[Lloydy]

This is an observation rather than a dig before anyone says anything... but Saido's terrible form has coincided with Pulis being Head Coach, has it not? He performed extremely well under Alan Irvine.

[timdon]

This is an observation rather than a dig before anyone says anything... but Saido's terrible form has coincided with Pulis being Head Coach, has it not? He performed extremely well under Alan Irvine.

yes, I've thought the same thought. I think it's a mixture of that and a bad reaction to the whole transfer saga with Spurs, which I don't think he has truly come to terms with (the transfer not happening, I mean).

[baggie82]

Correct Lloydy.

Pulis kept Berahino on the bench for most of last season and then played him as the link man which is an impossible job given the team shape. Messi couldn't link our slow midfield sitting on top of a back four with a striker isolated at the other end of the pitch - who incidentally has a very poor touch and awareness himself.

Hence Berahino was either not playing or played out of positon. No real opportunity to play upfront regularly as he did under Irvine as Rondon is only designated attacker. Remember that goal at home against Utd in the 2-2 draw under Irvine? The ball through the middle, the perfectly timed run and deadly finish past De Gea? Couldn't happen now as he is shouted at to sit in front of Yacob and Fletcher.

Same so far this season. Berahino needs to leave for the good of his own career to a team that will play him as a striker on a regular basis. When that happens expect the goals to flow as he a good finisher with either foot as we have seen in the past.

[tuamigos]

I keep hearing about Saido's strengths and playing to them.
Can somebody enlighten me as to what they are please?
His first touch is poor, he can't beat a man, he can't head a ball, he's missed his last 3 penalties, he 's poor in one on one situations, his movement is poor.
I fear the one good season where he was top scorer and got into the England squad is as good as it's going to get for Saido.

[Albionic]

Correct Lloydy.

Pulis kept Berahino on the bench for most of last season and then played him as the link man which is an impossible job given the team shape. Messi couldn't link our slow midfield sitting on top of a back four with a striker isolated at the other end of the pitch - who incidentally has a very poor touch and awareness himself.

Hence Berahino was either not playing or played out of positon. No real opportunity to play upfront regularly as he did under Irvine as Rondon is only designated attacker. Remember that goal at home against Utd in the 2-2 draw under Irvine? The ball through the middle, the perfectly timed run and deadly finish past De Gea? Couldn't happen now as he is shouted at to sit in front of Yacob and Fletcher.

Same so far this season. Berahino needs to leave for the good of his own career to a team that will play him as a striker on a regular basis. When that happens expect the goals to flow as he a good finisher with either foot as we have seen in the past.

He certainly is not finishing at the moment, he should have taken at least 2 chances last night.
it may come back but not in the stripes!

[Morany]

I keep hearing about Saido's strengths and playing to them.
Can somebody enlighten me as to what they are please?
His first touch is poor, he can't beat a man, he can't head a ball, he's missed his last 3 penalties, he 's poor in one on one situations, his movement is poor.
I fear the one good season where he was top scorer and got into the England squad is as good as it's going to get for Saido.

Good post.

His heading for a forward is quite frankly embarrasing. He's not quick enough to beat a bloke , and finishing extremely of late has been terrible. Last night prime example.

I've watched that header from Palace a few times, no idea what he's doing

[WBAinDEVON]

Tony has coached any potential out of him

[Fritzl Palace]

I keep hearing about Saido's strengths and playing to them.
Can somebody enlighten me as to what they are please?
His first touch is poor, he can't beat a man, he can't head a ball, he's missed his last 3 penalties, he 's poor in one on one situations, his movement is poor.
I fear the one good season where he was top scorer and got into the England squad is as good as it's going to get for Saido.

Spot on. His strength as I saw it when he first burst onto the scene was his finishing, but that has been dreadful of late.

He has never had much pace, never had particularly good close control, cannot header to save his life, can no longer take a penalty. I don't see anything in him any longer. Just get him sold, worry about a 'replacement' later.

I say replacement like that because we wouldn't actually need to replace someone who has contributed the sum total of nothing for 18 months, we just need to strengthen generally.

[skyclad99]

I keep hearing about Saido's strengths and playing to them.
Can somebody enlighten me as to what they are please?
His first touch is poor, he can't beat a man, he can't head a ball, he's missed his last 3 penalties, he 's poor in one on one situations, his movement is poor.
I fear the one good season where he was top scorer and got into the England squad is as good as it's going to get for Saido.

For me his strengths are/were running onto a through ball and hitting the target, I personally also like the way he can hassle defenders and he has an eye for a misplaced back pass; he anticipates a free offering. He is an out and out number 9 for me. However, he is being asked to play deeper and when he is up front guess what? no supply. 

