26

General Football & Sports / Re: Romaine Sawyers

« on: January 23, 2020, 04:50:38 PM »

Sawyers was our best midfielder against Stoke, despite them trying to mark him out of the game and targeting him. Unfortunately we struggled ahead of him, we had no width when Zohore came on and the most of the rest of them went into hiding. Sawyers had two Stoke players pressing him every time he go the ball. Contrast that with Livermore on the other hand had the freedom of the pitch and yet was pants, with atrocious passing. Romaine has been the victim recently of his own success with teams targeting him and obviously the team with reduced quality around him. I've no concerns with him and won't be panicking because of recent results. A lot of comments are very over the top.

Agree with this, Sawyers will be back to his best as soon as we come out of this bad run. However, I'd still be tempted to rest him for the next league game and play Barry instead, if for nothing more than Sawyers could do with a rest, mentally as much as anything.

27

General Football & Sports / Re: Matheus Pereira (on loan from Sporting Lisbon)

« on: January 23, 2020, 04:44:38 PM »

We are not winning match hes because we have no left side and we miss Ferguson. Those 3 being injured is no ones fault but it's no coincidence our dismal run times with the loss of those 3.

Bilic stuck with the same plan even though it is useless without them so i do agree that now he has to try something different things might improve, i'm just not convinced.

Diangana is obviously a big loss to the team and either Gibbs or Ferguson would be a much better option than Townsend, but I still think it's too simplistic to think that this is the only reason we haven't won in 6.

We did more than enough to beat Charlton (I know Diangana came on in the last 20-25 minutes, but the point remains), it was a slack piece of defending/keeping which cost us. We did enough to get at least a draw against Stoke despite how 'poor' we played and it was an avoidable early goal which set the tone of that match in the first place.

Bad runs become a vicious cycle as it effects confidence and it was clear we were very low on that front against Stoke. I maintain the personnel still available to us is more than capable of continuing to pick up results, even without Pereira and Diangana, much as it was still capable of picking up results when we lost both Barnes and Phillips around the same time last season.

It's a question of mental strength at the minute and we need to show that we've got that to get out of the bad run. It's also why I would bring Brunt and Barry into the team for the next couple of matches as they've got this in abundance.

28

General Football & Sports / Re: Matheus Pereira (on loan from Sporting Lisbon)

« on: January 23, 2020, 03:50:21 PM »

Why didn't the squad defeat Barnsley and Charlton then?

Why did they lose to Boro and Stoke?

So if we're not winning virtually every game, then the squad isn't competitive? Do you not think we can field a decent side out of the players we have available for the next 3 matches?

29

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Final League Position?

« on: January 23, 2020, 03:31:44 PM »

I'm confident we'll turn our form around. If we bring in the one or two players Slav is after then I fancy us to finish 1st.

If we don't bring anyone in then I think we'll finish either 2nd or 3rd.

Fourth will be our worst case scenario, but I don't think that will happen.

9 wins, 5 draws, 4 losses from the last 18 should be enough IMO.

30

General Football & Sports / Re: Matheus Pereira (on loan from Sporting Lisbon)

« on: January 22, 2020, 10:24:43 PM »

No easy matches. In fact, at the moment with 4 key men missing i struggle to see who we will beat.

Our next two league games are against Cardiff and Luton.

Johnstone, Bond, Al Habsi, Furlong, Ajayi, Bartley, Hegazi, O'Shea, Townsend, Brunt, Sawyers, Livermore, Krovinovic, Phillips, Austin, HRK, Barry, Harper, Edwards, Zohore, Willock, Tulloch are all available. More than enough quality to put out a very competitive side plus subs against this opposition.

Then Pereira will be back after these matches, and we'll likely have 2-3 new players through the door in the next 10 days as well.

In two weeks Grady and Gibbs will be much closer to fitness also.

We're still in a good place at the moment.

31

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

« on: January 22, 2020, 01:24:12 PM »

With Perreira looking like being suspended for the league games against Cardiff and Luton I'd go with something like this:

                       Johnstone


             Bartley   Ajayi   Hegazi           

Furlong                                        Brunt

          Phillips   Livermore  Sawyers

                          Kanu

                          Austin

32

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: January 21, 2020, 07:03:09 PM »

Really poor last night, goalkeeper constantly conceding soft goals, defenders who can't defend, midfield with no ability to make a decent forward pass, no creativity and attackers that can't score.

Stoke were awful yet come away with all 3 points.

Thought Bilic got it wrong with the Diangana substitution, should have been Edwards on. I get the feeling that Edwards is seen as a sub for Phillips and that's all.

As someone else said what has Willock got to do to even make the bench? We need someone with pace who knows where the goal is and judging by reports from the U23 games Willock is that player but he can't get onto the bench.


Did Periera even come out for the 2nd half? The way some go on about him I'd expect him to be trying to make a difference in games like Barnes did last season but he doesn't.

This blip/slide what ever shows no signs of abating and it'll be interesting to see what we do next with regard to bringing players in.






