[Albion79]

Brilliant management from Big Dave yesterday.

Got the lead, defended it well, never looked in too much trouble - perfect game management.

Reason i say perfect was since we were being lauded (and rightly so) for our attacking players, we now have lost -

Barnes (arguably our talisman, his goals and assists show that)
Phillips (Our best attacking option other than Barnes)
Gayle (one of the best goalscorers in the league, his pace, movement and workrate are brilliant too)

Robson-Kanu - at half time we lost a player who although quite often gets stick, when we play 4-3-3, especially away really offers something. He holds the ball well, and offers a outlet. (To be fair it doesnt work as well at home as the onus is on us more to break teams down)

So 2nd half we are without 3 key attacking players, we have Jrod and a out of form and confidence winger (Murphy) being backed up attacking wise by two midfielders - Harper and Field.

I think to see out the game as easy as we did is credit to Mooro and the coaching team, it looks like we have found our way of playing away, they now need to look at the system and whatever tweaks are needed for the home games.

[mulliganstired]

Good use of Field, covered a lot of ground second half

[Standaman]

I was one of those posters who was in favour of appointing a more experienced coach ahead of Darren last summer, two of  my preferred choices Smith and Potter are both in the Championship at clubs that are 13 points and several places behind us in the league. So Darren wins, right?

Well not entirely I dismissed talk of manager x being appointed and we would be 10 points clear at the top of the league as nonesense well so is the lazy narrative of Moore doing better than Potter and Smith over the course of less than a season at clubs with very differing circumstances.

A surprigsingly insightful poster on Villa talk said of his club "a place where promising managerial careers come to die" and Swansea's travails are well documented ( https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/16/swansea-city-graham-potter-model-club-to-cautionary-tale?CMP=share_btn_tw). These are both clubs with real challenges that might be beyond the one faced by Darren and who knows what would have happened had we swapped coaches you never get to find out.

Ultimately whoever we appointed had a twofold brief. 1. Change the style of play. 2. Keep us competitive and get us into the play-offs. Darren has done this. Without the first condition you might argue that we might be in a better place but again you don't know and none of the teams ahead of us the division play Pulisball.

Darren has done a good job to date in his own right and does not need the validation of other coaches struggles elsewhere nor the unflatering comparisons with Wilder,Bielsa or Farke. Nobody is a fraud here nobody is stealing a living etc... they are just coaches doing the best they can in a competitive league and frankly way too much criticism is heaped on their collective shoulders.

[GREGMT]

Moore did great yesterday and a 7pts haul from Stoke, Forest and Villa is excellent.

We look more comfortable playing away and I think if Forest is anything to go by we have to use the flanks more to get behind teams.

Harper is just a great find and his legs provide the foil for Barry's passing range.  I think Darren Moore will only utilise Johansen when Barry is fatigued.  Looks like Murphy is going to play regularly and I hope we play a left winger whether that's HRK, Phillips or Montero.

[paulosull]

Got the team set up right yesterday in the absence of Gayle and Phillips. Goal keeper and back four pick themselves midfield three of Harper, Barry and livermore did their jobs with special mention to Barry and Harper who were class. Glad to see Murphy out on left only because he wasn't in Holgates way. HRK scored a cracking goal and was a handful during time on pitch, jrod was a nuisance all game and put in good shift topped of with well deserved goal.
Can see why coaches went so defensive in second half after vilest last home result, two of our subs was spot on with Field and Johansen being brought on but I wouldn't have put on Bartley and changed shape.

[OldburyWBA]

Only a few comments in here tonight that’s it. Imagine the amount of posts if we had lost

Do we have to have stuff like this after every game ?

Its not a competition so no need for one to side to start after a win and the other after a defeat, at the end of the day we all want the bloke to succeed and the whole point of this forum is for people to post their views on stuff

[Adder]

I haven't seen the game but a good win obviously.

My one gripe is the balance on the bench again. Only one out and out attacker in Montero - Hoolihan offers a bit of flexibility but not pace. If you happen to lose Murphy or presumably J-Rod or HRK early in the game when it's 0-0, then you'd expect Montero to come on, which leaves no other striker to come on later in the game if you are a goal down and chasing the game (similar to the Brentford game).

We need to be winning games so we need attacking options (at least 2) on the bench - not sure of the injury situation but one of Tulloch, Edwards, Leko should have been on there. Gripe over.

[CL3MO]

Fair play to DM - coped well without key personal and got the tactics spot on.

Thought we took our chances and they missed a few key ones but it's about time we faced a team who don't score two from two shots on goal...

Always risky shutting up shop but even Dean Smith (who made a few condescending comments about our second-half tactics after the game) admitted that they struggled to penetrate our defensive shape.

Also, on the basis of the other results, it was in the 'must win' category too. MUST look to press on against QPR and Sheff U now to keep the pressure on.

[LiamTheBaggie]

The man is doing a fantastic job - long may he reign

[baggiejohn]

I was one of those posters who was in favour of appointing a more experienced coach ahead of Darren last summer, two of  my preferred choices Smith and Potter are both in the Championship at clubs that are 13 points and several places behind us in the league. So Darren wins, right?

Well not entirely I dismissed talk of manager x being appointed and we would be 10 points clear at the top of the league as nonesense well so is the lazy narrative of Moore doing better than Potter and Smith over the course of less than a season at clubs with very differing circumstances.

