2025/26 Charly Alcaraz

[donny]

Very early doors this like - but he's just beginning to remind me of a young Tim Cahill.

Agree from the moment he came on he was so fast and direct forcing Palace backwards which massively swung the game in our favour.MOM for me.

 

[Rita_Poon]

Beto like Alcaraz seemed to be subbed on at HT with a bit of attitude, I don't know why this isn't the case when starting.

Do our players need to feel slighted to gee them up to get on the pitch and do a bit? This isn't a new phenomenon.

 

[MACCA75]

He added the things he always adds, energy, tempo, running with the ball.. in a team where our attacking midfielders all try and do the same thing, Charlie is a very useful different option. Can’t quite fathom why Moyes doesn’t like him.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

Think as I said yesterday, despite my reservations about him as a player, the difference he made yesterday was huge.

That being said, he's a number 10 and not anything else. At Man City it's a straight choice between him and Dewsbury-Hall and I think you can make a decent argument that Alcaraz should get the nod as he's effective in transitions and in games like the one at Man City where we will see hardly any of the ball, you could argue that his ability to drive us up the pitch would be of greater benefit than Dewsbury-Hall's clearly superior quality on the ball.

Despite a very quiet game yesterday, I'd be inclined to start Dibling in Grealish's absence on the right, with Ndiaye on the left and then take a decision about KDH or Alcaraz. I think you do Alcaraz a disservice by playing him wide, none of his good performances for us have come in a wide position.

EDIT - Although if Keane and Branthwaite are still injured, we might end up with KDH having to play in the two man midfield combo in a 4231 which wouldn't be ideal and Alcaraz would play as the 10 by default

Tim is definitely going to start against City if Garner is right back.

 

[hetion]

Saw something yesterday that we'd gone from the 6th fastest attack in the league under Moyes last season to the 2nd slowest this season. Which totally matches with how things look. Alcaraz adds a lot of that directness back in I think.

 

[Blueclouds]

For city he got to play in the middle out ndiaye on the left and Tyler on the right

 

[Saint Domingo]

Very early doors this like - but he's just beginning to remind me of a young Tim Cahill.

Thought this last season with his header at Newcastle, haven’t seen a 10 arriving into the box like that since Cahill. He’s got that aggression which makes things happen as well.

 

[Swartzy]

Be lovely to see how how Charly, KDH and Garner would work, possibly a bit light defensively, but KDH compliments Grealish, Charly Compliments Illy and Garner Compliments everyone.

 

[ToffeeTim]

I think he'll get a chance in the next game with Jack unavailable

 

[pfim]

I think he'll get a chance in the next game with Jack unavailable

Which will likely be on the right, he'll be out of position and ineffectual, and subbed of early.

 

[preposterousvelios]

Very early doors this like - but he's just beginning to remind me of a young Tim Cahill.

I've been surprised that Moyes doesn't seem to fancy him tbh. Out of the players in this squad he's the one you can imagine fitting right into that classic Moyes team with his tenacity and application.

 

[carolinablue232]

For city he got to play in the middle out ndiaye on the left and Tyler on the right

Id like to see it but KDH will be back at the 10. Moyes won’t change that I don’t think.

 

[Eggs]

…I noticed him getting summoned when the subs were on the pitch at half-time and he absolutely bombed down the tunnel. I thought then, he was a player really wanting to get on and I wasn’t surprised he made a fast start.

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

For every squad player, all you can do is make the most of your chance when you get it.

Was watching Tyler Dibbling first half and thought he looked like he was waiting for the game to come to him, never got himself involved.

Alcaraz was night and day when he came on. Chased everything, pressured, just put in a massive effort. Changed the match.

Good management would reward that and give him a start next game. Imagine Moyes will go back to KDH though and Alcaraz will have every right to feel aggrieved. He’s putting huge pressure on KDH to keep standards high, that’s for sure.

Shame Dibbling, McNeil and Barry are making so little of the chances they get.

 

[AsiaAsia82]

With Grealish out v City , I agree Charley to start as a 10 with KDH dropped deeper.
Garner at RB, behind Dibling, Illy on the left.