West Brom Post Match Thread

[mekonmcfc]

very good and a professional victory ! Kdb , sterling and Kun played really well and Laporte had a good 1st game

Sterling was very poor, until he went on the right and then was superb. But ended up with 2 assists

 

[Neville Kneville]

The most satisfying thing about last night for me is that it showed the "IT'S A RISK TO PLAY A KID FOR 20 MINS AT 2-0 UP" crowd how bollocks that incredibly naff opinion is. Is it fuck. Playing an exceptionally talented kid, especially out wide for 30 mins, basically offers next to no risk. The worst that happens is that they're a bit quiet and that's basically about it. Brahim is quite clearly an exceptionally talented young player and letting him settle into this team should be relatively high on the priority list at the moment given the current injuries.

I’m so bored of the ‘what if sergio, sterling and bernardo got injured? What then?’ kinda arguments too. It’s ‘what if’ nonsense, and it’s relatively self-entitled too. We’ll just have to deal with it, like every other team should have to. I’d have loved Mahrez, as he’s quality, but I am not in anyway disappointed that we might have to find a solution that doesn’t cost £80m. You can’t throw money at every problem and using a young lad to get us through the tougher moments will, in my eyes at least, actually add a bit more value to our successes. It makes it that little bit sweeter.

Managers should have to manage and make do sometimes, and there’s no one better at finding a solution than Pep. I’m so glad he put Brahim on relatively early last night. He did exactly what he had to do when he had to. It was notable in my opinion too that because he had more than four minutes he was a lot more assured in possession. He didn’t give the ball away as much, cos he wasn’t as eager to make an impression. He felt settled and a lot less over-excited. The more he plays, the more he’ll feel at home. He’s a special little player with absolutely bags of desire and exceptional work rate. I’m glad he might get his chance.

I've just made that point re Pep, 'managing' in another thread. Mancini would be sulking because we didn't get Sanchez & he (& Pellegrini) would have signed Theo Walcott or some other C lister to make up the numbers.

It's always been the case, in the history of football, that the general rule re kids, is the absolute opposite, to what these cluless doomongers have been spouting on here (as if they are somehow experts) The positive outcomes, historically, far outnumber the negative ones.

An example of a negative one, is Mancini, stupidly throwing Dedryk Boyata into a Premier League game v Arsenal, at fucking centre half. Just 'no'.

But bringing on a young winger or striker, is a no brainer & we should have been doing it consistently. It's the only downside to the takeover; we lost our tradition re young players, because the managers had 'kid in a candy shop' money to chuck around, so didn't need to 'risk' any.

If Sven had the players we have had, since then, with the same attitude he had, we would have seen about 30 of them play, irrespective of money. It might be that not a single one 'made it'. The point is, it doesn't fucking matter.

All they have to do, is give us one half decent game here & there, to give a senior player some time off & it it could be the difference between a Silva or KDB playing on top form in a big game, or being shagged out or injured.

I understand why we haven't seen more of Diaz, as we have suffered from these bus parking twats & shit referees, & not had quite the breathing space we would have hoped for, considering our position. If we'd won the Bristol first leg 5-0, he would have probably started the away leg, for example. Or if he was 20, rather than 18, or 6ft & did 100M in 10 secs rather than being 4 ft 2 & quickish.

But he's very close to the point where he becomes a genuine first team contender. He's just got to bridge that small gap, from sub, to starter. But Bernardo Silva was almost in that position for half a season, so he's doing ok.

 

[OB1]

Last time I looked we actually had the highest conversion rate in the epl. Strange but true.

Maybe not so strange as we are comfortably the top scorers. However, we have consistently wasted too many good opportunities, both in terms of the final pass and the finish. This is the only significant complaint I have about the team this season but it has not proved very significant so far. I just hope we can be clinical enough in the knock-out competitions when it is really needed.

Last night we should have been out of sight by half time and although I never felt that we would fail to win, the danger of an opponent snatching a goal out of nothing is always there. Last night was particularly comfortable with WBA 3 shots coming very late in the game. Not seen any TV coverage so don't know if Sturridge was offside for the first two of those.

Anyhow, an ultimately very satisfying win. The lack of complacency in the team to date is just wonderful.

 

[OB1]

I've just made that point re Pep, 'managing' in another thread. Mancini would be sulking because we didn't get Sanchez & he (& Pellegrini) would have signed Theo Walcott or some other C lister to make up the numbers.

It's always been the case, in the history of football, that the general rule re kids, is the absolute opposite, to what these cluless doomongers have been spouting on here (as if they are somehow experts) The positive outcomes, historically, far outnumber the negative ones.

An example of a negative one, is Mancini, stupidly throwing Dedryk Boyata into a Premier League game v Arsenal, at fucking centre half. Just 'no'.

But bringing on a young winger or striker, is a no brainer & we should have been doing it consistently. It's the only downside to the takeover; we lost our tradition re young players, because the managers had 'kid in a candy shop' money to chuck around, so didn't need to 'risk' any.

If Sven had the players we have had, since then, with the same attitude he had, we would have seen about 30 of them play, irrespective of money. It might be that not a single one 'made it'. The point is, it doesn't fucking matter.

All they have to do, is give us one half decent game here & there, to give a senior player some time off & it it could be the difference between a Silva or KDB playing on top form in a big game, or being shagged out or injured.

