[kc56wba]

please do not patronize me. I am as entitled to my opinion as much as the happy clappy brigade

I ay patronising anyone, it is a fact we will know in 30 days if the rumours are true or not. The club wont be saying anything to anyone about finances. BTW I am not one of the happy clappy brigade.

[geoff]

Many years ago when Kanu etc was signed.

13 seasons   

I do think (hope) that mr Lai can still break this chain but i'm not holding my breath

[PsalmXXIII]

When was the last transfer window were you thought we had done enough to push on or improved or squad.

Honestly? None of them in recent memory. But then I look at where we finish and correlate that whether I'm worried or not, we survived the season, and bar one season in the last 7/8, quite comfortably so.

Unlike some I learn from experience and that a) worrying now won't change anything other than make me miserable and b) I've worried in the past and we've been fine. If this season is the one our luck runs out, then I'll criticise the club for not strengthening now. I'm not going to have a fit and kick off and get angry when I could have done that the last 7 seasons and been proven wrong every time. How many can say they moaned in pre-season, then stood up at the end of May and said 'well, I was wrong, maybe I'll cut the team some slack. I mean, me having a rant online doesn't change anything, so why bother?'

If you take a step back and stop worrying about perceived doom and gloom you spot some funny ironies - like those people saying we're going down this year are the ones that'll say it next year (and the last 7), there's folk who want us relegated to get Pulis sacked, but then blame the club for not strengthening (oh, where'd my cake go, I was eating that!) and my absolute favourite, the fans who are concerned about player resale values and then blame the club for being run like a business.

It's been a bloody lovely post season, roll on the 12th  If you're happy and you know it clap your hands...

[TheJacko2000]

We won't go down even if the window closed at midday today.


We have strengthened the 1st XI as things stand. That's not to say I don't want a couple more in but the hand wringing as per is well over the top.

[Jordie1471]

We won't go down even if the window closed at midday today.


We have strengthened the 1st XI as things stand. That's not to say I don't want a couple more in but the hand wringing as per is well over the top.

Agreed. Almost every post contains the phrase 'we need xyz'

Need for what though?

If the club's target is to stay up then we need 0 new players.

If the club target is top 12 then we probably will need to sign 2 or 3 (which in all likelihood will happen) and if the target is top 7 or higher, well frankly we would 'need' 11+ new players then

[collins101]

We won't go down even if the window closed at midday today.


We have strengthened the 1st XI as things stand. That's not to say I don't want a couple more in but the hand wringing as per is well over the top.

Are you sure ? So if Phillips and Rondon/Rodriguez spend any length of time out injured you're confident we'll stay up ?

I'm sure our results tailored off with only Phillips out injured.

Not for me

[Hunnington Baggie]

Are you sure ? So if Phillips and Rondon/Rodriguez spend any length of time out injured you're confident we'll stay up ?

I'm sure our results tailored off with only Phillips out injured.

Not for me

hard one to say as Phillips got injured right around when we got to 40 points (I think it was the week before and we beat Bournemouth without him).

Going by Pulis' previous attempts at points after reaching 40, I'd argue that Phillips being out was more of a coincidence that an integral part of our poor march onwards.

[kanu]

I find it quite worrying that fans actually believe we'll be as safe as houses with this current squad. What would be more worrying would be if our board thought the same.
At least TP has come out and said we need 3 or 4 more.
We're not stronger than last year. Morrison and GMac aren't fit to start the season. Fletcher has gone and not been replaced.
Hegazi is a gamble, one we went for as he has cost very little. JRod is an exciting addition but his injury record is a worry.
Phillips' hamstring has struck again, he barely kicked a ball for the last 12 games of last season and if he misses a large chunk of this season then that's a lot of goals and assists we're going to miss.
We need new players now, this week, it all kicks off in 11 days. We have 5 winable games to start with and if we start with say 2 draws and 3  defeats then it's going to be even harder to survive. We are NOT certs to stay up.

[Fritzl Palace]

We won't go down even if the window closed at midday today.


We have strengthened the 1st XI as things stand. That's not to say I don't want a couple more in but the hand wringing as per is well over the top.

