[tommcneill]

Read between the lines.

The common theme is "are WBA trying to get themselves relegated".

The answer to that is yes at this point.....

Read between what lines??

And im sorry but nobody at the club is TRYING to get relegated at all. Anyone who actually believes that is stu-stu-stu-stupid

[KnaveofAlbion]

And im sorry but nobody at the club is TRYING to get relegated at all. Anyone who actually believes that is stu-stu-stu-stupid

At this point in time we only have a certain amount of facts. Albion have cleared the decks of 12/13 players and have brought in 11. Amongst those 11 are people who are earning more than anyone ever has at the Albion, someone for whom we've paid more than at any point in history and for example, we've signed 3 guys who played at the World Cup.

In looking for a head coach Albion have employed someone who is very much regarded as an excellent coach, so much so that Lescott only really signed for us because of Alan and others have gone on record saying how much they are enjoying his coaching. People at large constantly comment that he is highly regarded in the UK as being a very good coach. The fact that his stints at Sheff Weds and Preston didn't go well as only half relevant. At neither place was he the coach, he was the manager and i very much doubt he had close to the amount of support we have here now.

Thos who are slamming our performances so far (about half our new players haven't played or at most have got 30 mins), those who are just being critical of AI for the sake of it and especially those who think we actually want to be relegated are just taken their bias and exagerated it to a point where they are embarrasing theirselves.

Who on Earth would we want to be relegated? JP would lose a huge chunk of the Albion's value, we'd lose our big matches with Europe's elite, the quality of player would plummet...... It makes Zero sense..... Anyone trying to quote the JP thing where he said we were a mid table champ club knows full well that he wasn't saying he wanted us to be that, he was talking about the attendence size and financial input.

How about we give the bloke some time? If by November we're playing badly and being negative, then fair enough. But until that point and especially after having introduced so many new people, how about we just try to actually support the bloke? I don't care that you didn't want him, he's here now and maoning about it constantly is getting boring beyondf believe!!!

[KnaveofAlbion]

Oh and one other thing..... If the final options were AI or Sherwood I'd have taken AI every single time. Sherwood is a self serving loudmouth.

[WBAinDEVON]

Oh and one other thing..... If the final options were AI or Sherwood I'd have taken AI every single time. Sherwood is a self serving loudmouth.

and i would have gone the opposite like many others.Irvine is as boring as Clarke on and off the pitch.
Lets wait and see eh.I will hold my hands up if i am proved wrong but on the evidence i have seen so far i very much doubt it

[TheJacko2000]

Sherwood all day long. With Ferdinand and Ramsey.

[smethwickw]

I am willing to go out on a limb and say injuries aside he won't make more than 2 changes from the side that lost at Swansea despite the signings.

I agree. Poco and Anichebe to return. Same starting line up as Sunderland. We might see the others by Xmas.

[mulliganstired]

You have to say the Burnley game is looking like the deal breaker unless we beat Everton (not very likely) or Spurs (extremely unlikely). I think the knives will be out if we are winless in the league then.

[WBAinDEVON]

You have to say the Burnley game is looking like the deal breaker unless we beat Everton (not very likely) or Spurs (extremely unlikely). I think the knives will be out if we are winless in the league then.

Also trying to win a game sometimes helps
Playing for must not loose games especially at home is just another nail in coffin

[sing on our own]

That's my problem with Irvine, we have played 3 games only lost one admittedly but it's the manner we play.....we haven't tried to win any of them, I can stand losing if we try to win. And I've been to them all and the Swansea game was the worst performance I can remember by a premier league team, never mind we won't do a Leeds, Pompey etc etc.... His sessions are great etc etc.... Well respected coach....

[PsalmXXIII]

Read between the lines.

The common theme is "are WBA trying to get themselves relegated".

The answer to that is yes at this point.....

The answer, I'll think you'll find is: 'Why the bloody hell would they try and get themselves relegated.'

There's no conspiracy, there's no hidden agenda. If anyone at the club wanted us relegated they'd have done it last year when we survived by the skin of our teeth. If you're going to post things along the lines of 'the club are trying to get themselves relegated' please suggest why an astute businessman would deliberately reduce his income by tens of millions of pounds.

