[paulosull]

I don't see how anyone can blame Moore for tonight.  At HT it should've been 5-0.  The miss by Rodriguez on 3 mins and the free header from HRK later was appalling. 

Our midfield is so much superior for having Morrison in it, so much better balanced.  The trouble is you bring on one of Brunt, Barry or Hoolahan and not one has any speed.  It is a real worry coming up to Xmas.  We simply have to sign a midfelder with legs in January.

I fear for us if either Livermore or Morrison are injured.

has to take most of the blame tonight if he can't see that Brentford had taken control of midfield second half, Rodriguez should have been pulled for a central midfielder so Gayle could play up top and Phillips played out wide

[boinging_along]

Would Brunt / Barry have closed the cross down?  No is the answer they ain't quick enough.

We need  Sako and Burke on the bench for sure.

I agree about the speed but Morrisons positioning was all wrong. He was much too narrow and then checked his run which was the killer.  And then he went over and pulled up short.  Someone with better positioning would have been on top of that.

[mulliganstired]

No-one seemed to take charge on the pitch at all, our full backs didn't know whether to press or not, we left three up front strung right across the pitch, and the midfield were knackered.   Decent players sitting on the bench.  I don't know what to say now.

[crazedwbafan18]

I’m not getting the knives out. It happens, after 3 straight wins we were due a bad one and although we should’ve won, we haven’t lost either. Wouldn’t be surprised if we beat villa actually as they will play an open game. Keep the faith

[Atomic]

Missed chances cost us first half. Game should have been over by half time. Second half brentford wasted every second they could. We were patient and got the goal that should have been enough. We simply have to stop conceding cheap goals. I wouldve brought Barry and hoolahan in at 1-0 and played a diamond in the middle with to up top. Frustrating.

[tlms-p23]

Trying to cut through the disappointment and bitterness at dropping points, I do think it was interesting to see the difference between our first half and second half without HRK on the pitch.

He can't finish for toffee, we all know that, but he's an outlet, he's awkward as anything and we have something to hit. The link up play in the first half was excellent. Fluid and dynamic. For me, if we play this 433 it has to be HRK and Gayle OR Rodriguez. I don't think Gayle and Rodriguez offer enough if played together in this formation.

If they both play, one plays out wide and is significantly less effective and we lose the physical outlet of HRK. If we played 4312 (Barnes in the hole, Gayle and Rodriguez up top together) then maybe.

I suspect we'll persist with 433 so for me Gayle starts, Rodriguez misses out but I have a feeling Moore will try and shoehorn them both into the same side or keep Gayle on the bench vs Villa.

[GREGMT]

has to take most of the blame tonight if he can't see that Brentford had taken control of midfield second half, Rodriguez should have been pulled for a central midfielder so Gayle could play up top and Phillips played out wide

Yes but Darren Moore didn't miss those bloudy sitters himself.  Ive criticised Moore loads but we ripped Brentfird to shreds 1st half and HRK played a reasinable part in that.  Gayle still had 45 mins you could argue we eere more disjointed 2nd half.  Moore should be sending the teacups flying in the dressing rioom we must mever be that wasteful again.

[Fritzl Palace]

Yes but Darren Moore didn't miss those bloudy sitters himself.  Ive criticised Moore loads but we ripped Brentfird to shreds 1st half and HRK played a reasinable part in that.  Gayle still had 45 mins you could argue we eere more disjointed 2nd half.  Moore should be sending the teacups flying in the dressing rioom we must mever be that wasteful again.

First half we should have been out of sight...but we weren't. It will happen at times, it's how the manager reacts to it and ours is not up to it. They change their system at half time and Moore has no answers to it. We were on our feet after 70 minutes, manage to go ahead against the run of play second half and he still changes nothing, just invites the pressure.

We will never have a better chance of winning this league but our manager is not up to it. Our squad gets no better next season if we don't go up, it only gets worse. If he can't get us promoted with this squad, I dread to think what he'd be like with worse players.

[GREGMT]

The guy who would have scored them started on the bench again, despite it being obvious in the last few games that J Rod and HRK aren't clinical enough. Surely that is on the head coach?

It'd be like starting Palmer over Johnstone and not blaming Moore when he makes mistakes.

I agree that HRK and Rodriguez are not clinical enough.  Gayle is too good to be left out.  You are really looking at 2 from 3 from Rod, HRK, Mozza.  Thats if you think its possible for 1 of HRK or Rod to play conventional CM instead of Mozza.  If not tjen straight choice between Rod and HRK.  In that case Rod wins surely?

[Dexy]

Yes but Darren Moore didn't miss those bloudy sitters himself.  Ive criticised Moore loads but we ripped Brentfird to shreds 1st half and HRK played a reasinable part in that.  Gayle still had 45 mins you could argue we eere more disjointed 2nd half.  Moore should be sending the teacups flying in the dressing rioom we must mever be that wasteful again.

