Author Topic: Should I be worried?  (Read 7997 times)

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Norfolk Baggie

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Should I be worried?
« on: May 12, 2013, 06:50:17 PM »
Just back from the Norwich match.  It was horrendous, and in my neck of the woods, Monday is going to be hard work.  Just after the match is too soon to be objective, but after Wigan I felt we seemed to have turned into quite a poor team, defensively lax and weak in challenging for the ball,  and I am glad we got the points early doors.  We will badly need to strengthen our forwards next year with Lukaku going and I am starting to feel just a little bit worried.  Can someone please cheer me up?  Feels at the moment that I have been punched really hard in the stomach.

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2013, 07:15:24 PM »
It was a crummy game for sure but it happens to everyone, even the big boys. For what its worth we're set to finish the season in a good position compared to previous years.

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2013, 07:16:44 PM »
Even with the bad run that we have had over the last month we are still 8th. The target was reaching forty points this season and we did that with still ten games left. Since the Swansea home game been very few decent performances.
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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2013, 07:20:29 PM »
The only relatively decent performance since Sunderland away in November was Southampton away, that sure is something to worry about.Take that into the start of next season and yes you have every right to be worried
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stubba

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2013, 07:26:05 PM »
I think more than a little worried!! We have been terrible since Xmas & early season results are clouding over many people's thinking.

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2013, 07:27:55 PM »
The only relatively decent performance since Sunderland away in November was Southampton away, that sure is something to worry about.Take that into the start of next season and yes you have every right to be worried

Liverpool we played well in,  Sunderland and Swansea at home we weren't great but we did enough. Man City lats week was encouraging.
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Hunnington Baggie

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2013, 07:29:14 PM »
maybe, maybe not. Depends on your attitude. Does football really mean that much to you that you stress yourself over something you cannot control and cannot even predict?


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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2013, 07:30:37 PM »
Liverpool we played well in,  Sunderland and Swansea at home we weren't great but we did enough. Man City lats week was encouraging.

I would say Liverpool was very fortunate indeed
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WBASPE77

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2013, 07:35:32 PM »
I would say Liverpool was very fortunate indeed

We defended well Foster saved a penalty that they should never have had. We did the classic away performance when going to one of the bigger clubs and it payed off for us. I cant really see that were fortunate in that game.
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Hunnington Baggie

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2013, 07:45:38 PM »
I would say Liverpool was very fortunate indeed
Liverpool last year was fortunate, Liverpool this year was nearly planned.

The defence did their job well, Foster was on fire, and when the turn came, we took every chance we made and let nothing go to waste. We frustrated 'pool, they got more and more offensive and they suffered because of it by leaving too many spaces.

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2013, 07:46:21 PM »
After Wigan and today i think the answer is yes , 7 soft goals conceded against two struggling sides and not much coming back from us. It maybe I'm annoyed and i've just got in from Norwich cold and damp but i haven't seen such a limp, heartless , gutless performance in seasons , i knew we would be in trouble the moment i saw all three forwards playing again and if 4 3 3 is Clarkes plan for next season i suggest he thinks again.
I  agree with Kris theres no way i would be giving him a mega contract just yet.
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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2013, 07:50:28 PM »
I for one am fearing the worse here. I remember Bolton a couple of years ago had a similar season to us, started really well, but fell away badly, the next season carried on as they finished the previous and were relgated.

As for Clarke it would appear he has a massive summer on his hands. How much money we have to spend is anyones guess. Peace is no fool, he will have noticed the results and hopefully back his manger. I feel in someways we can learn something from Wolves here. They did not freshen up their squad enough the two years they got away with relagation and eventually paid for it. I believe some of these players need to be moved on now. Players such as Olson and Brunt maybe have had their run, not that they are bad players but they could of become a little stale. I really feel we need to freshen things up significantly this summer.

However, to turn it round and if we were finishing the season as we started it everyone would be singing from the roof tops how good we are. In someways Clarke is a victim of his own success here.


