1

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Matty Phillips

« on: Yesterday at 08:52:45 PM »

He’s done absolutely nothing wrong tonight and played well.

He’s probably knackered at the end and is therefore unlikely to feature on Sunday.

I await you dragging up the Pereira thread to give him a lambasting too...

Pereira is played out of position on the wing instead of in the   Hole.  Phillips is not good enough at this level.

Hopefully he doesn't feature on Sunday and we use a proper winger like Robinson or Diangana.

2

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Hal Robson-Kanu

« on: Yesterday at 08:49:27 PM »

Allardycr wanted somebody the ball would stick with. My personal preference would have been Robbo but HRK did get stuck in during the limited time he was on. He wont be first choice next season anyway.

I hardly saw him touch the ball.  How about we use pace in behind? I think Robinson has been one of our better players this season.  Like Livermore, HRK is not even Championship standard.

3

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Hal Robson-Kanu

« on: Yesterday at 08:15:01 PM »

Why?   What's the point?  How many timea does he touch the ball?  In front of Diangana, Robinson, Grosicki?

4

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Matty Phillips

« on: Yesterday at 08:13:41 PM »

What exactly does he offer?  Bilic was slaughtered for giving him playing time.

5

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Grady Diangana

« on: Yesterday at 08:12:12 PM »

Where is he?  Fallout with SA?

6

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Sam Allardyce

« on: March 01, 2021, 12:44:14 PM »

What I'd say is that Bilic got higher possession stats from a team that were inferior to the one Allardyce now has.  We were playing higher up the pitch before.

Throughout the season, people have made constant reference to Dowling being responsible for signings and not the Manager.  It's swings & roundabouts - Pereira VFM, Grant not VFM.

Some people have lauded Allardyce for these January signings, but had Bilic lasted we may have signed them under him?

7

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Sam Allardyce

« on: March 01, 2021, 08:42:17 AM »

It is logical but only in the context of the way Allardyce approaches the game. Personally I wouldn't want to play that way and part of the reason is because coaches like Allardyce consistently fail to get the most out of the creative players they have at their disposal. I don't buy a ticket to watch someone work hard.

There are all sorts of tactical variations that would get more out of Pereira but none that Allardyce is likely to adopt he is more likely to not play him at all.



 

Exactly, with SA (and TP) it's all about nullifying the opposition rather than focussing and utilising your own strengths. 

SA introduced flair with Okocha and Djorkaeff but that was a very long time ago.  The recurring theme at other clubs has generally been about style of play, with SA countering he hasn't had enough money to build a stylish footballing team.

Right now he's gone down the Fireman Sam route with Pereira wide, Phillips preferred to Diangana and even HRK with Robinson left on the bench.  It's not a ringing endorsement that he can play attractive football. 

For now if we can get an upward trajectory on results it's fine.  I don't think anyone expects to finish higher than 19th.

8

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Sam Allardyce

« on: February 28, 2021, 11:10:52 AM »

I think the last 20 minutes was not too dissimilar to the course of a normal game where the winning team sits deeper to see out a victory. I would definitely say the pressure of needing that win and our lack of confidence played its part. I got the impression from O’Shea and Furlong that there was very much a no risks approach.

I’m also not naive to say that Aklardyce’s methods may contain periods of the game where you soak up pressure from the opposition.

I think Phillips is included ahead of both Diangana and Robinson because of the balance he provides the team. Especially when we have the enigmatic Pereira on the other flank. I cannot see Allardyce lining up with a side that exposes our full backs. If Pereira doesn’t get into position you have the energetic AMN or Gallagher who come across and make it a flat four. I don’t think we can afford to have two wide men with a lazy approach to defending.

Our method to survival is remaining in games, being compact and not opening ourselves up and I think we run that risk with Diangana and Robinson.

I'll be honest I don't ike the style of football, in reality it's hardly any different to Pulis.

We still haven't got rid of HRK, he's hanging on like a limpet.

We were largely outplayed yesterday, that's the long and short of it. 

It's not about attacking Allardyce but we are still coming up short in this division, but that maybe largely due to budget constraints.

Oh and Pereira on the wing is not playing to his strengths.

9

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Sam Allardyce

« on: February 28, 2021, 09:44:03 AM »

OK - so pleased with the win and no anti - Allardyce agenda.  But that was lucky.

Robinson must wonder what he's done to be left out, him and Diangana playing 2nd fiddle to Phillips I don't get it?

This team are just playing in a low block even with the buffer of a 1 goal lead.  Now is SA setting them up like this /is player belief so low they just revert to type.

It's coming home to roost now the VAR pts lost under Bilic, those extra 5 or 6 would give us a decent shot at staying up.

10

General Football & Sports / Re: England Cricket Thread

« on: February 25, 2021, 04:23:47 PM »

Point 1 - that was not Test Cricket.  To finish inside 2 days is appalling.  Not even a May green seamer in Durham is that bad.
Point 2 - Root should've changed the batting order 2nd innings, why not open with Broad?
Point 3 - The England hierarchy have not complained a out the pretty biased umpiring all season.
Point 4 - Why don't the England hierarchy complain about a sub standard pitch?
Point 5 - Pitch will be exactly the same next week.
Point 6 - India are better than England.  But the war, hung public were cheated in this game, regardless of result.

