Unbelievable!

This topic contains 2 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by  fingerwba 3 years ago.

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  • #1927904

    derwentd
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    As I watched today’s game and literally aged ten years in 90+ minutes, I was left feeling that things like this don’t only happen to Albion. Indeed, after the experience against Crystal Palace, in their last game, Brighton must feel jinxed.

    So many things to consider….where was Trossard today? Against Palace, he looked like a world class player….Kyle Bartley, an Albion legend! I never thought in a million years that I’d write or say that…Maitland-Niles, Okay, Gallagher, all looking like people who can play a bit, in Albion shirts….Michael Oliver, gotta be the best referee ever to blow a whistle, or not!

    Its extraordinary, but I honestly feel that, excepting Man City, most teams playing in empty stadiums find it difficult to be motivated. You see it in the NBA, too. How can the Lakers lose 4 in a row? Impossible…obviously not, its just that the players are pacing themselves for the play-offs and they just can’t be bothered or do not want to get injured in, for them, meaningless games.

    Whatever…what is interesting is that we have a little unbeaten streak going, however undeserved it is, and 2 or 3 more wins, coupled with bad results for teams around us and you just never know.

    One thing that I do think is important is that many of our players, as hard as they’re trying, get bundled off the ball too easily. Its great winning tackles, but no good if you then don’t do anything with the ball. The likes of Townsend, O’Shea, Gallagher, Phillips and Pereira give the ball up or turn it over with weak passes far too often. This has to stop.

    #1928255

    sarky parky
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    • :

    I agree about the tension, Derwent, and about Brighton being jinxed. Any team that misses two penalties by the width of the goalposts and has a goal disallowed because the referee blew up a split second before the ball crossed the line has every right to question the objectivity of the football gods particularly as Palace scored a last second winner in their previous match. So of Albion’s mini run, they should have won the previous two games but lost this one so their points tally should have been six instead of five. Now if only we can beat Everton and Newcastle (a pretty big if) we shall have twenty-three points and be close to what is becoming a bit of a melee for the third relegation spot.

    I also agree about the implausibility of Bartley emerging as a colossus. For most of the time Bartley has been with us my heart has sunk every time I see his name on the team sheet but now he has matured into our most reliable defender and an inspirational captain.

    As for Albion players being too easily brushed off the ball one of the reasons is that we hold on to it for too long. Most other teams, including Brighton and Fulham, operate like clockwork. There are usually two or three passing options for the man with the ball and many of their passes are first time ones. Too often Albion are robbed of the ball or give it away in midfield areas because of hesitancy; other teams give it away when they are trying to prise open a defence.

    But whatever. We now have almost emerged from having an embarrassing points total and giving away two goals a game. So at least we have become competitive. After the optimism of most of last season, to see us so far off the Premiership pace was depressing in the extreme particularly as we had spent nearly all our transfer money on Diangana who has done very little so far this season, and Grant who has done even less.

    Incidentally, Krovonovic is apparently starring for Forest and their supporters are waxing lyrical about him. I always thought he was given something of a raw deal at the Hawthorns. Even this season he was part of two of Albion’s better performances; the draw at Brighton and thew home defeat to spurs when the midfield quartet of Krovi, Pereira, Gallagher and Livermore was the best we came up with under Bilic.

    #1928544

    fingerwba
    Participant
    • :

    Yes a lucky win… although I didn’t think the second penalty was a penalty. The rule on quick free kicks must be clarified.
    Yes, we are so slow on the ball. Diangana cannot play at this level. He has talent, but is too lightweight & hasn’t a clue how to keep possession. In fact, the inability throughout the team to keep possession is what separates us from every other team in the division, even Sheffield do it much better. I doubt Sam is doing much training of that. If he is, it clearly isn’t working as it’s the same every match. No possession, no respite for the defence and even when we do win it back, we lose it again immediately due to taking too much time or being so physically weak.
    Defensively, Bartley & O’Shea did good with Okay protecting. I thought Townsend had his worst game in ages…. clearly not up for the defensive fight despite Bartley showing the way.

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