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Last Match Forum - 01/10 Middlesbrough (H) / Re: After Match Debate

« on: October 01, 2024, 11:23:57 PM »

Very, very poor.

Plus points: Mowatt was fantastic, always looking to move the ball and he was the only one who could find a pass. Palmer kept us in it with a few wonderful saves.

Negative points: Terrible performances by literally everybody else. Felt for Wallace but his finishing is nowhere near at it. Special mention to MJ, too, for arguably the worst performance by a substitute since the infamous sub appearance of Giles Barnes in the 3-3 with West Ham many years ago.

It's imperative we bounce back against a Millwall team that we never, ever beat at home...

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Last Match Forum - 28/09 Sheffield Wednesday (A) / Re: After Match Debate

« on: September 28, 2024, 02:35:05 PM »

This defeat is down to Corberan.
Should never have changed the defence when we were back in the game especially taking semi off who was our best defender today
Midfield was pish poor first half but injuries might have swayed selection, Racic doesn’t look capable of playing in that 2 with swift in front of him goes missing too much
I would argue diakite was let down by Racic even though he was poor himself
Other than Ajayi te other 3 defenders were really poor defensively
Our lack of cohesion meant fellows and grant saw little of the ball and fellows really struggled against there left back but fair play kept plugging away getting another assist
Overall we deserved nothing but so disappointing when you look like you have salvaged a point
I think there manager is doing a decent job and will get a better job eventually because Wednesday are a poor team individually

Not sure about this. We were 2-1 down and he brought on a player known for his attacking potential at LB for the final 10 minutes or so. Corberan has made some bad calls today - like many of our players on the pitch - but I didn't think this was one of them.

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Last Match Forum - 28/09 Sheffield Wednesday (A) / Re: After Match Debate

« on: September 28, 2024, 02:33:35 PM »

Criminal, utterly criminal to lose that 3-2 straight after equalising. How they wriggle their way down into that position on the left hand side with Bannan in acres of space to deliver a tap in is beyond me.

Our game management, continuously giving away free-kicks, giving them chance to kill the game, was also very poor.

Really bad day with the better team winning.

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Last Match Forum - 28/09 Sheffield Wednesday (A) / Re: In Game Chat

« on: September 28, 2024, 01:52:15 PM »

Said it earlier on - identical game to last season. Bartley misses another header, like Ajayi in the first half.

Not our day and some serious food for thought for Corberan with some shocking individual performances.

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Last Match Forum - 28/09 Sheffield Wednesday (A) / Re: In Game Chat

« on: September 28, 2024, 01:12:58 PM »

Identical game to last season.

For all our poor play, ball not falling for us, they’re heading everything away, our set pieces are impotent and their keeper is making stops when he needs to. Frustrating.

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Last Match Forum - 28/09 Sheffield Wednesday (A) / Re: In Game Chat

« on: September 28, 2024, 01:02:48 PM »

Midfield absolutely awful. Left way too much space when we don’t have the ball and when on it, think they have more time than they do.

Rotation needed perhaps but neither covering themselves in glory today.

Sheff Wed xG of 0.04 with 2 goals though 

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan

« on: September 22, 2024, 06:48:35 PM »

Another win. Think he makes life harder for himself and us by the sheer amount of subs he makes but he keeps winning so can't really complain too much.

At times, true, but he's got to keep a squad happy where he has (rightly, btw) only made one change to the starting line up in six games. It's a fine balancing act.

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: September 21, 2024, 06:42:47 PM »

Deserved to win and if we had a bit better luck, could have scored 3/4 in the first half. However, they had chances and I was really surprised with the quality of their performance - both wingers, Cissoko and Whittaker (he's a class above), were always a threat.

Great ball from Racic for the goal and great to see 'Johnny-on-the-spot' Maja finally get his goal.

However, I have to have a little moan about other fans by me. The constant moaning about playing out from the back, Swift coming deep for the ball, Palmer not kicking it long etc. is a joke. It's how we play and if people can't accept that after we've had Corberan for nearly two seasons and currently sitting top of the league, then I'm not quite sure what to say.

On Swift: he didn't play well and he isn't getting goals and assists but our success as a team has involved him coming deep, dragging people with him and giving further space to the wide players to stretch the game.

Boing boing!

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Josh Maja joins Albion

« on: September 16, 2024, 09:45:15 PM »

If anybody listens to the Not The Top 20 podcast, they did a stats section focussing on Maja's start to the season. It isn't just his goals - his 'expected assists' and crossing numbers are very positive, which shows he is doing more than just hitting the back of the net. Colby Bishop, the injured Pompey striker, commented on his great link up play y'day, too.

Up The Major!

