351

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 23, 2021, 05:57:37 PM »

'Proper football' passing it to each other and trying to create opportunities, mixed with an irregular but usually well timed fast high press to try to force mistakes and gain possession in an opponents half is exactly how we should approach every game.

Pretty good performances all round. Midfield mobile enough, and far more composed and controlled with their passing. Did their share of covering and defending as well but more by anticipation than reactive chasing.

Defence generally untroubled thanks to better use of the ball in front of them, also seemed to be able to get the ball forward and to an Albion player a bit more often. Got a bit sloppy later on but thankfully nothing too stupid. Mention for SJ who looked solid and built confidence.

Up front 3 scored but could easily have, and maybe ought to have been more. Hugill scored but missed a few decent chances though he certainly played a lot better than he has previously. Led the line pretty well, worked hard and supported runners. Not a bad game.

All the rest did ok including the subs. First half better than the second. We were probably looking after the lead after the subs so they did not make any obvious improvements.  Would have liked to see TGH given a bit of first team experience, but think his time will come.

Overall a lot happier than I expected to be, long may the improvement keep developing. COYB

352

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: October 23, 2021, 04:22:28 PM »

How many chances has he had four? so you expect a striker to score with every chance that'll cost around £100 Million not a loanee from Norwich.

Depends on the sort of chances, a one v one with the keeper was probably the hardest Hugill had, so probably acceptable to miss one when the keeper does well. The other two were not much more than a tap in. Any forward should score those, and most defenders too. Hugill is honest and hard working but @ £100million or £10pence he is not a striker.

353

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: October 23, 2021, 03:52:11 PM »

Hugill should have had 4 by now. Oh for a striker, we are still only one up and in danger when we should be home and dry. Needs care, game management and composure.

354

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: October 23, 2021, 03:22:32 PM »

Yeah they said the guy has been stretchered out but was waving and clapping apparently, sounds like he's going to be ok.

Hope so - far more important than a footie match.

But still - COYB

355

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: October 23, 2021, 03:20:55 PM »

I think Snodgrass is a quality player, but hope he is fit enough to keep going for 90 mins.  On WM they are saying Bristol will have 5 in midfield.

Snoddy has been a quality player, Also have the same hope/doubts re 90 mins, but just a 45 mins of some of his old abilities would go a long way.

There has to be a better option at the club than Hugill in his present form, but hope he proves me wrong.

The rest are what they are; a slightly error prone bunch of average or just below average Championship triers. 

But they are THE ALBION, they are OUR ALBION so COYB.

356

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: October 22, 2021, 12:34:54 PM »

Doubt if they will let us play all three instead of Furlong though Smeth

I'll get me coat 

357

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: October 21, 2021, 02:18:14 PM »

Jake Livermore out. Hope Mowatt is rested to ensure future full fitness. Molumby in for energy, Second midfielder? Er - Er. Mmmm  Help!

Furlong: After 3 poor games maybe needs replacing..... Who?

Up front? Cannot see past what we have -maybe Diangana for one of em but who? Would like to see one of the u23 lads given pitch time as well possibly Cleary (spelling?) he looks big enough and if good enough is old enough, but doubt it can happen

SJ, Ajayi, Bartley, Clarke and Townsend all play as no obvious replacements available and have been ok.

We can win this and ought to win it but doubt it will be pretty, and unless we can find a way to open them up more than once we will drop more points

358

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Man of the match vs Swansea

« on: October 21, 2021, 01:54:33 PM »

Only Livermore and Phillips anywhere near the basic level of performance we should expect from all, Jake gets the nod from me.

359

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 21, 2021, 01:40:18 PM »

Movement all along the front line has been very limited for the past 4 or 5 games. For a defender to make a pass somebody in front of him has be showing or calling for the ball. This is rare so the defender has to clear his lines and effects a hit and hope strategy. It happens very quickly and the decision making and thought has to be very fast, instinctive even. At the moment it is tending to go well less than 25% of the time, but is so basic it can improve with practice. 

360

General Football & Sports / Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach

« on: October 21, 2021, 12:16:42 AM »

The way we played under Big Sam was better than this.

No it was not. - not these players anyway

361

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 20, 2021, 10:35:02 PM »

Disappointed and angry. We are not pretty to watch, but do create and score some good goals and win matches. However, in order to do this we need every player on the pitch at 100% fitness, desire and sharpness and playing at the top of their game, We have not seen this for quite a few games now.

