West Brom pre-match thread

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The problem today is simple. This match means more than Tuesday to the club because (whilst Tuesday is important, of course, for prestige, this matters none if we miss CL next season) with the only four other teams in the mini league between 2nd and 6th playing each other we make up points on at least 2 of these whatever the results and potentially all 4. That will not happen again this season so it is a one off chance to give us some leeway for a slip up or a chance of catching Arsenal or Tottenham for 3 rd - which is pretty important if we can.

Unfortunately, Tuesday means more to the manager as it is his audition for a CL manager's job next season.

So he is bound to psychologically prioritise that a bit too much over today. Whereas we really cannot afford to prioritise either game as this is a must win today or we could well be out of the top 4 this weekend and with the games for us and United next weekend in big trouble.

No excuses for a weakened team today and I hope that this has been pointed out to the manager.

Go for it early, build a lead and take players off early. That is the right thing to do today not gamble on a half baked side in the expectation it will be 'easy'. We have made that mistake too often.
 
Healdplace said:
The problem today is simple. This match means more than Tuesday to the club because (whilst Tuesday is important, of course, for prestige, this matters none if we miss CL next season) with the only four other teams in the mini league between 2nd and 6th playing each other we make up points on at least 2 of these whatever the results and potentially all 4. That will not happen again this season so it is a one off chance to give us some leeway for a slip up or a chance of catching Arsenal or Tottenham for 3 rd - which is pretty important if we can.

Unfortunately, Tuesday means more to the manager as it is his audition for a CL manager's job next season.

So he is bound to psychologically prioritise that a bit too much over today. Whereas we really cannot afford to prioritise either game as this is a must win today or we could well be out of the top 4 this weekend and with the games for us and United next weekend in big trouble.

No excuses for a weakened team today and I hope that this has been pointed out to the manager.

Go for it early, build a lead and take players off early. That is the right thing to do today not gamble on a half baked side in the expectation it will be 'easy'. We have made that mistake too often.
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Great shot.
 
SWP's back said:
No. Id rather have the champions league next season with a better manager and new players than a semi final this year and fuck all next season.
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See both sides to this a bit of luck and a kind draw may see us in the final,seems wrong to have got this far and chuck it away.
Could qualify for next season and not get out the group,maybe it would be good for the youngsters to have the Europa to gel in while the superstars concentrate on winning the league.
Downside Sunday league games
 
SWP's back said:
Wibble.

I've not spoken to a City fan that think we are remotely in the title race.
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Does that make it right? Are you the go to man for what all City fans think? Pell thinks we are. He's a City fan. I do. I'm a City fan. @Phelan's Pace does. Probably more. You need to start supporting City instead of feeding that little devil on your shoulder who tells you fibs.
 
Title is still mathematically possible but unlikely. With that said I'll still hope spurs and Leicester drop points, as long as we keep picking up 3, taking each fixture as it comes.

I won't stop believing until it's not possible but I'm convinced we'll come 2nd though, so I won't be putting my house on us finishing top.
 
Though finishing fourth means you can only guarantee a play off in the CL with a manager still only weeks into knowing his new side and players largely worn out by a heavy summer of finals and then round the world tours. So will that make a difference to players who must have CL?

In my view anyway you want players who buy into the City project and want to win leagues and cups not just CL. Pep presumably sees it like that which is why he did not insist on top 4 before agreeing.

So, whilst, yes, we will limit our options (not least because of the drop in income without CL guaranteed next season) it might help in the short term to not sign CL stars who may not be well suited to the far tougher grind of a PL season and give Pep a year to build a team of grafters in his image. Win the league and guarantee pot 1 for 2017 and THEN worry about super stars who only want CL.

It is looking harder (though not impossible) to get top 3 and assured CL status. Unless we win it, of course, which - unlikely as we know that is - might even seem the best shot of actually getting straight in to the club. Hence they might (wrongly in my view) prioritise Tuesday over today.

We are in a really difficult position now that has been largely (though because of being so unlucky with injuries, not entirely) of our own making. The warning signs ought to have been spotted early enough to stop this rut before we gave ourselves a tough task. I expect that will be discussed by the powers that be in the post season analysis.

But we thrive on that sort of thing, of course, so we can still put ourselves into 3rd if we win all our remaining games and other things go our way.

That is a really hard ask but something City can certainly do.
 
SWP's back said:
No. Id rather have the champions league next season with a better manager and new players than a semi final this year and fuck all next season.
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Errr hello. Knock knock. Anybody home? This seasons champions league is the same competition as next years. Guess what. We already qualified and are on the brink of the semi final. Would you then want to be knocked out next year just to finish in the top four next year. We're not Arsenal. There isn't a trophy for finishing top four.
 
Bluep*ss said:
WTF - Why am I reading PSG squad when this is WBA thread? Mods get a grip.

I would rest KdB , swap our fullbacks, keep Otto and Mangler ,play Delph and Fernando, Bony ans Itchy to start.
Yaya can come on later.
Hart ,Zabba , Otto , Mangler , Kolorov , Delph , Fernando ,Navas , Nasri ,Bony , Nacho.
Yaya on the bench with KdB
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Works for me bring on kun,kdb,yaya if it goes wrong or give Garcia a run if its going well
 
B\connellblue said:
sorry if you misunderstood i meant after this weekend. Good opportunity for us to open a gap. The thing about the champions league is not about progressing this season its more about who will come to us if were not in it next season.
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The pep factor will over see them coming next seson
 
Rotating the team is sensible , some posters saying we will be playing a "half baked" team , when we bring in Zabs,Kolarov,Delph,Nasri,Nacho,Bony , none of these players are half baked ,on the open market nearly £100m worth , i can understand , if we brought in a load of EDS kids , but these players are proven , quality squad players who would walk into the majority of Premiership line ups , they would certainly all start for West Brom if they were in their squad . Although 4th place is vital , Tuesdays game is a real shot at winning the trophy , some people need to drop the ridiculous hatred of UEFA and their trophy . Boo the anthem fair enough , i will be doing on Tuesday , i will not forget FFP , CSKA etc etc ., but lets move on as a football club , weve got trophies to win.
 
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