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Last Match Forum - 08/02 Sheffield Wednesday (H) / Re: After Match Debate

« on: Yesterday at 08:48:09 PM »

Grady was ineffective.  He mostly came inside and got battered.  He didn't support Furlong against a very tricky winger.  Full backs are always going to come up against someone who's got their number, GD did not recognise this.

When Fellows came on he supported his full back and got in a couple of blocks.  He also played the assist in Armstrong's goal.

Grady had to do better with his chance too. You could see a mile off that the defender was going to throw himself to block it, so Grady has to either go the other side of the goal, or probably better yet  feint / take a touch, he had a lot of time and has to be scoring with that much time, fairly central 12 yards out

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Joe Wildsmith

« on: Yesterday at 08:37:25 PM »

Good save down low in the first half. Didn’t think the second half save was anything special originally but one of the angles I’ve seen since shows it was

Potentially could have done better for the goal. He could have let it run but I suppose he wasn’t to know that and I understand why he tried to stop it. Pushing it out to the middle of the box is asking for trouble though. Palmer got caught out doing similar a few times from memory.

Part of me thinks he started as a bit of a message to the entire squad, and that you can earn a chance  by working hard, being patient and waiting for the right opportunity, and managers do need to send those types of messages sometimes

I think the shirt is his for now,  If Griffiths is looking slightly better in training he will still have to wait until Wildsmith makes a genuine mistake, unless of course Griffiths looks levels above

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Have we got TOO MANY midfield and forward players?

« on: Yesterday at 08:19:25 PM »

Personally I think we are top heaven right now if everyone’s fit. Someone put a squad up.the other day and I think we were at 26, with only 6 actual defenders (and two senior keepers). 26 is too many as it is, but when it’s 18 midfielders / strikers that’s definitely weighted wrong. I think it should be 21/22 senor players with 2/3 of your best kids on the cusp personally .

Come summer there is another reset though. we lose diangana, swift, Armstrong, holgate, lankshear and ajayi. The only two I think theres any potential of seeing here again next season are ajayi and lankshear (i think there might be a chance with lankshear depending how the next 4 months go). 

Then you’ve got Cole and Frabotta who I think move on and  possibly Fellows, Wallace and Grant.

So yes I think we do have an imbalance right now, but fortunately I think it gets corrected this summer with players leaving and a focus on some defensive signings

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Adam Armstrong signs on loan

« on: Yesterday at 03:52:52 PM »

That finish from Armstrong was ridiculous. It doesn’t look glamorous but it’s a hell of a touch

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Adam Armstrong signs on loan

« on: February 07, 2025, 09:49:36 AM »

I read an interview with Mowbray where he said unless desperation, ie - nobody else available, he never starts a new signing right away.

So on that basis i think it will be Wallace starting with Lankshear and Armstrong to come on.

This is interesting, but I think Armstrong will start too. He’s not any old new signing, Mowbray knows him and probably more about what Mowbray wants than some of our own player. Add that to the lack of a viable striker and I think he goes straight in 


This loan could be great for fellows in the short term. Although I don’t know how much of a threat AA is in the air, he will surely thrive on the cut backs and flashes across goal

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: 2025 winter transfer window review

« on: February 06, 2025, 12:07:45 PM »

Did we? Really? According to whom exactly? You need to name whoever that was and point me in their general direction. Could do with a good laugh. Whoever posted that must be an absolute whopper and used to public ridicule so it shouldn't be too traumatic for them. Come on. Name and shame  .

It wasn’t specifically at ex Coseley kid, I don’t know what he said specifically

However look at this and the next couple of pages. There were some very high expectations and it may not have been a majority but it wasn’t a small minority
 
http://westbrom.com/forum/index.php?topic=28749.50

Just a few of the comments
Massive failure if we don’t make play offs
With the squad we have, has to be top 2
Automatics
I expect to finish top two with our squad
Went for top 2 at start of season, even more confident now


In other threads there was similar comments

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: 2025 winter transfer window review

« on: February 06, 2025, 09:31:27 AM »

Not much there for me to dislike, sorry Palmer has gone but it all makes sense on balance.

Here's my review: tell me when we last had a window this good?

I think you need to come back to this!

At the end of August we had the best squad in the league and were definitely making the play offs, but only if we didn’t finish top two.

