The Bjorn Engels Thread | Page 11 | Vital Football

The Bjorn Engels Thread

Think both Engels and Guilbert did have injuries, but Guilbert has been on the bench for the last couple of games.

Does have a bit of a wiff of bomb squad about it. Both players have something, maybe quite a lot to offer, so pity if it's true.

However, may not be for long, as no doubt things will change at the end of season.
 
McParlandTheGreat said:
Think both Engels and Guilbert did have injuries, but Guilbert has been on the bench for the last couple of games.

Does have a bit of a wiff of bomb squad about it. Both players have something, maybe quite a lot to offer, so pity if it's true.

However, may not be for long, as no doubt things will change at the end of season.
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I think Freddie is just behind Konsa and Elmo right now after coming back from injury. Konsa has been excellent at right-back and Elmo proved today (again) that he is an asset with his experience and crossing/delivery. Next season, after Mings has gone then I think the right-back spot will be Freddie's to lose.... I have a feeling that Engels might be a recurring injury that needs a few months full rest to properly heal.
More than anything it's actually good to see we have enough depth in those positions, unlike further up the field where we have virtually none....
 
Honestly think this is 99% media speculation. "Player out of team with long term injury + a couple of shaky performances and losing his place = He's Gone."
Engels was there with the team celebrating when we stayed up at Wet Spam, unlike a few others who were noticeably absent. If he was out of the managers plans/thoughts for the long term why would he be traveling with the team when out with a long term injury? And why would Smith keep updating the media at every press conference that he is injured?
Personally I think he's a decent player who had a couple of below-par performances - as EVERY player coming to a new club/league/country does. The mistake at Spuds was, to many, a sign that our most consistent defender in the first 10-15 games was all of a sudden completely crap and would be sold..... Players make mistakes like that every game, yet because this one led to a goal it's blown way beyond proportion.
 
Unless it's my memory, it's only been the Sheffield United pre-match that Smith has actually confirmed he has an injury. I honestly can't remember any official updates when he went missing those few times last season - even the long term injury was speculation, hence over lockdown people wondering if Engels was one of the two Smith referenced about being higher risk/or higher concerns.

Certainly wouldn't get rid yet though.
 
Couple of mistakes apart, I liked the way he defended. Definitely worth his place in the squad. It's possible he's less comfortable playing the high line Smith seems to like, but even so without him we'd be very thin at the back.
 
Pangloss said:
Not sure I'd be bothered, actually wouldn't be at all if we signed another centre half.
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Nor me. I think we've got a decided lack of experience in that position. If, as assumed the first-choice pairing is Mings and Konsa, that's one season of premier league experience for each, backed up by Hause and Engels with less than half a season each. I'd feel very comfortable if we signed someone with a few more years under their belt... especially as our holding midfielders are of a similar ilk in terms of experience....
 
mike_field said:
Unless it's my memory, it's only been the Sheffield United pre-match that Smith has actually confirmed he has an injury. I honestly can't remember any official updates when he went missing those few times last season - even the long term injury was speculation, hence over lockdown people wondering if Engels was one of the two Smith referenced about being higher risk/or higher concerns.

Certainly wouldn't get rid yet though.
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Couldn't pinpoint the exact times, but I do know that Smith mentioned he had an achilles problem earlier in the year... I think this thigh injury is a new one...
 
After a fairly decent start to the season beside Mings, I felt the veil well and truly fell off by November/December, whenever that Southampton game was. He hasn't had a decent performance since before that game. He's definitely fourth choice for me and I think the coaching staff too. I'd happily get rid and sign someone who can compete with Konsa.
 
We need at least 4 centre halves so unless he's being replaced he shouldn't be going anywhere. Thought he was decent enough at first, looked a bargain in the opening part of the season but did fall apart a bit. There's definitely a player there though so I'd prefer to keep him.
 
I’m afraid I can’t get that last minute mistake against Spurs out of my mind. Probably unfair of me but.......
 
