[gazberg]

Didn't really see much improvement. Not really going to go into players individual performances as couldn't tell who was who on my stream most of the time.

That Hugill chance towards the end shows us what we are missing though. A decent CF. Cheaped out on Dike. Could come back to haunt us.

Ball might have been pumped into the air less than normal but still being played at 1000mph first time whack away. There are always some opportunities in a game to get the balll down, stop and play along the floor. Passing is atrocious.

We are a team that rarely looks like losing but also not winning at the moment.

[johnny Cash]

There’s just a cutting edge missing, and there shouldn’t be in this division with our relative talent. I think tactics have a lot to say on this. 

[CL3MO]

Cue the melt down on here and on Twatter.

Another rubbish performance - 3 and a half games now. No intensity. Players just smashing the ball everywhere.

We’re better than this.

[paulosull]

Draws won’t get us promoted nor will taking off our only threat for Grant once that happened new we wouldn’t score

[richjonawba]

Awful, third game in a row. We have too many players who quite frankly appear to be thick as sh*t. The decisions they make are utterly infuriating. Furlong,Ajayi, Livermore. Absolutely mind numbingly anger inducing to watch.

Robinson, Phillips and Grant simply have to be our front three. The only ones with an ounce of intelligence.

We miss Clarke massively, him being back would move Townsend back out wide also.

We have far too many utterly moronic  passengers in this side to finish anywhere near top 2 quite frankly

[gazberg]

There’s just a cutting edge missing, and there shouldn’t be in this division with our relative talent. I think tactics have a lot to say on this.

Yep, he needs to slow it down a bit. Get them passing in training.

[johnny Cash]

What’s molumby showing in training to still not get a minute?

[PartisanBaggie]

That was a waste of my Saturday afternoon. I’m posting this, then enjoying the rest of my weekend as I can’t be bothered to watch, listen or read anything about the Albion right now.

The bottom line is that was completely unacceptable and as a club we’re much better than this. Peterborough, Milwall, Derby and now Preston, we’ve been  ******* dreadful.

[paulosull]

That was a waste of my Saturday afternoon. I’m posting this, then enjoying the rest of my weekend as I can’t be bothered to watch, listen or read anything about the Albion right now.

The bottom line is that was completely unacceptable and as a club we’re much better than this. Peterborough, Milwall, Derby and now Preston, we’ve been  ******* dreadful.

if only it was as easy as that😉

[Bilston Dan]

Absolutely woeful...it'll be an absolute miracle if we ever get promoted this season. Shocking. That Hugill miss sums it all up really. I think we're getting found out but the quality is lacking.

[johnny Cash]

That was a waste of my Saturday afternoon. I’m posting this, then enjoying the rest of my weekend as I can’t be bothered to watch, listen or read anything about the Albion right now.

The bottom line is that was completely unacceptable and as a club we’re much better than this. Peterborough, Milwall, Derby and now Preston, we’ve been  ******* dreadful.

As bad as it is, there’s still nobody looked like beating us, there’s something lacking though going forwards. Some composure, some neat passing. In the three draws there’s not been Great saves. Derby keeper got credit but it was mostly bread and butter. Our total shots are misleading

[DevonInStripes]

All this after an away draw and still unbeaten. Just think how poor we were during the second half of the season under Slav ! If we can pick up points when we are not playing well ,then we will be right up there come the end of the season .

[ttree30]

Some of our decision-making was absolutely awful today. Passes into motionless players with an opponent breathing down their necks.

The defence is always a disaster waiting to happen.

And there’s no coaching on earth that can make sharp finishers out of dull forwards like Hugill. The raw material just isn’t there.

There are substantial weaknesses all over the pitch, but I think we’re playing even beneath our limited talents. That’s not a good sign.

We should have been good enough to beat Preston, but didn’t deserve to. You couldn’t have asked for more ordinary Championship opponents, so the result reflects the quality we displayed.

That wasn’t anywhere near good enough for a team with any ambitions of being in the upper reaches of the league, nor for a team that has a budget vastly larger than most of its rivals. This could start to go wrong very quickly the way we are now playing.

[alex1]

We should have won that as Preston are as run of the mill as it gets. We were the better team overall,  but taking off our 2 most effective strikers was a poor move, unless they had run out of steam.