Within 6 months Racic and Dobin have gone, Cole and Frabotta in the cold and there are only  two players of the players regularly getting minutes who’ve weren’t with us last season in some capacity.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: 2025 winter transfer window review

« on: February 05, 2025, 01:43:37 PM »

I think it’s really hard to judge.

In total we’ve lost Dobbin, McNair, Palmer and Racic from December. Three of those had added very little, and didn’t seem like they would moving forwards, so we’ve shed some players who weren’t delivering, that’s great. Palmer was a good keeper at this level so that could be a net loss (pun intended) 

We’ve added one known quantity in Armstrong, who is much of a guarantee of a player as any player can really be at this level so that’s a net positive.  The other four (griffiths, Bany, lankshear, price)  are relatively unknown at this level and it’s a decent outlay on the two purchases. Bany in particular being a bit of a gamble for me

I like the intention, and particularly the potential of Griffiths and Price, but how much we have improved longer term I don’t know. With Armstrong the only clear improvement it might be an improvement in the short term good but not so in the long term.

If we were either to get promoted, or Bany, Price and Griffiths live up to the potential the club think they have it should be looked back on as an outstanding window. 

Mowbray has a tough job balancing the players. Grant, Dike and Wallace all contracted next year and seemingly unlikely to get many minutes. Cole and Frabotta are contracted too but I think they can be pretty much written off. The out of contract players like Diangana and Swift will get some time I think, particularly diangana, but it would be great if the signings meant we didn’t need them much.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Adam Armstrong signs on loan

« on: February 04, 2025, 01:45:09 PM »

I see no better goalscorer in this division

I was just thinking the same and looked at the top scorers list. I don’t see anyone better, it’s pretty weak this year in terms of out and out goal scorers. Piroe and Maja are second with 12.

So I think we have basically got best goalscorer in the championship for 16 games, and potentially the play offs (providing he can stay fit).

Be interesting to see if we see Maja in the 10  when he’s fit.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Adam Armstrong

« on: February 04, 2025, 01:29:07 PM »

I follow the club channel on whatsapp. There's just been an new message notification but cant see it yet (a few minute delay after the message notification seems the norm with it for some reason). I assume this will be the Armstrong official announcement.



... its the strong arm emoji and soon so as good as.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Josh Griffiths

« on: February 04, 2025, 12:25:44 PM »

The Bristol Rovers fans loved him and thought he was excellent. He's had 3 seasons in League One now so hopefully he can make the step up.

The responses to Rover's official announcement were very encouraging. Almost universally their player of the season and one of the best loans, if not best they've had in years. Not a single bad word to say about him as far as I could tell.

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

« on: February 04, 2025, 11:47:22 AM »

We now have a bloated squad

GK: Griffiths, Wildsmith

DL: Styles

DR: Furlong, Frambrotta

DC: Ajayi (injured), Bartley, Holgate, Heggem


Mid: Mowatt, Molumby, Diakite, Swift, Price, Bany, Whitwell,

Attack: Grant, Johnston, Diagana, Fellows, Wallace, Maja (Injured), Armstrong, Dike (injured), Cole, Lankshear

We shouldn’t complain about attacking options

Plenty of deadwood or never was in the squad

If somehow we go up, massive surgery needed in the squad.

26 players & lack of defensive options is mad.

Squad still needs some shuffling that is for sure but with Swift, Diangana, Holgate, Ajayi, Lankshear and Armstrong (if signed) only being contracted here for 5 month, plus Frabotta and Cole almost certainly moving on the reset still seems to be coming in the summer regardless.  Add in uncertainty around Wallace, Grant and Fellows and its another big summer. 

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Adam Armstrong

« on: February 04, 2025, 10:00:36 AM »

If you're leaving it until 10.55pm then don't be remotely surprised if any blame comes your way.

Depends surely. Did we leave it late, or did saints soften on their demands. In the past it seems we have been to blame but I genuinely  suspect the latter here.

Get the feeling on this one we told saints what we could do and they rejected / waited to see if we would blink or someone else would come in. When that didn’t happen this then only got traction late.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Adam Armstrong

« on: February 04, 2025, 09:34:58 AM »

On the one hand it seems mad that the EFL staff aren’t around long after the conclusion of transfer window, but on the other I suppose it was 11pm and they do have homes to get to.