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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #12 on: May 12, 2013, 07:51:50 PM »
I don't think we will know until 10 games into next season where we stand to be honest.

Since the Swansea game away November last year we've been dreadful. Whether that's something to do with the lack of depth in the squad or Clarke's tactical approach I'm not sure; probably is a bit of both.

Anyhow it needs to be addressed because if we start next season like we have ended this one it's going to be one long scrap.
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Hunnington Baggie

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #13 on: May 12, 2013, 07:55:24 PM »
After Wigan and today i think the answer is yes , 7 soft goals conceded against two struggling sides and not much coming back from us. It maybe I'm annoyed and i've just got in from Norwich cold and damp but i haven't seen such a limp, heartless , gutless performance in seasons , i knew we would be in trouble the moment i saw all three forwards playing again and if 4 3 3 is Clarkes plan for next season i suggest he thinks again.
I  agree with Kris theres no way i would be giving him a mega contract just yet.
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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #14 on: May 12, 2013, 07:59:17 PM »
I have, Everton New Year's day.

We were poor that day, but we didn't give four goals away to a team that has been in the bottom five of the table for the last few weeks. Everton that day weren't that better either.
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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #15 on: May 12, 2013, 08:01:17 PM »
The Wigan game last week was the sort of game I thought I had stopped seeing from the Albion. In the 20 years I have had a seasong ticket for it reminded me of the games under Buckley and Smith and others. Being on top for large periods but somehow managing to lose. Coupled with the Reading earlier it is a worrying aspect that is back in our game. There is no way under Hodgson with would lost to Wigan last week or shipped in four today.

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #16 on: May 12, 2013, 08:02:19 PM »
I have, Everton New Year's day.
Today was against a struggling side, one that has been on worse form than us and struggling to score too. It's up there with being 6-0 down at Sheff Utd with 25 mins to go for me under Little.
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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #17 on: May 12, 2013, 09:11:25 PM »
On the basis of recent performances I am starting to get concerned. Where to apportion the blame? On the one hand Clarke was tactically naïve today, but no matter how ill considered the tactics there is no excuse for the players not doing the basics right. It is not a question of ability it is a question of application and that is the concern.

During January  I started to think the squad was getting complacent and needed an overhaul however the return of Mulumbu and Yacob saw us perk up a bit and I thought maybe I was wrong. The Wigan and Norwich games have made me think again. Since the turn of the year Olsson has been poor and Morrison has only played in fits and starts. I am generally not someone who craves change for changes sake but I know that the club cannot afford to carry players in the core of the squad on relatively high wages who do not deliver their "A" game on a consistent basis.

I think Clarke and Garlick need to have a long hard look at the squad and some brave decisions need to be made. I fear that the usual cull of the odd fringe player and topping up the squad might not be enough. It does not require massive investment and we can still sign relative unknowns but a more comprehensive overhaul is required.
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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #18 on: May 12, 2013, 09:17:17 PM »
I can't see us being in the top 9 next year but I really cannot see us going down, the 3 teams coming up are shocking (especially hull) then id still say we're better then Sunderland,Norwich,stoke and Southampton

Villa,Everton,Swansea,Fulham,Liverpool and the top 5 will be better then us next year

This is all before we see who we sign , people are jumping the gun really we may sign some great players and any worries will be gone!

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #19 on: May 12, 2013, 09:30:52 PM »
I can't see us being in the top 9 next year but I really cannot see us going down, the 3 teams coming up are shocking (especially hull) then id still say we're better then Sunderland,Norwich,stoke and Southampton

Villa,Everton,Swansea,Fulham,Liverpool and the top 5 will be better then us next year

This is all before we see who we sign , people are jumping the gun really we may sign some great players and any worries will be gone!

Everton may struggle next season with Moyes going, maybe taking one or two with him to United. Also Everton have a number of aging players.Fulham have been on a very poor run as us when they got to forty points. Villa have had three poor seasons, with some very good players.
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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #20 on: May 12, 2013, 09:37:14 PM »
Over the past few years two teams have done what we've done (Bolton and Sunderland) who finished mid-table after extremely good first-halfs, followed by very poor endings to their seasons. We all know what happened to Bolton and Sunderland may go down too.

