1

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Grady Diangana

« on: January 23, 2023, 05:52:40 PM »

Me neither, he's rubbish to be blunt about it. He had a decent spell on loan but every pro footballer has a spell at some time. Overall he isn't good enough it's as simple as that.

Probably a great freestyler though.

Sadly I agree with this. As mentioned above, the injury at Birmingham seemed pivotal for his time with us. If I recall, at that point his status was similar to Pereira's within the club and his football was very entertaining.

Since he's come back, he's been massively inconsistent and even on his best days, he's still a shadow of his former self. Sometimes this happens after injuries, and I think the same has happened with him, unfortunately.

2

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Ron Gourlay - CEO

« on: January 19, 2023, 09:12:40 PM »

I’m a little torn on that Gourlay interview I think we can all see the bloke is trying to do his job with both hands tied behind his back & I do agree with him that the club is better off with him than without him but I’d say that’s more of a damning indictment on the god awful ownership.

I felt some of that interview was bordering self congratulatory, don’t get me wrong Carlos was a superb hire and he should get the plaudits for getting him through the door but Corberan was always the best and most obvious choice from the candidates available. Let’s be honest I think there is little to no chance Ron would have plucked Carlos from Leeds youth team like Huddersfield did.

Same with his comments about turning the squad around having only spent £350k. Whilst in transfer fee’s this is true it doesn’t paint a true picture in terms of financial outlay. Okay, Swift & Wallace will have joined on a sizeable signing on fee & big wages for this division. Whilst he should be commended for getting them to sign on the dotted line it’s not like he’s plucked these guys from complete obscurity, half the league was trying to sign Swift & Wallace and let’s be honest the reason they are here is that we offered the most money, a luxury we won’t have if we don’t go up.

Sadly, football is filled with slick talking chairmen and Gourlay is no different. Praise up your positives whilst glossing over the negatives.

3

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Daryl Dike

« on: January 16, 2023, 01:08:56 PM »

Rewatched the goals from the weekend this morning and there's an argument for saying 2, maybe all 3 goals wouldn't have been scored without him.

Goal 1 - his goal - workrate more than skill but as someone else has said, Grant or Robinson don't score that goal

Goal 2 - the lay off to Townsend in the build up showed excellent awareness. Did the same for Rogic at Sunderland.

Goal 3 - Pure hold-up play of a target man to trap it, pin and spin the defender. Something we've missed for god knows how long.

Hopefully he can build his fitness, get a few more 90 mins in and we see him at full tilt in the final 10 games of the season

This maybe a lazy comparison but so far, Dike has reminded me of Anichebe on a good day (for Anichebe that was roughly one in every 10 games or so).
Basically, he uses his strength really well and his back towards the opposition to lay-off other plays and spin them. At this level it's really effective and long may it continue. With the right coaching and attitude, he can only improve.

4

General Football & Sports / Re: Steve Bruce - Manager - SACKED

« on: January 16, 2023, 01:06:33 PM »

I agree completely. My point is that it's funny how deluded he is/was - believing he was close to being successful with us.

5

General Football & Sports / Re: Dingle watch - Anything Wolves

« on: January 16, 2023, 12:50:42 PM »

Two years ago today. Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 v 3 West Bromwich Albion. Two Pereira penalties and a looping header from Ajayi following Bartley's head on during lockdown.

There were tears everywhere. A combination of pain and joy in thousands of households across the wider Midlands conurbation and assorted regions around this country and many others further afield.

COYB and FTW  .

Even in one of our worst Premier League seasons ever - we still took 4 points off them!

6

General Football & Sports / Re: Steve Bruce - Manager - SACKED

« on: January 16, 2023, 12:49:49 PM »

Saw this clip the other day, Bruce was on Neil Warnock's podcast speaking about his sacking
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n94rO1uPZ18

Basically, Bruce says that he'd have turned it round with time and how it was a fine line where he got unlucky at times. All bias aside, it's quite interesting as he seems to genuinely believe it. In truth, it wasn't fine margins and wouldn't turn it around. I just found it funny how he viewed it that way, as if he wasn't miles off and a monumental failure.

7

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Guochuan Lai

« on: January 15, 2023, 01:10:58 PM »

Waving the Taiwanese flag is a deep provocation and would be regarded as a serious insult.  It might ensure that Yunyi Guokai is frozen from doing anything with the club. but leaving it in limbo.
The US and UK do not officially recognise Taiwan - just support its system of government.  We should not meddle with politics or rile the Dragon (pick a fight with China as a whole) but rather keep up the attacks on Lai Guochuan's mismanagement of his investors affairs and suggest his relinquish them.

