Alfie Devine (merged)

[Montybulldog]

Looked really good today I thought when he came on. Might be worth starting him against Millwall.

Well I have him in my line up and formation for Millwall



Waine Freddie

Mumba Randle, Alfie D, Bundu
Houghton ( sweeper between defense at MF)

Gibson, Scarr, siranola

Cooper

Bench: Hazard, Edwards, Galloway, Whittaker, Hardie, Caleb Roberts.

 

[jimsing]

After taking a two goal lead Stoke went very narrow and compact (Schumacher tactically outsmarted Nancesnip) but Devine was the one Argyle player who tried to make things happen and drive at the Stoke defence.

Sadly he's too lightweight to start games and is much better as an impact sub.

Regarding the loanees the parent clubs will be delighted their young players are experiencing a relegation battle as part of their learning journey.
Not so good for us though but that's our fault for signing a load of youth players in January.

You're onto something there Postey, although the word from Spurs is that they are disappointed about Divine especially and also Phillips as well, not playing, I presume, because they are talking about sending them out to another Championship club but one that is established in the league.

Hallett would like us to get young lads, to improve them, and then sell them on at a profit, in order to compete at this level, or any level really.

What we must strive for, then, is to bring in youngsters with potential, added to the youngsters that we can get from the Academy, and then balance the team up by bringing in older experienced players on loan.

I don't mean that we have to have ALL youngsters as our own, but we must have a balance of youth and experience.

We can then buy and sell on each season in order to get the finance to improve year on year.

With the young lads that came in on loan, we seem to be doing this the wrong way round.

 

[Mark Smith]

Devine has been mostly bad for us, but in the second half was quite comfortably our best player. Willing to get on the ball and drive forward with it and actually try to make something happen. I’d suggest anyone who thought Devine was bad either wasn’t watching or has made their mind up on him and isn’t able to objectively analyse the game.

He has to start at Millwall in a 3 man midfield. The loss of Gyabi as an option is looking more painful with each week. No world beater, but offered us the athleticism and physicality in midfield that we are so sorely lacking.

I’m still in slight disbelief at Adam Randell’s performance yesterday. I really like him but he was absolutely shocking.

I had exactly the same thoughts about Randell and Gyabi while watching the game on Saturday.

Too late now, I know, but I remember the impetus that Matete gave us at a key point last year. We have desperately needed someone like him to take the midfield by the scruff of the neck and change the momentum of play.

 

[pafc jack]

Seems to have become an Argyle Twitter / PASOTI "fact" that Devine is primarily a deep-lying midfielder.

More accurate to say he's mostly been an attacking midfielder / no.10 coming through the Spurs and international youth setup, although he has played centre mid relatively often as a second position.

He started this season at Port Vale as an AMC / no.10. Then, due to injuries/suspensions, he briefly played in a deeper role before being recalled and sent to us.

Last season: Spurs u21s "Premier League 2" - 9 games AMC, 5 games CM (2 games CF!)
These 9 AMC games were all variations of 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 (never in a 3-4-3), so although playing in an attacking role he was probably less of a "forward" than he is when playing no.10 in a 3-4-3.


England Under-20s, May '23 (under Foster) - 4 games, 3 as a no.10
Three games as a no.10 in a 3-4-3. One game as a deep-lying centre mid in 3-4-3.
Example of three games:

One game:


Port Vale role early in the season - Sept. '23 - no.10 in a 3-4-3


Port Vale role by Dec '23 / Jan '24 - deep-lying CM in 3-4-3


Comments post-Coventry, Feb '24 - refers to Port Vale loan