Looking at it differently, the 3 new clubs and a few others will be down there, so with good additions we should come 15th.

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #21 on: May 12, 2013, 09:41:09 PM »
Anyone else considering having an "insurance bet" on us being relegated next season?

Wasn't able to keep track of today's game, but from what I've heard and the form for the past 5 months or so means I am quite a worried man.

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #22 on: May 12, 2013, 09:45:36 PM »
Anyone else considering having an "insurance bet" on us being relegated next season?

Wasn't able to keep track of today's game, but from what I've heard and the form for the past 5 months or so means I am quite a worried man.

I'm not worried about going down next season, as we may not have the same start as what we had last season, however we may have a season more like last season when we never really went on a bad run and the players drive was still there.
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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #23 on: May 12, 2013, 09:58:17 PM »
There are a 1000 reasons why (recently) it's not been quite right, Odemwingie , safety realised, potential little injuries, players on the beach?
There is also 2 things that I think we may not have factored
1) Clarkes contract, could the negotiations (or potential conversations with Jose) have had an effect.
2) some of the players may already know (or have a bloody good idea) that they are not in the plans/another team has been in for them.

Just a thought
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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #24 on: May 12, 2013, 10:05:53 PM »
I think the Odemwingie incident may have been a factor to why we have struggled.  Also have players like Mulumub and Yacob missing at very busy times hasn't helped. Gera been to as he would have added a few goals to the team.
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Norfolk Baggie

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #25 on: May 12, 2013, 10:42:04 PM »
Thanks for the replies. Still feeling rough, but conscious we have another good year of premiership football to look forward to. Up the Baggies!

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #26 on: May 12, 2013, 10:45:14 PM »
Thanks for the replies. Still feeling rough, but conscious we have another good year of premiership football to look forward to. Up the Baggies!

Hopefully we can look at this and turn the weaknesses that we have had into strengths. This has been a big learning curve for Clarke first season as a manager and having to deal with the Odemwingie incident will have given him some added experience with dealing with players.
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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #27 on: May 13, 2013, 06:19:44 AM »
A couple of people in this thread have mentioned how we might have to be brave and slaughter a couple of sacred cows - I really agree, those older ones on here will remember how Cloughie used to shuffle the pack even when Forset had just won something, just to keep the freshness and hunger.

I'd say foster mac dawson ridge mulumbu yacob thorne and long are the core i need to keep, I wouldnt mind waving goodbye to any of the others, I think they still talented players but I think it might be time for them to have a new challenge  - which I think has been reflected in our results second halk 

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #28 on: May 13, 2013, 07:27:00 PM »
Just back from the Norwich match.  It was horrendous, and in my neck of the woods, Monday is going to be hard work.  Just after the match is too soon to be objective, but after Wigan I felt we seemed to have turned into quite a poor team, defensively lax and weak in challenging for the ball,  and I am glad we got the points early doors.  We will badly need to strengthen our forwards next year with Lukaku going and I am starting to feel just a little bit worried.  Can someone please cheer me up?  Feels at the moment that I have been punched really hard in the stomach.

Of course you shouldn't be worried - the key people in control at the Albion are paid very well to do the worrying on our behalf.

Chill out and enjoy the break, after the United match.

Our results and performances over the last few weeks and matches (some of which have not actually been too bad) will have negligible, if any, impact on how we start next season.

The main people at the Albion will be well aware of issues that need to be addressed and have surely earned our trust by now?

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #29 on: May 15, 2013, 04:41:22 PM »
Next year we must target fa cup and europa league
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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #30 on: May 15, 2013, 06:05:54 PM »
Just back from the Norwich match.  It was horrendous, and in my neck of the woods, Monday is going to be hard work.  Just after the match is too soon to be objective, but after Wigan I felt we seemed to have turned into quite a poor team, defensively lax and weak in challenging for the ball,  and I am glad we got the points early doors.  We will badly need to strengthen our forwards next year with Lukaku going and I am starting to feel just a little bit worried.  Can someone please cheer me up?  Feels at the moment that I have been punched really hard in the stomach.


