1

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.

2

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.

3

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.

4

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.

5

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.

6

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. 

7

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.

8

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! 🤞

9

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.

10

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.

11

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!

12

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.

13

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.

14

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.

15

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.

16

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

« on: November 01, 2024, 10:12:55 PM »

Played well tonight!upgrade on ajayi

He did OK. Could've done better for the goal though, needed a bit more desire to block the shot.

17

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: November 01, 2024, 10:00:25 PM »

Fair enough result but we should be beating Luton.

Much better from Styles this week. Heggem magnificent at centre back.

18

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: November 01, 2024, 09:04:28 PM »

rubbish first half. Nothing has happened other than Maja manufacturing that goal. Don't deserve to be ahead on balance but Luton done nothing to deserve being ahead either. Can't believe how bad they've been  surely they have to be more of a threat second half.

19

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

« on: November 01, 2024, 09:38:08 AM »

Wikipedia says he’s 6ft and 9stone 9lb.

I need a wiki page like that. It's the only way I'll see 9 stone again 

Looking at him on the squad photo against 6'3" Heggem, 6'5" Ajayi and 6'4" Racic, Holgate looks around 6'1 - 6'1.5" to me.

20

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

« on: November 01, 2024, 03:55:41 AM »

Martinez at Man U is less than 5:10 and he won a World Cup

He isn't playing in the Championship though is he? They are different leagues with differing characteristics. Cannavaro was 5'9", Mascherano played CB at times for Barce and he couldn't have been any bigger. There's a very good reason that most centre halves in this league are men mountains. I'm not saying you cant have "smaller" centre backs in the Champ but it's a disadvantage.

21

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

« on: October 31, 2024, 07:06:30 PM »

He's not big enough to be a centre half in this league. I'm guessing he's about 6'2". He's by no means small but for a centre half in the Championship he is, he's not particularly well built either.

We are going to have to put our faith in him for now, we have no choice. I'd prefer him at right back though as understudy for Furlong.

22

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: October 28, 2024, 03:10:26 AM »

If there's one fixture we didn't want to be without Ajayi and Bartley it's this one because Luton will hit their front men aerially. Typical of our luck. To counter this I'd play three at the back with Furlong RBC because he's good in the air for his size and I'd play 6 footer Frabotta over Styles at left wing back.


                           Palmer

           Furlong  Holgate  Heggem
Fellows                                           Frabotta

                           Mowatt
           Molumby              Racic

                     Maja         Cole.


No chance of Carlos doing this though.

23

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 27, 2024, 09:17:07 AM »

Still doesn't mean he started  .

Yes, yes, alright! 

24

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 27, 2024, 09:11:36 AM »

He didn't start. It just felt like it because he replaced McNair after four minutes.

Trust you! He played 90 mins though if you include added time. 

25

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 27, 2024, 01:13:42 AM »

[/b]quote author=Atomic link=topic=28896.msg948540#msg948540 date=1729964579]
I'd love to be a centre half coming to the Hawthorns. Defend in numbers, no one tries to turn you or go by you, no target man to deal with, just be ready to head the ball away when it eventually comes into our box. Unless, that is  the woeful Callum Styles is crossing it then you don't even have to do that.



Woeful Styles? No he wasn’t despite an over hit cross, he played well.

Styles was awful. First time faced up by the winger the winger went past him. The next time Perry Ng was given way too much time to cross with his left foot which resulted in Robinson heading onto the top of the bar. Next Styles fell over himself from a long ball into the left back channel. Three crosses one first half behind everyone, ball ended up on the right wing then two second half that required a centre forward at least 20 foot tall.

The only reason anyone thinks he played well is because it was his first start and people have been wanting him to play. The same performance in a couple of weeks time and everyone sees it for what it was.