6026

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 08, 2016, 03:41:23 PM »

I think that you and I are approaching the same solution from a different angle, & will probably have to agree to disagree.

I think it's generally accepted that TP takes a "managed/measured" approach to games & doesn't take kindly to players doing their own thing. Players in his sides, will "buy-in" to that concept, or they don't play, simple as that.

I also believe that most modern coaches look for players who are flexible, game tactics tend to be dynamic, & the squad wins & loses matches, not just the players on the pitch. So the more flexible your squad, the more tactical options you've got.
IMO the reason TP doesn't play certain players, is because, a) they won't operate in a managed system &b) they are inflexible.

You look at Chelsea, probably not the best example currently, but they did win the title last year with the same squad and they have the flexibility in so far as they have a right back who can also play centre back, a left back who can play right back, Cesc can play either deep or in the hole, Oscar, Hazard, Pedro and Willian can operate successfully anywhere across the attacking midfield spectrum.

The problem with the signings Pulis has made is that he brought Chester in for flexibility when he clearly cannot play at right back well enough, no idea what he is like as a centre back, he signs the two wingers who he then discards.

The Jacko mentioned earlier about this not being football manager and not littering yourselves with a squad of 40. I would agree with the sentiment, but sadly for him the signings of Pulis contradict all that he is saying in that statement, we had Gamboa and Dawson as right back options and yet he still signs Chester to play right back. We currently have Yacob and Fletcher as fit defensive midfield options so Pulis signs Sandro as a further defensive midfielder as opposed to an attacking midfielder or winger, the latter we are seriously crying out for.

6027

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 08, 2016, 03:21:23 PM »

It's not football manager, we cannot replace players until we can get rid or you end up with 40 man squads a la QPR. It speaks volumes for the 2 players that we cannot get rid of them.

Further to your point he has tried to get wingers in and neither is up to scratch so presumably he should just relace them as well??

Totally agree about Fletcher 

I hope that is a sarcastic agreement, anything other than that and the world may implode.

Perhaps he should perform better due diligence than to sign two wingers who he almost immediately deems unselectable and a centre back who he feels can play right back that clearly cannot?

6028

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 08, 2016, 03:06:14 PM »

If I have understood you correctly, you're saying that all of our players should be played in their natural positions?

So a squad should consist of a main player & a back-up for each position?

If that's the case, what happens if, for example, both of our right backs get injured?

In my opinion, the more versatile the squad, the better: it allows the "Manager/Head Coach" to "play tunes" with the selection & keeps the opposition guessing.

In the case of James Chester, in hindsight, it does look like a bad decision from Pulis to offer him a contact, but he must have seen something in him.

As an absolute worst case scenario people fill in, hence why the lack of selection of Gamboa and Poco leaves so much frustration, we do have natural full backs, they merely aren't used. If they were deemed to not be up to standard by TP last season, then answer me this, why were they not replaced in the summer? Why did we sign a centre back to play at right back? Buck in this instance seems to stop with TP.

The same applies with the wing position, he signs McManaman and deems him unfit for purpose, samer happens with Gnabry resulting in us having to employ 'fillers' in those positions. One signing so far is all I can support of Pulis and that is Evans, the rest have failed to show anywhere near what has been required/what was expected of them. People will argue Fletcher, and as I captain I imagine he is a great leader, but in terms of footballing ability, he is lacking comparatively to the wage he is being paid I'm afraid.

6029

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 08, 2016, 01:15:46 PM »

You have every right to disagree of course, but could you explain the difference between a player whose natural position is as a central defender being asked to play as a defensive full back & a player whose natural position is an attacking wide right/left player, being asked to a) track back & defend & b) play on the opposite side of their natural position.

Not the players fault, I know, but for £8million, I would have expected a more versatile player than we seem to have with James Chester

I see no difference which, in addition to my criticism of Pulis picking Chester at right back, means I also disagree with his selection of Sess on the right wing when he should be in the centre, the lack of game time for McManaman because he does not track back enough for Pulis etc.

