1

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Brandon Thomas-Asante

« on: April 14, 2024, 12:53:05 PM »

Didn’t even look bothered that he was sent off.

I would say from what people say behind the scenes about his character that he would certainly have been bothered in the knowledge that he cost us the game.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Atmosphere at Home Games

« on: April 05, 2024, 04:47:54 PM »

By reading the other comments on this thread, I'm glad that other Baggies feel the same way.

It was when BTA missed that clear cut chance in the first half (who, may I remind people, made that goalscoring chance himself) and the outpouring of pure venom that came from a section of 'fans' near me was unpleasant to say the least. He had a poor game, for sure, and we all know he is not up to the standard to lead a line and score 20+ goals for a promotion-chasing team but he's one of us. Give him some support.

Another one from Saturday: screaming at Palmer, one of our better performers this season, swearing at him, for passing the ball out to the CBs but then repeating this for when he hits it long and finds one of their players or the touchline. When will some people understand that this is how we play now - it isn't going to change.

Trust the manager, back the players and enjoy what has been a season above all expectations. The players are a likeable bunch, giving it their all for the shirt and we've had plenty of groups, especially in recent history, where that simply has not been the case.

3

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: April 01, 2024, 08:19:20 PM »

A poor, poor performance against a combative and physical Watford team that broke well. However, an utterly vital point, with a super contribution from Diangana coming on from the bench.

However, I've said this in another thread: the atmosphere was dreadful today. There is a sense of entitlement in some sections of the fan base at the moment that I've found difficult to look past.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Atmosphere at Home Games

« on: April 01, 2024, 08:15:41 PM »

A frustrating game today, for sure. The performance, like the first half of Millwall, wasn't anywhere near the level, with the majority of the XI nowhere near their best.

However, I am finding it really difficult with large sections of 'fans' around my seat. I appreciate that the Albion can be a place to let off some steam from a week at work; and when there is time to give criticism at games, I'm one of the first. With our superb home record, I get the impression people just turn up and expect us to win, but teams like Watford are littered with Premier League players - they just lack consistency.

BTA has huge limitations as a footballer and he should have buried that one in the first half. Yet, even after he scored an excellent goal to get us back in the game, when he misplaced a simple ball, there were people swearing and screaming for him to be taken off. I'm also no Adam Reach fan but to boo an Albion player coming on, when we're 5th in the league? I find it really difficult to sit and listen to. Funnily enough, he actually played quite well.

Wondering if I am the only one here?

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: March 29, 2024, 06:22:00 PM »

Would have took a point before the game and was happy with it in the end.

Milwall were fantastic in the first half; their 'back-to'basics' approach gave us real trouble. We were sloppy and deserved to perhaps be losing by more than 1 by HT.

Second half, like Huddersfield, we improved and credit to Diangana for his trickery as he was about as bad as it gets in the first. Was bemused when Corberan continued to keep him on the pitch.

Fellows injected energy and credit to BTA: he battled, held the ball up well and applied much-needed pressure to their physical CBs.

We move.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Jed Wallace

« on: March 29, 2024, 06:18:36 PM »

I do think Wallace is sacrificing himself in order to do a job for the team at the moment. So, when I see others in the goals, a lot of it, IMO, is down to his clever movement and runs off the ball, making space for his teammates.

But there is something about this Millwall fixture. He's played how many now? Four? And he hasn't had a kick in any of them. They always seem to have his number.

It was frustrating to watch today.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Grady Diangana

« on: March 29, 2024, 06:15:47 PM »

I thought he and Wallace were utterly awful in that first half but he found something in the second. Credit to him for the skill that won us the penalty and, overall, an important point.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Mikey Johnston joins on loan (Official!)

« on: March 10, 2024, 09:00:12 PM »

Just enjoy him playing well and being here atm.

This obsession with demanding we sign a player, at all costs, because they’ve scored a few goals is just silly. Who knows what our situation, league, budget is?

He’s playing well and that’s all that matters at the moment. Long may it continue.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Okay Yokuslu

« on: March 10, 2024, 01:54:30 PM »

Should be off and being rested now we are 1 4 up.

YM should be coming on.

He prioritised other subs, such as ensuring that Furlong didn't get his 2 game ban having his 10th yellow of the season.

Would have been nice to have seen M'Villa, mind.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Alex Palmer

« on: March 10, 2024, 01:52:20 PM »

A poor piece of goalkeeping in the first half but an excellent second, making a few great saves.

No keeper in the Championship is perfect and if he was faultless, he would be playing Premier League football.

The goalkeeper is not a worry, IMO.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Mikey Johnston joins on loan (Official!)

« on: February 17, 2024, 03:02:18 PM »

Looked very impressive, beating his man numerous times. His lack of end product - a pass, cross, shot - concerned me but we definitely have something to work with here.

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: February 16, 2024, 11:11:09 PM »

Love our manager but there were some extremely strange decisions tonight (decisions that I believe he would have made regardless of his sending off).

That treble substitution was pure footballing suicide.

1. Callum Marshall, as I've said before, is a great sub if you're winning a game and he has to work hard to protect a lead. However, he isn't a game changer and he simply looked lost out there. I can't believe Weimann didn't get on the pitch but  I have seen one or two state that he was injured?

2. Playing Diangana and Marshall together. One has been away for the last two weeks and I doubt at this moment in time that there is any cohesion or synergy between these two players.

3. Adam Reach. Again, fine to bring on to protect a lead as a defensive winger but come on - he offers utterly no threat whatsoever.

It was only 1-0 at this stage of the game and we were still in it. A mad treble sub that gave them the platform to toy with us at the end.

