51

General Football & Sports / Re: Anything England Football

« on: December 02, 2023, 06:22:07 PM »

50/50 Euros draw.

Highest ranked pot 2 side in Denmark, although I'd fear the Dutch more. Slovenia from pot 3 - maybe one of the weaker sides in that pot and then we get the third best from pot 4.

The two death groups are A and B with Germany, Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland drawn together and Spain, Italy  Croatia and Albania.

Ours and group D feel even - France, Netherlands, Austria and a play off team. I'd probably just take ours over France's but it is tight.

E and F - the Portugal and Belgium groups are really soft. Not only do they get the 2 groupings that have the easiest knock out route (guaranteed to avoid a group winner until atheist the semi finals), they also get the weakest opponents.

52

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: December 02, 2023, 06:06:12 PM »

Suicidal defending at the end chasing a win when a draw was a great result. One man back on the halfway line and punished because of it.

Other than that  decent performance vs the team who will win the division.

A lesson to learn maybe.

53

General Football & Sports / Re: Anything England Football

« on: November 27, 2023, 08:17:10 PM »

Still astonishing it took 22 years to reach another semi final after his achievement. Rewatched the Dutch game this morning on BBC website, can't be many better Englanf performances in a major tournament. That Southgate pass for the 3rd - Chefs kiss.

Rest in Peace El Tel.

54

General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL PREMIER LEAGUE THREAD

« on: November 25, 2023, 08:35:25 PM »

Surprised how good Anthony Gordon has been at Newcastle Utd, another goal today. Ashworth rarely gets it wrong. Must be in England contention soon.

Maybe more exciting, 17 year old Lewis Miley set up a goal today. England have an embarrassment of riches in the wide positions at the moment.

55

West Bromwich Albion FC / Worst bit of Albion merchandise ever?

« on: November 25, 2023, 08:33:04 PM »

I found an unofficial WBA calendar for 2024 today, made by thw usually brilliant World Soccer Magazine and Match.

Titled "West Brom Legends", it includes the most random group of "legends" i've ever seen:

Kevin Campbell
Jed Wallace
Matt Phillips
Gareth Barry
Darnell Furlong
Cedric Kipre
Darren Fletcher
Okay Yokuslu
John Swift
Neil Clement
Brandon Thomas-Asante
Semi Ajayi

Does this win the title of worst ever Albion merchandise, or can anyone top trumps it?

56

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: November 25, 2023, 08:17:18 PM »

Players (and particularly the manager) deserve credit for what they are doing under a dark cloud. Potentially making it easier for Lai to sell the club as we are seriously in the promotion mix now heading towards Christmas.

Ipswich have been one of the best sides to come up from league 1 in years and sides haven't lived with them this season. We outsmarted them.

Corberan is one hell of a manager.

57

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Birmingham Senior Cup

« on: November 23, 2023, 07:03:37 PM »

Considering that's a strong looking Albion U23 side, they shouldn't really be losing to a Midland Alliance team. Even pre the EPPP days, Albion academy sides beat the likes of Tividale in this cup.

I understand you might suffer losses to the likes of Halesowen, Sutton Coldfield Town, Stourbridge etc, but losing to Darlo is a bad sign.

58

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Action For Albion/ Potential Takeover

« on: November 14, 2023, 07:07:30 AM »

Had a listen to the liquidator podcast this afternoon. No major developments reported, but they did strongly hint that the third party looking at the club are linked to Australian sports. Somebody was in the directors box at the last home game but for now they are only observers.

Their belief is that we will hear identities start to be revealed in the next week or two and from the tone of what they were saying, they seem confident something is going to happen in a matter of weeks (even if that doesn't quite mean a completed takeover).

59

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: did you know ? thread

« on: October 31, 2023, 07:01:16 PM »

Question? The WM Mayor Andy Streete was at the match last night, re assisting with takeover etc
He was pleased with our win
But, is he a Baggie?
Please confirm.

Listened to a podcast he did with Andy Burnham, Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell where he talked about football. As Oldbury says, he is a proud Villa fan, but I get the impression he would love to see all of the regions sides do well as it would boost local pride and also be a financial boost to the region.

60

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 30, 2023, 10:01:01 PM »

Corberan deserves a lot of credit for taking a small squad with a set of players who are very ordinary, all with the backdrop of financial issues, and getting them to compete for a top 6 place.

The return to a Bartley/Pieters core has seen our defensive record improve again, 2 players who are happy if only asked to defend, while we generally seem to take our chances so far this season. Pleased for Diangana and BTA to get their goals. Slightly worried by the number of yellow cards.

A great 3 points at a tough place to go.

Super Carlos Corberan.

61

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: October 24, 2023, 09:43:50 PM »

Kids should be brought on now. Perfect opportunity. 2-0 up with 10 men vs second worst team in the division.

62

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: October 24, 2023, 09:41:59 PM »

That’s very, very good from Chalobah. Shown some good signs the last few games.