11

General Football & Sports / Re: England Cricket Thread

« on: February 24, 2021, 11:47:15 AM »

Outplayed so far.  Why has Ben Stokes stopped playing attacking, enterprising innings?  He's just going out to block. 

12

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Jake Livermore

« on: February 22, 2021, 12:09:18 PM »

Livermore looked good last season playing with good players for that level.

If Livermore played alongside Gundogan and De Bruyne, Man City would still win most games!

I'm isolation he is not even a good Championship player.

13

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Jake Livermore

« on: February 22, 2021, 07:47:14 AM »

Sorry to labour this point.

However as the season is progressing, it shows how a team can be revolutionised by just having 1 quality centre midfielder. 

Let's now see how Villa go without Grealish, Liverpool are hopelessly exposed with the likes of Jones and Milner.  From Saturday, Burnley's centre midfield looked so poor, but they were still an upgrade on Livermore.

I really don't think Livermore is even Championship level any more, serious.

14

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Sam Allardyce

« on: February 20, 2021, 06:34:09 PM »

We outplayed Burnley with 10 men.  I may have been a bit hasty so I take it back.

However it was a terrible decision to start with Phillips. Diangana is superior.

Very frustrated as we are now clearly superior to Burnley.  Our current team would've stayed up. 

I was at the front of the queue highlighting how bad Livermore was.

15

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Sam Allardyce

« on: February 20, 2021, 04:11:58 PM »

What use is going to Burnley and drawing?  Play your best players

16

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Sam Allardyce

« on: February 20, 2021, 03:36:54 PM »

Allardyce = too negative.  Burnley were there for the taking and he starts with Phillips instead of Diangana, why?

17

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Sam Allardyce

« on: February 15, 2021, 05:54:24 PM »

The players brought in during January have been good additions and better than what we had before.  How much of that you attribute to SA and how much to LD is open to debate.

The only thing I'd say is that we should've got in a central midfielder in early January.  There were multiple low cost signings out there that would've resolved the biggest problem in Livermore.  As it is its taken AMN and Yokuslu 6 weeks to get up and running.  We have had a lot of games in those 6 weeks.

18

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: System / Tactics / Personnel

« on: February 15, 2021, 01:05:53 PM »

No need for a low block at Burnley, need to play 15 yards up the pitch, what have we got to lose?  The pressure is on Burnley.

19

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Jake Livermore

« on: February 15, 2021, 12:33:37 PM »

Give him off the books, no more encouragement with any substantial game time, 85th minute sub will do.

20

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: 14 Feb 2021 Albion 1 Manchester United 1

« on: February 14, 2021, 08:25:49 PM »

A good result today.  Performances now need to be treated in isolation, the relegation issue is an unwanted distraction.  We are down, but pride is there to play for.

21

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Jake Livermore

« on: February 14, 2021, 07:58:47 PM »

The extra protection from the midfield is there for all to see now.

I highlighted this as far back as last season.  It's amazing how better the defence now plays!

Say thanks to Jake for his service and get rid at the end of the season for about £300,000, because that's all he's worth.

22

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Okay Yokuslu signs on loan

« on: February 14, 2021, 07:56:24 PM »

Wonder why he fell out of favor at Celta Vigo. Maybe his style is actually better suited for English football than Spanish

The Spanish League is a higher quality than the Premier League, no disgrace being edged out of the side.  He is x10 better than Livermore and Sawyers.

23

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Grady Diangana & Matheus Periera

« on: February 11, 2021, 02:43:41 PM »

Pereira must be worth at least £60m, shouldnt be sold for anything less.  Kind of balances out the overpayment on Diangana and particularly Grant

24

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Can someone at the club open some dialogue with this man please?

« on: February 10, 2021, 03:22:07 PM »

Has he retired from playing yet? 

25

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Sam Allardyce

« on: February 09, 2021, 04:10:25 PM »

What is damming is that certain fans tried to challenge cold, hard facts that we should've attained more pts under Bilic due to inaccuracies on VAR.

So take a step back and think, that's fans of WBA rejecting extra pts due to an anti Bilic agenda and a Manager they wanted rid of.  It defies belief!

Bar Aston Villa in the 1st match (we were comprehensively outplayed anyway) no such decisions have gone against us since.  Maybe the single positive thing Allardyce has done behind the scenes is have a massive rant at the Premier League over decisions and scared them to death, lol.

Allardyce has almost done everything wrong.  And people on here see no wrong on Pereira being dropped, Livermore / Sawyers still being selected even now, and the suspicious absence of Diangana.

It's not solely about pts per game, or staying up, but progressive football.  If we played like a Premier League team then I'd still back Allardyce.  As it is we play like a Legaue 2 team.