[Vince Pinner]

Bottom line; we are in very safe hands with Pulis.  It probably won't be pretty - especially this season - but it beggars belief that people actually want him gone.

He's probably the best manager we've had since 2002 IMVFHO.

[The Black Pearl]

Bottom line; we are in very safe hands with Pulis.  It probably won't be pretty - especially this season - but it beggars belief that people actually want him gone.

He's probably the best manager we've had since 2002 IMVFHO.

No I agree, at times it will not be pretty, but I'm confident we will have enough good days.

Villa, with Dim Tim, I think are doomed.

[Standaman]

Pulis has never played attractive football with any of the clubs he has managed it has always been a style that values defensive solidity over everything else. Fine I accept that and there is no point in whining about it. It has generally been effective and as his supporters would say the results speak for themselves.

However when that defensive solidity is achieved at the expense of any attacking intent it is neither good to watch nor particularly effective. Playing two strikers in a rigid 4-4-2 is not a sign of attacking intent it is a tactical blunder given the personnel at his disposal and he has been criticised for that. If yesterday marks the beginning of a tactical shift then all well and good if it is another false dawn and we revert back to the obsolete thinking on display against Southampton and Port Vale then we will have a lot more discontent. 

Equally I do not accept that a coach must have his own players to work with before he can be judged effective or not. That is utter nonsense the mark of a good coach is to get the best out of what he has available because in many instances that is what they have to do. The luxury of a hand picked squad with all the players to a coaches exact requirement is a luxury few get even top coaches at the biggest clubs and almost never a Coach at a mid table premier league club.

Giving Pulis a free pass last season was understandable given the perilous state of the club he took over, but the opening weeks of the season we have regressed to the crudest of defensive football imaginable. Yesterday was a welcome relief and if we sustain that level of endeavor then I won't complain, no it is not like watching Brazil but I would never expect that. 

[glosterbaggie]

Pulis has never played attractive football with any of the clubs he has managed it has always been a style that values defensive solidity over everything else. Fine I accept that and there is no point in whining about it. It has generally been effective and as his supporters would say the results speak for themselves.

However when that defensive solidity is achieved at the expense of any attacking intent it is neither good to watch nor particularly effective. Playing two strikers in a rigid 4-4-2 is not a sign of attacking intent it is a tactical blunder given the personnel at his disposal and he has been criticised for that. If yesterday marks the beginning of a tactical shift then all well and good if it is another false dawn and we revert back to the obsolete thinking on display against Southampton and Port Vale then we will have a lot more discontent. 

Equally I do not accept that a coach must have his own players to work with before he can be judged effective or not. That is utter nonsense the mark of a good coach is to get the best out of what he has available because in many instances that is what they have to do. The luxury of a hand picked squad with all the players to a coaches exact requirement is a luxury few get even top coaches at the biggest clubs and almost never a Coach at a mid table premier league club.

Giving Pulis a free pass last season was understandable given the perilous state of the club he took over, but the opening weeks of the season we have regressed to the crudest of defensive football imaginable. Yesterday was a welcome relief and if we sustain that level of endeavor then I won't complain, no it is not like watching Brazil but I would never expect that.

Well I work with a Palace fan and bizarrely a Real Betis fan! (His brother lives in Seville) They both rate Pulis particularly the Palace fan who was very happy with the style of play under him.
I think it is the tools you have to work with and importantly who a manager trusts.

[OldburyWBA]

Pulis has never played attractive football with any of the clubs he has managed it has always been a style that values defensive solidity over everything else. Fine I accept that and there is no point in whining about it. It has generally been effective and as his supporters would say the results speak for themselves.

However when that defensive solidity is achieved at the expense of any attacking intent it is neither good to watch nor particularly effective. Playing two strikers in a rigid 4-4-2 is not a sign of attacking intent it is a tactical blunder given the personnel at his disposal and he has been criticised for that. If yesterday marks the beginning of a tactical shift then all well and good if it is another false dawn and we revert back to the obsolete thinking on display against Southampton and Port Vale then we will have a lot more discontent. 

Equally I do not accept that a coach must have his own players to work with before he can be judged effective or not. That is utter nonsense the mark of a good coach is to get the best out of what he has available because in many instances that is what they have to do. The luxury of a hand picked squad with all the players to a coaches exact requirement is a luxury few get even top coaches at the biggest clubs and almost never a Coach at a mid table premier league club.

Giving Pulis a free pass last season was understandable given the perilous state of the club he took over, but the opening weeks of the season we have regressed to the crudest of defensive football imaginable. Yesterday was a welcome relief and if we sustain that level of endeavor then I won't complain, no it is not like watching Brazil but I would never expect that.