Its obvious that players have taken thier foot off the gas which everyone knows is unprofessional
and unforgivable but thats the way it is. We`re still playing decent football and with backing from
Jeremy Peace in the summer iam sure we can finish next season with another top half finish .
If you really want to know what been punched in the stomach is like then go and ask a Wolves fan.
« Last Edit: May 15, 2013, 06:07:52 PM by the rainbow turn east »

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #31 on: May 15, 2013, 07:34:24 PM »
Next year we must target fa cup and europa league

How about staying in the Premier League!!

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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #32 on: May 16, 2013, 11:59:12 AM »
How about staying in the Premier League!!

I think that has been the problem this year.

Our only goal every year has rightly been to avoid relegation and that mentality has been driven into the players hard as it should have been. At the start of this season we were expected to be in a dog fight with a new inexperienced manager at the helm but ultimately have enough about us to stay up.

Because that has been the mindset I think as soon as we were safe there has been a sub conscious shift in the mentality which saw us stop breaking our necks to close people down and so on.

Next season has to be approached with a different mentality and a higher goal that has to be drilled into the players so keep them motivated to chasing a continuous goal all season - so it has to be challenge for a European place! that doesnt mean its a failed season if we dont qualify but we have to be up there challenging. Even if this is above our level it is a goal that keeps the players on the ball as such all season.

This seasons dip I would say is a combination of mindset after meeting the main goal for the season, the negative effects of the Odemwingie saga, the injuries to the likes of Yacob and Mulumbu at AFCON ruining the momentum and then not being able to train as well in the winter months. There is also the question of the players we have outside the 1st team as some are not good enough to cover the 1st 11.

Next season i would hope we have the change in mentality / mindset, Odemwingie will be gone, the signings we make will possibly relegate some of our starters to bench berths increasing our strength in depth, and the training facilities have been dramatically improved to combat the bad weather.

The way I see it is still plenty to be very very positive about so over to Clarke, Garlic and Peace to get the right signings in :)
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Re: Should I be worried?
« Reply #33 on: May 16, 2013, 12:53:18 PM »
I think that has been the problem this year.

Our only goal every year has rightly been to avoid relegation and that mentality has been driven into the players hard as it should have been. At the start of this season we were expected to be in a dog fight with a new inexperienced manager at the helm but ultimately have enough about us to stay up.

Because that has been the mindset I think as soon as we were safe there has been a sub conscious shift in the mentality which saw us stop breaking our necks to close people down and so on.

Next season has to be approached with a different mentality and a higher goal that has to be drilled into the players so keep them motivated to chasing a continuous goal all season - so it has to be challenge for a European place! that doesnt mean its a failed season if we dont qualify but we have to be up there challenging. Even if this is above our level it is a goal that keeps the players on the ball as such all season.

This seasons dip I would say is a combination of mindset after meeting the main goal for the season, the negative effects of the Odemwingie saga, the injuries to the likes of Yacob and Mulumbu at AFCON ruining the momentum and then not being able to train as well in the winter months. There is also the question of the players we have outside the 1st team as some are not good enough to cover the 1st 11.

Next season i would hope we have the change in mentality / mindset, Odemwingie will be gone, the signings we make will possibly relegate some of our starters to bench berths increasing our strength in depth, and the training facilities have been dramatically improved to combat the bad weather.

The way I see it is still plenty to be very very positive about so over to Clarke, Garlic and Peace to get the right signings in :)

In my view what killed our season was the FA Cup draw when it became obvious we wouldn't be able to get a Europa League place, our form prior to that was our usual dip when we had influential players missing due to injury or international duty like Mulumbu and Yacob. Once that cup draw was made that was when the shift in mentality happened.

We have a big summer ahead with decisions needed to be made on players out of contract, going back to their clubs and then finding players within our budgets that can actually strengthen the side.