I'll back Moore and I'm the first to say he's still a rookie but if he's chucking china around he wants to throw one at himself for lack of subs and another for Gayle out wide.

[TheJacko2000]

I agree that HRK and Rodriguez are not clinical enough.  Gayle is too good to be left out.  You are really looking at 2 from 3 from Rod, HRK, Mozza.  Thats if u think its possible for 1 of HRK or Rod to play conventional CM instead of Mozza.  If not tjen straight choice between Rod and HRK.  In that case Rod wins surely?

No not at all. Rodriguez is a striker. HRK is a right winger. Gayle is a striker. Rodriguez has to make way if we persist with 433

[Fritzl Palace]

No not at all. Rodriguez is a striker. HRK is a right winger. Gayle is a striker. Rodriguez has to make way if we persist with 433

I don't often agree with you, but it's true. Bringing Gayle on and playing him on the wing tonight is just another utter aberration.

[GREGMT]

First half we should have been out of sight...but we weren't. It will happen at times, it's how the manager reacts to it and ours is not up to it. They change their system at half time and Moore has no answers to it. We were on our feet after 70 minutes, manage to go ahead against the run of play second half and he still changes nothing, just invites the pressure.

We will never have a better chance of winning this league but our manager is not up to it. Our squad gets no better next season if we don't go up, it only gets worse. If he can't get us promoted with this squad, I dread to think what he'd be like with worse players.

Why not blame the players for tonight?  It was absolutely criminal not to win that match.  Moore put on Gayle at HT which most of the stadium would've done.  Brentford were never going to be as poor / us so good again 2nd half. 

I don't see how the options from the bench would've seen us over the line?  The one criticism would be people nominated on bench.

Agreed should be wetting this league as we are the best team in it.  He finally saw the light with Brunt and Bartley when argubly that experiment was at least 6 games to long.

[paulosull]

Yes but Darren Moore didn't miss those bloudy sitters himself.  Ive criticised Moore loads but we ripped Brentfird to shreds 1st half and HRK played a reasinable part in that.  Gayle still had 45 mins you could argue we eere more disjointed 2nd half.  Moore should be sending the teacups flying in the dressing rioom we must mever be that wasteful again.

disjointed because he persist's with Rodriguez who has had an absolute mare tonight plays Gayle on right wing then swaps him with Barnes then swaps him with jrod. Simple solution take of Jay put Phillips out wide for outball and use one of the four midfielders you have put on your bench. Moore will probably get us into play offs because of the quality of player he inherited but won't get us up automatically because he's not proactive with his formation a rigid 343 or 433. Substitutions seem to be a struggle for him as if he's scared to use his bench or doesn't trust them or his decision making.

[Fritzl Palace]

Why not blame the players for tonight?  It was absolutely criminal not to win that match.  Moore put on Gayle at HT which most of the stadium would've done.  Brentford were never going to be as poor / us so good again 2nd half. 

I don't see how the options from the bench would've seen us over the line?  The one criticism would be people nominated on bench.

Agreed should be wetting this league as we are the best team in it.  He finally saw the light with Brunt and Bartley when argubly that experiment was at least 6 games to long.

I addressed this in my first paragraph, chap. I said we should have been out of sight, but it doesn't always happen, it's in game management which Darren just does not have. We were crying out for fresh legs and he does absolutely nothing to alter it, we drop deeper and deeper and then the inevitable arrives.

He put Gayle on...and played him on the wing  the best finisher in the division for the love of God, on the wing.

Bench selection was shocking, granted, four central midfielders (if we are classing Brunt as one in his eyes) offered us no variation whatsoever.

[GREGMT]

I'll back Moore and I'm the first to say he's still a rookie but if he's chucking china around he wants to throw one at himself for lack of subs and another for Gayle out wide.

You play that same game 100 times and about 95 times WBA win.  2nd half witg the time wasting we struggled to get a foothold.

[Atomic]

JRod's finishing tonight was awful but if you replace him with Gayle we don't create half of those chances in the first half. JRods ability to drop deep and link up play and his strength on the ball are pivotal to us creating the openings we do. HRK is similar in that he does a job on the right that Gayle won't do, hence why Gayle isn't favoured in the Premier League he can only play as part of a two.

I know football is an emotive game and we should've won tonight but lets try and keep a calm and rational head.

First half we were excellent. Second half not so. I expressed doubys about Mozza's ability to play this amount of games in a short space of time and my fears were justified because he was knackered last fifteen minutes as was  Rodriguez. That is a concern with Friday in mind.

Darren Moore should've made changes as soon as we'd scored. Kill the game. Put Hoolahan on to block that gap in front of their defenders and play two up top because Brentford at the back were just outnumbering and passing around JRod.

