1

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Slaven Bilic

« on: November 24, 2020, 02:03:46 PM »

However you want to frame the argument be that based on stats, results, or evidence of your eyes. Bilic is in the zone where typically Head Coaches are fired. The discussion is on going and we now move onto the next crunch point i.e. this coming weekend's game against Sheffield United.

With the best will in the world and I am biased toward the continuity argument, if we are in a race to be least bad of the current bottom 4 losing 2 out of 3 fixtures against those teams is to put it mildly is not a good look.   

But we have surely spent the least amount of money of any Premier league club.  So how do you quantify this?  Wilder has spent £25m on Brewster and he paid big money for Berge.  We've been vastly out spent by Leeds and Fulham.  Smith jammily kept Villa up in 17th after spending £140m.

Whichever way you look at it Lai has let us down and similarly Peace who sold the club to him.

We are like a "Metro on a Grand Prix Circuit" as Oldham manager Joe Royle said famously in 1992.

Sick of us bring the financial poor relations.

2

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: What's this takeover news?

« on: November 24, 2020, 06:47:01 AM »

Will reserve judgement until we know who the parties interested actually are.

Bottom line is Lai is no longer interested in owning us. Seems he only ever wanted the club for ‘face’.

Peace probably best not be seen around the Hawthorns for the rest of his days given the way this planned out.

Agreed.  I can't stand Peace either.  Fancy selling us to Lai, when we could've had Fosun and be in the Dingles position now.  Bring on this new takeover, we are just treading water under Lai. 

We might just have a good transfer budget in January and Bilic can clear out the deadwood.

3

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Hal Robson-Kanu

« on: November 22, 2020, 06:49:10 PM »

Sorry but our goal threat diminished completely after Robinson hit the bar.  He is too slow, can't get in behind and never looks like scoring.  Nowhere near good enough for the level we are playing! 

We are finding it hard enough to score as it is, then we bring him on and my expectations of us scoring evaporate even further.

Just not for me.

4

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Slaven Bilic

« on: November 22, 2020, 01:59:19 PM »

We have the weakest squad in the league and yet still only a point off 17th. The last couple of performances have been much better but we lack quality all over the pitch for this level.

I don't agree - how are we inferior to Burnley and Sheff U?

We play better football than both who have Dinosaur managers.  I'm all for being realistic but let's not talk ourselves down too much! 

5

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Slaven Bilic

« on: November 22, 2020, 11:47:41 AM »

Why not? They cant play on reputation alone. We can play with Grant and Robinson as a front two for a start and play more into channels. We dont have to play Pereira and Diangana in order to succeed.

You mean ditch the possession based game and play long ball into the channels?  That's what we did under Pulis!  If you can't see we are better off with Diangana and Pereira then you are mad, how are we going to retain the ball?

Sheff Utd next and if we play like you suggest then it'll be right into their hands, remember the 0-1 under Moore?  You beat SU with skill and out-passing them.

6

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Charlie Austin

« on: November 22, 2020, 11:41:14 AM »

A waste of time, finds himself 4th in the pecking order.  Might as well loan him out in the Championship in January, then take a nominal fee <= £1m in the summer.

7

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Hal Robson-Kanu

« on: November 22, 2020, 11:30:38 AM »

Still absolutely useless!  With Grant starting and Robinson as sub, we don't need this guy at all.  Contributed nothing when he came on.

Is it just down to the fact HRK wants to play football and Austin does not?  Is it that basic?

8

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Slaven Bilic

« on: November 22, 2020, 11:15:11 AM »

If after 10.games we have a misely 3 points then questions need to be asked. Last two games player's did well but where is our cutting edge? Pereira and Diangana need to start showing up or dropped.

Nothing personal but drop Diangana and Pereira?  Are you for real, maybe we can put Field and Harper in and be even more toothless?  Fact is it's mighty hard playing in a struggling team as a creative force.  Grant looks a below average striker at this level but is still an upgrade on HRK and Austin.

Bilic has made us tighter with the addition of 3 centre halves, I don't think Ajayi/Ivanovic/Bartley look secure enough in a defensive 2, so this is the way forward.

9

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Slaven Bilic

« on: November 08, 2020, 08:49:34 PM »

OK so let's review the first 8 games going into the international break:

We've played 3 excellent teams in Leicester, Chelsea, Tottenham.  2 good teams in Southampton, Everton.  3 weaker teams in Brighton, Burnley, Fulham.

We merit more than 3 pts in my view.  Robbed by the ref v Chelsea = +2, You could make a case for us possibly beating Brighton (ridiculous OG plus Pereira hitting post) = +2, Deserved draw v Tottenham, snatched away at death = +1.

We could easily sit on 8pts. 

Will Sheff Utd sack Wilder in the international break?  They have 1 point.  Also spent far more money than us ahead of the season.  Ahead of Burnley too with dinosaur Dyche.

10

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Slaven Bilic

« on: November 08, 2020, 04:54:07 PM »

We deserved a draw.  The goal was a sucker punch.  We are not going to get a better Manager on this budget.  They are his players.  Sheff Utd at home is massive, if we don't win that then questions will be asked.

The point today is we didn't allow Spurs to play and closed down the spaces we'll.

11

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Slaven Bilic

« on: October 27, 2020, 09:38:37 AM »

Exactly how I feel.

We’ve simply been poor since January and limped over the line for promotion.

