1

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: System / Tactics / Personnel

« on: January 18, 2025, 08:54:21 PM »

With Maja out for a while not sure it's worth having 2 wide men with nobody to cross to, do you think Mowbray might change the formation?

2

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tony Mowbray appointed as Head Coach

« on: January 17, 2025, 09:48:01 PM »

Could we see the rebirth of Swift?

Mowbray likes good footballers Swift and Dianganna are probably technically our 2 best players, i'm also not sure he will set up with  2 wide players it's going to be interesting for sure.

3

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: December 08, 2024, 09:32:53 PM »

The five minutes of madness was due to an unmarked player (Burroughs?) on their left wing.  On both occasions, the ball was swung across there and he had more than sufficient time to put in a low accurate cross.  It probably should have been Fellows covering his opposite number but we were going all-out attack up to that point.

You can't have it both ways.

You make a really good point a lot of fans  seem happy that the last 2 homes games   we are playing on the front foot, Carlos has let the handbrake off yet we have conceded 4 really poor goals 3 of them crosses into the 6 yard box, goals you normally wouldn't expect us to concede, if we have to keep scoring 3 goals to win a game we are more likely to lose games, i'm not sure what the answer is except maybe it more understandable that Carlos sets us up to play slightly more defensive away from home. 

4

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Mason Holgate joins on loan

« on: November 10, 2024, 11:29:53 PM »

Well he was good enough to be first choice under Carlo Ancelotti.

As I expected he and Heggem are proving to be our best ch pairing.

His poor pass should have cost us an equaliser today, and he does struggle in the air a little bit but is a definite upgrade on Ajayi.

5

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Lewis Dobbin signs on loan - official

« on: November 10, 2024, 10:58:12 PM »

So on that basis you would keep him in January instead of looking for better?

Unless we somehow  manage to get someone to take Wallace/Diangana/ Swift of our wage bill we probably can't afford anyone better as  Villa will be paying a large percentage of his wages, that's also presuming their is a clause to be able to send him back anyway.

6

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Lewis Dobbin signs on loan - official

« on: November 10, 2024, 10:37:45 PM »

What little bit of promise did you see today?

He carries the ball quite well and got their player booked after beating two other players before being cynically fouled. Like I said he has a lot to learn but his pace can be a good outlet for us if used correctly.

7

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Lewis Dobbin signs on loan - official

« on: November 10, 2024, 09:38:45 PM »

Do you think Dobbin has been better than Sarmiento was for us?

Don't think I have said that anywhere, Sarmiento won us 1 game at Cardiff always promised lots but no assists tells you a lot about a player, Dobbin has a lot to learn but the last couple of sub appearances have shown a little bit of promise and that he's beginning to understand what Corberan wants from him.

8

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Lewis Dobbin signs on loan - official

« on: November 10, 2024, 08:26:14 PM »

We decided to send him back.

If we wanted to keep him he would have stayed, all Brighton wanted assurances about was his game time.

The club website on January 1st clearly states he was recalled by Brighton ( I just googled it) no team should agree to any loan player being guaranteed  playing time, Dobbin has clearly impressed CC lately as he being given more game time and I'd Fellows continues to struggle  he might find himself in the starting 11.

9

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Lewis Dobbin signs on loan - official

« on: November 10, 2024, 07:49:18 PM »

So last season we sent back someone in Saremiento who scored great goals and showed a lot more than Dobbin, but we keep on paying Dobbin instead of looking for someone better?

We didn't send Sarmiento back he was recalled  by Brighton, which enabled us to bring Johnstone in on loan, I'm also not sure Dobbin would have been signed if we knew Johnstone was signing permanently, but he does offer far more than Wallace from the bench.

10

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 25, 2024, 09:56:38 AM »

In a way he is partly responsible if he's setting us up to only try to make 3 or 4 clear cut chances a game

Does  he stand on the side of the pitch and count the number of attacks we have? Seriously though since we had the good start  to the season all of the teams we have played  are more than happy to sit back and they don't create many chances either  and it was noticeable on Wednesday when the game opened up we looked the more likely team  to score.

11

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan

« on: October 22, 2024, 01:31:19 PM »

So to be clear you are saying they got one start and should have won and they didn’t so they didn’t deserve more game time
So let’s talk about the team that played against
Oxford& Wednesday??

No I'm saying none of them played well enough to warrant being selected  above  the players that started the first 5 or 6 games, but had they won would have got more game time in the next round, Corberan picked the wrong team against Wednesday although  his hand was partly forced by the injuries to Mowatt and Molumby he should have put an extra midfielder  in with  Diakite and Racic  even though that would have meant leaving  out a more attacking player,  nothing wrong with the team that started against Oxford as the first half proved and second half we were comfortable playing against a team that just wanted to stay in the game  and offered very little  and but for individual mistakes not tactical ones ended up only getting a point,

12

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan

« on: October 22, 2024, 01:04:50 AM »

Another thing that is thrown out there to defend him,along with he’s better than Bruce

We could have saved a lot more than 30 % if we never signed the players he has clearly already decided he doesn’t want to use.

Didn't 6 of them play at Fleetwood? and if they had been good enough to get a result  they would have got more gametime no doubt that loss was Corberans fault for making to many changes.

13

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Jed Wallace

« on: October 20, 2024, 02:37:14 PM »

The more CC plays Jed, the less chance we got of moving him on and it's very important we do.

What's keeping Wallace, Diangana and Swift here is nothing to do with weather Corberan plays them or not but the big fat contracts they all have nobody in this division  can afford them, all of them were here before Corberan came do you think he would he would have signed any of them given the choice? Wallace is the captain and clearly very popular in the dressing room  bombing him out totally might have an adverse effect  on the dressing room,  unfortunately I don’t see anything changing  until their contracts are up.