In fairness, the current Lai 'protests' have done absolutely zero and will continue to do so. I'm not saying to flash Taiwan flags but it would certainly gain attention.

8

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Action For Albion

« on: January 09, 2023, 04:13:08 PM »

I don't know much about Chinese culture, but I assume they do have something such as a sense of honour which would include a basic honesty and willingness to pay off debts. If he were in effect to just pocket this loan, he couldn't really show his face inside the Hawthorns again. He is still a relatively young bloke. Would he really want to ruin his business reputation in this country for ever?

I know a bit about Chinese culture and honestly, they can be ruthless when it comes to business - especially outside of China where eyes won't be on them as much. So I think he would gladly ruin his reputation in England if it came to it.

9

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Alex Palmer

« on: December 26, 2022, 06:44:01 PM »

Really good stuff, he comes off his line really quickly and closes down 1 vs 1s fast. No wonder we've barely conceded from open play with him around.

10

General Football & Sports / Re: World Cup 2022 Thread

« on: December 06, 2022, 11:18:07 AM »

Embarrassing display of disrespect with their celebrations though.

I disagree. I know a lot of Brazilians and they are very expressive/vocal people. Dare I say it, they're also happier than us Englishmen. I think it's just a cultural difference where they're like that and are less reserved. As for some of the south American countries displays after losing (including Brazil) - I would say that was disrespectful.

11

General Football & Sports / Re: Jerome Sinclair

« on: December 03, 2022, 10:03:50 PM »

Can't agree, I hate the modern football rape of clubs academies and all involved in it. I laugh at the results of their greed

He'd have been 13/14 years old at the time and supported Arsenal. He had no loyalty to the club. If I were in his shoes, I'd have done the same thing.

As for the way football academies are structured, they are structured badly but that isn't his fault either. He was paid £20,000 per week at Watford for 5 years, I think he'll be ok.

12

General Football & Sports / Re: Jerome Sinclair

« on: December 03, 2022, 05:27:06 PM »

It's quite a shame really. He was 14 when he left, so hardly his fault and was probably tapped up for at least 1 year prior. If he saved his money then he'd be ok from the Watford deal though.

13

General Football & Sports / Re: World Cup 2022 Thread

« on: December 03, 2022, 04:30:37 PM »

Netherlands a bit of a dark horse. Quite boring football but solid at the back with an experienced manager.

14

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Brandon Thomas-Asante

« on: November 25, 2022, 12:50:02 PM »

Rooney, Kane,aguero, Ronald
Nowt to do with length of contract, everything to do with will to play/win

Yes but these are examples of top sportsmen with a desire to win trophies who are already multi millionaires at this point. With Grant his ceiling was probably lower premier league. So, when he got that juicy long-term deal he decided to try less.

15

General Football & Sports / Re: World Cup 2022 Thread

« on: November 22, 2022, 01:53:44 PM »

They deserved that for how they defended

Argentina were rubbish

Not just that - they were genuinely technical and could play decent football as well.

16

General Football & Sports / Re: Anything England Football

« on: November 21, 2022, 10:11:40 PM »

I know we scored 6 and it was a fun game but we also got screwed by VAR (surprisingly... )
Maguire should have won a penalty but it didn't even get looked at, then their late penalty was far softer. It's irrelevant against Iran but I hope the officials don't have it in for us later on in the tournament.

17

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Kenneth Zohore

« on: November 21, 2022, 06:47:32 PM »

I find it disgraceful that players who do what he is doing can't be sacked.  Who writes the ******** contracts?

Realistically, it's impossible to do this. Legally, you couldn't write up a contract that would sack someone if they still come to training yet aren't good enough to play. It doesn't work like that sadly.

18

General Football & Sports / Re: Anything England Football

« on: November 21, 2022, 03:16:52 PM »

Ridiculous. Sterling, Maguire, Mount all very very lucky to be on the plane let alone be first choices based on performances at club level this season !

I think it depends on the formation. I've never seen Maguire play poorly for England yet looks bad at Man Utd. I believe he's like a better version of Bartley where a basic back 4 with little responsibility on the ball helps him, whereas getting him to play from the back or in a back 3 makes him look poor. He certainly did no wrong today.

19

General Football & Sports / Re: Dingle watch - Anything Wolves

« on: November 17, 2022, 03:32:40 PM »

Just seeing the England squad including the name Coady (Everton) brought home just how bizarre the decision to loan him out was. Its not as if Wolves are loaded with top class defenders. Otherwise they wouldn't be bottom of the league.

