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Armel Bella-Kotchap


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15 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Is this another case of a player becoming a world beater, once he's out of the team?

He started well for us in the PL, but he switched off so much and was Hoedt-esque in some of the games he played for us. It's not like we're sat on the greatest defender in the world and not playing him. There's a reason he has absolutley zero market.

Often happens. The CBs we are utilising aren’t doing well but the intense pressure from being the main resource of possession in the face of strong, quick PL presses isn’t helping them. Nor did the manager pushing them under bus today Nathan Jones style. 

Whether we use ABK or not, the most important change is their core job becomes 1) stopping the opposition getting shots and crosses at Ramsdale and 2) either finding Flynn/Lesley/Fernandes or if the space is very squeezed, and the wing backs too narrow, seeing if BBD or Cornet are on for an out ball to get a counter attack going and create breathing space. If sides then drop off as a result, then they can drive forward themselves a bit more like Stephens did sometimes for Ralph.

Edited by Gloucester Saint
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IIRC he was fine until the start of the relegation season (more than fine if you check the 2022 posts), but that season was a total shitshow. Three managers, two of them dire, players checking out all around, fractured dressing room, relegation inevitable long before the season ended, SMS was a depressing place for fans and players alike. He was far from the only one who didn't want to be here for 2023-24 in the Championship.

But he's still here, for whatever reason, and we have huge problems at the back. The questions for me are: What changed that early guy? Can we fix it? Why are we apparently not even trying when, warts and all, he's far better than some automatic starters who are costing us games?

I have no doubt that Martin sees himself as a top-notch "man manager". This is a great opportunity to show it - the potential upside is huge.

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3 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

IIRC he was fine until the start of the relegation season (more than fine if you check the 2022 posts), but that season was a total shitshow. Three managers, two of them dire, players checking out all around, fractured dressing room, relegation inevitable long before the season ended, SMS was a depressing place for fans and players alike. He was far from the only one who didn't want to be here for 2023-24 in the Championship.

But he's still here, for whatever reason, and we have huge problems at the back. The questions for me are: What changed that early guy? Can we fix it? Why are we apparently not even trying when, warts and all, he's far better than some automatic starters who are costing us games?

I have no doubt that Martin sees himself as a top-notch "man manager". This is a great opportunity to show it - the potential upside is huge.

He was signed at the start of the relegation season.

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8 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

He was signed at the start of the relegation season.

Thank you - brain fart. 😀

1 minute ago, ErwinK1961 said:

He was fine until we signed him!

The first 4+ pages of this thread say he was real quality until things started going pear-shaped on the manager front, and then everything went to hell - not just ABK. The point is that getting ABK #1 back would be very helpful right now.

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I don't remember ABK ever really having standout bad games. He was just playing in a properly shit, disorganised team.

Crazy that he's being frozen out when we're struggling so much at the back. Even just having him on the bench to push the starting players would be beneficial as opposed to having *checks the Brentford game* no centreback subs. I don't think THB, Bednarek and especially Stephens feel at all threatened by Edwards and Wood. 

Edited by Saint_clark
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12 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

I don't remember ABK ever really having standout bad games. He was just playing in a properly shit, disorganised team.

Crazy that he's being frozen out when we're struggling so much at the back. Even just having him on the bench to push the starting players would be beneficial as opposed to having *checks the Brentford game* no centreback subs. I don't think THB, Bednarek and especially Stephens feel at all threatened by Edwards and Wood. 

Indeed. Let's remember that, when we signed him in the summer of 2022, we subsequently sent both Stephens and Bednarek out on loan, having deemed them 'surplus to requirements'. 

How on Earth have we now got to the stage where both those players are not only still here but somehow keeping him out of the team?

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2 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Indeed. Let's remember that, when we signed him in the summer of 2022, we subsequently sent both Stephens and Bednarek out on loan, having deemed them 'surplus to requirements'. 

