1

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Kyle Bartley

« on: Today at 10:31:09 AM »

Well it's all about opinions, but I definitely agree that Bartley would be at the very top of my list of players I don't want to see at our club at the start of next season. He is well past his prime, is a poor leader and role model, and offers us nothing whatsoever going forward. Having said that, getting rid of him may not be an easy task now that he has triggered an extra year.

We couldn’t get anybody to take him last summer so guess it’ll be almost impossible this. One chance I suppose is if we manage to convince him he’s only going to be a bench warmer and he drives his leaving however to do that we’ ll need to keep Taylor and sign one more CB assuming Ajayi goes

2

Next Match Forum - 21/04 Derby County (H) / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: Today at 10:08:13 AM »

If this lot have one shred of personal pride in their performance they will win and win well today with a decent or better performance . I have my doubts though as I think theres too many that if it gets tough will go into hiding

3

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Ousmane Diakite

« on: Yesterday at 01:15:25 PM »

Do you mean Albion79? 1979 was a good birth year for future Albion ITk’ers 

I did indeed !

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Ousmane Diakite

« on: Yesterday at 12:27:05 PM »

With apologies to Albion 79 this is the pertinent part of the thread

also worth noting the Diakite situation, Corberan didnt rate him, his training sessions were very intense and Diakite struggled, he had a very bad injury a few years ago and keeps having little setbacks and so he never really got upto speed with Corberan and had he stayed, Diakite would of been gone this summer. Mowbray is bit more relaxed but again because they have to manage his training load he doesnt take part in a lot of team training sessions, he has to do individual work, rightly or wrongly the club rely on data a lot and Diakite is reguarly at the level of suffering injury.

Lankshear was the same when he came in, Albion were appalled at his fitness levels (not because of him but Spurs training is very different) but they have put him on a special program and he is getting near where they think he should be for a championship team, thats apparently what Mowbray was referring to when he commented on him the other week.

5

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Ousmane Diakite

« on: Yesterday at 12:23:47 PM »

Where is this post please?

I think it’s in the Tony Mowbray thread page 37 if it’s the right thread

6

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Ousmane Diakite

« on: Yesterday at 10:15:23 AM »

Both managers have cocked up this season not playing him ,him and price should be our pairing !

You need to read what Albion 79 has reported as being a problem . Quite enlightening

7

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tony Mowbray

« on: April 19, 2025, 03:56:13 PM »

The players are his best excuse should he need one . Utter dross when it matters again never mind ability or skill the lack of heart and desire was shocking . That has to come from the inside not a manager . Coach , or T Lady !

8

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tony Mowbray

« on: April 19, 2025, 02:22:38 PM »

Exactly yes. If his record to date was as good or better, maybe he would be in a stronger position to comment (Corberan could have rightly made similar comments about Bruce for example, but didn't because he had too much class), but it would still have been unnecessary and disrespectful

Over his career you could call Mowbray a lot of things but I’m willing to bet nobody inside and very very few outside of football have ever called him disrespectful.
It’s just another stick for those that want it to beat him with.
Plenty fans towards the end were disrespecting Corberan and his tactics !

9

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tony Mowbray

« on: April 19, 2025, 02:18:17 PM »

You can blame the players all you like but when you only look the opposition with 3 days before a big game that is pathetic. This man is arrogant and deluded that he thinks all we have to do is turn up and win and surprise Pikachu face when we don't.

Get this man out out football club first & then deal with the time wasters.

If you don’t get rid of the rotten core first you’re leaving them in place for the next manager who then finds the window shut and he’s stuck with them and so the vicious circle starts again ! If what Baggies 79 says is correct and r theres no reason to doubt him get rid of Bartley and Mowatt first and then see what happens !