No pleasing some people, just unbelieveable!!!

Maybe you'd be happier supporting Derby or Forest or Bolton.  Of course it would be better to replace Bilic with Cocu.

12

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Slaven Bilic

« on: October 27, 2020, 09:23:15 AM »

Bilic has done well to get us out of the Championship and we've spent not much going into this season.  Contrast this to what Smith did at Villa last season spending £140m and scraping survival.

We were superb 2nd half last night and Brighton recently ran Palace ragged on their home patch.  I'm proud of last night and I thought Bilic was fantastic with how we gave Brighton the run around.

RE: Hegazi, it's just a swipe at the board to say we haven't spent that much.  When the dust settles it would've been suicide to play Hegazi and Ivanovic together with the lack of pace.

You can look at it glass half empty or glass half full.  I'd rather look at it glass half full.  I want Bilic as Manager and I'm optimistic that we'll stay up and he'll see out the season at least.  No point in moping and moaning IMO.

13

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Jake Livermore

« on: October 26, 2020, 08:17:40 PM »

The bottom line is we played 4-5-1 first half and got rinsed.  That's 3 central players in there.  Livermore was just chasing shadows.  Those people saying Ajayi shouldn't there, well all I say is no one could be worse than Livermore was tonight.

14

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Jake Livermore

« on: October 26, 2020, 07:56:45 PM »

Don't play this guy again - just not good enough.  He is playing in a critical position in centre midfield.  So far off the pace it's ridiculous.

Nice guy and puts in 100% yes but we need to be ruthless.

15

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: In Game Chat

« on: October 26, 2020, 06:23:13 PM »

Livermore has been woeful, Gallagher has been outstanding he's everywhere.  Seriously need better than Livermore at this level.  Every team dominates us in centre mid.

16

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: October 24, 2020, 11:29:40 AM »

Why say Brighton are better than us, how defeatist.  Might as well award them the win.  Its.about time we went there and be positive.  Attack is the best form of defence.

17

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Semi Ajayi

« on: October 22, 2020, 06:07:42 PM »

I would have thought a Phil Jones type of player would have been ideal for us this season, committed,positionally quite flexible, great experience.

Phil Jones is an absolute cart horse, slower than a snail, barely championship standard.  I'd rather have Sam Sodje back!

18

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Ahmed Hegazi

« on: October 22, 2020, 11:17:58 AM »

Thats the point really, does he want to go?

At this time I can only think that the offer is a really good one cash wise for the club.

Has Roberto Rios retired yet?

19

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Semi Ajayi

« on: October 21, 2020, 02:12:34 PM »

It makes me smile that people are dismissing Ajayi as a CM with only a shred of evidence.

What is clear is that Livermore is not good enough to be a regular Premier CM, he has limited technique and is a little slow getting around.  One of the major reasons we have a high goals against column, we simply do not close down fast enough when teams break on us. 

In the Burnley game we faded last 20mins and Livermore had probably expended all his energy and run himself into the ground, it was then Burnley were at their most dangerous.  Livermore is not a 90 minute player. 

20

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Darnell Furlong

« on: October 21, 2020, 01:47:42 PM »

He really isnt. His technique isnt as good, his passing isnt as good, his touch isnt as good, hes not as good in the air and his positioning isnt as good.

Sorry but he's a bit slow (what will he be like at 30), a fast skilful winger will have him on toast.  Like it or not the modern game relies a lot on pace, there is a place for slow technical players, but if you have too many it's a disaster.  We already have a slow centre back pairing in Hegazi/Ivanovic.

Sam Field is not dynamic enough either, same issue.

21

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Semi Ajayi

« on: October 21, 2020, 09:40:20 AM »

It comes up because Livermore is neither quick enough nor up to it technically for 90mins.

How can you say Ajeyi isn't up to it in CM?  No one has seen him there for a sustained period.  We need to be nastier to play against and tougher in those central areas, clean sheets will build confidence.

22

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Semi Ajayi

« on: October 20, 2020, 10:52:51 PM »

For me Ajayi should be playing in Livermore's position with Gallagher.  We must be effective at closing down teams and denying space.  Ajayi is a much better athlete and Livermore is no longer a 90 minute player in the Premier League, simply does not have the energy.

It is up to Krovinovic, Pereira and Diangana to supply the creativity.  We need athletes in the middle to close down the opposition and protect the defence.

Sawyers is a luxury at this level and really should be competing with Krov to play in the whole.  Livermore's all round game is simply not up to Premier League level.

23

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Sam Johnstone

« on: October 20, 2020, 10:41:42 PM »

This is really boring now.  Had a good game and made 1 great reflex save.  We need to focus how poor we are when either Livermore or Sawyers are both deployed and both full back positions are weak.  These.are more pressing concerns than the goalkeeper.

24

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Darnell Furlong

« on: October 20, 2020, 10:37:51 PM »

Furlong is better than O'Shea.  Is a much better athlete and can get up and down the pitch.  O'Shea's lack of pace is going to be his achilles heel, he will never make it at Premier League but may turn into a good championship player. In a team that generally lacks pace we need Furlong's speed.

25

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Oliver Burke

« on: August 24, 2020, 11:25:20 AM »

Great news this!  Wilder must be mad and it proves he's a good championship manager punching above his weight. He should be looking at real quality.

At least Robinson has got a modicum of skill plus reasonable pace.