63

General Football & Sports / Re: Rugby World Cup 2023

« on: October 24, 2023, 01:22:56 PM »

World Rugby formally unveil their new competition. Starting in 2026, a Rugby Union divisional structure, Div 1 and Div 2, with promotion starting in 2030.

England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, France, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina  Australia, plus 2 others (it will be Japan and Fiji).

Second division will almost certainly be Samoa, Tonga, Georgia, Uruguay, Namibia, USA, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Romania, Chile and one other (Germany/Brazil/Hong Kong/Netherlands most likely).

64

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: did you know ? thread

« on: October 23, 2023, 08:50:21 PM »

Sticking on the attendance front, our average attendance in our division 3 campaign in 1991-92, averaged only 2 thousand less than top flight Chelsea. Would probably have been even were it not for bumper crowds vs Liverpool and Arsenal.

65

General Football & Sports / Re: The big sports thread

« on: October 22, 2023, 09:21:35 AM »

Disappointing to see the injury list for today's Tonga game. The best try scorer in World Rugby in 2023, Dom Young, is out injured. Herbie Farnworth has also not travelled over due to injury, while Lomax, Thompson, Wardle and Walmsley also join them on the sidelines. Captain George Williams, one of England's very few decent half backs is out suspended for the first 2 games. All in all, it leaves us with an uphill battle.

Jack Welsby will be our youngest ever captain, surprised he hasn't gone to NRL this off season. Harry Smith will also get a chance to show what he can do. Clark at full back doesn't tive me a lot of faith given he was at one stage behind Roby, Hodgson and McIlorum. Glad to see Tom Johnstone back though.

BBC at 2:30pm

66

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 22, 2023, 08:21:18 AM »

Since i've been going up, weve had Sneekes, Maresca, Koumas, Gera, Teixeira, Morrison, Dorrans, Thomas, Brunt, Greening, Odemwingie, Tchoyi, Amalfitano, Sessegnon, Chadli, Pereira and Grosicki, all varying degrees of good, but all of whom in moments and flashes gave you confidence they might create you chances or break lines and get you off your seats.

The last few games I've sat through over a few seasons now, I just don't get the sense from anybody that they are going to make something happen. There is nothing to get excited about. Nobody on the bench who might change a game. There aren't any moments in the game where you feel a wide player had the beating of a full back. It was a feature of every game I went to that there would be moments in a game where everyone stood up in the stands as the players approached the goal, in anticipation that something was about to happen. It didn't happen once yesterday.

Albion games stopped being fun a long time ago. It's a tough sell for me to motivate myself to go when we don't even have 1 or 2 players who can get me excited about even fleeting moments in the game.

67

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: best foreign signing

« on: October 21, 2023, 11:16:27 AM »

                             Pascal Zuberbulher


Cristian Gamboa, Ryan Donk, Sékou Berthé , Goran Popov
           
                           Cosmin Contra,  Jordao

Andwélé Slory             Somen Tchoyi            Sherjill Mac-Donald,

                               Bartosz Åšlusarski

I'd throw Lugano in that side in place of Berthe myself.

68

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: October 21, 2023, 11:15:21 AM »

I think it's my first outing of the season, bit depressing that there won't be any new names on the team sheet - either from new signings or the academy - but we're coming to get used to that with Albion. Either way, it's a great chance for a win. Holding out hope Tom Fellows continues his progression.

69

General Football & Sports / Re: Anything England Football

« on: October 19, 2023, 10:00:52 PM »

People give Southgate way too hard a time, he's not perfect but no manager is. The England team is good but not the incredible team people make it out to be. The centre back situation whichever way you cut it is not that great. Then the biggest problem with England remains the central midfield and lack of a controlling player. There just isn't a particularly desirable player there. It's a problem for England and one that usually rears its heads in tournaments. The usual cries of "release the handbrake" are always fairly naive. You can't have this version of attacking Bellingham and also think any other manager would be pairing him with Maddison, or TAA will be holding with Rice. That's just trying to cram all the attacking players into the side which isn't serious stuff. Hodgson actually did try that back in 2014 to horrible results, although fans quickly forgot him doing everything they wanted.

Right now its still probably the second best squad in Europe, after France, but its not that much better than Portugal, Spain, and Germany who would all be pretty even games.

It's pretty funny to see Germany mentioned as weak - they have been an actually poorly managed team - their actual players are very good. That's the difference between a team who's actually been poorly managed in recent years and England, who have not been poorly managed.

The Spain midfield 3 of Gavi, Rodri and Pedri, paired with the exciting kids coming through like Lamine Yamal, Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres still scare me as much as France, although the fact they have to play Joselu reminds me of their own issues.

As for our midfield, if the worst happens and the likes of Mainoo, Gray, Rigg, Clark, Lewis-Skelly, Webster etc don’t turn out to be able to operate at the very highest level, I wonder if the option will be for Jude Bellingham to go back in alongside Rice and operate in a Paul Pogba - France 2018 role? He is going to be good enough to play anywhere and England are finding it a lot easier to produce exciting attacking midfielders. Carney Chukwuemka at Chelsea might yet turn out to be a world beater while Ethan Nwaneri looks frighteningly good at Arsenal.