14

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: March 07, 2024, 12:27:28 AM »

The entire performance was crummy and I agree everyone has a part.to play but when push comes to shove you need to be able to rely on your defenders to defend.

I've always been a fan of putting square pegs in square holes and we aren't really doing that currently. We have 3 strikers out but still have Weimann who could have a run out but seems his Indian Summer is over and Marshall who seems to be given little chance.

We've been playing players out of position all season, it's amazing how losing such an average player like Townsend causes so many problems,  Weimann doesn’t hold the ball up either he's a box player I agree Marshall hasn't been given much of a chance  but the bits I have seen of him he is nowhere near ready to start a game.

15

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: March 06, 2024, 11:57:08 PM »

I'm not saying the overall performance improved but the defence wasn't as bad.

Yes I agree that QPR brought it to us but if we hadn't practically given them the confidence to do so from the off then it might not have been such a one sided game.

You defend from the front  as good as Fellows and Johnston are  going forward they don't  help much when we are under pressure and Wallace  works hard but isn't a striker  picking  either Diangana or Swift away from home doesn't really work as they are luxury players  and it's puts a lot of pressure on Mowatt and Yokuslu  we might be better playing an extra midfielder  to try and get control of the game first.

16

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: March 06, 2024, 11:38:12 PM »

I'm not so sure. I think Pieters, Reach and Chalobah seem more important to him at the moment. He had Ajayi and Pipa on bench who are both well ahead of Pieters and Reach but he chose them and it was awful.

He could even have selected just one of those 2 but nope. We all knew he was starting Reach and Pieters before the sheet was out.

Glad to come away with the point regardless

Both Ajayi and Pipa were on the pitch for more than 30 mins did our performance improve?
Sometimes you have to give credit to the opposition as well, not having Asante or Maja  to hit when we are under pressure  is causing us a real issue we have players that have played a lot of games due to our injuries this season we need to get through the next 2 games  let the players rest  for the crucial end of the season.

17

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Okay Yokuslu

« on: February 01, 2024, 08:08:28 PM »

The Turkish transfer window also doesn't close until February 9th.

18

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Alex Palmer

« on: January 30, 2024, 06:36:48 PM »

I hope we are not looking at selling Palmer, as he is a main reason the defence has looked 
more solid. He gives the others more confidence and pulls off top saves. At the same time, I woiuldn't be too harsh on Griffiths on Sunday, but Palmer is clearly the better all round keeper.

Palmer does constantly organize the defense you can hear him from where we sit in the east stand, i also think he has improved since the new goalkeeper coach came in, we would have to replace him if he left.

19

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Okay Yokuslu

« on: January 29, 2024, 01:31:45 PM »

And he then will often drop in between Bartley and Kipre too and screen the back 4. I’d like to see us try it with Swift in for Chalobah and then the front 3 of hopefully Diangana, Dike and Wallace. Yokuslu would thrive.

IMO Swift would be wasted in a deeper position  he don't tackle or work hard enough defensively, it's a difficult conundrum for  CC trying to find a system that suits everyone  and probably explains our poor away form maybe we need set up differently for home and away games.

20

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Okay Yokuslu

« on: January 29, 2024, 12:08:51 PM »

Thought he had his best game of the season yesterday noticeably playing a lot deeper than  usual maybe a 3 man midfield is better for him as he doesn’t havto do quite so much running.

21

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: January 26, 2024, 02:15:49 PM »

Dike and Reach injured again Yokuslu  should be fit, does Fellows play? Or do we go with a  5 man defence?

22

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Okay Yokuslu

« on: January 26, 2024, 11:41:56 AM »

No one has probably posted the OY to Turkey rumours that always seem to do the rounds but are always rubbish.

But, I wouldn't be averse to letting him go if  we can get a fee and lose his wages and suitable replacement can be brought in on loan.

He was brilliant for us in the Premier league and I hope Jesus's second coming is better than OY, because that old OY should be dominating this league.

I agree  he played well for  for a few games in the middle  of our good run last year other than that has really struggled  to stay fit and actually  complete games and has only escaped  criticism  due to his previous  spell at the club.

23

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Andi Weimann signs on loan official

« on: January 22, 2024, 08:11:25 PM »

Yes it is. Our squads a play off squad

When everyone is fit i would agree, but the fact we have had to manage with BTA upfront on his own for most of the season so far, i would say we have slightly  over achieved, hopefully Dike will stay fit and Weimann will chip in with a few goals to consolidate our position although the away results need improve.

24

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Random signings of the last 10-15 years

« on: January 15, 2024, 01:37:34 PM »

It's not a new phenomenon . Back before loans we so prevalent we ended up with the likes of Dickens, Rosler and others. One small mercy in those days loans were only usually for a month !!

                                                                                                                                                      One player that sprung to mind when you mentioned loans was Luther Blissett  I think he arrived with his zimmer frame.

25

General Football & Sports / Re: Adam Reach signs

« on: January 14, 2024, 09:51:17 PM »

From a financial view we still need to cut the wage bill, I would rather  Reach, Kelly and Pieters depart than players most likely to get us out this league. They're all in their 30's and probably on decent money, you would think with decent scouting or using our own academy we could lower the wage bill without lowering the standard of player departing, collectively those three players have contributed very little this season.

I do agree we have better players and unfortunately i can't see anyone wanting to take any of them off our wage bill this month and Kelly and Pieters  will defiantly leave at the end of the season, Kelly probably wouldn't be here at all if he hadn't got injured as far as the rest of this season goes IMO CC is more likely to pick  the experienced players he trusts than our young academy players especially whilst we are in the top 6 which will mean quite a lot of game time for Reach in particular and maybe Pieters  if we switch to a back 5.