You mean like he did at the end of last season ?

He's brought a few in during the first real window he has had (yes I know he had January but given he started on the 1st hard to evaluate a squad fully and make too many changes) and has just spent the first actual week he's been able to working with that full squad he now has.

We'll have abject days again and we'll have decent days, just like every other club does.

[BaggieBrainy]

The mans a genius time is all he asked

Haters going to hate but that's all good.

Caps on boys

Boing boing!

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Good to see nearly 75% in the pro Pulis camp but I suspect that percentage has increased significantly in the last 24 hours or so

[KnaveofAlbion]

Good to see nearly 75% in the pro Pulis camp but I suspect that percentage has increased significantly in the last 24 hours or so

My main issue has always been that it's very very ugly to watch and football should be entertainment.

Playing 5 in midfield, with Mozza in the 10 role, Saido out wide, joining up front when possible and the other wide guy getting involved (we really need another good winger) it then becomes a solid base with some potency in attack.

That I'm fine with, I'm totally on-board with conceding very few and scoring less as a result, but winning games and getting results. What I'm not on for is defending for our dear lives at Watford and not even trying to attack.

Like I said pre-season, we'll see where we are and how we're playing in October/November.

[Hong Kong Phooey]

My main issue has always been that it's very very ugly to watch and football should be entertainment.

Playing 5 in midfield, with Mozza in the 10 role, Saido out wide, joining up front when possible and the other wide guy getting involved (we really need another good winger) it then becomes a solid base with some potency in attack.

That I'm fine with, I'm totally on-board with conceding very few and scoring less as a result, but winning games and getting results. What I'm not on for is defending for our dear lives at Watford and not even trying to attack.

Like I said pre-season, we'll see where we are and how we're playing in October/November.

Watford were on a high after promotion and we had just come off the back of a masterclass from Manchester City.
Granted, we were well below par that day and Watford came out all guns blazing in the first 20 minutes to set the tone for their first home PL games for some time, but they and the other promoted sides have started well and look like they can compete at this level. Things may change as the leaves start falling in the coming months but they took advantage of the situation and made life difficult for us from the start and we had one of those days where we couldn't get going - as poor as we were, we still could have won it though!

[Standaman]

You mean like he did at the end of last season ?

He's brought a few in during the first real window he has had (yes I know he had January but given he started on the 1st hard to evaluate a squad fully and make too many changes) and has just spent the first actual week he's been able to working with that full squad he now has.

We'll have abject days again and we'll have decent days, just like every other club does.

I have never disputed that Pulis did well with the situation that he inherited and from the perspective of fixing something in a hurry last season was fine. Although I don't think the squad he inherited was quite as bad as some would make out and he shoehorned them into playing in a manner that they were ill equipped for (although I could level the same criticism at both of his predecessors) but at least it was effective.

Having had a window we went into the season still mired in the 4-4-2 set up but still without the key components to make that system work going forward.  i.e. no box to box midfielder(s) no number 10. Swapping Evans for Lescott made no difference to that it was an option that was available to him from the moment he walked through the door and certainly since the arrival of Rondom who is tailor made for the lone Centre Forward role.

Today we arrive at place we might have been for a while, the Villa game was a massive improvement on what had gone before and if we match that then I for one will not complain nor will I harp on about what might of been because what's gone is gone but I don't feel indebted to Pulis for doing it either.

He's not Corberan nor is he a naughty boy    

[OldburyWBA]

I think the squad was too comfy and needed a kick up the backside, a total shake up which they got and a few seemed to realise they had to put a bit more of an effort in and they were not going to be calling the shots anymore. He brought in Fletcher so we had a natural leader in the camp, someone for others to look upto who has been there and done it.

Bringing Evans in for Olsson is a winner all round, Olsson has been an excellent servant for this club and an absolute bargain for what we paid but things move on and its now the time for him to step back and sit on the bench.

The window has been a pain and given how much we have spent and how close to our ceiling we are its natural to start getting the back sorted first and then take it from there. If Spurs hadn't tried to pull one over us and actually offered something worthwhile upfront then Saido would have gone and we would have had acouple more in at least in the roles we need but for now we have to make do with what we've got until January at least and hope we find a mug to take Vic and see if anyone shows interest in any of the other squad players or if Spurs come ack with a decent offer.

Now Pulis has chance to work with the squad week in week out until the next international break. Evans has said he wants them to express themselves which doesn't sound like the Mr Negative he gets made out to be on here.

He's not perfect and some of his football has been awful but he's here, he has 4 clean sheets in 6 games and we've only conceded to last seasons Champions and Runners Up. Theres a few clubs in this league that would love to swop places with us at the moment.

