Lewis Dunk

[Harry]

The ideal world changed in 24 hours, umm how long has he been looking?.

The 'ideal world' doesn't actually exist in football though Es.

In an ideal world we wouldn't have to be looking for a loanee because we'd have 5 competent centre backs in the squad, all owned by us and all on a low wage.

Actually, scratch that. In an ideal world we would play in a 100,000 capacity stadium, winning Champions Leagues and have Messi, Ozil, Iniesta, Ronaldo, Xavi entertaining us every week, with tickets at a tenner!

[Harry]

Lets hope so H, I certainly think he can do a job.

I just hope it's not another case of we can't get what we want so we'll settle for anybody. We've been down that road too often in the past. I also hope this doesn't knock Williams confidence, I'm sure he'd understand had we brought in an experienced player, but may not feel the same about being replaced by a 21 year old who's played 45 league games in 3 seasons.

I don't think Williams' confidence will be knocked. I think he's getting more game time than he thought he would when he arrived here. I'm certain he knows what his place is within the squad, and it wasn't to be a regular starter this season.

[fixit]

Any links to the accusation he had?

From the Western Daily Press, Saturday May 25, 2013

Footballers not guilty of sex assault

Liverpool football manager Brendan Rodgers spoke yesterday of his relief after his son Anton was cleared in a sex case involving a teenage girl.

Anton, 20, and three teammates from Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club were found not guilty of sexual assault and voyeurism. The retrial at the Old Bailey followed an earlier trial in which a jury could not agree verdicts. Mr Rodgers said: "The last 18 months have been extremely traumatic for us as a family, but we are relieved that Anton's name has been cleared. I am also pleased for the other defendants and their families."

Anton, Lewis Dunk, 21, George Barker, 21, and former team-mate Steve Cook, 22, now with Bournemouth, had maintained their innocence. The prosecution said the players were celebrating a cup victory in July 2011 when they came across the drunken woman at a club. She woke up at a hotel to find her strapless dress pulled down and said she saw explicit pictures on Rodgers' mobile phone.

But despite tests on all the players' phones, only one photograph was found on Barker's phone. It showed the sleeping woman with shaving foam spelling out GB on her thigh. Barker was next to her doing a thumbs-up sign and smiling.

The 19-year-old woman was said to have "told a pack of lies" following the incident.

[Pickle Rick]

From the Western Daily Press, Saturday May 25, 2013

Footballers not guilty of sex assault

Liverpool football manager Brendan Rodgers spoke yesterday of his relief after his son Anton was cleared in a sex case involving a teenage girl.

Anton, 20, and three teammates from Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club were found not guilty of sexual assault and voyeurism. The retrial at the Old Bailey followed an earlier trial in which a jury could not agree verdicts. Mr Rodgers said: "The last 18 months have been extremely traumatic for us as a family, but we are relieved that Anton's name has been cleared. I am also pleased for the other defendants and their families."

Anton, Lewis Dunk, 21, George Barker, 21, and former team-mate Steve Cook, 22, now with Bournemouth, had maintained their innocence. The prosecution said the players were celebrating a cup victory in July 2011 when they came across the drunken woman at a club. She woke up at a hotel to find her strapless dress pulled down and said she saw explicit pictures on Rodgers' mobile phone.

But despite tests on all the players' phones, only one photograph was found on Barker's phone. It showed the sleeping woman with shaving foam spelling out GB on her thigh. Barker was next to her doing a thumbs-up sign and smiling.

The 19-year-old woman was said to have "told a pack of lies" following the incident.

Thanks for the heads up - I did know that.

If you go back up and read again you may notice it was written in jest, rather than a question

[Swede]

My BHA mate says:

"A very promising young player who is composed on the ball. He was looking very good until he was part of the court case that dragged his name through the mud & has struggled to get a look in since we signed Upson. He does have the odd rash tackle in him though. I would say he just needs games now & that he has a big future ahead of him."

Looking on BBC website, this kid had Prem clubs looking at him while he was still a teenager.

I rate him, however I am extremely concerned if he's lost his place to Upson, isn't he the one who chases a carrot dangling in front of a straw hat with two holes in it.

[italian dave]

Age, experience, appearances....??

One word: Caulker.

[Guest]

Really? are you sure about that?, only last week some on here were claiming that some of our current younger players some with over 150 games under their belts (100 less than Dunk) were 'inexperienced'.

ah but we are in "transition" and these inexperienced players need more games; geez how long does it take to learn how to play football, poor luvs.

[redsquirrel]

I don't think Williams' confidence will be knocked. I think he's getting more game time than he thought he would when he arrived here. I'm certain he knows what his place is within the squad, and it wasn't to be a regular starter this season.

whos to say hes in for williams, sod said he needed cover for flint as he was on 4 yellows,might be thinking he can be rcb aswell as lcb?

i did laugh at the comment of dunk having a good cv, we will soon put that right

[glynriley]

I don't think Williams' confidence will be knocked. I think he's getting more game time than he thought he would when he arrived here. I'm certain he knows what his place is within the squad, and it wasn't to be a regular starter this season.