They had a really bizarre summer in terms of defenders. Whilst Coady was definitely their best defender and genuinely a quality CB, they also got rid of Saiss, Dendonker and Boly. Saiss and Dendonker offered a lot to the team and even Boly did well over the years. Even worse, Dendonker and Boly were sold to Premier League rivals.

I don't think there's ever been a summer where a team has released 4 regular players from their defence in one go - it is utter madness. Even crazier, these defenders also contributed a few goals as well, so even from an offensive perspective it wasn't good either. To me it looks like the owners have given up.

20

General Football & Sports / Re: Seals watch - Anything Villa

« on: November 17, 2022, 03:28:27 PM »

Owners seem happy to blow hundreds of millions on them. We see it time and time again. Owners must have collectively lost near half a billion on them over the last 10 years or so.

Pretty bizarre. Even as billionaires, this is a huge number and with no returns it makes little sense.

21

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Kenneth Zohore

« on: November 17, 2022, 03:18:01 PM »

Not sure if its been mentioned elsewhere but i know from a good source that zohore is a very wealthy businessman.

I believe he has numerous investments and is also a silent partner to Martin Braithwaite (another wealthy footballer / businessman last seen playing for Barca)

I was told in the summer he planned to run his contract down and had no intention of going on loan, Apparently he turns up on time and does as he is told so not to get fined, etc. but has no interest in actually playing and his aim was to leave in the summer and go to a lesser league abroad for the lifestyle, or even retire.

Whether that changes ik january or the summer and he rediscovers his love of football time will tell but i wouldnt want to be the club that took the risk.

It's a tough one as a football club. Give a new player a 4 year deal and they can bite you after two good seasons. Give it to someone like Zohore, and they can run it down which is completely in his right to do so. I recently watched a video on the England Youtube channel and you can see how they live in a pampered bubble. Interestingly, at the end of his spell here, Zohore will be 29 years old and around 5 years off retirement.

Even crazier, I can still see him landing at a club like Blackpool or somewhere in the championship or somewhere that pays him well abroad. Being a football is a very easy life.

22

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan - New Head Coach

« on: November 17, 2022, 03:14:45 PM »

CC is the real deal and will end up, ( hopefully after several successful seasons with us) at Real Madrid,  Barcelona or Man City after Pep retires with his wine collection.

I like the bloke but I don't think he's that good! He's had one big international club in his career at Olympiacos who are known to do well in their league and he performed poorly. There's a big gap between us and the Barcelona's of the world. Of course, I would love him to do it though.

23

General Football & Sports / Re: Seals watch - Anything Villa

« on: November 14, 2022, 03:04:15 PM »

Konur


🚨 Aston Villa want to sign Eden Hazard and Nacho Fernandez from Real Madrid.
🇧🇪🇪🇸 🟦 #AVFC ⬜ #HalaMadrid

I wonder when their spending spree will end?
Since their final season in the championship, they've outspent the majority of Premier League clubs. I know they got £100 million for Grealish but even still it's almost insignificant compared to their outgoings. It looks a bit like Randy Lerner's earlier years but without the threat of breaking into the top 4 which is even more difficult than ever with even wealthier clubs now such as Newcastle. Surely the owners will walk away at some point? it doesn't seem sustainable.

24

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Kyle Bartley

« on: November 13, 2022, 06:12:30 PM »

Bartley is one of those players where if he's happy, he can be really good, but if he's not he phones it in. Obviously he's happy at the moment.

I'd still be shaking hands and saying goodbye in the Summer though, because who knows how long he'll stay happy for.

It's not about happiness in my opinion, it's about the management and formation. With Moore he looked awful in a back 3, then with Bilic and Val he looked decent who were more defensive. Bruce resorted to a back 3 and he looked awful again. It's like with Ajayi, he looked great under some - but awful under Val, doesn't make him a bad defender.

Truth it, Bartley is just decent at this level - nothing less or nothing more, and certainly not as bad as some make out.

25

General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP THREAD

« on: November 13, 2022, 09:01:29 AM »

Pretty strange appointment, no doubt he did well at Luton but he was absolutely shocking at Stoke. They gave him plenty of time and to end up with a 15.8% win percentage from nearly a year of managing is truly awful given they were a newly relegated club, one of the worst managerial performances ever really. Makes Bruce's record look decent.

The main saving grace for Southampton is there's a lot of dross in the premier this year. It's difficult to see either Bournemouth or Forest making it over 30 points so realistically its a case of finding one more club to finish above.

I agree. At the same time, I honestly don't think the £4 million helps Luton either. A couple of bad signings and it's all gone. I believe he was the perfect fit for Luton but none of the clubs involved will benefit from this in the long run - nor will Jones.