I don't expect us to play like we did yesterday every week and I won't be throwing my toys out if we do go defensive at times, obviously i'd love us to play great football but the squad needs work over a period of time.

[glosterbaggie]

I think the squad was too comfy and needed a kick up the backside, a total shake up which they got and a few seemed to realise they had to put a bit more of an effort in and they were not going to be calling the shots anymore. He brought in Fletcher so we had a natural leader in the camp, someone for others to look upto who has been there and done it.

Bringing Evans in for Olsson is a winner all round, Olsson has been an excellent servant for this club and an absolute bargain for what we paid but things move on and its now the time for him to step back and sit on the bench.

The window has been a pain and given how much we have spent and how close to our ceiling we are its natural to start getting the back sorted first and then take it from there. If Spurs hadn't tried to pull one over us and actually offered something worthwhile upfront then Saido would have gone and we would have had acouple more in at least in the roles we need but for now we have to make do with what we've got until January at least and hope we find a mug to take Vic and see if anyone shows interest in any of the other squad players or if Spurs come ack with a decent offer.

Now Pulis has chance to work with the squad week in week out until the next international break. Evans has said he wants them to express themselves which doesn't sound like the Mr Negative he gets made out to be on here.

He's not perfect and some of his football has been awful but he's here, he has 4 clean sheets in 6 games and we've only conceded to last seasons Champions and Runners Up. Theres a few clubs in this league that would love to swop places with us at the moment.

I don't expect us to play like we did yesterday every week and I won't be throwing my toys out if we do go defensive at times, obviously i'd love us to play great football but the squad needs work over a period of time.

Indeed some you win some you lose. Over the season I expect him to put a side out that will do the business.

[Baggieblood]

I was at watford, and i must have imagined the sitter berahino missed with his head, as we couldn't have been attacking as pulis tells his players not to attack and score goals.

The pulis haters remind me have the wenger haters who want instant and deride him despite him giving them a state of the art ground (best i've been too) and keep them in top 3 and debt free.

Pulis has been in charge a about 30 games and should be supported not hammered.

There's one tw?? called eddie who goes on the  radio wm phone in every weekday to  tell all and sundry "i told you this is the football pulis plays.".

Like the rest of didn't know his reputation at Stoke and needed this sandwell nostradamus to enlighten us every night with his insights.

He's an embarrassing imo.

[crazedwbafan18]

I was at watford, and i must have imagined the sitter berahino missed with his head, as we couldn't have been attacking as pulis tells his players not to attack and score goals.

The pulis haters remind me have the wenger haters who want instant and deride him despite him giving them a state of the art ground (best i've been too) and keep them in top 3 and debt free.

Pulis has been in charge a about 30 games and should be supported not hammered.

There's one tw?? called eddie who goes on the  radio wm phone in every weekday to  tell all and sundry "i told you this is the football pulis plays.".

Like the rest of didn't know his reputation at Stoke and needed this sandwell nostradamus to enlighten us every night with his insights.

He's an embarrassing imo.

Pardon?

[wappingbaggie]

I'm pro because under previous managers I just got tired of seeing our keeper pick the ball out of the back of our net. I love it that we give the other fans nothing to cheer about and I love it that we dont have to score 2 or 3 to get a win or even a draw.

[GrGr]

I am not anti-Pulis. I am anti-Pulisball. I am anti-Pulisball for the simple reason it is effective up to a point (low/midtable) and mostly because it is dire to watch. I am not interested in being bored to tears by Albion. We have been a Prem team for six seasons and have mostly survived comfortably even with flawed teams. If Pulis plays decent, well-balanced football that includes incisive attacking, I have no problem with him.

Someone mentioned Clarke. Clarke was a poor head coach but he was fortunate enough to inherit the most balanced Albion side we have had in the Prem. We had a cutting edge going forward and solidity defending. As a result we shot up the table. Then Gera got injured and the team gradually fell apart for various reasons but that is another story.

[GrGr]

I'm pro because under previous managers I just got tired of seeing our keeper pick the ball out of the back of our net. I love it that we give the other fans nothing to cheer about and I love it that we dont have to score 2 or 3 to get a win or even a draw.

I am not a sadist so I don't care about hurting the fans of other teams.

I like it when we score goals, the more the merrier. That doesn't mean I don't like seeing us defend well either. In fact I hate sloppy, idiotic defending probably as much as old TP does.

[Baggieblood]

Like clarke followed hodgson, hughes followed pulis.

Look Stoke now pulis's signing have gone or are injured.

Hughes signings like centre halves like muniesa and wothshied are not as good as shawcross or huth so the lose games or give up 2 nil leads to draw games.