It's like watching the last days of Darren Moore at the minute.

Perreira might not be at his best the last few matches, but I still thought he was decent and involved in most of what we did that was good. The whole team is low on confidence at the minute and Perreira isn't likely to be immune from that 'feeling' in the camp.

As to Barnes, he would often drift in and out of games. Great with the ball at his feet and space to run into and attack a defender (his goal on the weekend was a typical Barnes goal) but in every other respect Perreira has been a more influential player (as has Grady IMO).

33

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Grady Diangana (on loan from West Ham)

« on: January 21, 2020, 06:37:05 PM »

Diangana Getting injured isn’t a blessing at all mate , without him we are bang average and by the time he comes back in the side if we carry on the way we are we will be trying to hold onto a top 6 spot not a spot in the top 2. Could be to late depending on his injury

Would rather him played well last night and for us to of paid the 1.5 million to keep him. What ever it took to keep him playing the starting 11.

You're not getting the point. If he had played last night and played well, I would have backed on him being recalled. If he wasn't going to be recalled then West Ham would very likely have said way before last night. The club had obviously thought a recall was becoming the likely outcome, hence why they offered £1.5m for West Ham to make the decision early so they would know either way, rather than finding our on the 31st of January.

The injury looks like it has caused West Ham to decide to leave him here. Moyes even more or less explicitly states that in the presser!

Now we can get someone in (I'm hopeful about Orsic happening) and have Diangana to come back too.

Over the next 6-7 weeks we play 9 league games. Even if we were to only get 10 points from those matches and both Brentford and Fulham won most of their matches and neither lost, thereby averaging over 2 points per game over their 9 matches (something their well short of averaging over their first 28 matches), we'd still be within touching distance of the automatic spots, let alone the play-offs.

34

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Grady Diangana (on loan from West Ham)

« on: January 21, 2020, 05:01:39 PM »

The injury will turn out to be a blessing in disguise, if he is not recalled as seems to be the case at the moment.

The longer it went on without a decision from West Ham the likelier it became they would bring him back. The 1.5M offer showed that the club thought the same and weren't very hopeful of him staying, and wanted to give them a sweetener to not recall him while getting the situation sorted with time still left in the window.

I'd rather we missed Grady for 4-6 weeks but have him from March through May, than lose him back to West Ham.

35

General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL PREMIER LEAGUE THREAD

« on: November 30, 2019, 12:10:35 AM »

If i was Nuno i wouldn't see how i could say no myself. Much bigger club, better setup, just need a good manager and it pains me to say it but he is a good manager.

I think Arsenal will be a bit 'burned' on going for names. Emery was woeful and his signings god awful. Nuno and his team can spot a talent much better.

To be fair to Emery, last night was Arsenal's first loss at home this season and they had also only lost 3 away games before that, 2 of which were against Liverpool and Leicester.

Emery also signed Guendouzi (a class act bought for only £7m), Leno (very good 'keeper), Pepe (young and raw but clearly talented), Torreira (excellent player), Tierney (very highly regarded) and also bought in Ceballos (a fan favourite) on loan. Only Sokratis and arguably Luis (who I think gets a lot of unfair stick) seem below par signings.

36

General Football & Sports / Re: VAR

« on: November 12, 2019, 11:01:43 PM »

The problem is of course the definition of 'clear and obvious' when it comes to overturning a decision or pointing out an infringement missed by the referee.

The toe of a players boot 'playing' an attacker onside is not a 'clear and obvious error' surely, as due to the speed the game is played at it's more or less impossible to spot as it happens in the first place. It's absolutely ridiculous.

The phrase needs rewording to be more specific, at the very least.

I think there also needs to be a limit on how many checks can be made per half. Years before VAR was introduced I always felt a '1 claim per team per half' rule, or something similar would be a pretty decent system.

I'm all for video technology being used to an extent, but the way it is implemented at the moment is beyond a joke.

37

General Football & Sports / Re: Anything Stoke

« on: November 01, 2019, 02:50:15 PM »

This will be a draw now. Was extremely confident with NJ in charge.

I'm more confident about Monday than I was before the Charlton match, which I predicted would be a draw. Perhaps the sacking will actually have more of a short term negative effect on them anyway, will they change system/style of play?

38

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 28, 2019, 05:01:04 PM »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXXqGsEJna4

Couldn't wait to give that one either as the Charlton player plants his legs after overrunning the ball.

Looks like a clear penalty to me.

39

General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP THREAD

« on: October 24, 2019, 08:20:43 PM »

These last two rounds have been typical Championship some of the better teams have thrown in shocking performances. Only Brentford have picked up maximum points and only Forest have lost both games. Hence why everything is so tight at the top and nobody has been cut adrift at the bottom.

Who are the 'better' teams though? To a certain extent league position at this stage doesn't necessarily mean you are one of the better teams. A lot of people seemed to assume Swansea were going to be a main competitor throughout the season, but they always looked no better than a mid-table side to me.