If we say we got it done in time then surely it’ll go through. The only other answer is we didn’t and then it’s rightly denied. Club doesn’t do itself any favours feeding reporters that they did if it transpires otherwise

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tammer Bany Joins Albion

« on: February 03, 2025, 09:19:45 PM »

Palmer has officially signed for Ipswich, club has announced it, so I’d expect this to be next story up and quite soon. Get the bad news out the way then pump out a good news story (or two)

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tammer Bany Joins Albion

« on: February 03, 2025, 06:40:44 PM »

Saw a clip, only a few minutes but obviously his ‘best bits’.  Doesn’t make me any less nervous about this one at this price but the club must have a lot of confidence in him.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tammer Bany Joins Albion

« on: February 03, 2025, 02:58:16 PM »

Who is that BP?

West Brom announce Kenneth Zohore’s triumphant return to the club on a 3 year deal. Welcome home Ken

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Alex Palmer

« on: February 03, 2025, 02:13:42 PM »

Having initially said he had read £2m and £5m, Chris hall is now saying it’s £2m. Having formerly worked at the club you’d think he’s got some contact there.

I thought £5m was good, £2m isn’t. Many here thought £5m was poor 

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tammer Bany Joins Albion

« on: February 03, 2025, 01:41:11 PM »

My post sounded a bit negative and I do think spending 3.5m on this player is high, that’s still a hell of a lot of money for us.

However the intent has to be applauded and is exciting in the short term at least, it’s what myself and lot of others have wanted. Nearly £6m on two 21 year olds, plus Griffiths back as apparent starter could go a long way to making us a young team with a lot of potential. It’s also a considerable risk mind and not sure how they are squaring the finances exactly but you have to think £5m for palmer and £3m for CC does it.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tammer Bany Joins Albion

« on: February 03, 2025, 01:06:42 PM »

Tammer Bany is the sought of signing I like but no not now not ready position not well enough defined fee is kind of okay but this is potential not for the here and now can see him being out on loan by the start of next season. Longer term he is a 10 or maybe the 2nd striker in a two man forward line.

If we were awash with money would be happy to take a chance on this sort of deal but we aren't so I am not.

He’s 22 at the start of next season so if he’s going out on loan by then you have to think it’s a major mistake.

I hope it’s a lot less than 4m euros. There’s nothing in his career to date statistically that suggests he’s worth anywhere near that

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Alex Palmer

« on: February 03, 2025, 11:48:57 AM »

Keepers can play well into their 30s. 28 isn't old for a keeper.

I forgot we had Wildsmith as well, however I've no idea if he's any good.

I appreciate they can, far fewer do at the top level anymore though which means value is still going to crash. Apart from Fabianski at West Ham, the oldest 1st choice keepers in the prem are 32, and I’d expect most if not all of those will be replaced in the next couple of years.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Alex Palmer

« on: February 03, 2025, 11:31:48 AM »

Great business selling your first choice keeper and last season's golden gloves winner for £5million??  It doesn't sound great to me.

£5m is a lot for a keeper that’s never played on the prem and is soon to be 29.

I think system has a lot to do with clean sheets too. I honestly think £5m is about as much as it can be, and it solves the Griffiths / Palmer conundrum

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Alex Palmer

« on: February 03, 2025, 11:26:55 AM »

£5m for Palmer and Griffiths back would a great bit of business from a financial perspective and probably doesn’t damage us too much on the pitch.

Long term there’s potential for big upside in Griffiths too

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tom Fellows

« on: February 02, 2025, 08:54:55 AM »

Do you think Price is only on £5k/week?  Likely to be double that

Agree, but I was going off this financial year and ffp period, not a full year

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tom Fellows

« on: February 01, 2025, 12:38:45 PM »

As I stated in the Lanshear thread, I think not, we have spent the CC compensation by the look of it on two signing, Lankshear needs Fellows supply, so in my opinion, we have strengthened the squad with two signing and financially remained neutral.

I reckon there’s a net positive, albeit probably not huge. Price at £2-2.5m over 5 years is only £400-500k per year and wages maybe another £250k in this financial year, whereas i would expect the £3m for CC is all straight in.  Lankshear IMO is probably quite cheap, far more value for spurs in getting him game time than squeezing out a few hundred grand but even if it has cost us £500k it’s still a positive in ffp of potentially £1m plus 

However £15m straight in for Tom still goes a huge way for us.