1

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Matty Phillips

« on: August 27, 2023, 11:22:55 PM »

Season fell apart last year when he got injured. Our best and most intelligent footballer. Of course he isn’t the player he was 4 years ago but he has a massive role to play this season if we keep him fit.

2

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: From bottom to promotion

« on: April 22, 2023, 10:21:01 PM »

The only scenario where 2 wins and 2 draws isn’t enough is where Coventry win both remaining games AND either Blackburn pick 7 or more points up from their last 3 games OR Millwall win their last two games and overhaul our superior GD. Our superior GD helps put us in prime position in the scenario where any/all of Blackburn, us and Millwall end up on 71 points.

The only scenario where 3 wins isn’t enough is where Coventry win both games by a greater margin than we net across our three wins in four games AND Blackburn pick up 7 points across their remaining 3. At current, Coventry have scored one more goal than us and have one additional goal difference.

Probability says that 8 points would be enough but 9 makes it an almost certainty. 7 points would probably be a 50/50 shot.

3

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Karlan Grant

« on: April 15, 2023, 10:01:26 PM »

Not sure if I'm missing anything but he missec two sitters? Looked better than he has previously but only due to having more minutes.

And being played in his more natural position again. We killed his confidence asking him to play a position he is not suited for at the start of the season.

4

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: From bottom to promotion

« on: April 15, 2023, 09:55:00 PM »

Not saying we’re going to do it because I don’t think we will,but it’s absolutely ridiculous that basically apart from us gaining 3 points on blackburn ,the rest of it is in our own hands ,even after the last few weeks we’ve had

The league is the poorest it’s been for a while but we are also not as bad, relative to the competition, as some would have you believe.

Ultimately the two Griffiths mistakes could cost us very dear. Especially the one against Blackburn.

5

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Jed Wallace

« on: April 15, 2023, 06:42:07 PM »

I’d suggest we just play our best available XI on Tuesday and that is Molumby, Okay/Chalobah, Grant, Swift, Wallace and BTA

6

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: From bottom to promotion

« on: April 15, 2023, 06:14:19 PM »

Blackburn’s remaining fixtures are horrible. I think we need to win 4 of the last 5 and in reality it will be enough on goal difference. A Blackburn Coventry draw would definitely help.

In simple terms we MUST win the next two and then let’s see where the league table is pointing.

Sheff U will probably need to beat us to secure promotion which is going to make that game very tough for us, albeit it is immediately after they play City.

7

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: List of contract expiry dates

« on: January 02, 2023, 10:36:37 PM »

Yes chap, it's a pinned thread at the head of this section of the forum.

http://westbrom.com/forum/index.php?topic=26843.0

Now I feel blind - so just looks like O’Shea and Yokuslu are the inaccuracies.

8

West Bromwich Albion FC / List of contract expiry dates

« on: December 31, 2022, 04:18:52 PM »

Do we have a list anywhere on this site or can we start to compile one? It would be great to have a one-stop shop to understand the status of our squad.

9

General Football & Sports / Re: Steve Bruce - Manager

« on: October 05, 2022, 09:56:56 PM »

We’ve probably been the ‘better’ team in every game this season but it’s clearly not working. I like the bloke but unfortunately it’s not working out.

We have no cutting edge up front and are a shambles in our defensive shape.

I have supported Bruce but it’s time to make the change before we are too far adrift to salvage the season.

10

West Bromwich Albion FC / The Defence

« on: September 14, 2022, 10:35:51 PM »

So what’s the answer here?

Only 4 teams have scored more goals than us and we are currently fighting relegation.

Behind in 7 of the 9 games we’ve played.

11

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Karlan Grant

« on: September 03, 2022, 08:35:06 AM »

Thought he looked so much better when he was moved out wide left yesterday. His movement just looked a lot more natural.

Hope this Salford kid has got it because when he came on he was constantly looking to get in behind and pushed Burnley back.

12

General Football & Sports / Re: Steve Bruce - Manager

« on: September 02, 2022, 11:31:55 PM »

We try to play much better football than last season , Swift and Wallace are a joy to watch at times .
We really aren't far away from being a decent team which makes the lack of support on better players even more annoying imo . Still issues undoing teams that sit deep though.

I don’t think SB deserves some of the stick he gets on here. He’s got us playing great football and if we had a bit more luck/composure we should probably have an extra 4 points (chances against Watford, chances tonight, penalty at Huddersfield that wasn’t etc.).

He picked the team up last year when confidence was rock bottom and whilst he struggle initially to galvanise them we finished the season in okay fashion.