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: September 15, 2024, 08:04:01 PM »

Great result and, overall, a really good performance.

Think a better team scores at least one, maybe two, in that 20-minute period of pressure in the first half. However, credit to our two CBs - they dominated aerially and never really looked troubled.

As said in the Mowatt thread, I thought he was sensational. He controlled that game second half and started most moves. Of course, his two goals are right out of the top drawer. Furlong was his usual consistent self, too.

Nice to see us turn into a bit of a 'team of ****housery'. Furlong right amongst it 

Really, really positive stuff.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Alex Mowatt

« on: September 15, 2024, 08:00:00 PM »

Sensational performance - regardless of the goals. He controlled that game in the second half.

He has done wonders as a deep-lying playmaker but if he can chip in with that wand of a left foot, it gives us another threat at the top end of the pitch.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Karlan Grant

« on: September 15, 2024, 07:56:55 PM »

His position to lose at the moment - and, boy, do we have some competition.

He looks dangerous when he's progressing the ball up the pitch and his crossing is of good quality, too.

This competition for places, particularly on the wings, can only drive others on.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: John Swift

« on: September 01, 2024, 06:33:21 PM »

This will continue until Racic is starting every game, Racic can take the ball from the keeper and defenders on the half turn and bring the ball out where as Mowatt and Molumby prefer the picture in front of them.

Molumby has been very good but by playing him you also compromise the system at the same time. I would imagine if he has a few bad games he will be replaced by Racic and wont get back in.

Bang on.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Brandon Thomas-Asante Joins Coventry City

« on: September 01, 2024, 06:15:32 PM »

Can be no sensible comparison between him and BTA, one has ability and the other is absolutely awful as a footballer, and after his parting comments about CC I would question his personality too as it wasn’t CC’s tactics that prevented him scoring more goals for us, the amount of utter sitters he spurned. I hope the lad rots at Coventry where he currently can’t get anything more than ten/fifteen minutes in meaningful games.

Maja has been sensational this season. His assist for Molumby yesterday was nothing short of sublime

What's this all about!? The bloke lacked quality, missed sitters, but was thrust into that position as we had NOBODY else. He did himself proud and we were lucky to make decent money from him.

Entitled to your opinion but if you don't like BTA as a person and respect what he did do at a time of crisis for our club, you aren't going to like many footballers...

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Jed Wallace

« on: August 30, 2024, 11:15:30 PM »

As much as it would have done us a favour having his wages off the financial outgoings, his leadership will be vital with so many new players coming into the squad. Hoping he gets his head down and rises to the challenge of, for the first time in an Albion shirt, him now now being a regular starter.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Grady Diangana

« on: August 26, 2024, 10:30:21 PM »

I thought Dike was at Ipswich/Portman Road??

The injury before that (there have been quite a few, tbf).

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: John Swift

« on: August 17, 2024, 06:15:49 PM »

I don't rate Grady in the No10 role he loses the ball far too easily and leaves us open to breakaways it's not his natural position Swift for me in that role.

I agree with this about Grady (and Swift) but having this discussion with a family member today, I think the number 10 (unless they're top, top class) is always going to look like they lose the ball more than most players as they look to take the ball in dangerous areas, often in teams with two sitting midfielders, more than any other player in any other position.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: John Swift

« on: August 17, 2024, 05:03:31 PM »

I'm a bit confused as I thought he took the ball in tight spaces and progressed us up the pitch. He had one moment where he lost the ball very casually in the first half but those are two solid performances in the league for me.

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: August 17, 2024, 03:32:21 PM »

Shocking performance, how can you try not to win a home game?

Entitled to your opinion but in mine this is way over the top.

Yes, Leeds aren't in a great place at the moment (it's been two games and they battered Pompey) but their first XI and subs that came on are still extremely strong.

Thought we controlled the game and you could see what we were trying to do: draw them out and expose their high line with Fellows, Grant and Maja running in behind. We just didn't have the quality to break them down and create clear enough chances - although Molumby's and Grant's were reasonable.

If you can't win it, don't lose it and a clean sheet - with a fantastic individual performance from Ajayi - gives us something to build upon. Credit to Swift as he was always looking to get us up the pitch.

Losing 3 first-teamers and with a lack of transfer activity, 4 points from two difficult first games is a great return.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Torbjorn Heggem joins Albion

« on: August 17, 2024, 03:21:58 PM »

Thought he did well today but the praise I've seen on X perhaps a little over the top?

Out of position, handled both wingers well but doesn't look fantastic on the ball.

