[colinmax]

We could easily dropped points yesterday and probably would have if they had scored the penalty.
With 3 or 4 assistant coaches on the bench and constantly jumping up to have a word with DM you would think that one of then would notice that the flow of the game was changing and suggest a young quick player with fresh legs to keep their centre backs and midfielders occupied. 

[Dan]

He's a very young manager, he's just past double digit amount of games in his career. He also does not have an extensive first team coaching career before this.

Much like with young players, you need to give plenty of patience. He's showing plenty of promise so far and I was originally skeptical of his appointment. I like that he's not Pulis V2 as it it seemed like he might be style wise. I like that he's got a commitment to trying to play the ball out - its brave because as happened with City people can't wait to tear that style apart if it ever fails. I like that he's got a decent mixture of youth and experienced pro's playing (though a few of our own in there would be nice).

He's not perfect, his subs are often conservative and seem pre-mediated, and I think Brunt playing consistently in central midfield could be improved upon, likewise defensively we've been poor. But weigh up the positives and there's a lot to enjoy.

I suspect had he been backed like Rowett was, we'd be doing even better.

[liverbaggie]

Hey Colin, why do you think the negative?
We could also have scored ourselves at that time.
The other jumping up and down coaches are doing their jobs assisting.
Just a reminder to you,we won the game and outplayed Stoke completely in my opinion,crikey mate lighten up a bit,a wins a win and we did it in style.
If you want to be critical go watch Villa.

[Atomic]

He's a very young manager, he's just past double digit amount of games in his career. He also does not have an extensive first team coaching career before this.

Much like with young players, you need to give plenty of patience. He's showing plenty of promise so far and I was originally skeptical of his appointment. I like that he's not Pulis V2 as it it seemed like he might be style wise. I like that he's got a commitment to trying to play the ball out - its brave because as happened with City people can't wait to tear that style apart if it ever fails. I like that he's got a decent mixture of youth and experienced pro's playing (though a few of our own in there would be nice).

He's not perfect, his subs are often conservative and seem pre-mediated, and I think Brunt playing consistently in central midfield could be improved upon, likewise defensively we've been poor. But weigh up the positives and there's a lot to enjoy.

I suspect had he been backed like Rowett was, we'd be doing even better.

I'd agree with almost all of that. The only thing I'd mention is I don't think we've been as bad defensively and people tend to suggest. It's not like we're shipping three or four goals a game. We do need to improve defensively for sure but we haven't been cronic. I thought yesterday other than when we created our own problems we were pretty sound, only a worldie away from a clean sheet. I know they missed a pen, that was bad decision making from Livermore the ball wasn't even going in.

Work to be done, yes but you could argue we were really unlucky to concede at Boro and yesterday. Could easily have been two clean sheets.

[Fritzl Palace]

He needs to work on his sustitutions.

Again they were nonsensical.

Could not agree more. His substitutions this season to date have been poor.

Better display yesterday, but ultimately with the starting team we have we should win 90% of games this season.

[paulosull]

Great result yesterday but still concerned that we can’t keep clean sheet and I like few posters on here wonder why is Darren not introducing youngster's especially Burke who could of stretched their back line 

[Scooby Doo]

Given how few people weren't giving him a chance and expecting mid table at best, the fact he's exceeding some expectations and still people are unhappy are equally impressive!

[Atomic]

Given how few people weren't giving him a chance and expecting mid table at best, the fact he's exceeding some expectations and still people are unhappy are equally impressive!

The way he set the team up at the end of last season left me deeply concerned about his philosophy. This season he's set the team up totally differently. I have the odd issue with him but overall I'm delighted with the way Darren is approaching games. Field for Brunt and I'd have no complaints whatsoever.

[Droitwich Baggie]

The way he set the team up at the end of last season left me deeply concerned about his philosophy. This season he's set the team up totally differently. I have the odd issue with him but overall I'm delighted with the way Darren is approaching games. Field for Brunt and I'd have no complaints whatsoever.