[Atomic]

You play that same game 100 times and about 95 times WBA win.  2nd half witg the time wasting we struggled to get a foothold.

This. It was one of those night where we had to be patient. We finally got the goal. All good.

THEN - we need to kill the game. We didn't do that.

[paulosull]

If I was one of the youngsters I'd be off because you will get no game time under this coach

[GREGMT]

I addressed this in my first paragraph, chap. I said we should have been out of sight, but it doesn't always happen, it's in game management which Darren just does not have. We were crying out for fresh legs and he does absolutely nothing to alter it, we drop deeper and deeper and then the inevitable arrives.

He put Gayle on...and played him on the wing  the best finisher in the division for the love of God, on the wing.

Bench selection was shocking, granted, four central midfielders (if we are classing Brunt as one in his eyes) offered us no variation whatsoever.

Mate, i addressed earlier on that i thought he got the bench wrong.  I don't though see who would've helped us close it out? We didn't score till 77 mins and Brentford were hardly laying siege to our goal, how often do you see it in football with only a 1 goal cushion?

Look in summary we have been superb in the last 4 games and more in control than at any previous stages in the season.  Moore has messed up earlier in the season but lets get up for this Villa game and not show any negativity

[beechyboy90]

The consensus i ageee with;
1)Morrison is finding form and has added that guile we needed in cm (Barry can offer it but Morrison gets about eh pitch better and a lot more)
2)Fresh legs were needed in midfield again and head coach hasn't changed it and it bit us in the backside. Unlike v Ipswich we had another goal as a protective cushion.
3)HRK isn't a finisher but he is a very effective outlet in this system the team lacked balance when he went off because of his injury- hopefully he's not out long.
4)Gayle wasted out wide. And Rodriguez not delivering. Gayle needs to be starting through the middle. No coincidence we have gone from free scoring to not so without him in team.

We didn't lose. And we're up to third. If we can win Friday it won't be too bad.

[Fritzl Palace]

Mate, i addressed earlier on that i thought he got the bench wrong.  I don't though see who would've helped us close it out? We didn't score till 77 mins and Brentford were hardly laying siege to our goal, how often do you see it in football with only a 1 goal cushion?

Look in summary we have been superb in the last 4 games and more in control than at any previous stages in the season.  Moore has messed up earlier in the season but lets get up for this Villa game and not show any negativity

Anyone who had some energy in the middle of the pitch...? Ironically we were well stacked in that area thanks to his shocking bench selection, Hoolahan and Barry on to hold the ball and stop us from dropping so deep because we had Morrison and Phillips who were out on their feet...

[TheJacko2000]

JRod's finishing tonight was awful but if you replace him with Gayle we don't create half of those chances in the first half. JRods ability to drop deep and link up play and his strength on the ball are pivotal to us creating the openings we do. HRK is similar in that he does a job on the right that Gayle won't do, hence why Gayle isn't favoured in the Premier League he can only play as part of a two.

I know football is an emotive game and we should've won tonight but lets try and keep a calm and rational head.

First half we were excellent. Second half not so. I expressed doubys about Mozza's ability to play this amount of games in a short space of time and my fears were justified because he was knackered last fifteen minutes as was  Rodriguez. That is a concern with Friday in mind.

Darren Moore should've made changes as soon as we'd scored. Kill the game. Put Hoolahan on to block that gap in front of their defenders and play two up top because Brentford at the back were just outnumbering and passing around JRod.

No idea where you have got the notion that Jay Rodriguez is a good link up man or good dropping deep or good at holding up the ball, his performances seriously tail off when played wide or in a deeper role. I've always assumed the song we sing for him is black country humour at it's finest 'never gives the ball away'? Well 4 of the words are right.


He's an instinctive goalscorer who has to be played up front, nothing more nothing less, unfortunately for him he's not as good as Gayle. End of story.


For all the criticism Moore has received for crowbarring Bartley and Brunt into the side in uncomfortable positions, now that we're some 20 games in, the case of Jay Rodriguez is by far the worst of the lot.

[LiamTheBaggie]

Two points dropped - we should have been out of sight by half time. They were absolutely useless in the first half.

Moore should have made the changes following our opener - Morrison and Livermore was struggling at a period when Brentford upped the intensity.

Barry should have came on to help see the game out and shore up the midfield.

A big culture shock ahead of Friday

[GREGMT]

Anyone who had some energy in the middle of the pitch...? Ironically we were well stacked in that area thanks to his shocking bench selection, Hoolahan and Barry on to hold the ball and stop us from dropping so deep because we had Morrison and Phillips who were out on their feet...

Come on, if Brentford had rained shots on our goal i could inderstand your sentiments.  They carved 1 golden chance and were clinical unlike us.  How do you know we wouldn't have conceded with a sub on the pitch?

We were superb tonight and Brentford have totally got out of jail.  If we lose to Villa then yes i will be sick!