Still, a very strong start.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Semi Ajayi

« on: August 17, 2024, 03:20:24 PM »

Excellent start to the season. Keep it up

Yeah, he was fantastic today. Looked to get forward and progressed the ball up the pitch well, too. Hopefully himself and Bartley can rebuild a once solid partnership.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan

« on: August 15, 2024, 11:58:46 AM »

Cracking post this is mate.

There is always a clamour to play the kids, this is a competition to play them in at first team level during the season. I'd like to think we would take the FA Cup more seriously though.

Some young players have shown that they are on the right track for more first team involvement, others showed they need a loan.

As much as we wanted to win, it was a good exercise to see where these lads are.

I agree with what you're saying to an extent but just to look at it from another angle: play a slightly stronger team, with a better blend of first team and youth and give yourself a better chance of winning. Some of these players can come off from the bench and with a win, we would have had Rotherham at home in the next round. The result? We now have another game against lower league opposition (who, with Steve Evans as manager, would have certainly played a weaker side themselves) for the younger players to gain further experience.

For me, even with the subs, it felt a complete sacrifice.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Carlos Corberan

« on: August 14, 2024, 04:11:37 PM »

As previous posts show, i am a big Corberan fan but last night did annoy me.

Its like deja vu and somewhere along the line its now become the norm for a lot of clubs to not take the cups serious, they have 25 man squads but apparently cant be expected to try to win more than one competition.

I have no issue with playing the youngsters and squad players, see what they can do, but why not have some first teamers on the bench to help them if they are struggling like they were last night.

We could have 4-5 senior players, any number of which could of come on half time or after an hour and try to turn it round, there is no guarentee they would of but at least give it a go. If you do get through then the next round do the same again, which gets the youngsters and squad players more competitive minutes, instead they played last night and thats it til possibly the FA cup for a lot of them.

I think the whole too may games thing is an excuse anyway, its said enough that its now believed, but even so to put it in context we arent in the thick of things fixture wise, we have played one game, we play once a week for the next three weeks and then have a two week international break! So if the senior players cant do sn extra 30-45 minutes i would question our fitness regime.

People say about risking injuries but the players are running, tackling, etc every day in training, they do that 3 or 4 times a week yet there is more risk of getting injured in one game? Yes its more intense in a game but injuries can happen anytime, nowadays injuries are rarely from bad tackles (Maja may disagree) but we have saved players for saturday yet there is just as much chance somebody can get injured against Leeds.

I also dont think CC sets a good example to the youngsters and squad players who are trying to impress him by sitting there sulking with a face like a smacked backside, he is usually an animated coach but he just sat there like he couldnt care less, he did the same last season but it doesnt make it right, its not a friendly, its a competitive game where players are representing the club, fans have paid good money to go and watch and yet the main man, the leader just sits there like he would rather be anywhere else.

I hate all this supposed sending a message to the board, etc its a game of football, try and win, make your point to them directly, not by forefitting a match.

I wouldnt judge any player too much last night, they were thrown together, for some the highest level they will of played infront of a coach who didnt want to be there, they need games and minutes, Whitwell was the standout and he has been well thought of for a long time by the club and you could see why.

Dobbin seems to of got the most stick, worth pointing out that he was solely a Corberan signing, Emery at Villa recommended him, CC and Emery get on well so we took Dobbin, again too early to judge but if he does turn out rubbish, thats solely on CC!

Despite all the above i still think CC is the best thing we have on the playing / coaching side but in my opinion he isnt exempt from criticism for the issues raised!

A long post to quote but entirely sums up my thoughts and feelings about the game, Corberan and the team selection last night. Top post. Like many others, I'm a raving Corberan fan but if (as we hear so much) he expects intensity, application and 100% full commitment in every training session from his team, why did he act so differently with his team and personal attitude/body language last night?

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: August 13, 2024, 10:00:30 PM »

I'll start with the positives: thought Heard and Whitwell played really well, very tidy on the ball, with the latter showing the ability to drive forwards. Faal took his goal well albeit there was some sloppy hold-up play on show after that.

But I can't help but feel that was the manager making a point. You can give youngsters the opportunity to play but they need some experience around them and I made the point in the pre-match thread that there simply was not enough of this in the starting XI. Even to have had a few of them to come off the bench and affect the game when we were losing could have helped.

Early days but I wasn't too impressed with Dobbin or Fabrotta - both looked poor on the ball.

Finally, the management team - why were they so passive? Corberan didn't get up once and there was a lack of direction (when there is usually animation and intensity) from the sidelines. It fuels the fire of rumours about CC not being happy.

Other than some exerience for younger players, a poor night.

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Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: August 13, 2024, 09:03:10 PM »

The coaching staff seem extremely passive. Don’t think I’ve seen them get up to instruct - Corberan or his staff - once yet.