[TAFKATMNo1Fan]

Haha Benitez is almost as negative as TP. Great return so far from Sal.

Not a fan I’m afraid. No matter how we played under Pulis how many clear cut chances did he miss for us. Decent back up but not as the main man for me. Just my opinion of course.

[TheJacko2000]

Not a fan I’m afraid. No matter how we played under Pulis how many clear cut chances did he miss for us. Decent back up but not as the main man for me. Just my opinion of course.

Put it this way Rondon has 10 PL goals in a defensive kick and rush team. Gayle has 16 Championship goals in an open attacking free scoring team. Rondon would have brutalised this league imo.

[TAFKATMNo1Fan]

Put it this way Rondon has 10 PL goals in a defensive kick and rush team. Gayle has 16 Championship goals in an open attacking free scoring team. Rondon would have brutalised this league imo.

But he’s not in this league so it’s purely hypothetical
Rondon has scored 10 goals this season. Last season he scored 10 for us, season before 10, season before 12 so it’s a bit of a myth that he’s doing loads better at Newcastle

[ashdoy]

But he’s not in this league so it’s purely hypothetical
Rondon has scored 10 goals this season. Last season he scored 10 for us, season before 10, season before 12 so it’s a bit of a myth that he’s doing loads better at Newcastle

He’s not doing “better”, he’s doing exactly the same which is he a nuisance, be the big man, but bangs in his fair share in a defensive side.

I still don’t know why Spurs don’t have him as back up to Kane.

Always liked him, always will. Very good player.

[Fritzl Palace]

Rondon is far better than Gayle. I'm sorry but he truly is. I like both but Rondon is a class act that was seriously underappreciated.

[richjonawba]

Rondon is far better than Gayle. I'm sorry but he truly is. I like both but Rondon is a class act that was seriously underappreciated.

Have to agree, Rondon is a far superior player. Would be good to have them both up front together, but that is unlikely to say the least.

[frazzle]

Rondon never had a chance to look good because he played for Pulis.

[KN22]

Rondon never had a chance to look good because he played for Pulis.

How very true. I used to feel sorry for the guy in those dark days.

[geoff]

Rondon is far better than Gayle. I'm sorry but he truly is. I like both but Rondon is a class act that was seriously underappreciated.

I'd love to see them play together, in the past there has been some great little & large partnerships.

[mulliganstired]

They are so different it is almost pointless comparing them - but together they could be something

[adamw1109]

I'm a massive rondon fan, but the goals are the same size in the championship and regardless how the team plays he missed way too many sitters for us.

[costa blanca baggie]

I'm a massive rondon fan, but the goals are the same size in the championship and regardless how the team plays he missed way too many sitters for us.

Sure, the goal is the same size! It’s the quality of the players stopping you getting to it that’s the problem.

[gazberg]

I like Gayle, i like Rondon, overall Rondon is superior. In my mind there is no doubt. Shame we (realistically) won't get to see them in the same team.

[tommcneill]

Rondon is a better striker, no doubt about that.

Both are very different types of players though, but in a straight striker for striker comparison there is only one winner

[OldburyWBA]

The childish insults on this forum need to stop regardless of how long you have been on this forum, being a long standing member with 100's or 1000's of posts will not help you avoid a ban, not sure how many warnings people need so time for 7 dayers to begin being handed out in a hope that people actually start taking note that this is WestBrom.com NOT Facebook, not Twitter etc etc

[Standaman]

The Dwight Gayle conundrum best finisher in the league get the ball to his feet in the box and he will score but if you don't do that or do it infrequently you don't get an awful lot from the player.

When we first signed him I did wonder how it was going to work.


Moore's first solution 3-4-1-2 it worked in that he scored a ton of goals but we never really settled at the back and we were forced to revisit that formation.

We then move to 4-3-3 with Gayle either playing through the middle or more frequently as a wide striker (not a traditional winger) we were a little bit more direct. Gayle never looked as good but was still chipping in with goals on a regular basis.

Shan moves to a 4-2-3-1 or 4-5-1 with Gayle as the lone striker to be honest he looks totally lost in the role. Particularly as we are dropping deep and not getting players up in support.

It's not him it is us. We have to settle on a style of play and have players that are comfortable with it back to front and if they don't fit it don't hire them or retain them. 

[boinging_along]

Sure, the goal is the same size! It’s the quality of the players stopping you getting to it that’s the problem.

That would make sense if Rondon wasn't getting chances but he was.  The criticism for Rondon was the glaring chances he regularaly missed.

[frazzle]

The Dwight Gayle conundrum best finisher in the league get the ball to his feet in the box and he will score but if you don't do that or do it infrequently you don't get an awful lot from the player.

When we first signed him I did wonder how it was going to work.


Moore's first solution 3-4-1-2 it worked in that he scored a ton of goals but we never really settled at the back and we were forced to revisit that formation.

We then move to 4-3-3 with Gayle either playing through the middle or more frequently as a wide striker (not a traditional winger) we were a little bit more direct. Gayle never looked as good but was still chipping in with goals on a regular basis.

Shan moves to a 4-2-3-1 or 4-5-1 with Gayle as the lone striker to be honest he looks totally lost in the role. Particularly as we are dropping deep and not getting players up in support.

It's not him it is us. We have to settle on a style of play and have players that are comfortable with it back to front and if they don't fit it don't hire them or retain them.

One of the big complaints from fans and media was that Moore wasn’t playing Gayle centrally. Maybe Moore knew what he was doing in this instance.

[boinging_along]

You need Gayle central but you can isolate him.  He's not the tallest of players so lumping balls up for him to chase isn't a great option.  He's still, by far, the best forward we have when playing central.  These last two games he would have scored if not for two unbelievable saves by the keeper.

[OldburyWBA]

To get the best out of Gayle centrally you need Barry putting the ball through to him, best passer of a ball at the club.

[BigFrank20]

OK how does a short backside and apparently slightly built Dwight Gayle manage to hurl a football quite so far? 
Remembering my basic physics from many years ago shouldn't his levers (arms) be six foot long to throw it that far?
On a more serious note it has added a potent new attacking option and I notice the ball boys at the away sides end of the pitch now have towels for him to dry the ball for a better grip
Oh and a great hat trick from the little maestro yesterday too

[Fritzl Palace]

Imagine if we'd played him up front all season.

21 goals now, 122 minutes per goal which is the best in the division and that is without penalties which benefit the likes of Abraham and J-Rod in their stats.

Darren made many, many mistakes in his short tenure, but sticking him on the left wing has to be up there with the biggest.

[KN22]

The guy is a natural finisher and I do not agree that he couldn’t get goals regularly in the premier league. It of course depends on who he plays for and how they set up. For now we have him and, used correctly, still gives me hope we can yet make it back to the promised land.

[baggie82]

Imagine if we'd played him up front all season.

21 goals now, 122 minutes per goal which is the best in the division and that is without penalties which benefit the likes of Abraham and J-Rod in their stats.

Darren made many, many mistakes in his short tenure, but sticking him on the left wing has to be up there with the biggest.

Sackable offence in it's own right. Best striker in the league bar none.

[mulliganstired]

Imagine if we'd played him up front all season.

21 goals now, 122 minutes per goal which is the best in the division and that is without penalties which benefit the likes of Abraham and J-Rod in their stats.

Darren made many, many mistakes in his short tenure, but sticking him on the left wing has to be up there with the biggest.

That was an unbelievable mistake.