Furlong has been poor for the last three games at least and not good before that. Robinson has not shown the energy he was from even before the international games, and despite a couple of decent once in a game assists has actually not been very effective centrally. Perhaps not all his fault as the passes into opponents areas are usually so poor, but his pressing and movement has also been very half hearted. Livermore and Mowatt have also seen a drop off in the intensity of their press, but at least have tried without much support. Phillips is still as always a bit hit and miss and is in no way a central striker. Hugill just does not seem to have any of the required skills of a central striker either.

The rest of the team have been what they have always been, capable of some good play but always likely to cock it up either with a bad final ball or a defensive error.

The head coach is short of options which I hope is the cause of what appears to be a lack of ideas/variations. It may also of course be that the players are not really capable of doing much more or switching to a different system effectively.

The whole lot needs some new blood some refreshing, and as it stands the only source is from the young players. Maybe it is time for one or two to be trusted in the first team, especially up front, but not wholesale changes ffs. I firmly believe in the adage if they are good enough they are old enough. If they are not good enough then no amount of age/experience rarely improves them too much.

Losing a game or two is not the end of the world, but we must learn from the losses and find a way to not get done the same way again. The second half was very like the Stoke game for me so we have to look at what is going wrong and make the changes in the style of play or in the personnel that will prevent it happening, and improve performances.

362

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: October 20, 2021, 08:43:04 PM »

Might not be completely unbiased but I thought Molumby got the ball and not the man. Harsh yellow card, caused by histrionics from a defender who just lost the ball in his own area.

363

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Black Country v Birmingham

« on: October 19, 2021, 12:53:20 PM »

Born and dragged up in Wedgebury. Schooldays in the early 50's was pretty much Albion or wolves, both at the top of Div 1. Villa probably sort of existed but was below notice at that time, certainly in bottom half of the table from memory. So growing up anti wolves, but over time have come to dislike the vile even more. Especially so since the premier league has been rammed down our throats.

This dislike has begun to turn to hatred since the present mob took over and seem to fear our presence so much that in an attempt to take us down have waved their poison pennies at our backroom staff and academy products. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than seeing them fail and go into liquidation, along with spurs, another bunch of crooks that football would be better without.

364

General Football & Sports / Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach

« on: October 19, 2021, 12:22:17 PM »

Thanks Smethdan, should have been able to work it out, it was in perfect context, and so very true. Durham just desperate to get responses and trying to be cutting edge. Trouble is all he has shown is his total ignorance of football tactics in general and particularly in WBA. If he cannot see that Pulis and VI are at two opposing ends of the tactical spectrum, then he is totally blind or maybe just a londonchester supporter.   

365

General Football & Sports / Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach

« on: October 19, 2021, 11:47:36 AM »

Pulis favours the scrum and general set pieces. Valerian's more of a rolling maul kind of guy with a variety of penalty kicks from hand, up and unders and in your face tackles.

In rugby parlance it would be Union versus League. Two games with similarities that have very little in common beyond the shape of the ball. It's football, just not as Durham would like it. Stuff Durham, he's a self absorbed WUM.

Great analogy Smethdan, but as I don't get out much these days, because my carers have lost the key to one of me leg irons, could you clarify WUM please?

366

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: October 17, 2021, 02:35:03 PM »

 Enjoyed the rant, and am fully in accordance with the sentiment and suggestions therein

367

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Black Country v Birmingham

« on: October 17, 2021, 01:26:41 PM »

Just a tad unfortunate it was the dogyeds, but always good to see the vile beaten in this way.

Re: The location of The Black Country.

"The Black Country IS wherever a Blackcountrymon sez it is".

And this Black Countrymon sez 'it doe inclewed Wulveramptun, it never did inclewed wulveramptun, an it ay never gunna inclewed wulveramptun. So all the pontificating professors from the big cities con put that in their pipes and smoke it.  dingleland ay in The Black Country - it's a Staffs town to me and always will be.

Avin sed that, there are some smashing folks I've met from Wolverhampton and some cracking blokes an wenches from brum, mostly bluenoses, but a couple of seals as well.

368

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: in an emergency

« on: October 16, 2021, 09:25:38 PM »

Maybe it's me then, but I rarely get more than a few words in the East stand. Recently got me new hearing aids to go with me tartan rug and matching thermos, so already getting tooled up for the Halfords, didn't realise I wouldn't need the hearing aids though.

