[lewisant]

Can we keep it civil guys? Having differing opinions is fine but argue your point and not the person.

For what it’s worth I’m not a Townsend fan, I think defensively his positional sense just isn’t there. I don’t think he’s a bad excuse for a player and he tries however we’ve been poor in full back areas for so long now. Kind of like a microcosm of our fall from grace.

[smethwickw]

We don't have any player that a string of clubs are queuing up to take of our hands. we've no-one else to play at LB besides having no money to replace him.

We have Pipa who if deemed no better then begs the question why on earth did we sign him?

[timdon]

Can we keep it civil guys? Having differing opinions is fine but argue your point and not the person.

For what it’s worth I’m not a Townsend fan, I think defensively his positional sense just isn’t there. I don’t think he’s a bad excuse for a player and he tries however we’ve been poor in full back areas for so long now. Kind of like a microcosm of our fall from grace.

And yet we have the third best defensive record in the division, behind only Leicester and Leeds. You really wouldn't expect this if our full backs were so poor. Perhaps, just maybe, they aren't as bad as you think 

[caravanc58]

We have Pipa who if deemed no better then begs the question why on earth did we sign him?

He was signed for his versatility "Pipa is a player we signed as a right-back but we know he can play left-back, right wing-back and left wing-back," Corberan said of him. "He's not natural to play as a winger, but when you don't have more possibilities he is one player that has a level of versatility that can help the team in different circumstances."

[Blowee]

I’ve never been a huge fan of Townsend. However, there’s no such thing as a bad footballer playing football at this level for so long. It’s all relative. He’s had good matches and poor ones. He’s made mistakes and been a hero. It’s just the way sport goes. Quite often players look good or bad based on who they are up against that day, the formation and who they have playing around them in support.

[alex1]

I think he is, at best,  mediocre as an attacking player.  He doesn't provide enough variety with his crosses. These trademark high floating crosses to the far post would be ideal if we had a striker like Astle moving in on goal. The reality is though, that none of our forwards are any good at heading. He needs to cut the ball back more often. Wallace and Swift have combined to score a fair number of goals just by passing to feet.

[lewisant]

And yet we have the third best defensive record in the division, behind only Leicester and Leeds. You really wouldn't expect this if our full backs were so poor. Perhaps, just maybe, they aren't as bad as you think 

Just my opinion but I’d say we’ve done well defensively because of the way we play as a unit and not because of the individuals at our disposal. It can, however help to have better individuals and I’d argue that with the way we play that if we had James Justin we’d probably have the best defence in the league.

[timdon]

Just my opinion but I’d say we’ve done well defensively because of the way we play as a unit and not because of the individuals at our disposal. It can, however help to have better individuals and I’d argue that with the way we play that if we had James Justin we’d probably have the best defence in the league.

Wriggle wriggle  We play well as a unit because we have the players who have the skills necessary to put CC's tactics into practice I would say. None of Townsend, Furlong, Kipre, Bartley or any other defenders at our disposal are world beaters but they are more than adequate at this level.

[MarkW]

I don't want to move this conversation too far away from Conor, but I was looking back through our full backs from recent seasons, and there aren't many good ones, or least, few that have universally been appreciated.

Before Townsend and Furlong we had:

Gibbs - some would say lightweight in the tackle and injury prone
Ferguson - generally well rated, but left under a cloud
O'Shea - out of position and didn't offer much going forward
Holgate - generally well rated
Nyom - very up and down
Tosin Adarabiyo - out of position and not rated
Dawson - played out of position by Pulis, not good going forward
Brunt - played of position by Pulis, not enough pace
Gamboa - not played a lot
Pocognoli - not played a lot
Lescott - out of position by Pulis, a lot of ups and downs
Ridgewell - very up and down

Going back further you have the likes.of Billy Jones who people used to criticise for being a poor defender

I suppose the point is, either we have had fairly poor full backs for a long time, or, fans expect too much from full backs, including the likes of Townsend.

[lewisant]

From that list I was a fan of Gibbs, Holgate, Nyom for the onomatopoeia alone and I would’ve loved to see Gamboaand Pocognoli have more of a chance. I think Ridgewell was good at the time and Dawson actually but they’re good examples of working within the system and unit (and my god was it a big unit when they were involved!)

[timdon]

Another solid performance from Conor tonight, along with all the other defenders. Second best defence in the division now. Maybe some of the detractors will lay off for a bit now, but not holding my breath.

[lewisant]

He had a good game! Don’t worry Timdom, I don’t criticise players for the sake of it.  I’m not one of those kind of fans. I just have an opinion that he’s not the best positionally. Much like how I have an opinion that Kipre is blooming brilliant and I was banging that drum when he was facing absolute pelters at the start of the season. It’s ok for people to see things differently and have opposing opinions. You could just compliment Townsend without having to have a salty end to your post. Just saying.

[timdon]

He had a good game! Don’t worry Timdom, I don’t criticise players for the sake of it.  I’m not one of those kind of fans. I just have an opinion that he’s not the best positionally. Much like how I have an opinion that Kipre is blooming brilliant and I was banging that drum when he was facing absolute pelters at the start of the season. It’s ok for people to see things differently and have opposing opinions. You could just compliment Townsend without having to have a salty end to your post. Just saying.