I honestly believe our starting XI is the best in the league. The problem is when we ask those players to play 3 games in a week. They can’t keep playing at that level.

Coventry becomes a big game now and we’ve got a good 8 day rest. 3 points there and we will be up and running.

We need to hang in there until the World Cup when we effectively get a reset and a rest for most our players. The World Cup might actually save our season and we can then bolster in January but we must do our business early in January - no excuses.

13

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Brandon Thomas-Asante

« on: September 02, 2022, 11:27:33 PM »

It was so nice to see a striker come on and force the opposition back with his off the ball movement.

Grant also looked 100x better once moved to wide left.

14

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: After Match Debate

« on: September 02, 2022, 10:17:11 PM »

We have a seriously good side - it’s threatening to click.

If we can hang in there until we can reinforce in January we’ve got a great shot.

The performances so far deserve an extra 4 points to what we’ve got so we are not in a bad position. One defeat and the wins will come.

15

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Guochuan Lai

« on: September 02, 2022, 09:19:03 AM »

I don’t think we’ll go down.

We’re going to be solid in mid table largely due to the three additions of Yokuslu, Swift, Wallace and the resurgence of Diangana.

Without them we’d be struggling!

We should still be challenging for play offs in all honesty. Problem is we are just one/two injuries away from capitulation.

16

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Martin Kelly

« on: September 01, 2022, 08:36:46 PM »

Just seen Pat Frosts comments: "Martin kelly is a good solid professional and will add a bit of steel to our defence when he plays and boy do we need it, on a side note i played golf with him once and beat him". Encouraging.

I genuinely believe he will be our best defender once we get him fit if he’s motivated to give it his all.

17

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Martin Kelly

« on: September 01, 2022, 08:31:28 PM »

We tell him deals off. We ain't helpless.

And then you go and try sign someone else who also wants 2 years and the guy after that and you’re left without a player. Unfortunately, the club were thrown the curveball of Semi’s injury only two days ago so I can accept they are less prepared on this front.

What I can’t accept is that we don’t get our first choice striker target - whoever that might be.

I get more frustrated when we extend players contracts beyond their sell by date - Phillips and Livermore. If they don’t want to sign the shorter contract there are alternative free transfers out there with time for forward thinking and squad planning.

18

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Martin Kelly

« on: September 01, 2022, 08:27:57 PM »

I'm not against the signing. I'm against the 2 years.

We don’t get him if we only offer him 1 year - it’s just the way it works.

19

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Martin Kelly

« on: September 01, 2022, 08:23:40 PM »

I think this is a really solid signing - age is less of a problem at CB.

Jonas, McAuley, Reid, Ridgwell all played for us in their 30s.

20

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Adam Reach signs

« on: September 01, 2022, 06:05:23 PM »

I think you will find he is on good wages. Get him gone.

We already need 4 more players IMO - let’s not be stupid like we were with Kipre/Mowatt and add to the task for the next 5 hours.

21

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Adam Reach signs

« on: September 01, 2022, 05:50:56 PM »

Bruce seems to like reach. Don’t think he’ll go but we shall see soon enough

Reach has always done what he was brought in to do to be fair. For me he should just be a squad player which is the role he is fulfilling at the minute. He always gives his all - unfortunately he just isn’t the best player. I don’t blame him for that.

He’s probably on tiny wages so not one to rush out the door.

22

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: League position

« on: August 16, 2022, 09:47:35 PM »

Just noticed we are currently 22nd in the league.

Is this really worthy of a thread?

23

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: The "Best" XI in your time as a Baggie

« on: August 09, 2022, 12:15:06 AM »

Button
Furlong
Ajayi
O’Shea
Townsend
Molumby
Yokuslu
Diangana
Swift
Wallace
Grant

24

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Jayson Molumby

« on: August 09, 2022, 12:04:01 AM »

Thought he was exceptional tonight. Was always there to mop up the second ball and then distribute to get the attack going again.

25

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Taylor Gardner-Hickman

« on: July 13, 2022, 11:15:09 PM »

Bruce was in charge for 17 games last season and TGH appeared 11 of those (the other 6 he was on the bench). In those games he played less than 60 minutes only twice (he completed 90 mins 5 times, 87 mins once, 72 mins once, 61 mins once and 60 mins once.)

Some reason. Bruce will simply pick his best players. TGH isn’t one of our best midfielders IMO and would be a solid option to share that RB role with Furlong. I really don’t rate Furlong but he currently has more experience which counts for a lot.