[Legend]

That's my problem with Irvine, we have played 3 games only lost one admittedly but it's the manner we play.....we haven't tried to win any of them, I can stand losing if we try to win. And I've been to them all and the Swansea game was the worst performance I can remember by a premier league team, never mind we won't do a Leeds, Pompey etc etc.... His sessions are great etc etc.... Well respected coach....

Eh? We pulled it back to 1-1 against Sunderland and went on to score a second surely if we didn't try to win we would have put eleven men behind the ball after equalising and took the draw.

[BoingFlyer]

That's my problem with Irvine, we have played 3 games only lost one admittedly but it's the manner we play.....we haven't tried to win any of them, I can stand losing if we try to win. And I've been to them all and the Swansea game was the worst performance I can remember by a premier league team, never mind we won't do a Leeds, Pompey etc etc.... His sessions are great etc etc.... Well respected coach....

The Sunderland game was a real statement, we played to win and it was an entertaining game. But you carry on focusing on the negatives and changing the facts to fit your view.

[WBAinDEVON]

Like someone said above the Swansea performance was probably the worst in our premier league history so far, even the swansea fans couldnt believe we rolled over to have our bellies tickled, it was pathetic.The Sunderland game was nothing on the scale attacking intent than when Mel was in charge but yes proably equal to goals conceeded.So far we have gone backwards with Irvine in charge but lets see some improvement against Everton and i might calm down a bit

[seteefeet]

The Sunderland game was a real statement, we played to win and it was an entertaining game. But you carry on focusing on the negatives and changing the facts to fit your view.

Yes but at 2-1 he tried to consolidate and failed.
If we had gone for the kill and lost however he would have been lambasted anyway.
My worry is that, as with Clark and many, many others, when the going gets tough the fear will kick in and he will resort to playing not to lose, rather than to win. Which seems to have been the case in subsequent games.
It seems to me that if you offer up concerns with Irvine you are labelled as negative (to the point of being told to stay away in extreme circumstances), but it has to be accepted that these concerns are justified and worthy of debate.
I am not anti Irvine, I am pro Albion, so, if he comes out all guns blazing pooh or bust he will get my support regardless of results. If, however, he shrinks into his shell and plays negative, drab, fearful football he will be doing himself and all of us, a great miss service and deserve everything he gets.
We have attacking options now so he has no excuses.

[WBAinDEVON]

Its been said many times if we go into a game looking to win we can take a defeat much easier

[halifax_baggie]

That's my problem with Irvine, we have played 3 games only lost one admittedly but it's the manner we play.....we haven't tried to win any of them, I can stand losing if we try to win. And I've been to them all and the Swansea game was the worst performance I can remember by a premier league team, never mind we won't do a Leeds, Pompey etc etc.... His sessions are great etc etc.... Well respected coach....

I'm  damn sure we tried to beat Sunderland, some of our passing and movement was excellent that is untill we sat back through lack of confidence and fear of losing.

Not the coaches fault and can only be cured by a couple of wins and the introduction of the new players who haven't yet got that losing feeling

[Lloydy]

Four games in and I've probably seen about 20-30 minutes of half decent (at best) football - 20 minutes against Sunderland at home and a 10 minute spell at Southampton.

I'm glad I won't be at the Everton or Spurs games as I feel we could really be in for a couple of bad defeats. Burnley at home is massive and I wouldn't be surprised if Irvine wasn't around for that game.

Having said that, in his defence I think once again the transfer window was pretty poor (due diligence, really?) and he is working with a number of "senior pros" and coaching staff who still have far too much influence at the club.

I want Irvine out but he's not the only problem at the club.

[VVVAlbion]

Four games in and I've probably seen about 20-30 minute half decent (at best) football - 20 minutes against Sunderland at home and a 10 minute spell at Southampton.

I'm glad I won't be at the Everton or Spurs games as I feel we could really be in for a couple of bad defeats. Burnley at home is massive and I wouldn't be surprised if Irvine wasn't around for that game.

Having said that, in his defence I think once again the transfer window was pretty poor (due diligence, really?) and he is working with a number of "senior pros" and coaching staff who still have far too much influence at the club.

I want Irvine out but he's not the only problem at the club.

Out of interest, can you qualify why you think the transfer window was poor? Have we not replaced players with ones of (reputedly) better quality?  Have we not brought in quick, wide players? Have we not brought in players who are representatives at the highest level of the game?