Good point, I just hope he's not one of those lads who thinks he's being singled out for a poor start, but as redsquirrel says, he may end up taking Flints place.

Whoever he's in for, I hope he has a stormer.

[LondonBristolian]

I rate him, however I am extremely concerned if he's lost his place to Upson, isn't he the one who chases a carrot dangling in front of a straw hat with two holes in it.

You're concerned that he lost his place to an England international with more than 20 caps at a point when he had a massive court case hanging over him?

[GrahamC]

The ideal world changed in 24 hours, umm how long has he been looking?.

How about the distinct possibility that they thought Flint was a doubt for today and as we've been unable to get anyone more experienced in (any suggestions?) we decided not to line up at Port Vale with a central defensive partnership with 6 league starts between them?

[Harry]

Sorry to bust Harry's balls again, but Dunks only ever actually had around 6 appearances at this level 1 2009/10 and 5 in 2010/11. His breakthrough season was actually Brighton's first season in the Champs in 2011/12. Indeed he only has 54 apps to his name, which isnt as experienced as Harry is making out. Nor is it substantively different to say Maloney, or the various others, who actually are more experienced than he at this level

Odd that Harry should be promoting things from a skewed view, again

What ARE you talking about Ralphy?

I think you mis-read my post cuz you've actually agreed with a lot of what I said. I said that Dunk has more experience at 2nd tier football than 12 of our 1st teamers and not much less than 3 others.

So he is one of the more experienced members of the squad. Yes he's only had 40 odd games at Champ level, but I'm saying that's more than 60% of our squad.

I'm not sure what the point is that you're trying to make, seems like your post was just designed to slate me rather than provide any decent conversation.

[Harry]

whos to say hes in for williams, sod said he needed cover for flint as he was on 4 yellows,might be thinking he can be rcb aswell as lcb?

i did laugh at the comment of dunk having a good cv, we will soon put that right

I was responding to Glyns post where he said he feared this arrival could knock Williams' confidence.

I never suggested he was ONLY here to replace Williams.

As for his CV. He's played 3 seasons of football, all of them as a regular member of a top 10 championship team. As I said, on paper, that's a good CV. Whether he performs on the pitch is another matter and I'm not getting carried away until I see for myself. Just saying that this could be a very good signing so not sure why some others on here bleating on about him not bring the experienced player Sod wanted. This lad could be a better signing than picking up some 32 year old has-been for significantly more money.

[Major Isewater]

Now, that is perfectly acceptable in this case - please tell me we used it for Marlon?

How about 'City shore-y up the defence with Nicky'?

Don't call us ... ;0)

[glynriley]

I suppose there is a chance we could play Dunk, Flint & Williams as part of a back 5, same as we did at Swindon.

[Red-Robbo]

Rated by my B&HA season ticket holder friend as "a good loan for you guys". Look forward to him settling the backline.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

How about the distinct possibility that they thought Flint was a doubt for today and as we've been unable to get anyone more experienced in (any suggestions?) we decided not to line up at Port Vale with a central defensive partnership with 6 league starts between them?

There you go, so he was always cover for Flint then.

Suggestions I thought was what the database of possible targets was for?.

[Harry]

I read it as being this level and went with because was shattered. My bad and I apologise.

I still dont think he is one of the more experienced members of the squad though, looking back at this post http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?/topic/157661-loans-etc/?p=1880210 He is only more experienced than Williams in that first team.

Yes, Dunk has had a season at a higher level then a weird bit part due to off the field antics or whatever caused him to lose his place, but I wouldnt class that as being more experienced in the way in which you suggested in so much that he has played at a higher level. Unfortunately, we arent playing at a higher level at the moment, and as we and other teams as a team are finding out and have found out, this league is very much a different beast, The players in our first team and that would include the young guns in our team who havent played many games full stop, would have more 'experience' at this level than Dunk would have, because they have played more games at it.

Either way at only 54 appearances, he has much less game time at any level than most of the first team, so he really isnt as experienced as you've made out

I hope that makes more sense than my previous post and clarifies what i was trying to put across, Cheers

Hey Ralph, that's cool buddy, apology accepted.

I totally agree with you by the way, that Dunk has no League 1 experience, and that he's not played as many games as a lot of the squad, but I guess my argument was that he's had more experience at a higher level that more than half the squad, and for a bloody good football side too.

So overall I think his experience is sufficient to be able to come into this squad of players and be seen as someone to look up to as having proven himself at a higher level.

Anyway, enough of all that, and this thread. Lets go see the Vale reaction threads.