Not getting at you in the slightest as your posts are always fair and balanced.

[Jeremy Roland Peace]

I don't want to move this conversation too far away from Conor, but I was looking back through our full backs from recent seasons, and there aren't many good ones, or least, few that have universally been appreciated.

Before Townsend and Furlong we had:

Gibbs - some would say lightweight in the tackle and injury prone
Ferguson - generally well rated, but left under a cloud
O'Shea - out of position and didn't offer much going forward
Holgate - generally well rated
Nyom - very up and down
Tosin Adarabiyo - out of position and not rated
Dawson - played out of position by Pulis, not good going forward
Brunt - played of position by Pulis, not enough pace
Gamboa - not played a lot
Pocognoli - not played a lot
Lescott - out of position by Pulis, a lot of ups and downs
Ridgewell - very up and down

Going back further you have the likes.of Billy Jones who people used to criticise for being a poor defender

I suppose the point is, either we have had fairly poor full backs for a long time, or, fans expect too much from full backs, including the likes of Townsend.

for me i think it's an issue with the direction the club has been going in the last 10 years.

when we signed Townsend, he was a backup option. general feeling was he wasn't good enough for our team.
6 years on from that signing he's now our recognised left back.

same season we signed Bartley, we all know how that rollercoaster has gone. but it's at the point now our defence is better with him in it.

4 of our 5 main defensive options have been at the club 5 or more years.

if Kipre doesn't play it's the same back 4 we had under Bilic in 2019/20.

[gazberg]

CC says he's hopeful that CT injury isn't serious.  From the E+S

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/west-bromwich-albion/2024/03/02/carlos-corberan-delivers-injury-update-on-west-broms-conor-townsend/

Corberan said: "The medical staff told me he had some tiredness, it was fatigue, in the hamstrings.

One minute before he asked for the change we asked him how he was feeling and he was feeling fine.

"My idea was to put Reach as a winger before the injury but with the injury we put Reach as a left-back.

He added: "Hopefully (just fatigue and not more) but I don't know yet, they will see how he is tomorrow and I don't know if they will make a scan or not, I didn't speak (about it) yet with the medical staff.

"Hopefully it's fine because he's been an excellent player for us and if he's not fine we need to find another solution with the other ones."

[timdon]

CC says he's hopeful that CT injury isn't serious.  From the E+S

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/west-bromwich-albion/2024/03/02/carlos-corberan-delivers-injury-update-on-west-broms-conor-townsend/

Corberan said: "The medical staff told me he had some tiredness, it was fatigue, in the hamstrings.

One minute before he asked for the change we asked him how he was feeling and he was feeling fine.

"My idea was to put Reach as a winger before the injury but with the injury we put Reach as a left-back.

He added: "Hopefully (just fatigue and not more) but I don't know yet, they will see how he is tomorrow and I don't know if they will make a scan or not, I didn't speak (about it) yet with the medical staff.

"Hopefully it's fine because he's been an excellent player for us and if he's not fine we need to find another solution with the other ones."

I completely agree with CC. He has been an excellent player for us for most of the season. He could do with a break for a week or so, but hopefully he's not out for any longer than that, as he's easily the best we have in his position.

[gazberg]

I completely agree with CC. He has been an excellent player for us for most of the season. He could do with a break for a week or so, but hopefully he's not out for any longer than that, as he's easily the best we have in his position.

Agreed. He's not perfect (his inability to deal with crosses frustrates me) but he's better than most at this level and, as you say, he's the best we have.

[WBArgo]

I imagine Townsend out with lead to Pieters replacing him with Bartley coming back in. That or a straight swap with Reach who I think is much better suited defensively than as an attacking winger.

[NJS]

Agreed. He's not perfect (his inability to deal with crosses frustrates me) but he's better than most at this level and, as you say, he's the best we have.

He needs a CT scan.

[timdon]

I imagine Townsend out with lead to Pieters replacing him with Bartley coming back in. That or a straight swap with Reach who I think is much better suited defensively than as an attacking winger.

Yes, this is interesting. I've seen it suggested on occasions that Townsend only plays so regularly because of a lack of options, but this is demonstrably not true. CC could play either of the two you suggest, or indeed Pipa, but he chooses not to. Why? Simply because, as he says, "Townsend has been excellent for us". As Gazberg correctly points out, he's not perfect, but then again, which of our players are?

[SmethDan]

He needs a CT scan.

I like it  .

[Baggie79]

Noticably worse after he went off on Friday, for all the moaning we are much worse without him in the team. Pieters who can barely jog let alone keep up with speedy wingers is not an option and to be fair neither is Reach. Pipa surely is the best alternative even if he is an 100% match for LB role.

[gazberg]

Out for next 2 games, QPR and Huddersfield as per CC in today's presser and OS.

Minor hamstring issue

[BagAlbion123]

I imagine Townsend out with lead to Pieters replacing him with Bartley coming back in. That or a straight swap with Reach who I think is much better suited defensively than as an attacking winger.

Makes sense isn't that why Val bought him in the first place?

[Albionic]

Out for next 2 games, QPR and Huddersfield as per CC in today's presser and OS.

Minor hamstring issue

will we see the lesser spotted Pipa ??