You have to question the sanctioning of the signing of Chester, if Pulis has seriously brought him in as a right back, which the majority of accounts seem to suggest, then it is yet another nail in the TP coffin because it has been a complete waste of £8m that we needed to strengthen elsewhere.

6030

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 08, 2016, 11:53:52 AM »

Jacko i know for sure would be vocal , he sung for Odemwingie after QPRgate on his own near enough....fair play.

Not sure that is to be commended, but it does say a lot about the Jacko I guess...

6031

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 08, 2016, 11:51:34 AM »

There's definitely a valid argument for starting with Pog.  He hasn't looked that great when he has started in the past but I don't think I'd have complained if he had started.  I'd add though, that there's fans on here who insisted that Chester should start so Pulis would have copped flack which ever back 4 he went for.  Sess had taken a knock so wasn't fit enough to start, so who was left? 

So on one hand you think Chester should play at CH, on the other you think he's a complete waste of money.  But if you think he shouldn't replace Olsson, Evans, or G-Mac then he wouldn't get much game time under you either.  Our issue is that those 3 are decent, but if we suffer injuries or poor form we look a bit short there so having an OK CH to come in if needed but one we can utilise at RB isn't that bad. 

I think Pulis should take some criticism for Chester, as I said, £8m should get us someone in the first team, but Rondon was tipped as a good signing at the start of the season and £12m isn't that bad for a striker with his record and you can't complain about Pulis not playing him.  So yeah, not great, (I note you don't include Evans), but not as terrible as some are making out. 

What troubles me is people use it as a massive stick to beat him with.  His record is no worse than other managers in the transfer department, Ideye anyone?  But I don't remember fans ranting about not trusting our other managers with money.  Pulis certainly needs to do better in the transfer market, we all agree, it's just not as bad as some are making out.

You keep saying that I think Chester should play at centre half when that is not what I am saying ion the slightest, you can't just make things up now...

My point is that I would have Chester nowhere near the starting line up, but if you ever do pick Chester, he has to play at centre back as opposed to him coming in at right back or left back. Is that sinking in? For the record, with all fit and available, I would play Evans, McAuley, Olsson and Dawson ahead of Chester.

6032

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 08, 2016, 11:37:04 AM »

He doesn't rate him, he doesn't trust him, get over it.

Is this surely not the whole point of the argument? The criticism is of the manager who has decided that it would be better to play Dawson, a centre back who has been playing out of position at right back, at left back just because he is not a fan of Poco.

Use the best tools at your disposal is all that can be asked and I am fairly certain Poco in at left back on Saturday could not have been any worse than what TP went for.

6033

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 08, 2016, 11:34:33 AM »

Really don't get this about Chester being played out of position, as a pro worth £8million, surely he should be reasonably versatile?
Don't know if you remember Gonzalo Jara? We bought him as a centre half (similar stature to Chester), & he played defensive midfield, right back & centre half, & put in a decent shift in all 3 positions

I disagree. You don't buy a washing machine and expect it to be able to operate as an oven just because it operates in the same vicinity in the house.

If you have trained all your career to play in one position, you are naturally in tune to playing in that position. I personally don't think, from what I have seen from him thus far, that Chester is a Premier League centre back, but he sure as hell is not capable of playing right back or left back in the Premier League but TP continues to use him there for reasons I am unable to fathom.

6034

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 08, 2016, 11:28:57 AM »

I didn't say any criticism has been leveled at Pritchard, someone else said that Pulis has hung him out to dry.  I don't believe that's the case.   I've also seen fans say that Pulis will drum the attacking instincts out of Pritchard, again, with the quote from Pritchard himself, I don't believe that's the case.  That's the only evidence we have to go on but I know for some fans that won't be enough.

 I'm not a "happy clapper won't criticise the head honcho at all costs" so you can keep your little digs.  I'll criticise where I see fit and I'll try not to swing too far one way or the other.  I think some of the criticism Pulis is over the top.  It's as simple as that.  I've criticised the performance, the line up I don't think was that outrageous with the players suffering knocks like they've had.  The performance stunk though.