I too am disappointed that we didn't manage to bring in Messi or Ronaldo but, for me , I think we have done quite well for a club trying to lose matches and get relegated

[Legend]

http://www.wba.co.uk/news/article/that-was-the-summer-that-was-final-part-1900235.aspx

Chairman praises Irvine work-ethic

JEREMY Peace has praised the work-ethic and diligence of Alan Irvine as the club’s new head coach has confronted the Barclays Premier League challenge.

The Albion chairman earlier this week spoke of a “happier” club emerging from last season’s survival scare and believes Irvine has played a significant role in restoring harmony.

“At the end of last season, we knew we were going to have to do some work with the squad but we also wanted to carry on with the coaching tradition,” he said.

“Terry (Burton)’s top recommendation as head of football was always Alan and he came through the process very strongly.
 
“By the end of it we thought 'Yes,' he would be our No. 1 choice. He has been very good to work with throughout this window. He has been very diligent, he hasn't just chucked names in in terms of players to come into the squad.

“He has thought long and hard about it, spent a lot of time studying the targets, looking at all the clips and working with Terry. He is in here very early, he leaves very late. He is well organised. I can't fault him at all on his work-ethic.

“He seems to have a good rapport with the players and he is very down to earth. He is a good bloke, a good man. So far so good I would say.

“Obviously you have got to get results, it's a results based business but I think he gets that. He has set his stall out well.”

But the chairman has sympathy for Irvine having to start the season three games before the transfer window is shut.

He remains convinced that it favours the spending power of the Premier League’s elite top six and burdens the clubs fighting to stay in touch.

Peace has repeatedly backed a change in the current system but reluctantly acknowledges it is a battle nigh impossible to win.

“If you spoke to the other clubs in the Premier League they would all say it’s not ideal,” he said.

“We are all the same in our little league (outside the top six).

“My ideal would be that everyone would get the opportunity to complete their squads and then the season would start.

“No player would then be unsettled thinking that they might still be moving and worried about getting injured.

“We have raised it with the Premier League and said: ‘Close the transfer window at the start of the season.’

“But they mention the League Cup, the FA Cup, no winter break and the fact that World Cups and European Championships eat into the window.

“All of these things mean we can’t do it so we’re stuck with it.

“If we could do it I would certainly be in favour because it would remove a whole load of uncertainty.

“It must be a nightmare for those who have just been promoted.

“You try to get things done as early as possible but sometimes you can’t."

[TheJacko2000]

It's more lip service but within it is a clear message to Irvine: The season starts now. No more excuses.

[SmethDan]

Like someone said above the Swansea performance was probably the worst in our premier league history so far

Sorry chap, got to disagree.
I was at Swansea and yes we were poor for about 70-75 mins of the game.
However, having been in attendance at both Sunderland and Fulham away during Tony Mowbray's tenure, in my honest opinion (Prem' wise) Swansea does not compare.
 .

[TheJacko2000]

Sorry chap, got to disagree.
I was at Swansea and yes we were poor for about 70-75 mins of the game.
However, having been in attendance at both Sunderland and Fulham away during Tony Mowbray's tenure, in my honest opinion (Prem' wise) Swansea does not compare.
 .

There were some horrific aways under Megson and Robson, we just weren't that bothered!!

[BigFrank20]

Like someone said above the Swansea performance was probably the worst in our premier league history so far,

Sorry mate Norwich away, last away game a couple of seasons ago we were even crapper than that!

[SmethDan]

Sorry mate Norwich away, last away game a couple of seasons ago we were even crapper than that!

I had managed to erase that one from my memory banks.
Great day out interupted by a debacle. All was well on the pitch to begin with.
Then the game kicked off.
 .

[Legend]

Sorry chap, got to disagree.
I was at Swansea and yes we were poor for about 70-75 mins of the game.
However, having been in attendance at both Sunderland and Fulham away during Tony Mowbray's tenure, in my honest opinion (Prem' wise) Swansea does not compare.
 .

We were awful most away games under Mowbray. The 6-1 against Fulham and 4-0 against Birmingham come to mind as bad away days when Robson was manager.

Anyway on topic, let's hope for some good away days this season under Irvine.