10

General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP THREAD

« on: April 19, 2025, 02:05:50 PM »

Cardiff have sacked Rita and put Ramsey in charge

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tony Mowbray

« on: April 19, 2025, 01:39:38 PM »

79 kind of reinforces my belief that attitudes are at least as much down to the players as any manager , let’s face it they’ve had 3 differing management teams this season alone and they can still churn out non performances like yesterdays .
It would be easy to say drop them or at least a couple of them but injuries and in Grants case an improvement in form have made that more difficult.
It would be equally unwise to absolve the management entirely as there have been plenty of strange starting line ups ( yesterday wasnt one which makes the attitude thing worse) and even more strange subs .
The discipline problem imo is down primarily to the individual. Bartleys after the game , Styles utterly stupid yesterday no one else to blame but themselves.
With regards to Monday as bad as some were yesterday they need to play and either give us a performance or if things go pear shaped face the wrath of the fans

12

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Play The Youngsters

« on: April 19, 2025, 01:13:14 PM »

Or you can go with my favourite setup of 352
Defensive and attacking formation
Griffiths
Furlong Caleb Heggem as the 3
Tom Price Diakite Styles Johnston as the 5
Gives us a 2 up top of Dike /Maja /Bany with either both big guys or 1 big guy & Bany
Our wide men are fast enough to get up and down so no worries there
That to me is a pretty good young fit talented team,that excites me for next season.
What is the average of that team?
What do you guys think of that?

Put Styles at wing back bring Bany in . Don’t think I’d want out and out wingers as wing backs on both sides of the field

13

Last Match Forum - 18/04 Coventry City (A) / Re: After Match Debate

« on: April 19, 2025, 09:41:02 AM »

Too slow , couldn't pass water, couldn't tackle a bag of crisps, must have a head like a 50p etc etc aren't the worst charges to be levelled at footballers by their own fans. Lack of heart , not being prepared to roll yeah sleeves up when it gets tough, , lack of bottle are far worse! That point was reached yesterday and something need to change drastically after the next 3 games!!

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Last Match Forum - 18/04 Coventry City (A) / Re: After Match Debate

« on: April 18, 2025, 09:40:47 PM »

We got exactly what we deserved. We weren’t at it almost from the off. The midfielders were absolutely hopeless, Styles was stupid , why Barbara hold of somebody on the halfway line when you’re already on a yellow card. Most disturbing was the apparent lack of fire in the bellies as well as nobody seemed to want to grab the team by the scruff of the neck and shake off the inertia.
Some have said the subs didn’t make send but Swift missed a real good chance and Armstrong had one disallowed that I haven’t seen back yet but have seen somebody has said he was definitely onside.
Overall it was a total shambles and ALL players and ALL management have to take a share of the blame

15

Last Match Forum - 18/04 Coventry City (A) / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: April 18, 2025, 08:23:45 AM »

So with Molumby banned.  I can only see:-

Griffiths
Furlong Bartley Heggem  Styles
Price  Mowatt  (please not Swift which would give a slow, biteless defensive midfield)
Fellows Grant Johnston  (probably  Swift in for Grant here)
Lankshear

I'd like to see Archie Kirton and Jamal Mohammed on the bench.  If we lose this one then playoffs are out and Mowbray must look to next season.

Kirton is out on loan , Stourbridge?

16

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tony Mowbray

« on: April 17, 2025, 11:50:23 AM »

This is not an exhaustive list and is posted with no agenda one way or the other. Whilst none are having truly remarkable seasons there are some decent returns, I think most are somewhere between 19 and 27 but I wasn't paying close attention.

Manor Salomon has eight goals and nine assists from 35 appearances; on loan to Leeds from Tottenham.

Wilson Isidor isn't doing too bad at Sunderland with twelve goals and two assists from 35. Loan to permanent from Zenit St Petersburg clause triggered.

Chris Mepham also on loan at Sunderland from Bournemouth appears to be having a decent season at centre back with 34 appearances and them sat very comfortably in the playoffs.

Burnley have Jaidon Anthony out wide, another Bournemouth player with an OK return (given their defensive set up) of seven and six in 39.