A surprigsingly insightful poster on Villa talk said of his club "a place where promising managerial careers come to die" and Swansea's travails are well documented ( https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/16/swansea-city-graham-potter-model-club-to-cautionary-tale?CMP=share_btn_tw). These are both clubs with real challenges that might be beyond the one faced by Darren and who knows what would have happened had we swapped coaches you never get to find out.

Ultimately whoever we appointed had a twofold brief. 1. Change the style of play. 2. Keep us competitive and get us into the play-offs. Darren has done this. Without the first condition you might argue that we might be in a better place but again you don't know and none of the teams ahead of us the division play Pulisball.

Darren has done a good job to date in his own right and does not need the validation of other coaches struggles elsewhere nor the unflatering comparisons with Wilder,Bielsa or Farke. Nobody is a fraud here nobody is stealing a living etc... they are just coaches doing the best they can in a competitive league and frankly way too much criticism is heaped on their collective shoulders.

I also had doubts about the appointment of Darren Moore, but I became less concerned when his supporting team was announced. While I agree with the logic of your argument, I don't believe we should underestimate the impact the Graeme Jones & James Shan have had on both the style of play & the tactics we employ.
James Shan, had developed a reputation as a "thinking" coach before GJ arrived, & was allegedly mainly responsible for plotting the tactics of our last few games in the Prem.
IMO it's the team that's taken us to where we are, not just Darren Moore

[liverbaggie]

Dean Smith should be critical of himself,his coaching team and players,who between them couldn't find a way to beat us yesterday.
Don't criticise us,you were the home team you lost 0-2.
To a far better set up all round.
Do you know what Dean Smith, your just not cutting it are you you are not good enough,you'll be on your way out soon enough,then where will you go?

[Albionic]

Darren is unbeaten against vile, other more experienced Albion managers couldn't claim that which has to be a great plus for all Albion fans.

[elkiellis]

Great result Dave,and in view of what happened to Sheff utd,probably wise to shut shop in the 2nd half,2 minor gripes,Bartley no need to bring him on,disrupted a system that was working well,and he totally lost Abrahams for what was a sitter,and Tulloch on the bench please

[Atomic]

Great result Dave,and in view of what happened to Sheff utd,probably wise to shut shop in the 2nd half,2 minor gripes,Bartley no need to bring him on,disrupted a system that was working well,and he totally lost Abrahams for what was a sitter,and Tulloch on the bench please

He did yes. If you look at the still frame he steps up and leaves Abraham behind him leaving Hegazi and Gibbs deeper playing Abraham onside. When the cross is delivered Abraham then has space and Hegazi has to come across in a last ditch attempt to reach the ball. Shocking defending by Bartley, he should've been behind Abraham or at least level in front of him.

[geoff]

Hands up all those who were adamant that Dean Smith was going to be our saviour.
After that lesson today, I think we'll take Big Dave over Mr Smith all day long, thank you.

I was.
Darren is learning & gaining more experience game by game. I was total aghast with his decision to park the bus at the start of the 2nd half but ha it worked so fair play.
I don't think its fair to compare managers just by there teams league positions especially when we have the stronger squad.
If we weren't to get automatic promotion but got through by the play off's i would have doubt's again, If we failed to go up i would keep him on has i think it would help him & us build a team made up of young players able to play his brand of footy

So far so good.

[zippyandbungle]

Do we have to have stuff like this after every game ?

Its not a competition so no need for one to side to start after a win and the other after a defeat, at the end of the day we all want the bloke to succeed and the whole point of this forum is for people to post their views on stuff

Oh Amen to that 👍🏼

[chipperclark]

  And to think we nearly offered Dean Smith Big Daves' job ? No way.

[Oldbury24]

Great result Dave,and in view of what happened to Sheff utd,probably wise to shut shop in the 2nd half,2 minor gripes,Bartley no need to bring him on,disrupted a system that was working well,and he totally lost Abrahams for what was a sitter,and Tulloch on the bench please

Bringing a defender on was the correct move but Bartley just gets lost in a three. Would take Tosin everyday in that formation but he loses out due to the loan limit.....no other CDs to choose from.   They obviously train around formations a lot but he just cor do it ....shame.

[Wigmore]

Do we have to have stuff like this after every game ?

Its not a competition so no need for one to side to start after a win and the other after a defeat, at the end of the day we all want the bloke to succeed and the whole point of this forum is for people to post their views on stuff

Sadly, your premise that, "we all want the guy to succeed", is not born out by some of the negative and overly critical analyses of DM's every move.

[Foster#1]

Use of the bench has been fantastic now he has his own players

[mulliganstired]

Use of the bench has been fantastic now he has his own players

much better recently

[caravanc58]

his subs won us that game , Harper's flick to Livermore who most wanted removed from the pitch.

[TheJacko2000]

Big Dave is doing a superb job, the Boro game could have totally derailed us, the response has been brilliant.

[beechyboy90]

Big Dave is doing a superb job, the Boro game could have totally derailed us, the response has been brilliant.

Bang on mate. He has also used his squad better than he did in the early fixture congestion we had. He also utilising his bench better. So constantly improving. Now we have the likes of Phillips and Gayle available he has to find his best team and may have to be ruthless to the likes of Livermore and Rodriguez maybe others. Great 5 days for us after the boro and forest games. If he sorts his home form out we will be laughing

[paulosull]

Saturday will be litmus test for him and coaching staff need to be winning at home to have any hope of automatic promotion. I think sheff united will come to us with attacking intent so hopefully that will play into our hands.