[Canmore Baggie]

Four very poor games in a row. We are too easy to figure out - play it out of defence quickly and you'll beat our press, play it over the top and you'll put us under pressure. Have to figure out a plan B where we actually pass the ball around - we have players with talent.

Baffling substitutions - Grady was looking most likely to create something, and Phillips was looking most likely to score. Finishing with Robbo, Grady and Phillips would have seemed more sensible. Oh, and Hugill looks like an utter waste of a shirt...

[paulosull]

Absolutely woeful...it'll be an absolute miracle if we ever get promoted this season. Shocking. That Hugill miss sums it all up really. I think we're getting found out but the quality is lacking.

picking up players on the cheap has found us out along with being mugged by clubs to sell us bang average players for premium transfers. Val seems to be sticking to his guns when it comes to formation and style of play but his press has become nonexistent. Defenders look like an accident waiting to happen Mowatt needs help in midfield ,no threat from our wingbacks and our forward line don’t seem to be able to create a chance in open play.

[johnny Cash]

We need temp teams out more I think. A few passes at the back actually creates space further up and we seem intent on putting teams under too much pressure which results in a compacted defensive third

[BaggieBirdRus]

Agree with a few posters that some of our players don’t have many brain cells. The likes of Furlong, Ajayi, Livermore, Hugill. Just proper proper terrible. Surely Snodgrass would offer some creativity? All of this can’t be because we’re missing Clarke and O’Shea. Quite simply teams know how play against us now and Val needs to adjust

[festerp]

Any way to send Hugill back to Norwich and get some refund on wages.  Any Tom, Dick or Harry in the greater Birmingham area can be slotted in to provide what he provides.

[TheBaggieMan]

If by some miracle we did get promoted, can you imagine how embarrassing it would be trying to compete with this lot of losers in the Premier League?

Very little money would be spent by our owner and it’s probable we would be thrashed every game making last season look respectable and we’d end up with beating Derby’s record low points total.

[JMullen95]

We need temp teams out more I think. A few passes at the back actually creates space further up and we seem intent on putting teams under too much pressure which results in a compacted defensive third

Surely not? Our fans will tell you that “playing out from the back” is the worst thing in modern football and you have to “get it forward” and “get it in the box”.

The same fans are now moaning that the football is rubbish to watch. Genuinely couldn’t make it up.

[Smethwickender93]

What a frustrating game and some more points dropped.

Where has the intensity gone?? We look knackered after 8 games. We need to set up to attack. He needs to realise we are West Bromwich Albion not Barnsley

 Big Val needs to rethink and change the system and drop players that are under performing

[johnny Cash]

Surely not? Our fans will tell you that “playing out from the back” is the worst thing in modern football and you have to “get it forward” and “get it in the box”.

The same fans are now moaning that the football is rubbish to watch. Genuinely couldn’t make it up.

I know you are taking the urine but to answer seriously, I always find a mixture is best. Keep teams guessing. It’s ok to have blueprint and stick to it 70% of the time but you also need judge situations.,It’s frustrating because it seems like some very small tactical changes, coupled with some intelligence on the pitch to change the way we play in spells is the way forward.

[ttree30]

Surely not? Our fans will tell you that “playing out from the back” is the worst thing in modern football and you have to “get it forward” and “get it in the box”.

The same fans are now moaning that the football is rubbish to watch. Genuinely couldn’t make it up.

Yes I don’t think playing out from the back is for us, especially with our defenders. We’re not good enough to do that.

But we can still do better further up the pitch. Our passing and movement aren’t where they should be, and the quality of our finishing is poor.

We shouldn’t pretend to be something we’re not, but if we’re going to play this way because of our limitations we need to do it a lot more effectively than this.

[JMullen95]

I know you are taking the **** but to answer seriously, I always find a mixture is best. Keep teams guessing. It’s ok to have blueprint and stick to it 70% of the time but you also need judge situations.,It’s frustrating because it seems like some very small tactical changes, coupled with some intelligence on the pitch to change the way we play in spells is the way forward.

Can’t disagree with any of that. However, when team defend in low blocks (like the last three have) you have to play out from the back to draw them out their shape. Also, what’s the point in playing 3 at the back if you aren’t going to use the centre halves in possession? But I agree you also need to vary it up at certain points in games.