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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: OUT ON LOAN THREAD

« on: Yesterday at 01:19:56 PM »

Caleb Taylor was an used sub for Bolton last night.  Can we rely on him to be a suitable replacement for Bartley next season? 

Zac Ashworth coming back from injury

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General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP THREAD

« on: Yesterday at 08:53:54 AM »

... and the most attractive

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Brandon Thomas-Asante

« on: April 15, 2024, 01:17:01 PM »

BTA is a one-man front  line of defence.  He presses for two men.
He gets the odd goal too.  Maybe if he wasn't considered the only striker the pressure would be off him.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Atmosphere at Home Games

« on: April 14, 2024, 09:37:04 AM »

Dear, dear, (self moderation there  ) the transport situation around the Hawthorns after a match is dire.  At the station Yesterday people were queueing back beyond the (very healthy  ) burger van on the bridge.  For those who park very close the ground all the roads were snarled up.
I saw the queue and, what with the result itself, had had enough.  The three of us walked to Galton Bridge and got there just in time to pick up the Stourbridge bound train.  Walked off a lot of frustration too.   Somehow the club needs to liaise with local transport - such as it is.

In the stadium, two out of the three of us we didn't buy anything because of the queues.
The East stand atmosphere was generally a little depressing, one felt almost embarrassed to shout.  A little lad in front of me was giving encouragement.  It was his first match; I gave him my programme.

On the match, I wasn't too surprised, I'd seen Sunderland stifle Leeds.  Dodds the next Pulis?

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Last Match Forum - 13/04 Sunderland (H) / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: April 11, 2024, 01:37:55 PM »

First game i'll be able to attend for an age. Going with Dad and Brother. Not been to the shrine since the 0-0 with Luton 18 months back.

Please give us a reason to smile Albion!

Very similar here, annual pilgrimage.  I'm driving so be careful and tolerant on the roads around Blackheath - Rowley Regis station.  Son who used to drive me is coming from Bristol.
The alternative of the train from the Surrey Hants border takes about 5 hours all in and costs ~£86.

Looking forward to it, watched Sunderland the other night and they are a typical championship side clattering into the back of opposition players and willing to run until they drop or substituted.  As Ballard goes in, he makes sure his foot goes down the ankle.  Jack Clarke is the main danger - show him down the outside.

Leeds couldn't penetrate their defence but didn't play well.  They have 4 clean sheets in 5;  BTA is going to get far fewer chances than against Rotherham, I'm not confident he'll take them.  I would be happy with a nervous draw

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: System / Tactics / Personnel

« on: April 11, 2024, 10:20:22 AM »

There's a lot of talk on other threads about how boring is the tactic of passing it to and fro along the back until an opening appears.  The Ismael tactic was to lump it forward at every opportunity which resulted in us giving the ball away; Is that what's wanted?
As Johan Cruyff said, if you have the ball they can't score.   

Against the pressing team it also tires the chasing forwards out - although with so many subs available today that's not quite so effective.

If you have a set of players like Man city its possible to to advance in tight passing triangles or circuits with each and every one touch pass finding its man.

But we don't
Carlos cuts our coat according to our cloth.

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General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP THREAD

« on: April 10, 2024, 04:23:41 PM »

All in good time re. Halfords.

Question. Do Blues have potential to fill a 60000 seater stadium?

Certainly-  for the model village in Bourton on the Water

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General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP THREAD

« on: April 10, 2024, 09:59:15 AM »

With Sunderlands season over and Clarke and his agent demanding they sell him in the summer hopefully he's on the beach for the rest of the season.

Doesn't he want too put himself in the shop window, especially against a team in the playoff zone?

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General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP THREAD

« on: April 09, 2024, 09:00:15 PM »

Too true but Sunderland doing well vs Leeds.  Main person to stop next Sat. is Jack Clarke.  Need 3 in the middle or Fellows tracking back which wastes his talent.

PS need someone to do a j** on Ballard like he did on Maja

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Atmosphere at Home Games

« on: April 09, 2024, 11:39:16 AM »

It obviously makes sense to encourage the next generation of (potential) supporters.

I wonder whether the youngsters might be influenced by the sort of pre-match entertainment they see from watching American Football on TV/stream - I know its all about razzmatazz and very little about actual playing, flowing  action .

I think all football clubs will need to try harder as the coming generation are not so used to the spartan fare that I experienced (gladly) when I first went to the Hawthorns.  At least it seemed easy to park and get to the ground.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan

« on: April 08, 2024, 02:00:19 PM »

It does seem that whenever we do something good it’s “Corberan is a tactical genius, whose little clever little tweaks are responsible”. Likewise, when something goes wrong it’s “ah well, the players are absolutely terrible, Corberan is overachieving”

Personally, think he’s done about par for the squad we’ve got.

I know I’ll get pelters for this but unless we get promoted I personally wouldn’t be averse to the new owner bringing in his own man for next season.

Yeah, I mean there's lots of managers better than CC around just waiting to be picked up on a free isn't there?  The likes of Mowatt and Kipre whom our previous managers spurned / sent out on loan would have been recognised and improved at some point. 

Anyone  from this pool of really good managers inferred from your posts would have been able to get something out of a recruitment system that had no money and kept coming up with inverted wingers - I mean any decent manager would get promotion with that wouldn't they?