Can't disagree. My gripe with our transfer activity is wanting a bit more than just the staying up, an evolution in our style of play to actually string a few passes together and look a threat on the deck as opposed to just getting the big men up at set pieces and bringing the players in to facilitate this. Sadly I know it is never going to happen under the current manager so I have largely given up complaining from that perspective.

[Hull Baggie]

I find it quite worrying that fans actually believe we'll be as safe as houses with this current squad. What would be more worrying would be if our board thought the same.
At least TP has come out and said we need 3 or 4 more.
We're not stronger than last year. Morrison and GMac aren't fit to start the season. Fletcher has gone and not been replaced.
Hegazi is a gamble, one we went for as he has cost very little. JRod is an exciting addition but his injury record is a worry.
Phillips' hamstring has struck again, he barely kicked a ball for the last 12 games of last season and if he misses a large chunk of this season then that's a lot of goals and assists we're going to miss.
We need new players now, this week, it all kicks off in 11 days. We have 5 winable games to start with and if we start with say 2 draws and 3  defeats then it's going to be even harder to survive. We are NOT certs to stay up.

Don't think anyone has said we are certs to stay up, more that we have the same meltdown before every season yet usually manage to stay up often quite comfortably.

Matt Phillips reported a tight hamstring and was not played as a precaution, rather than the hamstring injury reoccurring.

[Hull Baggie]

Mr Lai is aware of our need for players according to Pulis.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/west-brom-owner-guochuan-lai-13414759

[baggie82]

So if Phillips and Rondon/Rodriguez spend any length of time out injured you're confident we'll stay up ?

If Rondon is injured we might score a few goals and pick up some points. He's been borderline useless for the last seven months.

[PsalmXXIII]

We won't go down even if the window closed at midday today.


We have strengthened the 1st XI as things stand. That's not to say I don't want a couple more in but the hand wringing as per is well over the top.

Exactly. We'd all love some exciting players brought in. But the sad fact is we don't NEED to spend tens of millions on players for us to stay up. And while that's still the case, we won't.

Here's a statistic for you:

We finished 10th in the league last year. Based solely off league position prize money we received: £21.1m
Had we finished 8th we'd have won - £25m

So we'd have won £3.9m more.

Let's say we overtook Everton back when we had the chance and finished 7th - £26.9m

So £5.8m more for finishing 7th.

Now, could we have spent only £6m more (what's that, a youth player nowadays?) and finished 7th. Absolutely no chance. With defenders going for £20m+ this year, what is the point in spending that kind of money to get only £6m back for the troubles?

Now realistically we got £120m or there abouts from TOTAL prize money. But only a fraction of what we make as a club has anything to do with where we finish in the league. If we'd finished TOP OF THE LEAGUE, we'd have earnt £17.3m more money than we did. That's a single player nowadays.

So next time anyone thinks 'lets spend £50-60m every pre-season and we can really be ambitious' there's very little incentive reward wise to do so.

YES we can spend what we earn, we can spend £120m (minus 50m or so in wages) per year. But what is the actual point? If we spent £40m more and finished 7th last season, we'd be £34m worse off than we are now. You do that enough seasons in a row chasing 'ambitious' (see unrealistic) dreams, you have no money left.

 

[SmethDan]

Exactly. We'd all love some exciting players brought in. But the sad fact is we don't NEED to spend tens of millions on players for us to stay up. And while that's still the case, we won't.

Here's a statistic for you:

We finished 10th in the league last year. Based solely off league position prize money we received: £21.1m
Had we finished 8th we'd have won - £25m

So we'd have won £3.9m more.

Let's say we overtook Everton back when we had the chance and finished 7th - £26.9m

So £5.8m more for finishing 7th.

Now, could we have spent only £6m more (what's that, a youth player nowadays?) and finished 7th. Absolutely no chance. With defenders going for £20m+ this year, what is the point in spending that kind of money to get only £6m back for the troubles?

Now realistically we got £120m or there abouts from TOTAL prize money. But only a fraction of what we make as a club has anything to do with where we finish in the league. If we'd finished TOP OF THE LEAGUE, we'd have earnt £17.3m more money than we did. That's a single player nowadays.

So next time anyone thinks 'lets spend £50-60m every pre-season and we can really be ambitious' there's very little incentive reward wise to do so.