Do you remember those balls fed through to the likes of Mr Sneekes all those years ago? Where are they now? Both him and Rondon would clean up if only we could supply them........

[skyclad99]

Tony has coached any potential out of him

Spot on.

[WednesburyAlbion]

Tony has coached any potential out of him

Absolute nonsense. He's a spoilt little brat. If anything Pulis done well to get him back in the team. He's got himself to blame.

You can't just blame Pulis for everything that goes wrong in life.

[Lloydy]

Absolute nonsense. He's a spoilt little brat. If anything Pulis done well to get him back in the team. He's got himself to blame.

You can't just blame Pulis for everything that goes wrong in life.

No you can't blame Pulis for everything and Saido is far from innocent, but there is a correlation between Pulis' arrival and Saido's form dropping so in my opinion it is worth debating?

[baggies_24]

Absolute nonsense. He's a spoilt little brat. If anything Pulis done well to get him back in the team. He's got himself to blame.

You can't just blame Pulis for everything that goes wrong in life.

It's both to be honest with you, he's done himself no favours by been a spoilt git and throwing a strop for the past 12 months but make no mistake Pulis has also stunted his growth. Saido's best position is using him as a striker infront of goal and in the box and he's currently been used as a defensive midfielder. He doesn't have the vision or touch to play in behind the striker, he's probably the most natural goal scorer iv seen up the Albion and he's been completely wasted which is both his own fault & Pulis's.

[seteefeet]

No you can't blame Pulis for everything and Saido is far from innocent, but there is a correlation between Pulis' arrival and Saido's form dropping so in my opinion it is worth debating?

Let's face it he is not the brightest is he? So to ask him to play out of position is ridiculous, he's not intelligent enough (in a football sense). I saw close hand the in game relationship between him and Pulis on Staurday and it was just bizarre. Pulis never stopped "Saido", "Saido" do this, do that, track this, go there. At least 3 times he turned to the bench and shrugged his shoulders having no idea what was being asked of him. The lad just looked shot!
I'm not defending him, I think he's a knob, but if we going to play him, we have to let him do what he is good at.

[BigFrank20]

You don't think he missed his penalty deliberately do you? 

I can easily imagine a scenario where he outlast work 'aaaard Tone and even helps him on his way and then comes good under a proper coach/manager and signs a new contract!

Sorry for the conspiracy theory but the waiting for something good and positive to happen is killing me 

[tylerm]

I keep hearing about Saido's strengths and playing to them.
Can somebody enlighten me as to what they are please?
His first touch is poor, he can't beat a man, he can't head a ball, he's missed his last 3 penalties, he 's poor in one on one situations, his movement is poor.
I fear the one good season where he was top scorer and got into the England squad is as good as it's going to get for Saido.

Keep that quiet as we still need to mug someone of 25 million for him !!

[Hull Baggie]

Don't think he deliberately missed but like against Watford he's not bothered if he scores or not. Gone from not missing a penalty to missing his last 3..Hmm maybe it is deliberate after all?

[tommcneill]

The guy has gone downhill badly since the start of last season.....for me it shows how unprofessional he is

He should be knuckling down getting as fit as he can and scoring his chances to make it hard for clubs to not want him

instead he is looking disinterested, couldn't hit a cows backside from 6 yards and scouts from clubs will see that and report that back making it hard to get rid of him now..

he will stay for the season no doubt or maybe Jan but he if goes next summer out of contract expect around 15m which for me would be a tremendous amount based on what we are seeing from him these days

[adamw1109]

Good post.

His heading for a forward is quite frankly embarrasing. He's not quick enough to beat a bloke , and finishing extremely of late has been terrible. Last night prime example.

I've watched that header from Palace a few times, no idea what he's doing

Heading for a finisher is poor? So was Thierry Henry's but look at what he done for arsenal.

Feels like people are moaning for the smallest things, fair enough if you don't like the kid but he's a very young lad, relatively new to it in terms of experience and obviously hasn't had his head screwed on... what you expecting the finished article at 23 years of age?
Finishing is not really worth judging, he's been played out of position buy a negative, defensive coach with a poor midfield... he's pretty much gotta track back, win the ball, take on the opposite team and create his own chances the way we play...
Hoofing the ball to a guy who's shorter than most defenses is only going to end one way... common sense.

Not sticking up for the kid but some people really are sounding clueless about football... anything to have a dig at players they dislike.

When he's played to his strengths has chance after chance each game in a role HE is comfortable with... then his football can be critisised, not just cause his heading was poor and he missed a few penalties... the best strikers in the world miss penalties and don't have the best heading record.