70

General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP THREAD

« on: October 19, 2023, 09:32:15 PM »

I've heard Potter's going there.

Harry Potter.

Joking aside, Rowett got the boot from blose because he was touting himself for other jobs, and I wonder if it is the same this around, as it's a very strange decision.

Last year the Liquidator podcast confidently stated he was touting himself for our job, only a few months after criticising Jed Wallace for making the same move.

As it happens, I think he has been sacked because expectations have changed at Milwall. They have spent about £8m quid over the last 12 months, more than clubs like us, so want to see themselves challenging at the top end of the table. I’d imagine John Eustace and Michael Beale becoming available has probably caught their eye.

71

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: best foreign signing

« on: October 19, 2023, 09:24:49 PM »

At £1.5m and the way it came out of nowhere, it has to be Zoltan Gera for me. Went on to be a very good Premier League player and UEFA cup finalist and even in his second spell he still retained the magic.

Odemwingie also gets a mention, mainly for his first season with us as he was the catalyst for establishing ourselves as a premier league side.

72

General Football & Sports / Re: The big sports thread

« on: October 19, 2023, 07:06:57 AM »

Two sporting highlights for the weekend.

Rugby league internationals are into full swing.

Samoa v New Zealand 6am Saturday morning (mens)
Fiji v Cook Islands 6 am Sunday morning (mens)
2 womens internationals at silly o'clock clock

Then the big one Sunday, 2:30 pm, live on BBC, England v Tonga test number 1. Fancy our chances to get off to a quick start, highlight should be the exciting Dom Young on the wing or the brilliant Jack Welsby across the back line.

Also on Saturday, the weird unique Shinty-Hurling international between Scotland and Ireland, the first in 4 years. Game may end up on BBC website, but if not it will be in YouTube. It's a bit more of an exhibition than the genuinely violent Ireland - Australia football crossovers (taking place December), but still enough for me to keep an eye on while at the Albion this Saturday.

73

General Football & Sports / Re: Anything England Football

« on: October 19, 2023, 12:50:40 AM »

Surprised by the negativity towards Grealish. I don't pay much attention to the prem at the moment but I've seen it said that he has had a quiet start to the season (which is just the 2 months old), but last season Grealish was the starting option for Guardiola's treble winning front three. He was seen by neutrals in Spain as one of, if not the best players on the pitch as City demolished Real Madrid. He clearly has something and provides a great option alongside side our rich attacking options Saka, Rashford, Bellingham, Maddison, Foden and to a lesser extent Bowen and Eze.

Away from him, I'm still unsure on our core. Colwill has apparently had a good start to the season at Chelsea from a statistical point and fills in well at left centre half, but Southgate does seem frustrating set on Maguire for now. The other options Guehi, Tomori and Dunk are all reasonable but for me atleast, look unlikely to elevate their games to become cream of the crop defenders so were banking on Scales/Colwill. Once Walker retires, maybe it will be Rico Lewis or post Southgate - Ben White? There are a ton of full backs knocking around though, as much as I do love Walker.

Central midfield is the weak point though. It is unlikely to be fixed in time for next summer, of those not yet in contemtion, i doubt the likes of Longstaff, Ramsey, Ireogbunam or Elliott will come in and make much difference. By the 2026 world cup or the 2028 Euros, maybe we will be looking to Kobee Mainoo at Man Utd, Archie Grey at Leeds, Jobe Bellingham/Chris Rigg at Sunderland or Bobby Clark at Liverpool.

74

General Football & Sports / Re: Anything England Football

« on: October 18, 2023, 12:50:03 PM »

Spain might argue otherwise Fritzl. I'd probably make us the third most talented squad in Europe now, question will be down to how cohesive we can become as a team at the point it matters most. We still struggle to get consistent results vs the top sides, although 2 wins on the trot vs Italy does help.

Still have some issues in defence, plus Kalvin Phillips/Jordan Henderson at the base of midfield is a weak link. Throw in France, Spain, Portugal who are all very good and the strength of Germany at home plus Belgium, Italy, Hungary and Netherlands. It won't be easy, but I do believe we will win something in the next 3 or 4 tournaments with the players we have and those coming through.

75

General Football & Sports / Re: The Official International Football Thread

« on: October 15, 2023, 10:16:57 PM »

There really are some dire groups in Euro qualification this year, as predicted really.

With 2 games left, Moldova have only suffered the one defeat despite being one of the worst teams in Europe, thanks to a flat group containing an ageing Poland, out of sort Czech Rep and Albania.

Group I is no better, nobody really knows how to close it out due to the mediocrity pulsing through the middling sides contained within. Even the usually reliable Swiss are finding it hard to get motivated, as Romania and Israel stay in the race thanks to drawing most of their games.

Not keen on the nations league having such a sway on the rankings, not when it throws up groups like ours and the French/Dutch one.