[rhobbie]

Too slow always goes backwards or sideways never forward when he gets a shooting opportunity he either bottles it or sky’s it
 he should have been dropped to the bench ages ago .

[letmereadposts]

He’s been hiding in 2/3 last games. I like Sawyers but some of the 50:50 he dodged yesterday were, at times, pathetic. I gave him a pass for Blackburn as Harper hindered him, yesterday however no excuses and I at least Krovinovic did not hide and won most 50:50s.

Our loans strangely play with more passion at times.

[lewisant]

I think he is a very good player but yesterday was awful and 100% needed replacing with Brunty.

I think he needs a break. If we want to move forward with him then him and Livermore isn’t the partnership.

He doesn’t tackle or win headers. His positional sense is great so he does make interceptions but he needs to be alongside somebody like Yacob in my humble. Or even better Reed from Saints.

[Dexy]

Like a number of players that have done well Sawyers looks burned out and out of form.
You have to question whats going on

[paulosull]

Like a number of players that have done well Sawyers looks burned out and out of form.
You have to question whats going on

think the warm up is too strenuous for these pampered professionals

[baggiejohn]

Like a number of players that have done well Sawyers looks burned out and out of form.
You have to question whats going on

I don't think they're physically drained, but they are mentally.

Brentford pressure on us finally told last night.

I also think there was a lot of s&**thousery going on last night which we didn't see

Willock, Bacuna & Stearman all had personal agendas against us, & weren't the Cowley brothers considered for Bilic's job?

Both Willck & Bacuna had hardly featured until last night.

Not saying it should have mattered to a pro-sportsman, but it was added pressure.

[Adder]

I think Sawyers is physically drained. He covers a lot of ground making himself available to link things together.
When we are being swarmed like we were yesterday, he doesn't have many options for progressive passes. He's not a player to make hit and hope passes and I don't think that's what Bilic wants anyway. Yesterday's performance was probably as much an issue with lack of energy and movement from those around him (plus an outnumbered midfield) as it was down to Sawyers himself.

[OldburyWBA]

Sawyers is a difficult one, i'm a big Sawyers fan and all the criticism for the way he plays is way ott at times, he's playing how he has always played, one major difference is the front 3 he had at Brentford and what he has in front here, yesterday he was poor but not alone which is why its amazing how certain players are being picked out when it was an abysmal performance all round.

At times the midfield is too close together and theres no-one making runs so its all tippy tappy passing.

[boinging_along]

Sawyers is a difficult one, i'm a big Sawyers fan and all the criticism for the way he plays is way ott at times, he's playing how he has always played, one major difference is the front 3 he had at Brentford and what he has in front here, yesterday he was poor but not alone which is why its amazing how certain players are being picked out when it was an abysmal performance all round.

At times the midfield is too close together and theres no-one making runs so its all tippy tappy passing.

Yup, I agree with the comments being over the top sometimes - he was especially poor last night I think.  All players have bad games but it's down to the manager to spot that.  Sawyers had a terrible first half last night but Bilic put more reliance on him second half rather than less by removing Livermore. 

[BalisPen]

I think he is a good player, but sometimes he gives you the impression that he is too relaxed, chewing his gum.

But, I bet it hurt him most last night because he really is one of our since birth.

I see what some say about him passing sideways, but that imo is more to do with the movement in front of him, as he has it in his game to play great forward passes.

[frazzle]

Sawyers is a difficult one, i'm a big Sawyers fan and all the criticism for the way he plays is way ott at times, he's playing how he has always played, one major difference is the front 3 he had at Brentford and what he has in front here, yesterday he was poor but not alone which is why its amazing how certain players are being picked out when it was an abysmal performance all round.

At times the midfield is too close together and theres no-one making runs so its all tippy tappy passing.

Agreed. Nobody played well yesterday.

[geoff]

Ronnie is at his best when players in front of him run into spaces when that doesn't happen his play suffers by having to play backwards to much like yesterday's game.

[boinging_along]

Ronnie is at his best when players in front of him run into spaces when that doesn't happen his play suffers by having to play backwards to much like yesterday's game.