[Albionic]

Heading for a finisher is poor? So was Thierry Henry's but look at what he done for arsenal.

Feels like people are moaning for the smallest things, fair enough if you don't like the kid but he's a very young lad, relatively new to it in terms of experience and obviously hasn't had his head screwed on... what you expecting the finished article at 23 years of age?
Finishing is not really worth judging, he's been played out of position buy a negative, defensive coach with a poor midfield... he's pretty much gotta track back, win the ball, take on the opposite team and create his own chances the way we play...
Hoofing the ball to a guy who's shorter than most defenses is only going to end one way... common sense.

Not sticking up for the kid but some people really are sounding clueless about football... anything to have a dig at players they dislike.

When he's played to his strengths has chance after chance each game in a role HE is comfortable with... then his football can be critisised, not just cause his heading was poor and he missed a few penalties... the best strikers in the world miss penalties and don't have the best heading record.

Saido tracking back, winning the ball, in what dream was that ?

Yes he's not in his best position I accept but not his complete lack of effort.

[Morany]

Heading for a finisher is poor? So was Thierry Henry's but look at what he done for arsenal.

Feels like people are moaning for the smallest things, fair enough if you don't like the kid but he's a very young lad, relatively new to it in terms of experience and obviously hasn't had his head screwed on... what you expecting the finished article at 23 years of age?
Finishing is not really worth judging, he's been played out of position buy a negative, defensive coach with a poor midfield... he's pretty much gotta track back, win the ball, take on the opposite team and create his own chances the way we play...
Hoofing the ball to a guy who's shorter than most defenses is only going to end one way... common sense.

Not sticking up for the kid but some people really are sounding clueless about football... anything to have a dig at players they dislike.

When he's played to his strengths has chance after chance each game in a role HE is comfortable with... then his football can be critisised, not just cause his heading was poor and he missed a few penalties... the best strikers in the world miss penalties and don't have the best heading record.

Let's not even mention Henry in the same post as Berahino shall we? 

Finishing is there to be judged. He get's paid to score goals. Last night his finishing was poor,plus there's having a penalty saved, but to not hit the target by some way is completely different.

You've mentioned 'he's fairly new to it' what a load of sh*te, he's been around long enough now. He's not just breaking through is he.

[adamw1109]

Saido tracking back, winning the ball, in what dream was that ?

Yes he's not in his best position I accept but not his complete lack of effort.

Have you read my post properly before jumping at my throat, I never said he has tracked back.

I simply said that's what he would need to do to create chances, same as Rondon and any other striker we play  with the way we set up.

Our players are scared of short passing and running forward with the ball. It's hoof it or nothing which is ridiculous when you have a striker of Saidos height.

[tommcneill]

Berahino will be judged on his goalscoring plain and simple thats what all strikers are judged on

Henry wasnt the best with his head no, but he worked for the team, gave his all, and scored pretty much 25-30+ goals a season and won pretty much everything you can win so its hardly the greatest comparison with a lad who doesnt score that many apart from one good season, gets caught up in controversy all the time. looks disinterested in playing for us even though we pay his wages and wants out of the club that has given him his chance and stuck by him through all the controversy

Please don't compare Berahino with Henry its like comparing me with Ronaldo

[adamw1109]

Let's not even mention Henry in the same post as Berahino shall we? 

Finishing is there to be judged. He get's paid to score goals. Last night his finishing was poor,plus there's having a penalty saved, but to not hit the target by some way is completely different.

You've mentioned 'he's fairly new to it' what a load of sh*te, he's been around long enough now. He's not just breaking through is he.

Im entitled to compare him to who I like, you can't judge a striker on his heading when there are plenty of strikers who are of high quality but can't head a ball.

All our strikers are paid to score goals, yet our defenders tend to score as much as our strikers. 

The KID is 23 years old, so yes he is new to it...people talk about he don't get on with the squad, EVERY game I've seen Olsson play, he's had an argument with someone from our club.

Like I say, the people that dislike him like yourself will Salk over the most petty things when our REAL problem is obviously the coaching etc.

[Albionic]

Have you read my post properly before jumping at my throat, I never said he has tracked back.

I simply said that's what he would need to do to create chances, same as Rondon and any other striker we play  with the way we set up.

Our players are scared of short passing and running forward with the ball. It's hoof it or nothing which is ridiculous when you have a striker of Saidos height.

you did say "thats pretty much what he's got to do" to justify why he isn't scoring. If you think he will ever do that, then IMO you are dreaming. Conversely I can imagine Rondon doing it.
oh and by the way Saido had a number of chances last night and fluffed them all,  none of which as i recall it, were engineered by himself incidentally

Anyway, I apologise for being sharp.  COYB