I understand why we haven't seen more of Diaz, as we have suffered from these bus parking twats & shit referees, & not had quite the breathing space we would have hoped for, considering our position. If we'd won the Bristol first leg 5-0, he would have probably started the away leg, for example. Or if he was 20, rather than 18, or 6ft & did 100M in 10 secs rather than being 4 ft 2 & quickish.

But he's very close to the point where he becomes a genuine first team contender. He's just got to bridge that small gap, from sub, to starter. But Bernardo Silva was almost in that position for half a season, so he's doing ok.

The silver lining in the cloud that is the failure to prise Mahrez away from Leicester is that Diaz (and when fit Foden) may have to get some more minutes. I don't see the kids' games but I do like what little I have seen of Diaz. He is so small physically that I assume he needs to be brought along carefully: he makes Bernardo look like Mike Tyson.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I've just made that point re Pep, 'managing' in another thread. Mancini would be sulking because we didn't get Sanchez & he (& Pellegrini) would have signed Theo Walcott or some other C lister to make up the numbers.

It's always been the case, in the history of football, that the general rule re kids, is the absolute opposite, to what these cluless doomongers have been spouting on here (as if they are somehow experts) The positive outcomes, historically, far outnumber the negative ones.

An example of a negative one, is Mancini, stupidly throwing Dedryk Boyata into a Premier League game v Arsenal, at fucking centre half. Just 'no'.

But bringing on a young winger or striker, is a no brainer & we should have been doing it consistently. It's the only downside to the takeover; we lost our tradition re young players, because the managers had 'kid in a candy shop' money to chuck around, so didn't need to 'risk' any.

If Sven had the players we have had, since then, with the same attitude he had, we would have seen about 30 of them play, irrespective of money. It might be that not a single one 'made it'. The point is, it doesn't fucking matter.

All they have to do, is give us one half decent game here & there, to give a senior player some time off & it it could be the difference between a Silva or KDB playing on top form in a big game, or being shagged out or injured.

I understand why we haven't seen more of Diaz, as we have suffered from these bus parking twats & shit referees, & not had quite the breathing space we would have hoped for, considering our position. If we'd won the Bristol first leg 5-0, he would have probably started the away leg, for example. Or if he was 20, rather than 18, or 6ft & did 100M in 10 secs rather than being 4 ft 2 & quickish.

But he's very close to the point where he becomes a genuine first team contender. He's just got to bridge that small gap, from sub, to starter. But Bernardo Silva was almost in that position for half a season, so he's doing ok.

The club are doing a brilliant job of easing the Academy products in. First team training, regular bench inclusion, starts in lower-profile but important games, cameos in easy games and now first team starts.

These are the first crop who are good enough, so well done to everyone at the Academy and at MFCC.

 

[chaddblue]

The silver lining in the cloud that is the failure to prise Mahrez away from Leicester is that Diaz (and when fit Foden) may have to get some more minutes. I don't see the kids' games but I do like what little I have seen of Diaz. He is so small physically that I assume he needs to be brought along carefully: he makes Bernardo look like Mike Tyson.

He’s built like that argie that plays in Spain. Lionel something or other

I’ve been saying it for 2 years that this kid is going to be special, and I’m even more convinced now after seeing the 2 or 3 cameo appearances he’s made

 

[Neville Kneville]

The silver lining in the cloud that is the failure to prise Mahrez away from Leicester is that Diaz (and when fit Foden) may have to get some more minutes. I don't see the kids' games but I do like what little I have seen of Diaz. He is so small physically that I assume he needs to be brought along carefully: he makes Bernardo look like Mike Tyson.

He's tough though & now, is reaching the stage where he can bounce adults off him like he has elder kids, throughout his time at City. Each step up in age group, has taken him a while to adjust to the different pace & physicality & he starts as the little terrier who gets pushed off the ball & gets kicked around, then becomes a highly skilled pit bull, who you can't push anywhere.

He's just making that transition now, with the first team.

 

[Neville Kneville]

The club are doing a brilliant job of easing the Academy products in. First team training, regular bench inclusion, starts in lower-profile but important games, cameos in easy games and now first team starts.

These are the first crop who are good enough, so well done to everyone at the Academy and at MFCC.

No they are not.

We have had loads of players who were good enough to play & indeed still have: Ambrose, Maffeo, both Garcias, etc etc etc.

Good enough to become regulars ? Maybe not. Good enough to have played ? Loads of them.

 

[bellsouth]

He has a couple of thugs as players and he's not exactly endeared himself to us over the years, but credit to Pardew for his post match comments, didn't try and make excuses, seemed genuine in his praise and was quite gracious, so fair play.

 

[Neville Kneville]

He has a couple of thugs as players and he's not exactly endeared himself to us over the years, but credit to Pardew for his post match comments, didn't try and make excuses, seemed genuine in his praise and was quite gracious, so fair play.

He's got some brownie points from me for knocking those scouse rag twats out of the cup, but I still can't stand him.

 

[twosips]

The club are doing a brilliant job of easing the Academy products in. First team training, regular bench inclusion, starts in lower-profile but important games, cameos in easy games and now first team starts.

These are the first crop who are good enough, so well done to everyone at the Academy and at MFCC.

Not even close to true. Been loads that have been good enough to be useful at very least.