[weareblueweare white]

Adkins was doing better at Southampton than AI is doing here, but I don't see him as the answer. Pulis would shake the club up to the core, which is what's needed

[dangerman]

It's amusing how many of the same people who call Irvine boring want Pulis. Most his teams score less goals than games a season, its a very dull style of football. His away record at Stoke was usually atrocious because they never had any intent to win.

He's effective in terms of he'll get 40-45 points a season usually but its hilarious how quickly things change. Pulis plays an extremely direct style with a target man and trying to pick up second balls. You get people trying to claim his Palace side was good to watch yet they scored 27 in 27 games under him. We've scored 13 in 13 under Irvine. Under Pulis if the other team scored first, Palace very rarely ever scored. Because of how defensive they set up. It was even worse at Stoke. We don't even have the luxury of the pacey wingers he likes. This is a man who with a big budget kept playing Mama Sidibe till he eventually got a serious injury and he had to stop playing him.

The same people moaning about Irvine and crying for Pulis will be the same people who when Pulis kept us up on 43 points having scored 15 goals in 22 games under him or whatever, would be the exact same people saying staying up isn't worth it for that style of football.

Put it a lot better than I could. Fully agree.

[Nathan]

Adkins was doing better at Southampton than AI is doing here, but I don't see him as the answer. Pulis would shake the club up to the core, which is what's needed

Peace will NEVER appoint a manager who is likely to shake the club up in anyway. If Irvine goes it will be just another yes man, told he has to work with Downing and Kiely. If Peace thinks that pair are that great that he can't dispose of them why doesn't he just give them the bloody manager's job. Downing and Kiely bring nothing to the table. It doesn't make sense.

[weareblueweare white]

Pulis is more similar to Gary Megson than AI and doesn't mince his words. AI is someone content to slot into a sh#te jigsaw puzzle

[LiamTheBaggie]

It's amusing how many of the same people who call Irvine boring want Pulis. Most his teams score less goals than games a season, its a very dull style of football. His away record at Stoke was usually atrocious because they never had any intent to win.

He's effective in terms of he'll get 40-45 points a season usually but its hilarious how quickly things change. Pulis plays an extremely direct style with a target man and trying to pick up second balls. You get people trying to claim his Palace side was good to watch yet they scored 27 in 27 games under him. We've scored 13 in 13 under Irvine. Under Pulis if the other team scored first, Palace very rarely ever scored. Because of how defensive they set up. It was even worse at Stoke. We don't even have the luxury of the pacey wingers he likes. This is a man who with a big budget kept playing Mama Sidibe till he eventually got a serious injury and he had to stop playing him.

The same people moaning about Irvine and crying for Pulis will be the same people who when Pulis kept us up on 43 points having scored 15 goals in 22 games under him or whatever, would be the exact same people saying staying up isn't worth it for that style of football.

Agree with this.

Albion fans spent many years continuously criticising Tony Pulis and lambasting his style of football.

Now it seems those that derided him are jumping at the opportunity to appoint him..

[section5]

It's amusing how many of the same people who call Irvine boring want Pulis. Most his teams score less goals than games a season, its a very dull style of football. His away record at Stoke was usually atrocious because they never had any intent to win.

He's effective in terms of he'll get 40-45 points a season usually but its hilarious how quickly things change. Pulis plays an extremely direct style with a target man and trying to pick up second balls. You get people trying to claim his Palace side was good to watch yet they scored 27 in 27 games under him. We've scored 13 in 13 under Irvine. Under Pulis if the other team scored first, Palace very rarely ever scored. Because of how defensive they set up. It was even worse at Stoke. We don't even have the luxury of the pacey wingers he likes. This is a man who with a big budget kept playing Mama Sidibe till he eventually got a serious injury and he had to stop playing him.

The same people moaning about Irvine and crying for Pulis will be the same people who when Pulis kept us up on 43 points having scored 15 goals in 22 games under him or whatever, would be the exact same people saying staying up isn't worth it for that style of football.

I'm not moaning about style of play to be honest we don't have any sort of plan bar defend under irvine he's clearly out his depth with us and pulis is clearly not, its like hodgson style of football pulis and I tell you now I was never moaning about hodgson style, an example of pulis teams is the game palace Liverpool last season had that been Albion Liverpool under Irvine can you honestly see us coming back to draw 3-3 no chance, to be honest your points about pulis I don't agree with, wasn't there a stat that when pulis took charge of palace if the season had started then palace would be top 6 Irvine= relegation Pulis=safety (easily)

[Nathan]

Pulis is more similar to Gary Megson than AI and doesn't mince his words. AI is someone content to slot into a sh#te jigsaw puzzle

Exactly right. Pulis is a carbon copy of Megson. There is no way Pulis would put up with any rubbish and he would not work with Downing/Kiely either. It would be Pulis's way or no way.

[LiamTheBaggie]

Pulis will not work with a director of football either and he certainly won't like our budgets.

He had a free purse at Stoke, spent a bucket load of money (money we could only dream of) and his style got progressively worse each year.

I do find it surprising that those who state they want to see entertainment are championing the appointment of Tony Pulis.