McParlandTheGreat said:
I like Engels, doesn't get out of the way of shots in his direction. But he doesn't seem happy to stray over the halfway line, which it would seem is a big minus.
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Strange that Engels was the stand out signing alongside Mings early last season, he was that good nobody noticed him or hardly mentioned him he had slotted in so seamlessly.
12 months on he's the worst defender since Micah Richards, I don't think so somehow. He's made a few errors and he's allegedly told Deano how "it is" and he's officially been injured but he's nowhere near as bad as some make out.
I would, however, question his commitment to the cause
 
Villan57 said:
Strange that Engels was the stand out signing alongside Mings early last season, he was that good nobody noticed him or hardly mentioned him he had slotted in so seamlessly.
12 months on he's the worst defender since Micah Richards, I don't think so somehow. He's made a few errors and he's allegedly told Deano how "it is" and he's officially been injured but he's nowhere near as bad as some make out.
I would, however, question his commitment to the cause
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I agree on Engels. I thought I saw a calm comfortable defender with good positioning and decent clearing headers. He turns slowly and hasn’t got recovery pace which means that he’s not really suited to Deans high line press into the opposition half (although neither is Mings based on that goal he gave away against BHA!).

I suspect that’s part of the friction between him and Deano. He’s been asked to play a role he knows leaves him vulnerable. Also he appears to be the first player to openly suggest playing a bit tighter (which wasn’t well handled by either party) and that was him out the squad. Interestingly a few month later a group of senior players said the same, and then after lockdown Dean appeared to have finally figured it out. Engels must have either felt vindicated or just puzzled.

Or you could just go binary and simplistic and hark back to the Tottenham game and based on that alone and that Dean doesn’t like him and declare him shit 🙄

Tl; dr - I think there’s a player in their but not in a set up like Deanos.
 
crimsondonkey said:
I agree on Engels. I thought I saw a calm comfortable defender with good positioning and decent clearing headers. He turns slowly and hasn’t got recovery pace which means that he’s not really suited to Deans high line press into the opposition half (although neither is Mings based on that goal he gave away against BHA!).

I suspect that’s part of the friction between him and Deano. He’s been asked to play a role he knows leaves him vulnerable. Also he appears to be the first player to openly suggest playing a bit tighter (which wasn’t well handled by either party) and that was him out the squad. Interestingly a few month later a group of senior players said the same, and then after lockdown Dean appeared to have finally figured it out. Engels must have either felt vindicated or just puzzled.

Or you could just go binary and simplistic and hark back to the Tottenham game and based on that alone and that Dean doesn’t like him and declare him shit 🙄

Tl; dr - I think there’s a player in their but not in a set up like Deanos.
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Please tell me in which of these games you thought Engels was good enough to play Premier League football? I can highlight at least 5 on this list of 19 where he either made mistakes that cost us points or was absolutely dreadful.

We have improved enormously at the back since Konsa was introduced. Engels is a liability. Telling the manager to change his tactical approach when you've played badly in the handful of games you've played for the club isn't a good idea either is it?

Get rid and get Tuanzebe back.
 

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ldgavfc said:
Please tell me in which of these games you thought Engels was good enough to play Premier League football? I can highlight at least 5 on this list of 19 where he either made mistakes that cost us points or was absolutely dreadful.

We have improved enormously at the back since Konsa was introduced. Engels is a liability. Telling the manager to change his tactical approach when you've played badly in the handful of games you've played for the club isn't a good idea either is it?

Get rid and get Tuanzebe back.
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Christ, just bore off.
 
ldgavfc said:
Please tell me in which of these games you thought Engels was good enough to play Premier League football? I can highlight at least 5 on this list of 19 where he either made mistakes that cost us points or was absolutely dreadful.

We have improved enormously at the back since Konsa was introduced. Engels is a liability. Telling the manager to change his tactical approach when you've played badly in the handful of games you've played for the club isn't a good idea either is it?

Get rid and get Tuanzebe back.
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We've never been battered with Konsa and Mings at the back have we :throw:
 
For all those who think he's the worst defender we've ever had and Villa fans aren't fickle read page 4 of this thread. Apparently he's never been any good :shake:
 
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