Brunt to come in later...When our forwards' have worn the opposition down

[mulliganstired]

7 games in 22 days after the 2 week break, very interesting to see how he manages the squad then

[leeiswba]

Given how few people weren't giving him a chance and expecting mid table at best, the fact he's exceeding some expectations and still people are unhappy are equally impressive!

It is quite weird mate isn’t it, lots of people said they would rather be in the championship than have Pulis as manager and also said we would not finish above mid table are still moaning even though we are winning games in the league they didnt mind being in.

[colinmax]

I object to being described as negative when I feel I am being objective.
If you do not agree with my views so be it but this would be a very poor website if every time we won we said didn't DM do well and different opinions were not aired.
I suggested we sign Harry McGuire 6 months before he went to Leicester and I was possibly the first to recommend we go for Dean Smith and I got reprimanded by the administrator because Pulis had not actually gone so there was no vacancy.
I always try to give an objective view and regarding the Stoke match if the penalty had been scored the adage that goals change matches could well have come into play.

[Wigmore]

Great result yesterday but still concerned that we can’t keep clean sheet and I like few posters on here wonder why is Darren not introducing youngster's especially Burke who could of stretched their back line 

After a better defensive display, the only reason we did not keep a clean sheet was a unstoppable 25 metre worldie  from a SCFC fullback, Eric Pieters, who has a strike rate of 3 goals in 10 seasons.
Hardly a major blemish on our defender's collective record.

[SirTonyM]

I am a big advocate of giving young players a chance if we can but the way some people talk about our young players you would think they were the busby babes or the class of 92. I read and heard people saying how burke and Leko should have come on for sure and would have made a huge difference. Leko has had one good game against mansfield as far as I can tell. He rarely played for bristol city last year. Burke has played well in fits and starts but isn't an obvious game changer. I am happy to give them a chance and think DM is trying too but I wouldn't blame him for not playing them yesterday. HRK for all his faults has scored 2 off the bench this season and Barry was an obvious choice to shore up the midfield.

[Hull Baggie]

I am a big advocate of giving young players a chance if we can but the way some people talk about our young players you would think they were the busby babes or the class of 92. I read and heard people saying how burke and Leko should have come on for sure and would have made a huge difference. Leko has had one good game against mansfield as far as I can tell. He rarely played for bristol city last year. Burke has played well in fits and starts but isn't an obvious game changer. I am happy to give them a chance and think DM is trying too but I wouldn't blame him for not playing them yesterday. HRK for all his faults has scored 2 off the bench this season and Barry was an obvious choice to shore up the midfield.

As one who thought Burke should be brought on I'll answer your point. Burke wouldn't have had to be a "game changer" though would he, by bringing him on it would have meant we could have kept the same shape as we had with Barnes on the pitch rather than sitting back with 3 cm 's on the pitch. Barry was more of a game changing sub as we went to a very defensive shape (a la Pulis) and tried to see out the last 10 mins. Burke would have given an out ball with pace to occupy Stokes defenders. When Stoke had a corner in injury time we had no one up field at all, Burke could have been an option near the half way line.

[elkiellis]

As one who thought Burke should be brought on I'll answer your point. Burke wouldn't have had to be a "game changer" though would he, by bringing him on it would have meant we could have kept the same shape as we had with Barnes on the pitch rather than sitting back with 3 cm 's on the pitch. Barry was more of a game changing sub as we went to a very defensive shape (a la Pulis) and tried to see out the last 10 mins. Burke would have given an out ball with pace to occupy Stokes defenders. When Stoke had a corner in injury time we had no one up field at all, Burke could have been an option near the half way line.

The problem with bringing Leko or Burke on when the games is finely balanced is that they both could easily loose the ball in possession without tracking back either,Leko did exactly this in his last premier league game when Pulis introduced him,the opposition scored and it cost us

[pensnett stu]

Yes I remember that game Townsend took it off Leko ran most of the length of the pitch and not another Albion player bothered to tackle him and he scored, but Pulis blamed Leko and I think he never picked him again..Good job the likes of Statham, Robertson and Robson aren't around these days they'd have been loaned out, I wouldn't have seen 3 great baggies players.