Burnley also have Zian Flemming on loan from Millwall with a none too shabby nine and three from the attacking midfielder in 32.

A slightly miss firing Tom Cannon has nine goals and two assists in 34 appearances at struggling Stoke City courtesy of Leicester.

Although out injured since February that lad Ben Doak isn't doing too badly on loan at Middlesbrough from Liverpool with three goals and seven assists from 24.

When he isn't injured or getting involved in the goals the much sought after young man is stretching defences with his pace and providing an interesting reference point for any incoming interest in Tom Fellows.

Freddie Potts is on loan at Portsmouth from West Ham. I have no idea what they think of him there but he's been given/earned just over 2,700 minutes of playing time scoring one with four assists from defensive midfield (apparently).

As stated this is not an exhaustive list. I didn't check out all defenders or central midfielders and only looked at players on loan in the Championship with names that were known to me. I started the check because I was bored and finished it before becoming seriously bored.

Footnote for Ibrahim Cissoko on loan at Plymouth from Tolouse. He's looks a lively player. His numbers aren't great with three goals and one assist from 717 minutes across 18 appearances but he missed a chunk of games with a groin injury.

Didn’t sissokho move to Sheff Wed. In January

17

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Kyle Bartley

« on: April 17, 2025, 09:22:22 AM »

Providing it includes a reduction in wages then I’m not adverse to this providing it doesn’t stifle the development of Caleb Taylor. We cannot recall him to get splinters as he watches a 35 year old with no resale value performing ahead of him.

His contract was renewed on reduced terms for this season

18

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Kyle Bartley

« on: April 16, 2025, 06:57:44 PM »

I think Ajayi will be released.

I do to which makes it even more sensible to keep Bart’s as we are likely to have two inexperienced CBs ( Taylor +1 )

19

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Kyle Bartley

« on: April 16, 2025, 06:35:19 PM »

Assuming Holgate goes when his loan ends we will only have 4 centre backs including Taylor, that is the least we can run on so by keeping Bartley we are saving a fee or a loan for a CB. This is assuming Ajayi stays

20

General Football & Sports / Re: Seals watch - Anything Villa

« on: April 16, 2025, 09:20:37 AM »

Manager cost them. Taking Rashford off was mind boggling. Would off caused some angst if Asensio had scored as he's a PSG player !!

21

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: How many points do we need to make the playoffs?

« on: April 15, 2025, 09:53:08 AM »

Current maxima are Bristol 76,Coventry 75 ,WBA ,Boro and Millwall 72 .what is the opinion of our fans?

can’t al hit those targets though because of games against each other. Millwall may be a real dark horse. Most of their fixtures are against mid table sides . Coventry have to play ourselves and Middlesboro(last game ) Bristol have Sunderland and Leeds yet to play

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General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP THREAD

« on: April 14, 2025, 09:11:51 PM »

A huge deflection from a shot going no miles an hour jammy so and so’s

23

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tony Mowbray

« on: April 13, 2025, 05:47:01 PM »

I do
But training is plentiful opportunity to try things, certainly I would be expecting that he had at least tried the starting 11 during the week .

There wouldn’t have been much training last week with the game on Tuesday, two full sessions max

24

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Daryl Dike

« on: April 13, 2025, 02:49:09 PM »

Good to see that he is looking stronger and fitter with each cameo appearance.  I loved the way he barged two defenders out of the way in the penalty area and blasted a shot on goal.  Admittedly at least the second challenge was illegal and he shot straight at the goalie, but it is good to see that he has his confidence back.  I would like to see him replace Lankshear when he tires after 60-70 minutes against Coventry.

If we are 5 up I’d save him for Monday !

25

Last Match Forum - 12/04 Watford (H) / Re: After Match Debate

« on: April 13, 2025, 12:53:54 PM »

Fellows best performance for a long while. Maybe being left out has given him a bit of a breather which benefitted him . He had been looking tired and leggy. We just have to hope there’s enough time left for it to be significant