369

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 16, 2021, 07:22:48 PM »

Whilst all victories, particularly those in derbies, are to be celebrated, I try to not colour my view of the performance based on the result. I thought last night's performance was only marginally better than the appalling display at Stoke. On this occasion though, tiredness couldn't be used as an excuse (except for those who've been on international duty). I just felt that the high pressing wasn't really there again and our approach play was pretty much hit and hope for most of the time, which led to fewer attempts on goal than we normally manage on average.

I think we're going to have to get back to playing much better than this to:

a) sustain an automatic promotion challenge
b) vindicate Valerien's style of play

"Well the opposition made it difficult for us..." isn't a valid excuse in my book, promotion sides need to have enough about them to still be effective no matter what the opposition does. The only real positives for me were the result and the performances of Townsend and Molumby.

Tend to agree about the lack of the high press. We also seemed to sit a bit deeper defensively, which with a malfunctioning Mowatt and a tired Robinson meant that very few second balls were picked up. The extra energy of Molumby improved us, and Hugill at least managed to occupy their defence a bit longer, but it was largely a matter of keeping at it and waiting for a break. That break came when their defence was tiring and thankfully we took advantage. Not pretty though.

Also agree with the bit in bold but would suggest by our points tally and results so far we have actually managed to do this.

370

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: in an emergency

« on: October 16, 2021, 07:03:39 PM »

HEAR! HEAR!

Sorry couldn't resist it, but seriously the PA system has never in my 60 years of attendance at the shrine been anything but abysmal. Surely the technology exists to enable supporters in all parts of the ground to hear clearly any announcements. The points about crowd safety are very valid, and colinmax makes an excellent point about any announcers being able to speak clearly over the system.

371

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Man of the match vs Birmingham

« on: October 16, 2021, 02:43:10 PM »

If Townsend and Clarke form the sort of defensive and forward looking partnership they looked capable of last night, we will have few worries on that side of the pitch. Townsend just about edges it over Clarke  for me but it was close, and Clarke will get even better with games under his belt. Just hope he stays fit and well.

Honourable mention for Molumby as well, He looks as if he might in time, become our best and first choice midfielder.

372

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 16, 2021, 02:36:20 PM »

If we are challenging or at the top of the championship, it is always 'a poor league' for some.

My take is that it is a very demanding schedule. The technical quality is not that of a premier league, but there is often enough 'quality' and gameplay nouse to keep most matches interesting. It can at times be a bit 'hoofball'  as teams try to get forward quickly, but on the other hand there can also be some excellent passages of play leading to good goals. We have scored plenty so far this season and not too many have been scrambled efforts. One or two have been as good and even better than premier league standard. The Championship leveller is the sheer physicality of a lot of the games with challenges and blocking  defensive play going unpunished that would have resulted in cards in the prem.

373

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 15, 2021, 10:36:28 PM »

Can you imagine IF we did go up playing this style of hoof ball?
We’d be thrashed every game probably with double figures!

We tried all the other styles we were anywhere near capable of playing including the farcical Allardyce mess when we borrowed 3 far better footballers than we could possibly have kept. and still got thrashed every game. So getting hammered in the prem is not something new nor is it something we can hope avoid - we cannot afford to play in the prem and can hardly afford not to spend at least some time there. Catch22. We maybe can't enjoy the football but we can learn to enjoy the wins.

374

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: October 15, 2021, 10:26:57 PM »

FT 1-0 HOW ?

By doing the most important thing - scoring one more goal than the other lot did. It ain't rocket science friend - if you don't like/understand the point then maybe you don't need to watch The Albion.  Yes it is not good to watch, but at our level at the stage we are at being effective, and we have still only lost once so far this season -so I think effective is a reasonable description, is all we should expect.  We are learning how to win or at least not lose too often when other teams show up with one main game plan which is to stop us at all costs and are often being aided and abetted by poor or simply crooked officials. Today being a case in point. Chong goes in late with studs showing, both players supposedly hurt. Albion player gets booked they get free kick. City player throws punch Albion player makes light of it. City player should be red carded- no argument, why was he still on the field? Better football will come with better players, better players are more likely to be attracted to successful clubs. It takes time - a long time and we are only at the start of the journey. If you cannot be patient for a season or so then you do not have to stay. But if like most of us you stay and want success we have to try and be supportive. And believe me I moan with the best of you.

375

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: October 15, 2021, 10:08:32 PM »

Pathetic is thinking one goal makes a difference, we have been awful for most of the season. I cant take anymore of this rubbish win, lose or draw.

Nobody is holding a gun to your head. You have free will if you can't take stop doing it