[Hull Baggie]

The problem with bringing Leko or Burke on when the games is finely balanced is that they both could easily loose the ball in possession without tracking back either,Leko did exactly this in his last premier league game when Pulis introduced him,the opposition scored and it cost us

I never mentioned Leko. I wanted Burke on rather than Barry. The game wasn't finely balanced though was it? We were 2-0 up with 10 minutes to go and in control when Barry came on. We dropped back and pretty much stopped attacking ...and then Stoke scored.

[Atomic]

I never mentioned Leko. I wanted Burke on rather than Barry. The game wasn't finely balanced though was it? We were 2-0 up with 10 minutes to go and in control when Barry came on. We dropped back and pretty much stopped attacking ...and then Stoke scored.

I tend to agree with you.It's OK trying to protect a lead if that's what you want to do but you still have to have a threat otherwise you don't get out. Burke would've at least kept Stoke's centre backs honest knowing that his pace in behind could potentially hurt them.

Saturday was a very warm day and we worked very hard throughout the game. I think we tired the last ten minutes or so and Darren's decision to bring on old, slow legs just invited pressure.

[Oldbury24]

Don't really think there is a right or wrong answer to the substitutions question, its all about opinion.  HRK came on for Gayle, he doesn't offer the pace or spark but has scored two goals coming on as sub and showed some know-how to draw a few fouls and kill the game off in the last few minutes of injury time.

The one causing discussion, the Barry substitution, wasn't made until the 87th minute, and was a standard pack the midfield and "lets see the game out" kind of substitution.  This did draw some pressure, but it was working until JRods legs went (he did some miles on Saturday) and he just could not get to Pieters who hit a peach.    Burke for Barnes would have left us with three out and out attacking players on the pitch (Burke is no all rounder like Barnes).  Maybe we could have left Burke up top and played JRod and HRK deeper, but I can't say I'm sure that would have been the best decision.   

In conclusion, I have no conclusion as to the quality of these substitutions.  Conservative? yes probably. Poor or wrong? Not sure about that.

[divinewind]

We have to be pleased not just by the results but by the way we are attempting to play.
Both Darren Moore and the team are on a learning curve, and I think the mid table predictions are down to how long it would take to implement the transition, and so far we are exceeding expectations.
I do believe though that Darren Moore is the motivator and decision maker during games, while Jones is the tactician who gets us playing expansive football. No complaints from me if we carry on in this vein.

[Atomic]

We have to be pleased not just by the results but by the way we are attempting to play.
Both Darren Moore and the team are on a learning curve, and I think the mid table predictions are down to how long it would take to implement the transition, and so far we are exceeding expectations.
I do believe though that Darren Moore is the motivator and decision maker during games, while Jones is the tactician who gets us playing expansive football. No complaints from me if we carry on in this vein.

Brian Clough / Peter Taylor. That'll do for me. 

[Oldbury24]

We have to be pleased not just by the results but by the way we are attempting to play.
Both Darren Moore and the team are on a learning curve, and I think the mid table predictions are down to how long it would take to implement the transition, and so far we are exceeding expectations.
I do believe though that Darren Moore is the motivator and decision maker during games, while Jones is the tactician who gets us playing expansive football. No complaints from me if we carry on in this vein.

Totally agree, I'm very happy with the potential for this combination.  I would also say that Darren Moore will be no mug when it comes to tactics either, just less experienced than Jones in applying his ideas in a team environment.  This is a guy that was taking his coaching badges in his mid 20's, when he met Jones, and they obviously share an ideology on football tactics and how the game should in general should be played.   

[Cantello]

Can’t believe how much negativity there can be on this forum.  We’re a club in transition with a much loved manager playing football that can be an absolute joy to watch.  Work in progress but very much going the right way.

[Baggies]

Can’t believe how much negativity there can be on this forum.  We’re a club in transition with a much loved manager playing football that can be an absolute joy to watch.  Work in progress but very much going the right way.

It just opinions Cantello. People can say they feel the subs need improvements without it being all doom and gloom.

Near enough every Albion fan you meet, here and offline is happy with how great Saturday was.