StevO]

Seems to be an issue between Rafa and Digne, so being made out by the press anyway. Rafa did little in his post match interview to put it to be too.