How on Earth have we now got to the stage where both those players are not only still here but somehow keeping him out of the team?

We don't know what goes on in the training ground, we don't know what personal relations are like, but that matters in a team. We do know that he has often been subbed for injury and has seldom lasted 90 mins and had weeks and months on the bench--of the physio.

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32 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Indeed. Let's remember that, when we signed him in the summer of 2022, we subsequently sent both Stephens and Bednarek out on loan, having deemed them 'surplus to requirements'. 

How on Earth have we now got to the stage where both those players are not only still here but somehow keeping him out of the team?

Yes Stephens was sent out on loan to newly promoted bournemouth and helped keep them up. Meanwhile ABK was helping us to a humiliating relegation.

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36 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Indeed. Let's remember that, when we signed him in the summer of 2022, we subsequently sent both Stephens and Bednarek out on loan, having deemed them 'surplus to requirements'. 

How on Earth have we now got to the stage where both those players are not only still here but somehow keeping him out of the team?

This. It’s already well established that Stephens and Bedders are at best very average at this level and that’s exactly how its playing out so far. We need more quality there and ABK has the potential to offer that.

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1 hour ago, Saint_clark said:

I don't remember ABK ever really having standout bad games. He was just playing in a properly shit, disorganised team.

Crazy that he's being frozen out when we're struggling so much at the back. Even just having him on the bench to push the starting players would be beneficial as opposed to having *checks the Brentford game* no centreback subs. I don't think THB, Bednarek and especially Stephens feel at all threatened by Edwards and Wood. 

I remember ABK having a couple of stinkers, but that was when nobody was willing to step up. Certainly showed his class early on. 

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If the Saints want rid of ABK, or any other non-playing centre back for that matter, I don’t think they’re doing themselves any favours by playing Stephens every game (as captain too!). What message does that send to any potential buyers?
“They’re playing Stephens ahead of [insert player name here], how bad must [insert player name here] be?! OK, we’ll give you f’all and you’d better thank us for that too!”

In all seriousness, if Stephens can be captain and picked for every game (so far), then ABK should have a route back into the team/squad ASAP. However, if ABK is as much of a problem as some seem to think he is, then he should’ve been released on a free by now. Why would you want a player hanging about if they were that much of a problem?
I think there must be some serious mismanagement going on whichever way you look at it.

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  • 5 weeks later...
45 minutes ago, Katalinic said:

Been told not even bother coming in to train, sat at home most days. Utter joke. Martin totally blinkered.

This is crazy. ABK probably said something like “I’m not even making the bench and you’re starting Stephens”… Hopefully someone new will reintegrate him, too good to not be even in the squad

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4 hours ago, Katalinic said:

Been told not even bother coming in to train, sat at home most days. Utter joke. Martin totally blinkered.

Are you sure that is true?  How do you know?  What is your HP?  (Note that I did not mention ketchup!)  What has ABK done to deserve it?  

If true and ABK has done nothing to warrant such treatment, that in itself is enough for RM to get sacked, regardless of the dross he gets the squad to serve up each game this season.

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He’s been a bellend the last two summers and was one of the players with a shite attitude the year we went down. Hasn’t been interested in getting involved until his move never materialised and he realised he’s stuck in limbo.

Suspect he will get his chance again when Martin gets sacked.

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1 hour ago, ErwinK1961 said:

He’s been a bellend the last two summers and was one of the players with a shite attitude the year we went down. Hasn’t been interested in getting involved until his move never materialised and he realised he’s stuck in limbo.

Suspect he will get his chance again when Martin gets sacked.

There is absolutely this about him.  I do think he's the best defender here, but he's clearly got a bit of an attitude about him, and we also seem to have forgotten he's made of glass, which is why I can actually get behind Martin not including him specifically.  Unfortunately I can't defend Martin over much else which is why I can't fathom him not including ABK after all has been said and done.  Catch 22.

Edited by Greedyfly
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