There were fans on here wanting Chester to start - so he did.  And now there's fans saying he shouldn't have started.  Who would you have played on the wing instead?  Looking at our squad I don't see many wingers there at all and with injuries we're woefully short of options.

You think Chester should play as CH?  See another conversation the other day. Who would you drop?  Evans? McAuley? Olsson?

"You're wrong", it's an opinion of mine so it's not wrong.  You can agree to disagree with that all you like.

I don't for a second think he should start and didn't say he should, but if he ever does start, it has to be at CH as opposed to right back or left back.

I guess I still follow the crazy notion of playing players in their rightful positions. I would have picked McAuley and Olsson at centre back on Saturday, but would have kept Dawson at right back and picked a Belgian international left back at left back, call me crazy.

As for the wing issue, from the players available you would have had to have picked Sess there, anyone but Gardner, but the issue really boils down to our failure to address the glaring lack of width for a number of transfer windows now. TP signs Chester for £8m which was a complete waste of money that should have been used elsewhere, Rondon has looked anything but a £12m striker and he signed off on both with Chester confirming that Pulis brought him in to play at right back for Christ's sake. Negligent doesn't come close to describing that call.

6035

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 08, 2016, 11:01:58 AM »

I'm confused Boinging Along, where has any criticism been leveled at Pritchard? He has come out of the game as the one beacon of hope from all I can see.

I appreciate you're in the happy clapper won't criticise the head honcho at all costs group, but are you really telling me that Pulis through his team selection on Saturday alone was not painfully negative...and just pure wrong? Four centre backs, one of which has absolutely no confidence because of TP failing to play him in his actual position thus far in his Albion career. Gardner on the wing?

Ultimately if you are that adamant we will have to agree to disagree, but you are wrong for what it's worth.

6036

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 08, 2016, 10:16:04 AM »

McClean and Sess have both looked a better option than McManaman.  Gnabry just wasn't up it, you've only got to see Pulis' and Wenger's comments to realise that.

A quote from Pritchard regarding the Newcastle match...

"The gaffer told me to get on the ball, get forward and get positive."

Sess isn't a winger I'm afraid, has to play behind the striker or he is wasted.

We were 1-0 down in a must not lose game, there couldn't have been any other message from Pulis to Pritchard at that time, be more concerned with the starting XI he selected. You just keep boinging along...

6037

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 08, 2016, 09:58:23 AM »

Judging by the posts on here I think there were a small minority who regard Pulis as the embodiment of everything they dislike in football and would never be won over. I think the bulk of fans were happy because he wasn't Irvine and some like myself who could see the logic of the appointment but had some pretty major reservations.

For my own part if I could see that my fears were unfounded I wouldn't dislike Pulis and I certainly was prepared to adopt a wait and see attitude certainly last season and to a degree into this. However all that this season has done is confirm my worse fears about this manager.

He came into this club with a lot of good will and the fact that he has lost a big slice of it in 12 months speaks volumes for his approach.

I must admit, I was all for his appointment with a hope that he would continue the Palace style of football with us, pace out wide etc. Sadly, it is clear that the Palace style was a case of him only having pacy wingers at the club and therefore having to adopt that style, if Palace had given him a summer transfer window I don't doubt he would have brought them down to the same level we are currently at and left players like Zaha and Bolasie on the bench accordingly, a'la Gnabry, McManaman etc.

6038

General Football & Sports / Re: Craig Gardner

« on: February 08, 2016, 09:49:08 AM »

I find it hard to criticise Gardner throughout all of this, despite the fact that he typifies all that is currently wrong at our place, because of the fact that he is what we all knew he would be, a Championship standard footballer who happens to be a model pro and gives his all for the cause, it's just that, save for the odd 30 yard screamer, he just isn't very good.

The cretin that keeps picking him, and picking him in unnatural positions, however...

6039

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: February 08, 2016, 09:47:28 AM »

got a ticket but decided not to go, i am having a break from the Albion. Back for the Palace game

Don't think anyone could blame you currently.

6040

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: February 08, 2016, 09:40:11 AM »

We'll lose.

