On paper we probably do have the best squad in the league, however on paper our squad wouldnt of finished 20th last season in the premier league yet they did, so on paper and reputations mean nothing.
To give an example, the media reguarly say Livermore, Gibbs and Jrod are England internationals, technically they are, but i couldnt tell you the last time Gibbs and JRod were even in a squad and i would be surprised if Livermore gets close anytime soon, but by saying 'England international' makes them and their reputation sound better than they are.
If the championship was that easy, the 3 relegated clubs from the premier league would just be promoted straight back up again, now and again 1 or 2 do it but most dont, ask Stoke, newly promoted club, with all the extra money they have spent this season, why they arent 10 points clear at the top, football just doesnt work like that.
The mentality at the Albion is different this season for the first time in 8 years, the pressure and mentality in the premier league was not to lose, nowadays the pressure is on us to win. Ask most professional sports people and they will tell you mentality at that level is probably the most important thing, they are all talented and have ability to get to where they are (some players make you doubt that!) but they are top sports people and the mental side is huge.
Darren Moore has had to reverse the mentality at the club, whilst also trying to reverse a playing style to entertaining, whilst also trying to be successful, all this inherited from the exact opposite to what he is now trying to do - Pulis.
(This isnt a Pulis bashing, you employ him you know what your getting) but Pulis probably uses the most extreme negative and underhand styles in professional football in this country to get results. Ask any player who has / is coached by Pulis and they will tell you, every session its just drill routines so you dont forget, i dont hate Pulis, i think he seems a bloke you would have a beer with (yes he has made mistakes) but last saturday, watching Middlesbroughs boring but effective tactics, i thought i am so glad i dont have to watch that every week, Albion players would of had those tactics drilled into them nearly three years, it does damage.
When a new manager wants you to try a different way of course you would be pleased and try to adapt but those endless sessions, days and days of something being implanted in your brain isnt easy to forget, i still think its noticeable with Sam Field as an example, his first couple of years experience of senior football was under Pulis, Field is a talented footballer but most times he gets the ball now he just wants to play a cautious no risk safe pass, yet i think he can do so much more, gradually Darren Moore will try and change Fields mentality, the way to do that is keep playing games, i am not sure he will actually get that at the Albion, especially if we go up but i think the mentality drilled into Field has affected his career, thats what Darren Moore is up against, however he must think he can change the way a lot of the squad play as he chose to keep them, but he does need time.
I dont think Mooro is perfect and i also dont think he is doing a great job but i do think he is doing a good job and i would say we are about where i expected us to be, its only middle of February, i dont think its fair to say he isnt the right man or he is clueless because we arent top at the moment, same as i dont think you would hand him a new five year contract because we went top back in October.
The good points are we are trying to play football, we score plenty of goals, their seems to be a good spirit in the squad, the fans are interested again (we are selling out games home and away, though away wise i appreciate that may also be due to it being new grounds) we are creating an identity as a good attacking side, fans and media are changing their opinion of us after the Pulis years and we have also started to see some academy players stepping up (though we wont probably wont know the real success of those for a season or twos time when we see who become regulars)
I think the mistakes he has made are signing Johnstone, who although not a bad keeper, i dont think he was the right choice for the style we are looking to play, Johnstone has played over 150 senior games and admitted earlier this season he hasnt played this way before, i think it shows because he is nervous (playing behind our 3 at the back earlier of the season wouldnt of helped either, the defence and him made each other nervous) However I think we should of got a keeper who was confident and experienced in playing the way Moore and Jones wanted us too.
I also think they tried to rush the 3-5-2 in, in hindsight they should of seen we didnt have the players for it, however you learn from your mistakes and they did change formation (though i expect we will see more of the 3-5-2 between now and the end of the season as we have better options though i am not convinced our centre halves are right for it)
The Brunt in midfield is bizarre too, it clearly doesnt work and hopefully now we have Harper coming in and signing Johansen, Brunt can go back to competing on the left (i think have him on the bench because certain games he will still be very useful) i would hope the new competition in midfield, Brunt never sees centre midfield again, if thats the case you can say Moore has learnt from his mistake, however if Brunt appears there again it will be a concern.
The other one and it probably sounds petty, i am not sure why we need Morrison and Hoolahan, they are similar (ish) types of players and if they were playing reguarly or swapped roles alternately then fair enough, but as we very rarely use either of them, as they are both likely to be on very good wages for this level, i just think it was a waste of money having both, have one or the other.
Those are the mistakes i think he has made but everybody makes them, especially when you are new to something, but he has shown in some cases, he has given something a fair chance then rectified it when it doesnt work, l like that.
As a fan i am enjoying going the Albion again and although not perfect (but who is) i credit the good job Mooro is doing for making it enjoyable again.