1

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Karlan Grant

« on: Today at 12:44:11 PM »

Magnificent last night, best performance in an Albion shirt.

Upfront in a two is his best position quite clearly.

2

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Josh Maja joins Albion

« on: Today at 12:40:37 PM »

He looked a bit flat but all players do from time to time.

No need for concern. Starts at Watford.

3

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: John Swift

« on: Today at 12:26:26 PM »

I must've seen a different game thought he started okay but then faded away and why is he so bloody scared to shoot all of a sudden?

Because he's not confident in his own ability because his shots only go in when he's right on top of his game which is probably 10% of the time. Whereas someone like De Bruyne takes on similar chances because he knows probably 30 - 40% of the time he'll score those chances. Its the difference in quality.

4

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan

« on: Today at 12:16:30 PM »

I think we rode our luck last night. any other game we could have lost it, but we didn't.

I agree.

That said the team selection was right and I understood the subs so Carlos is performing fine at the moment. His position greatly strengthened over the last couple of games. No longer under pressure for the moment. I commented two games ago that the next three games were massive, well he's performed in the first two of those and the results have been positive. 

Go Carlos!

5

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: John Swift

« on: Today at 12:12:07 PM »

He was fine last night because we were in front and he kept hold of the ball. If we need a goal though his too many touches slow our attacks down and he doesn't have the quality to turn that into our advantage.

First chance we get, get rid, him and that massively overated Diangana.

6

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan

« on: December 08, 2024, 05:42:27 PM »

No complaints from me today re Carlos.

7

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Mikey Johnston joins on permanent deal

« on: December 08, 2024, 05:38:30 PM »

Had a good game today. Carry on like that and the goals / assists will come.

He and Fellows were a proper threat all game.

8

Last Match Forum - 08/12 Sheffield United (H) / Re: After Match Debate

« on: December 08, 2024, 05:35:59 PM »

A bit like the Norwich game, entertaining.

We looked the side most likely to win as the game wore on, five minutes of madness cost us.

Correct team selection and on another day we win that.

Encouraging ......................

.................. but we need a win!

9

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Karlan Grant

« on: December 08, 2024, 05:19:18 PM »

Highlighted by that last ditch tackle after chasing back 50 yards. His attitude now is nothing like his pre loan to Cardiff.

Absolutely. I'm 51 years old and I've never seen a player transformed to the extent that Grant has.

10

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: FA Cup 24/25 Round 3 - AFC Bournemouth Away

« on: December 08, 2024, 02:50:09 AM »

Do you not understand the phrase,'Romance of the FA Cup'? FA Cup history is littered with giant killings. As we know. These are the games I'll watch. The Final contestants usually play each other twice a year.

He's right though isn't he? The gap between levels is now so great that real giant killings (like a non league team beating a top flight team) won't happen until the structure of football
changes (if it ever does).

11

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Mason Holgate joins on loan

« on: December 03, 2024, 12:12:36 PM »

He's not great. Bartley and Heggem should be our centre half pairing.

12

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan

« on: December 02, 2024, 01:21:32 PM »

If he is gone by January then we will become relegation contenders by March.

Sorry but that's absolute rubbish unless we appoint an absolute idiot. This squad should be finishing top six.

13

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan

« on: December 01, 2024, 01:23:41 PM »

I've never called for Carlos' head and I'm still not but it's getting close now.

That team selection yesterday was utterly bemusing and a sign of a head coach who's head is muddled. When they start making ridiculous calls like that the end is nearly always nigh.

It looks to me that Carlos is no intensed he can't see what's right in front of his eyes.

He was exactly what we needed when he took over but I stand by my previous opinion that he will never finish top two in this league whatever squad he has or whatever club he was head coach of, his mentality is too Conservative and that transmits to the players and their performances.

I'm still giving him the chance to turn it round but my patience is wearing very thin now. Sitting back on narrow leads at Oxford and Preston illuminates mentalities amongst the playing staff and that is a product of the protect what you have mentality of the head coach.

The next three games are massive Carlos. You simply have to radically change your mentality and your approach otherwise you're not what we need at this moment in time.

14

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: November 26, 2024, 01:19:05 PM »

That side is far too weak in my view. it would get a good hiding.

It's an absolutely ridiculous line up that just will not happen  end of. Not worthy of any debate.

15

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: November 24, 2024, 09:27:53 AM »

So if Maja, Mowatt and Fellows were tiring, whom should he have brought on instead?

You're assuming they were tiring. There's been no comment from anyone inside the club to back up your claim. They haven't played for two weeks there's no reason they couldn't last 90 minutes.

CC came on Radio WM after the game and claimed he was delighted with our attacking threat except the last twenty minutes. Well, go figure, don't take all your attacking threat off then.

16

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: November 24, 2024, 04:02:08 AM »

Has anyone seen a video of the disallowed goal, for some reason, they haven't included it in the highlights on the Sky Sports app

I have seen a dodgy clip of it. The ball does seem to hit Grant's arm off Johnston's shot. Its completely unintentional, it isn't clear whether it took a deflection en route either. I'm almost sure the law states, or stated, that if the ball hits a hand / arm and it leads to a goal it's a foul (though that may be / have been) in the Premier League. If that's the case it is a free kick but it's extremely harsh.

Best game of football I've seen at the Hawthorns for ages. The 442 with two strikers playing as such, with two wingers, lends itself to that and we looked much better going forward. The flip side is we don't look so solid out of possession.

Heggem, own goal aside, was absolutely outstanding, there is a Premier League centre back in him.

Carlos's substitutions killed our chance of winning the game. 