I'd love to see how many games pulis drew or lost from being 2 nil up.

[VVVAlbion]

Like clarke followed hodgson, hughes followed pulis.

Look Stoke now pulis's signing have gone or are injured.

Hughes signings like centre halves like muniesa and wothshied are not as good as shawcross or huth so the lose games or give up 2 nil leads to draw games.

I'd love to see how many games pulis drew or lost from being 2 nil up.

To draw or lose from 2 nil up you first of all have to be two nil up. 

I cannot speak for everyone,  as some try to do, but nobody should want Pulis to do badly because it will generally mean West Brom are doing badly. Pulis is the first coach since Ardiles and his diamond midfield that has a style of play named after him. I disagree with that "style" of football and don't want it to be come associated with West Bromwich Albion FC (which will still be here long after TP). The game against Villa was a small step away from that style but TP still has a long way to go to show that he is moving away from his cynical and over defensive style of play. Time and a place.

[BobTaylor]

8 points from 6 games is very good i must say and i dont think we will get to far away from that ratio after 38 games.

A stoke fan said the thing with Pulis is he always picks up points along the way and never goes to many matches without getting a result which if you consider the factor of how many clean sheets we will keep that alone backs up hes statement.

Add an onside Berahino to the fold and we have a unit that will be around the 13th/14th mark come end of the season im guessing.

Been there and proved what hes about Mr Pulis and while the factor of an unproved man like Sherwood is interesting and exciting at first if it doesn't come off you will suddenly feel a tad worried to say the least.

A lot of how we progress from turgid football and grinding out results to stay up depends on two things i cant help but feel, Rondon and whether he can take to the league being the first, The second Pulis need to be courageous and take a couple of more risks especially at home.

This is my overall opinion after what six games still very early and Saturday was a fantastic win from Pulis and the players we played very well indeed.

[OldburyWBA]

Interesting comment from Darren Fletcher after Saturdays game on the official site


"This is the standard that we need to set for ourselves now. This is the way the manager wants us to play. We've been finding it hard to strike that balance between keeping clean sheets and being defensively solid but also being a threat. But I think we struck that balance perfectly at Villa.
"Those are the standards that we need to meet going forward if we want to have a good season.”

Shows that Pulis is not the one dimension bloke he gets made out to be and he doesn't want us always to be the defensive side, some games we will be no doubt as football does always pan out how you want it to.

[WestBromJim]

I agree with a previous poster,

We will not 'out skill' most teams with the players available, so it stands to reason we should make it as hard as possible for the opposition to 'out skill ' us.

I think if he has the opportunity to develop the squad (considering GMac, Ollson and a couple others) are coming to the twilight of their career, I feel it may be interesting times.

Hope we intergrate some of our very talented youth players.

[BobTaylor]

Interesting comment from Darren Fletcher after Saturdays game on the official site


"This is the standard that we need to set for ourselves now. This is the way the manager wants us to play. We've been finding it hard to strike that balance between keeping clean sheets and being defensively solid but also being a threat. But I think we struck that balance perfectly at Villa.
"Those are the standards that we need to meet going forward if we want to have a good season.”

Shows that Pulis is not the one dimension bloke he gets made out to be and he doesn't want us always to be the defensive side, some games we will be no doubt as football does always pan out how you want it to.

I have no issues with that approach we had it very successfully under uncle Roy however against Southampton i must say it looked like we was happy to take the point, Generally lack of urgency and defensive subs is nullifying our threat going forward.

I dont think we will see 2/3 goal scorelines but as long as we show some intent that will win fans over myself included in time.

[labaggies]

After 57 years of very regular attendance, over 50 as a season ticket and shareholder, I do not attend because of Pulis. I detested him and the football he played at Stoke, and I made a very hard decision, that I am not a hypocrite, and will stay away from the Hawthorns until he leaves.

[richjonawba]

Interesting comment from Darren Fletcher after Saturdays game on the official site


"This is the standard that we need to set for ourselves now. This is the way the manager wants us to play. We've been finding it hard to strike that balance between keeping clean sheets and being defensively solid but also being a threat. But I think we struck that balance perfectly at Villa.
"Those are the standards that we need to meet going forward if we want to have a good season.”

Shows that Pulis is not the one dimension bloke he gets made out to be and he doesn't want us always to be the defensive side, some games we will be no doubt as football does always pan out how you want it to.

Jonny Evans said something similar in his interview with the BBC.

"the manager has put a lot of confidence in the lads this week, he has encouraged the lads to get on the ball and express themselves"

But, but, but Pulis hates football, Pulis wants us to give the ball away every time he gets it, he shouts at players who pass it to an Albion player, doesn't want them to cross the halfway line.