[overseas baggie]

Pulis will not work with a director of football either and he certainly won't like our budgets.

He had a free purse at Stoke, spent a bucket load of money (money we could only dream of) and his style got progressively worse each year.

I do find it surprising that those who state they want to see entertainment are championing the appointment of Tony Pulis.

I agree.  Pulis is the manager you hire to rescue you in February.  He's not the man you hire with a 3-year plan.

[Dan]

I'm not moaning about style of play to be honest we don't have any sort of plan bar defend under irvine he's clearly out his depth with us and pulis is clearly not, its like hodgson style of football pulis and I tell you now I was never moaning about hodgson style, an example of pulis teams is the game palace Liverpool last season had that been Albion Liverpool under Irvine can you honestly see us coming back to draw 3-3 no chance, to be honest your points about pulis I don't agree with, wasn't there a stat that when pulis took charge of palace if the season had started then palace would be top 6 Irvine= relegation Pulis=safety (easily)

Pulis isn't anything like Hodgson. Pulis sets up his side with a bunch of very tall players, trained to be very good at pieces, with a big target man up front. They play pacey wingers who's job it is to get corners, or win throws so they can launch it in the box. In general play its either shunt it out to the wing or hoof it up to the big man to win the second ball.

Irvine's way more like Hodgson in set up (playing a congested midfield, wingers used defensively). Just firstly Hodgson was a better manager so the system worked better under him, and secondly the players Hodgson had were a better fit for said system.

Saying that Pulis drew 3-3 with Liverpool is like saying us beating Burnley 4-0 an example of an Irvine team. Pulis is what he is. He'll keep teams up but he won't do much better than that. At Stoke he spent one of the highest net amounts in the league and repeatedly wasted the money, bought in poor players and they never improved.

But suddenly a good run of form with Palace and he's Corberan who plays amazing football. Don't make me laugh. Anyone who dared to complain when we beat Leicester 1-0 that we didn't deserve it, then claims they want Pulis who wins games in a similar way needs their head checking.

If all you want is to stay up and you want Pulis then fair enough, but did people who want him and good football only start watching football in April?

[Signor_Maresca]

We lack pace, width and guile, this is supposedly understood and recognised within the club.  Why is it then we have a Portuguese and an Argentinian international, both of whom are wingers yet neither one is making the bench?  It really is baffling.  There are a few murmurings that they have failed to impress on the training field, maybe so, but it’s not like we are championing a pair of El Ghanassy type characters here, these are experienced footballers with genuine pedigree. 

It’s all a little Robson-esc for me, I remember feeling so frustrated that we had Kanu and Earnshaw rotting on the sidelines while a shot Kevin Campbell floundered up front on his own and it’s kind of a similar scenario now.

I don’t dislike Irvine at all, I think he comes across as a personable bloke, he speaks well, is enthusiastic and I believe him to be an excellent coach.  However he needs to get his head out his backside with this overly conservative approach (especially at home) or he’ll be gone as it’s simply not working.  We need to take the game to sides at home, that’s all I ask.  What is even more disheartening is that I actually think we have a half decent squad and the team just needs 2/3 adjustments -  I hope he makes them for his sake and ours.

[caravanc58]

Pulis will not work with a director of football either and he certainly won't like our budgets.

He had a free purse at Stoke, spent a bucket load of money (money we could only dream of) and his style got progressively worse each year.

I do find it surprising that those who state they want to see entertainment are championing the appointment of Tony Pulis.

I think the reason posters are suggesting pulis is that the players need a kick up the backside, similar to how megson reshaped us, personally I wouldn't want pulis but hes a safe bet but would prefer someone with a better style of football.

[section5]

Pulis isn't anything like Hodgson. Pulis sets up his side with a bunch of very tall players, trained to be very good at pieces, with a big target man up front. They play pacey wingers who's job it is to get corners, or win throws so they can launch it in the box. In general play its either shunt it out to the wing or hoof it up to the big man to win the second ball.

Irvine's way more like Hodgson in set up (playing a congested midfield, wingers used defensively). Just firstly Hodgson was a better manager so the system worked better under him, and secondly the players Hodgson had were a better fit for said system.

Saying that Pulis drew 3-3 with Liverpool is like saying us beating Burnley 4-0 an example of an Irvine team. Pulis is what he is. He'll keep teams up but he won't do much better than that. At Stoke he spent one of the highest net amounts in the league and repeatedly wasted the money, bought in poor players and they never improved.

But suddenly a good run of form with Palace and he's Corberan who plays amazing football. Don't make me laugh. Anyone who dared to complain when we beat Leicester 1-0 that we didn't deserve it, then claims they want Pulis who wins games in a similar way needs their head checking.

If all you want is to stay up and you want Pulis then fair enough, but did people who want him and good football only start watching football in April?