Need to dust ourselves down and go again. The manager is always learning and I hope this has continued tonight.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Action For Albion/ Potential Takeover

« on: February 15, 2024, 11:40:00 PM »

BOING BLOODY BOING!

What an atmosphere it’s going to be tomorrow.

Immense news and, fingers crossed, a brighter future.

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: February 13, 2024, 10:40:45 PM »

Marshall has played the least minutes of the 3 though. Would like him to get a good run out

10 minutes from the bench here and there is exactly what he was brought in to do, I think.

Come on, work hard and try and - hopefully more often than not - see a result out.

Not sure starting as the lone forward in this team with what we have to play for at the moment is the right call.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tom Fellows

« on: February 10, 2024, 08:42:15 PM »

Was surprised how he out muscled their players on a few occasions today

He was comfortably second best for that ball. A quite outstanding goal and he's improving week by week. It was just a shame we couldn't find that ball for him on the break much after that goal.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Daryl Dike

« on: February 10, 2024, 03:10:39 PM »

Seems a great bloke and it was really difficult to see him react like that.

If it's a bad one, not sure where he or the club goes from here.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next 5 Games.

« on: February 04, 2024, 07:09:55 PM »

Tough run next 5 games, we certainly need a couple of big performances to see us through, I'd take 8 points as a reasonable return and hoping we don't lose to play off rivals Hull or Coventry.

Ipswich (A) -- Draw
Cardiff (H) -- Win
Southampton (H) Loss (the leagues inform team atm)
Hull (A) Draw
Coventry (H) Win

As good as Saints are at the moment, an unbelievable team at this level, there's more chance of us taking zilch away from home than losing that game at the moment. At home, being disciplined, we give anybody a game.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Andi Weimann signs on loan official

« on: February 04, 2024, 11:41:58 AM »

Excellent, Kevin Phillips style goal. Didn't need to give the 1-0 signal to the Blues supporters at the end of the game though.

I thought with last week's trouble it probably wasn't a good idea but he took some stick from the Blues fans, so he simply gave it back. Also, thinking back to their 3-1 win, Sanderson and co didn't half give it the 'big one' to the away fans for the goals. So, if you give it out, you've got to take it.

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: February 03, 2024, 07:12:40 PM »

Great to win but probably didn't do quite enough to justify the 3 points - but we'll take it and move!

Firstly, can somebody tell me how Ivan Sunjic survived being booked!? He committed at least 4/5 fouls and two of them were proper, blatant pull backs and trips. Honestly, couldn't believe my eyes.

Fellows easily M.O.T.M. Terrorised their full backs and I'm pretty sure they made a sub to try and deal with him. He's getting better by the week.

A few had off days (Swift - again - Kipre and BTA) and the passing, overall, was awful from the majority of the team.

I actually thought the choice of sub and doing them all so close to each other disjointed us but great to see Weimann doing exactly what Corberan brought him in to do. He spoke about playing him in the number 10 role, making late runs in the box and the finish looked a classic Weimann finish - instinctive.

The main thing was getting a little bit of revenge back on the Blues and that was mission complete. 

20

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Okay Yokuslu

« on: January 29, 2024, 06:46:46 PM »

He was superb yesterday, alongside Mowatt who was also very good aside from that ridiculous corner. Yokuslu is one of our very few (may be our only) Premier League standard players.

Deserved a lot of praise for his performance yesterday. Appeared to come in and out of a back three. There isn't a player in this league that uses their body to protect and shield the ball better than he does. Without him, we simply cannot play the way Corberan wants us too.

21

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tom Fellows

« on: January 29, 2024, 06:45:38 PM »

I've really enjoyed his performances in the last month or so but I agreed with Corberan yesterday than we needed something from the bench. Football is a squad game and with tired legs, he's a great sub. Wolves reacted to his introduction by bringing on Ait Nouri. Unfortunately for us, it didn't quite go to plan in the end.

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: January 28, 2024, 07:31:35 PM »

Thought we matched them but we were poorer in both boxes: had plenty of touches in their box but didn't make enough of them.

I sit in the old 'Apollo' corner and it was all caused by one Wolves fan. When they scored the 2nd, he gave it the biggun then sat back down. Fans, aggressively, called stewards and police over to get him out then when he knew his game was up, he 'shushed' the Albion lot in the Brummie and that was when it became a free for all - any Albion fan who wanted a bit pre-match went for it.

Ugly, but one Wolves fan lit the match. He knew it, too, as when the pile on ensued, his face could not have changed quicker.

Anyway, back to the game, we were unlucky but a classic Championship v Premier League team. A few moral victories and we move on.

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: January 24, 2024, 08:39:39 PM »

As Gazberg says Sunday is a free hit.

Just don't play like you all did at Norwich, boys.

The 'free hit' nags me a bit as, yeah, we are the underdogs and expected to lose.

But it certainly won't feel like a 'free hit' if the Smethwick is taking the p**** if they're battering us, that's for sure!

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Kyle Bartley

« on: January 23, 2024, 08:55:43 PM »

Like above, I can't believe I'd be saying this but, purely in terms of what we would lose on the pitch, he'd be a massive loss, particularly at this stage of the season. However, in financial terms, if there was any kind of fee at all and we wiped his wages from the weekly bill, the club would save a fortune.

The Luton links make sense. They're big on data and, overall, savvy recruiters. Sitting in a deep block, in the middle of a back three, he'd do a reasonable job I think.

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: January 20, 2024, 05:00:55 PM »

Based on this performance we haven't a chance against The Dingles

Although the away form is dreadful, we are a different animal at home. We'll be more competitive, that's for sure.