17

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Josh Maja joins Albion

« on: November 08, 2024, 09:36:55 AM »

Is anyone else getting annoyed at how Maja refuses to hold the ball? Constantly laying it off every time he receives it...

No. I'm getting annoyed at how deep he's dropping though, especially when there's no one running in behind.

With this and Mowatt picking the ball up in centre back areas and Swift dropping ten yards in front of Mowatt we're contesting the pitch too much and centre halves are having such an easy time.

18

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: November 08, 2024, 09:34:03 AM »

Getting to easy to predict now. We will start brightly go 1-0 up and then drop deeper and deeper until they equalise. 1-1.

Yeah that's very much the first expectation that comes to mind.

We, absolutely, should be imposing ourselves on these and we 100% have the ability in our squad be best them comfortably.

Fingers crossed! 🤞

19

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan

« on: November 08, 2024, 09:16:01 AM »

Excellent post.

I am as frustrated as anyone with our current run of form, but I do back CC to turn it around and, let's face it, despite the poor form and frankly awful, at times, performances, we remain fifth and very difficult for other teams to beat so it is not as bad as certain people are making it out to be. It could, of course, get worse from here but, conversely, as I expect it to, it could get a lot better.

Try and keep the faith, people. He is not a Steve Bruce, he does know what he is doing.

How can you be so sure that he "knows what he's doing"? and in what sense?

If you mean he knows how to get a team out of this division (which is Bilkul's aim) then there is no evidence to back this up.

The evidence, thus far, points to a pragmatic head coach that consistently picks up points. Is that enough? It was great when we were rock bottom under Steve Bruce and Carlos was exactly what we needed back then, and it was great at Huddersfield when there was no expectation on them and no one expected them to finish inside the top six. The question though is: is Carlos Corberan what we need now?

If you (the general you, it's nothing personal) don't at least have your doubts you can't be thinking objectively because there absolutely has to be a question mark.

I don't believe any club would ever get relegated under CC (at this level or below) because his approach pretty.much guarantees that, as does his attention to detail in terms of what his teams do off the ball.

At the same time I don't see any Corberan team ever winning a league either (at this level). He (CC) isn't dynamic enough in his footballing mentality nor is he a brave enough head coach.

In order to get out of this league the minimum position we can finish is sixth and then you have the relative lottery of the play offs.

The questions Bilkul have to ask themselves are:

1 Do we believe CC can deliver this?
2 Is it enough?

The second question is particularly interesting as a new, more dynamic head coach COULD potentially have us challenging for the top two in a league that appears weaker than last season with no stand out teams in it. You could argue we SHOULD be aiming for the top two.

20

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: WBA NEW OWNERS - Bilkul football

« on: November 08, 2024, 06:51:19 AM »

Wonder how long they will sit before taking action or if they can even afford too.

Under Lai, CC will have had it very good here, relatively hassle free. I'm not so sure Bilkal have bought the club to grind out draws at 1ppg.

Carlos may think there are only 7 squads clearly worse than ours but i'd be surprised if Bilkal feel that way.

They clearly don't. Andrew Nestor stated in a previous interview forth place was where he believed we should finish.

Bilkul are a loyal organisation but their loyalty will only stretch so far.

Carlos is getting an easy ride from our fanbase. Can you imagine the reaction if it were Ismael or Bruce in change right now? Carlos has "credit in the bank", I get their reasoning but the past doesn't help us going forward.

21

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: November 08, 2024, 12:09:55 AM »

Every home game seems the same to me now. Its like watching a TV programme on repeat over and over again.

Hopefully, we'll score again some day. Preferably before I die!

22

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Callum Styles Joins Albion

« on: November 08, 2024, 12:06:06 AM »

It wasn't enough for a foul guys we got away with one today.

Styles had a very good game overall, far better than his previous display at the Hawthorns.

His lack of height means teams will start to target him at the back post though.

23

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan

« on: November 03, 2024, 01:15:35 PM »

Banned for life? Blimey

Utterly ridiculous comment, whatever anyone's opinion.

24

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Mason Holgate joins on loan

« on: November 02, 2024, 12:42:55 PM »

Zippyandbungle is right Mowatt's error was very reminiscent of Diangana's at Southampton and he (Mowatt) has to take the majority of the blame but he wasn't the only one culpable, that goal still could've been avoided.

If Furlong doesn't stretch for the ball Chong can't run straight through, he probably runs into Furlong and gets a free kick so Darnell's decision making contributed to the goal as well.

After that Holgate does very little to influence what Chong does, he's too square on and too passive in his defending.

Most goals have more than one error in the lead up to them and this one is one of them.

Our goal was better than I initially thought it was. Maja's touch from Furlong's Cross was outstanding. Grant does well then I initially thought Maja got a bit lucky just trying to flick the ball on into an area but when you look at the replay in slow mo you can see Maja's face and as soon as he touches the ball he looks like he's expecting the ball to go in. I think he meant it. I'd love someone to ask him.

25

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan

« on: November 01, 2024, 10:29:22 PM »

Corberan is by miles the best option available to us- he’s working miracles with a very limited squad and budget- expectations are completely unrealistic owing to our fast start.

Comments like this irritate me. There are thousands of coaches out there they are all over the world and a good number of them are better than Carlos Corberan. Sure there are a lot who are an awful lot worse as well but people coming out with well worn cliche's and talking as if Carlos is in some sort of 1% club is getting increasingly annoying.

I don't want Carlos sacked, not yet, at least. I want him to turn things round but he needs a win and soon.

He's done a good job through a difficult period for us over the last couple of years but whether he's the right man to take us to the next level, I'm not convinced.