I don't care what style we play all I know are facts and stats, Irvine statistically has done what as a manager in comparison to pulis who made stoke into the team they are today and that one season as palace manager statistically had them as one of the top seven teams in the premier league from the start of his reign
You give me one stat or fact that Irvine comes out on top versus pulis

[weareblueweare white]

As we're slipping into a relegation battle, we need to be tight at the back and show a goal threat which we look incapable of doing atm. We also need to turn The Hawthorns back into a fortress where teams worry about coming, not a place they can come and have an easy ride.
As things stand, most people's complaints seem to be about us being over cautious and not the style of play as the only time we have a go at the opposition is when we go behind

[caravanc58]

We lack pace, width and guile, this is supposedly understood and recognised within the club.  Why is it then we have a Portuguese and an Argentinian international, both of whom are wingers yet neither one is making the bench?  It really is baffling.  There are a few murmurings that they have failed to impress on the training field, maybe so, but it’s not like we are championing a pair of El Ghanassy type characters here, these are experienced footballers with genuine pedigree. 

It’s all a little Robson-esc for me, I remember feeling so frustrated that we had Kanu and Earnshaw rotting on the sidelines while a shot Kevin Campbell floundered up front on his own and it’s kind of a similar scenario now.

I don’t dislike Irvine at all, I think he comes across as a personable bloke, he speaks well, is enthusiastic and I believe him to be an excellent coach.  However he needs to get his head out his backside with this overly conservative approach (especially at home) or he’ll be gone as it’s simply not working.  We need to take the game to sides at home, that’s all I ask.  What is even more disheartening is that I actually think we have a half decent squad and the team just needs 2/3 adjustments -  I hope he makes them for his sake and ours.

good post and your correct in that he only needs 2/3 personnel changes to make the team more of a threat at home.
ie Valero for brunt.
ie gamboa for wisdom.
2 small changes that give us a bit of width and attack with pace.
whats he got to lose by trying it because it sure as hell isn't working at the moment.

[LiamTheBaggie]

The changes will only work if Irvine gives them license to play.

They will be pretty much redundant if Irvine restricts them.

[maccbaggie]

I think the fact that so many seem to be calling for Pulis is a damning indictment of the current rubbish that is being served up on a weekly basis

[miggybaggy]

good post and your correct in that he only needs 2/3 personnel changes to make the team more of a threat at home.
ie Valero for brunt.
ie gamboa for wisdom.
2 small changes that give us a bit of width and attack with pace.
whats he got to lose by trying it because it sure as hell isn't working at the moment.

Absolutely agree! Many posters on this forum have been suggesting these changes for weeks now....why cant the coaching staff see what we see...its so obvious!

[GrGr]

I agree.  Pulis is the manager you hire to rescue you in February.  He's not the man you hire with a 3-year plan.

Jacko must have been on the sauce suggesting Pulis?

No Pulis, Hodgson, Clarke or Irvine please. I struggle to believe the love in for Hodgson tbh. I was never a fan of his football. The one thing RH really has is a kind of gravitas none of our other recent coaches have had. Unfortunately it seems RH still somehow manages to influence decisions at our club. We need a new approach, that is very clear.

[Yamaka]

The changes will only work if Irvine gives them license to play.

They will be pretty much redundant if Irvine restricts them.

This is an important point. I foresee future problems since this "excellent coach" will only work with players who are "fit" for purpose (do what has been drilled into them). How this has affected players who have been restricted game time is anyone's guess. Once (if) they are given an opportunity and play badly,  which is highly likely, Irvine's lack of faith in them will appear to have been vindicated 

[weareblueweare white]

I think the reason posters are suggesting pulis is that the players need a kick up the backside, similar to how megson reshaped us, personally I wouldn't want pulis but hes a safe bet but would prefer someone with a better style of football.

Trouble is who can get us playing attractively and get the results we need. We're slipping into a relegation battle with a horrible run in, so something needs to happen fast.

[WBAinDEVON]

I can take us going down as long as we give it a go. What I can't take is this brand of football in the championship. He won't change his style so get rid now

[TheJacko2000]

Absolutely agree! Many posters on this forum have been suggesting these changes for weeks now....why cant the coaching staff see what we see...its so obvious!

Not for me, Valero would come in on the right, Brunt doesn't lose his place as our most threatening midfielder. Gamboa and Varela to give our dysfunctional right hand side a massive lift.

Jacko must have been on the sauce suggesting Pulis?

No Pulis, Hodgson, Clarke or Irvine please. I struggle to believe the love in for Hodgson tbh. I was never a fan of his football. The one thing RH really has is a kind of gravitas none of our other recent coaches have had. Unfortunately it seems RH still somehow manages to influence decisions at our club. We need a new approach, that is very clear.

I'm serious mate. The football will be better than what we have had from Clarke and Irvine, Pulis will shake things up behind the scenes, something that is much needed. He also galvanises supporters with his seige mentality. Wouldn't it be nice to keep a clean sheet at home. I sat there on Saturday lunchtime thinking when not if Arsenal would score. Foster did well with the Welbeck one on one, but it was only ever a matter of time.

I wished we'd stuck with Mel and all the fun that would have yielded, but something inside the club is broken and it needs fixing. There's no better man for the job imo.

[tylerm]

Saw Pulis interviewed a few months ago and he was asked how he started to turn them around
Get rid of the cliques in the dressing room he said and got all the players playing for each other
Just what we need I reckon

[weareblueweare white]

Jacko and Tylerm here here. Our club is rotten to the core and needs fixing.