As with Newcastle at the weekend, we come up against another nervy side whose fans will be on their back the first time we get in their penalty area but that is just the problem...it will take until the 70th minute for us to reach it and will be 3-0 down by then.

6041

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 08, 2016, 09:37:43 AM »

It's now Monday morning and I remain as livid as I was on Saturday at around 2pm when I saw the teams announced.

I still cannot believe the team he picked for what was such an important game. A win there and we would have been well out of the relegation mire at this stage, 32 points and 8 clear of Newcastle. It makes it particularly galling when you saw the Newcastle team with a young winger playing at left back and Steven Taylor returning to the side after what seems like an eternity out of action.

When you have Pocognoli sat there, an international left back, and you pick Chester to play ahead of him, then switch Dawson from right back to left back to accomodate Chester, you have to think that the manager is clueless or stubborn to the point that he will gladly cut off his nose to spite his face just to ensure that Poco/Gamboa et al do not get picked.

Can someone honestly tell me that Dawson at right back and Poco at left back would have had a worse effect than what we went with? Chester was waltzed past time and time again. I am a Chester fan, in so far as I have yet to see him play in his actual position and our manager has destroyed his confidence to the point of wherever he plays him now, even if it is finally at centre back, he will look awful because he no longer has any self belief, Pulis has ruined his career.

To have gone with four central midfielder and four centre backs actually makes my blood boil. What the hell was the thinking behind it? Weather the hour long storm where we have 15% possession but hope the experience of GMac and Olsson keep a clean sheet throughout then bring on some attack minded players? As soon as we went 1-0 it was over, but you couldn't help but be resigned to the outcome at 2pm when the teams were announced.

I said in the poll a number of months back  when TP still had a great deal of support on here that we should keep him until the end of the season then get rid, but right now I would gladly accept his resignation as I can't watch any more of this dross.

6042

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: February 06, 2016, 03:37:32 PM »

Don't think even the happy clappers can support TP after this.

I was all for his appointment, needed at the time and hoped he would go with the Palace approach of using pace down the wings but 4 centre backs and 4 central midfielders today says it all.

Disgusted with the team he has picked, we had no chance of winning this game because of it

6043

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: February 06, 2016, 03:34:02 PM »

Pulis has to go.

Disgrace of a team he has picked

6044

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: February 06, 2016, 03:06:48 PM »

All over us, shock horror.

Pulis should go for that team selection alone. Abysmal.

6045

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: February 06, 2016, 02:11:28 PM »

The most negative team he has put out to date

6046

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: February 04, 2016, 11:31:30 AM »

Would love to see us put them on the back foot and get the fans on their backs from the outset, but we will pick four centre backs and three defensive midfielders and try and kill the game that way.

We really need to put in a performance in this one.

6047

General Football & Sports / Re: Tony Pulis

« on: February 02, 2016, 11:15:37 PM »

If we have any ambition we will thank him for steadying the ship for us come the summer and say goodbye.

The 'football' is unbearable. Darren Fletcher in the hole 

6048

General Football & Sports / Re: Saido Berahino

« on: February 01, 2016, 11:08:32 PM »

I think a transfer is all arranged for this summer. Probably spurs due to us getting pritchard. Just a hunch but I think Peace had agreed to sell and pulis will play Berhaino now.

Here's hoping.

6049

General Football & Sports / Re: Saido Berahino

« on: February 01, 2016, 10:36:17 PM »

he hasn't...

the Tweet says that he admits that he has acted badly previously and is not going to now.

Why do people have their heads so high in the clouds?

If he had realised his mistake do you not think that he would have knuckled down and not let his fitness get to such a shoddy level prior to 10.00pm this evening? People make me laugh.

6050

General Football & Sports / Re: Saido Berahino

« on: February 01, 2016, 05:10:11 PM »

Don't forget the vile game 

And the Sunderland game where he scored the winner in a 1-0 win, but ultimately there is nothing to say that someone else wouldn't have bagged a winner in either of those had they been up top. You cannot get away from his attitude and contribution to the season thus far as being a disgrace.