YES we can spend what we earn, we can spend £120m (minus 50m or so in wages) per year. But what is the actual point? If we spent £40m more and finished 7th last season, we'd be £34m worse off than we are now. You do that enough seasons in a row chasing 'ambitious' (see unrealistic) dreams, you have no money left.

Not much chance of that happening the way things stand at the moment  .

[WBAinDEVON]

you want chumpionship mr lai then its coming near you very soon if you dont get your wallet out

[leeiswba]

you want chumpionship mr lai then its coming near you very soon if you dont get your wallet out

Haven't you predicted us to get relegated every season 

[PsalmXXIII]

Haven't you predicted us to get relegated every season 

Did we not get relegated?!

[Legend]

Haven't you predicted us to get relegated every season 

It is funny to see the same old doom and gloom merchants predict every year we will go down. They'll probably be right one year and tell everyone "I told you so" just like a broken clock is right twice a day.

Just like every year I tell everyone "Relax we'll be fine" which ends up being the case.

[WBAinDEVON]

Haven't you predicted us to get relegated every season 

not over the last 4 seasons no. i dont think we will this season either but i not keen on sweating

[WBAinDEVON]

It is funny to see the same old doom and gloom merchants predict every year we will go down. They'll probably be right one year and tell everyone "I told you so" just like a broken clock is right twice a day.

Just like every year I tell everyone "Relax we'll be fine" which ends up being the case.

oh and along comes mr optimistic who has a feeling

[Astle1968]

It is funny to see the same old doom and gloom merchants predict every year we will go down. They'll probably be right one year and tell everyone "I told you so" just like a broken clock is right twice a day.

Just like every year I tell everyone "Relax we'll be fine" which ends up being the case.

A great example why as a club we don't/wont progress and as a fanbase we are largely split

Another poor transfer window (to date)
Mainly linked with boring/dull/uninspiring players
Most importantly the football is absolute pooh and shows absolutely no sign of changing

But if you point any of this out you're a doom monger/whinger/impatient etc etc. And of course we will on the balance of probability stay in the league (as we well should with our 1st 11, squad and resources) so whats the problem as 'we will be fine'

There was an Albion long before the premier league, and there will be an Albion long after we get relegated from it which will 100% happen be it this year or in 5 years or in 20 years. I'd wager most of us were supporting Albion before we got promoted and most will be supporting after.

Going to watch Albion now is not enjoyable for me, or certainly not as enjoyable as it has been in the past 20 years even when watching Mickey Evans lumber about with the likes of Jimmy Quinn and when he remembered the ko time Fabien De Freitas. So whilst PL football means everything to some fans to some others it means absolutely nothing and so is not a measure of us being 'fine'.

I look forward to out first win of the season and the first few '3 down, 37 to go' posts.

[Cantello]

I've been a supporter since 1965 and in my view all the flair and excitement has gone from this club.  It's just a business now and my interest in it wanes more and more each season.  In fact, I'm bored to death with it. Let's face it, the seasons championship were 100 times more fun.   

[ashdoy]

I've been a supporter since 1965 and in my view all the flair and excitement has gone from this club.  It's just a business now and my interest in it wanes more and more each season.  In fact, I'm bored to death with it. Let's face it, the seasons championship were 100 times more fun.

Would not bother me one bit if we went down, as long as we had an Albion I couldn't care.

Never understood why some "fans" only go coz we're in the Prem.

I go to see Albion, not Chelsea or City or whatnot.

[gerry m]

Would not bother me one bit if we went down, as long as we had an Albion I couldn't care.

Never understood why some "fans" only go coz we're in the Prem.

I go to see Albion, not Chelsea or City or whatnot.

 I have to agree with you. Iv'e been a supporter since 1977 and ive seen some great times and some very bad ones but i will follow the Albion till i die does not matter what division we are in.

[johnny Cash]

We won't go down even if the window closed at midday today.


We have strengthened the 1st XI as things stand. That's not to say I don't want a couple more in but the hand wringing as per is well over the top.

Usually find myself agreeing with you Jacko, even when many find you controversial.

Not on this occasion though. I think if the window closed today we would be at real risk of going down. By the time the window does close we will have played 3 games and really need to have 5 points or more given the opposition. If we don't and we haven't strengthened significantly then we will be looking at a long hard season. The mood and atmosphere will be detrimental too.