Yeah, the movement needs to start at the top as space ripples down.  Periera can't find any space as it's too congested.  We end up passing it sideways and once it ends up at our LB\RB they're a bit slow\ineffective on the ball.

[alex1]

The way we play is based on passing through the midfield. Sawyers fits into that system.
Of course he could launch the ball 30 yards up to the forwards, but the team is not set up to play that way and we would lose possession about 95% of the time to an organised group of defenders.
However, he should always be looking for the forward pass rather than the sideways one, especially when we are chasing the game.

[frazzle]

Worth a read. For the many on here that were knocking him, he was clearly feeling the pressure.

One of our best players this year and I can’t wait to see him in the new season.

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/west-bromwich-albion/2020/07/29/exclusive-boyhood-baggie-romaine-sawyers-living-his-west-brom-dream/

[saml30]

Worth a read. For the many on here that were knocking him, he was clearly feeling the pressure.

One of our best players this year and I can’t wait to see him in the new season.

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/west-bromwich-albion/2020/07/29/exclusive-boyhood-baggie-romaine-sawyers-living-his-west-brom-dream/

For what it’s worth, I thought he was brilliant against QPR. Seemed to get the ball forward a lot more and have a little more license

[seteefeet]

For what it’s worth, I thought he was brilliant against QPR. Seemed to get the ball forward a lot more and have a little more license

I think he's been brilliant throughout the season but clearly the pressure got to him post-lockdown. Reading that though it's understandable, he really has the club at heart and to hear a footballer refer to themselves as a "fan" is something I can't remember for a long time.
In top 3 players for me this season and, hopefully, will kick on next year and be key to further success.

[Albionic]

If a high % of his passes are square or backwards, frankly I don't care, far rather that than lumping it forward for oppo centre-halves to immediately recycle back against us.

We (most of us) detested Pulisball and if this is part of the evolution away from it, then excellent. As others have said we will need more mobility up front next season and also ball retention will be imperative when we are subjected to "the press"

There may well be a case for Sawyers being a "player suited to the prem" on this basis.

[BalisPen]

There is also an in the Birmingham snail that shows how much he is one of our own, and why I therefore find very hard to criticise him.

States how proud he is to go up with his team and how much it means to him and his family.

[frazzle]

If a high % of his passes are square or backwards, frankly I don't care, far rather that than lumping it forward for oppo centre-halves to immediately recycle back against us.

We (most of us) detested Pulisball and if this is part of the evolution away from it, then excellent. As others have said we will need more mobility up front next season and also ball retention will be imperative when we are subjected to "the press"

There may well be a case for Sawyers being a "player suited to the prem" on this basis.

Those that complain about sideways passing literally don’t understand the game. If we are playing a possession based style where we try and move the opposition around to create space then we have to do exactly what Sawyers does. He is essential. When he can he always plays a forward pass, and when he can’t he helps move the ball on and finds a new position to take the ball back and try again.

[mulliganstired]

Done enough to deserve a decent run next season, whether his dodgy backtracking/tackling will be a liability too far, we shall see

[darbolina]

I think Sawyers has been a quality addition - what we lacked in terms of linking up play from the back to front. I think he suffered like a few in midfield when we had a very static front line which means he has to look side wards too much. He reminds me of Greening - obvious quality and cool on the ball but needs a 'minder' beside him to help with the defensive side of the game.

My theory with him and Krovinovic is that they will be more suited to the premier league where they'll get more time on the ball (we'll see). The key for our midfield is to ensure we have plenty of pace and movement up front for him and others to aim at. He's in my top three players this season overall..............also he really understands the club - more than a typical mercenary who we may get for 100k a week wages and offer little more  (Krychowiak springs to mind! )

[liverbaggie]

Slav calls him his metronone

[Webby]

I want to love one of our own I just honestly think he’s lazy and does not work hard enough for this team at all. Don’t buy the link up between defence and midfield to attack. He stands around to much and jogs when should be busting a gut to get there.

Livermore needs a new partner in CM

[gazberg]

Garbage so far today. Stop chewing, start watching the game and tackling.