CC studies his opposition rather than relying on warm supposedly motivating words like Bruce.  As with all things some of his plans don't work out*  but quite a lot of times CC's plans do.

 ^*“No Battle Plan Survives Contact With the Enemy”  Helmuth von Moltke
"In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.":  General then President Dwight D Eisenhower,

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: WBA FC Financial report 22/23 published

« on: April 04, 2024, 08:18:36 PM »

Wouldn't be surprised if some payment went from Al-Hilal to China using the hawala route, avoiding banks and cross border transfers.

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Last Match Forum - 06/04 Stoke City (A) / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: April 04, 2024, 10:01:41 AM »

What's the injury situation like now - particularly Kipre?

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: April 03, 2024, 10:56:36 AM »

I thought that Watford have some very good players that have been held back by the club's employment of a manager with a single unwavering tactic owing much to the kick and rush era.
If I were a talent scout I would have jotted Asprilla (18?) in my AI driven personal mind-chip.  For several seasons Watford seem to love to barge or push into opposition players' backs.  Fortunately this is one referee who doesn't allow this version of the beautiful game.

So I think that we did very well to come back and earn a point from 2 down.  Both good hard drives across Bachman's dive to the left.  (Another point for the mind-chip.)

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Atmosphere at Home Games

« on: April 02, 2024, 11:51:20 AM »

Absolutely right.  If you're going to a match to support the Albion, support them, encourage them and don't destroy their confidence.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next 6 Games.

« on: March 29, 2024, 08:45:29 PM »

I think luck has been with us in several games now where the opposition has narrowly failed to score.  This was another one.  For that reason I don't think we are at all ready to go up with our present squad. 
I don't expect that SP is going to do a Notts Forest type splurge on players and neither should he .  For Forest that only just worked in their first season back and they are in FFP travails.   

It might be better to consolidate with a good Championship season winning a few more fans rather than getting a dire reputation and challenging for the lowest points total in the premiership.

(Stand by for a lot of posts about owner "ambition".)

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Mikey Johnston joins on loan (Official!)

« on: March 27, 2024, 08:30:48 PM »

came off after 57 mins

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General Football & Sports / Re: Anything England Football

« on: March 27, 2024, 10:24:15 AM »

I've been supportive of Southgate over the years but he timidly sticks with with players that aren't cutting it like Maguire.  Last night was a friendly, an opportunity to play Branthwaite when Stones was injured but he fielded Dunk who has already proved himself inadequate.  So what did he learn of his back four options?  Nothing.  A manager must not be afraid to fall out with players even if they have served him / her for a long time.

He has promoted Mainoo but I wouldn't be surprised if he started Phillips first game of the tournament.
Thought Konsa was OK - just sayin'.  But Toney wins over  Watkins every time.

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General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL PREMIER LEAGUE THREAD

« on: March 21, 2024, 07:15:25 PM »

Chelsea are getting by using every accounting trick in the book. It wouldn't surprise me if they were charged a few years down the line for all the loopholes they're exploiting.

Forest has one charge and it took months to resolve. Everton have had two and they've taken even longer. How long do you think it's going to take to make 115 stick against City's expensive lawyers? City will end up making a plea deal to make it all go away.

Why don't the authorities take the 5 most serious?  If they are proven, Citeh can either hang around waiting for more charges and fines or ask for some to be taken into account.  Why do they all have to be considered at the same time?  I don't think that this is how it works outside the beautiful game.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: New Kit for next season

« on: March 21, 2024, 04:15:48 PM »

I think we should go back to the chocolate and blue halves of yore - as long as it's powder blue obvs.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Mikey Johnston joins on loan (Official!)

« on: March 19, 2024, 03:24:47 PM »

The Celtic fan I spoke to about MJ (legendary initials and shirt number) was actually very vicious with his hatred towards him.

I couldn't believe it.

It was nearly akin to my dislike of Reach.

I don't know how vicious they are on the Celtic forums about him, but that shocked me.

He went onto imply he was only doing well because of the level we play at, and I didn't want to remind him about the level they play at, as him and mate were bigger than me.

Might this not be an effort of disinformation?  They are trying to deter anyone from making an offer for him?  Or maybe he's from the wrong side of town up there.

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: March 19, 2024, 11:45:49 AM »

It's Millwall at the Den where refs can be intimidated.

I would start with Hull's back 4 but go with 3 midfielders  Chalobah, Yokuslu, Mowatt) 3 attackers (Johnston, BTA, Weiman) and bring Fellows on for last 30-35 mins.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Josh Maja joins Albion

« on: March 18, 2024, 08:41:41 PM »

It would be bad for Maja to start against Ballard.  Ballard's got some karma coming his way.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Yann M'Vila signs short term deal

« on: March 18, 2024, 07:21:49 PM »

I've seen quite a few bow-legged footballers  but knocks knees must be a disadvantage.

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: March 15, 2024, 07:35:22 PM »

They did manage to draw with Southampton and beat Swansea so they're not on the beach yet and winning seems to matter to them. and they might be playing with freedom.
Be interesting to see how Fellows gets on against Pring who is highly rated as a LB.  The gallery of training on the O.S. showed a photo with CC having a one to one with Ajayi so he might start.