Trialist on Bench as Blues Host Nice
Saturday, 10th Aug 2024 11:59

Colombian international midfielder Steven Alzate is on trial with the Blues and on the bench for this afternoon’s friendly against OGC Nice at Portman Road (KO 12.30pm).

The 25-year-old Londoner started his career with Leyton Orient before moving to Brighton and Hove Albion in 2017 at the end of his first senior season.

While with the Seagulls, Alzate spent time on loan with Swindon and, for the last two seasons, Standard Liege. In total, he made 35 starts and 16 sub appearances, scoring three goals, for Brighton before being released last summer.

While Alzate will presumably get a chance from the bench in the second half, Blues boss Kieran McKenna names and XI which may or may not give clues to the side which lines up against Liverpool next week.

Aro Muric is in goal with Axel Tuanzebe at right-back, Leif Davis at left-back and George Edmundson and Cameron Burgess the centre-halves.

Skipper Sam Morsy and Massimo Luongo are in the centre of midfield with Ben Johnson appearing to be on the right of the three behind striker Liam Delap with Omari Hutchinson in the middle and Marcus Harness on the left.

Ali Al-Hamadi and Janoi Donacien are notable name son the bench. The Iraqi international is in the squad for the first time during pre-season having undergone adductor surgery early in pre-season.

Donacien went under the knife towards the end of last season and is training with the club while he gets fit, despite being out of contract.

The 90-minute match will be followed by another game 45 minutes played over two halves in order to get minutes in players’ legs ahead of both teams’ seasons kicking off next week.

Town: Muric, Tuanzebe, Edmundson, Burgess, Davis, Morsy (c), Luongo, Johnson, Hutchinson, Harness, Delap. Subs: Walton, Slicker, Woolfenden, Burns, Ladapo, Chaplin, Taylor, Al-Hamadi, Townsend, Greaves, Carr, Foyo, Ayinde, Alzate, Donacien.

OGC Nice: Bulka, Mendy, Rosario, Dante (c), Clauss, Boudaoui, Sanson, Louchet, Cho, Guessand, Boga. Subs: Dupé, Boulhendi, Doumbouya, Bard, Salhi, Ndombele, Camara, Traoré, Brahimi, Bouanani, Laborde, Orakpo. Referee: James Bell.

Photo: Mark Cosgrove/News Images/Sipa USA

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PaphosBlue added 12:08 - Aug 10 I wonder is this a serious “trial” with a possible contract or simply plugging a gap until we get Skipp or an other
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Gforce added 12:22 - Aug 10 If that's the starting 11 against Liverpool, we've got serious problems.
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tractorboy12341234 added 12:25 - Aug 10 last trialist wasn't too shabby - massimooo aha
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FreddySteady added 12:27 - Aug 10 I do worry about our ageing midfield.
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jas0999 added 12:30 - Aug 10 We have some very good players, but clearly a lack of depth.
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prebbs007 added 12:42 - Aug 10

We are so far away from a competitive XI for the premier league. No outfield signings that will start since 13 July almost a month ago whilst our rivals sign players seemingly without issues. I’m not saying it’s easy so think hard before down marking me but I’m very concerned about why we’ve signed nobody for nearly a month when MA told us there would be “more to come” during his stadium walk and KNc told us “we need a few more”. Either they now think we’re ok or we’re not paying the going rates for identified targets. If we don’t back KMc by getting the players he wants what was the point of working so hard to keep him here and he won’t gang around. Come on Mark let’s see those arrivals very very soon please. ITFC Forever

peckam added 13:01 - Aug 10

There’s no need to panic.
Our season starts effectively on 31st v Fulham. No one expects anything from first 2 games.
3 weeks left in transfer window. It’s obviously harder to sign players we want in PL (Szmodics!!).
We have to trust the process. MA & KMcK have not let us down for past 2 seasons.
Sure they are doing their best this time around as well.
Did anyone really think last season would start so well?
Keep the faith. Uppa Towen!!

Linkboy13 added 13:11 - Aug 10 This sends out desperation vibes to me. A bit of a journeyman who hasn't really excelled anywhere.
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TonyHumesIpswich added 13:18 - Aug 10 He's a good player who has been incredibly unlucky with some bad injuries. Seems to have been injury free for the last two seasons.
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blueprint added 13:27 - Aug 10 Worth a look at but released by another Premier league side as surplus to requirements. Not exactly exciting.
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Lukeybluey added 13:48 - Aug 10 Would love to bring Sarmiento back. And also to nick Tanaka from Fortuna.
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foot_kick_ball_goal added 14:33 - Aug 10

After reflecting on this issue, I think I'd like to see another Forward, CM and LW come on as cover for who we have. Especially because of injuries that could happen in the competitive premier league environment. (See broadhead and hirst)

However, casting my memory back to when KM took over, it was said the team needed a full overhaul to compete in League one. A few additions and a season and a half later we got promoted.

Then it was said that we need massive changes to the squad in order to compete at championship level as the players weren't good enough. A couple of additions and up we went. With, notably, pretty much the same team playing the last game of the championship season that played the last game of the league one season the year before.

Now we are in the premier League. It is being said that we need a lot of new players to be able to compete at this level. I said to a friend of mine at the end of last season, that 5 additions may well be enough (LB, DCM, Forward, Omari and a LW) ((...I didn't see hdalky leaving)). I also said, that with the exception of omari these signings could be mainly for cover for who we have.

This team has come up the leagues together. Through hard work and following KMs plans, tactics and work ethic, they are now in the premier League.

This is the team. Our team. The same team that has taken us from L1 to premier league in a couple of seasons. In a way I'd rather see is relegated as a result of giving the players who worked so hard a chance to compete at the highest level then scrape safety by replacing the players who have given everything for club.
However... Maybe we should dare to believe that they may yet have more to give. After all; they do have a habit of defying expectations.

We are the 13th man on the field and our belief and support might just give the other 12 the edge to suprise everyone.

dirtydingusmagee added 15:12 - Aug 10 Certainly not been as much progress in transfers as i d hoped . But still time i suppose .We are not imo near strong enough to compete at present .
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