The last couple of weeks I've seen people stating Forest were 'nailed on' for top 6, when they look no better than another 10 sides in the league.

The reality is that there is little difference between the majority of teams bar perhaps us, Fulham and Leeds. My guess is that the points total needed for a top 6 place this season will be on the low side.

40

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: OUT ON LOAN THREAD

« on: October 24, 2019, 05:54:06 PM »

Field's injury incident at 1:25. Looks innocuous enough, but he seems to get his leg caught between the Bristol players legs. Hopefully it's not as bad as is feared.

Some nice play from Leko at 1:55 as well. Will he be recalled in January I wonder?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdhG12W6GEE

41

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 22, 2019, 10:31:06 PM »

Disappointing result, but I think some people were fooling themselves if they thought there weren't going to be some downs to go with the ups this season.

With how well Edwards and obviously Ferguson especially have played, it's easy to forget that they are both young players in their first season. It may not be realistic for them to be playing every game and they will need breaks from the XI occasionally to keep them fresh. It's good that we have the squad to be able to do that.

It wouldn't surprise me if some of the players thought it was going to be something of an easy game, but got surprised by Barnsley's endeavour. The 8 bookings they received shows how much they were up for a battle. They also fairly recently sacked their manager and drew with Swansea on the weekend as well. Perhaps their having a bit of a bounce under the caretaker boss.

As to Austin and Kanu, I'm sure Slav feels that the current forwards aren't ideal, hence why we tried to sign Ajeti, but I also expect to see us strengthen up front in January.

We're still top, have only lost once in 13 and are on the 2 points per game sweet spot. The squad can take this match as a bit of a wake up call and learning experience and push on from here.

42

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: October 22, 2019, 09:51:16 PM »

Dirty this lot. 6 bookings.

7 now.

43

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: October 22, 2019, 08:30:39 PM »

They can still come back. I'm as surprised that we've only had one attempt so far than letting 2 goals in.

44

General Football & Sports / Re: Matheus Pereira (on loan from Sporting Lisbon)

« on: October 02, 2019, 12:28:32 PM »

Is it something we can trigger now? The way he is going he will be worth at least £30 mill if we go up. Even if it is just seen as an investment and we sell him to a bigger club would be daft not to get him.

Or is it linked to promotion like Gayle?

It is reliant on number of appearances or/and promotion.

45

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Kyle Bartley

« on: October 02, 2019, 11:08:36 AM »

He looked decent last night. Not much he could do about the O.G.

The O.G. was unfortunate, but I thought the tackle he made earlier in the half was very poor and unnecessary and he was lucky the foul was just outside the box.

He has been much better this season, but I can't wait until Hegazi comes back to partner Ajayi.

46

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: September 29, 2019, 02:48:43 PM »

Starting to feel like it's coming together now. Top of the league, still unbeaten and playing good football. If we could get just a bit tighter at both ends of the pitch wr could really challenge the Leeds and Fulham's of this division.

If we consistently produce the kind of performance from yesterday, we will win the division by a distance.

47

General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP THREAD

« on: September 28, 2019, 11:38:49 AM »

Not sure how much longer Stoke can keep faith with Nathan Jones. They have spent a lot of money and relegation to league 1 could easily result in some financial difficulties.

Shocked by Forest. Poorly run club but now top of the league. Didn't see that coming at the start of the season.

I'm hoping they give him until the Huddersfield match, because it would be fascinating to see the outcome with them both at the bottom and the Cowley's in charge of Hudds.

Forest have performed smash and grabs at Fulham, Leeds and to a lesser extent last night and so I think their current position flatters them a bit. I still expect them to finish somewhere between 7th and 10th this season.

48

General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP THREAD

« on: September 28, 2019, 11:26:37 AM »

There are some whats app messages floating around, supposedly showing the aftermath of the Derby crash. I'm not entirely convinced they are true, but if they are the injuries look career-ending and aledged class A drug use.

I obviously can't verify if they are real.

One article I have read confirmed that the Police used sniffer dogs at the scene, and though that doesn't necessarily mean the drug use rumours are true it could be where they have originated from.

49

General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL PREMIER LEAGUE THREAD

« on: September 16, 2019, 06:12:04 PM »

If Watford go down, I wonder if Foster might be interested in a couple of final years with us.

Watford won't go down.

50

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Only unbeaten side in the league

« on: September 16, 2019, 06:11:27 PM »

I wouldn’t really call playing forest , derby and Fulham away all easy mate . Luton hadn’t  lost at home for how long either .

I'm not sure I'd call playing Millwall, Reading or Blackburn easy either. Millwall have only lost twice so far (one of those away to Fulham) and have picked up wins against Preston and Sheffield Wednesday; Blackburn are a solid mid-table side; and Reading looked excellent when they battered Cardiff a few weeks ago and have obviously got some very good players.

I think Leeds, Fulham, Albion, Bristol and Cardiff are the best 5 sides and after that there isn't a great difference between the teams who will finish 6th down to 18th, it is just that competitive.