[Albion] £200 million on players

[Bold Seagull]

Come off it?
Are you serious. Most of this squad are not injured.
We were able to bring on 2 international midfielders at half time.

The only position we were unable to fill is left back.

In the Luton game ( 4 days after an FA Cup 4th round away game against Sheff Utd) there was no March, Mitoma or Adingra.
Estupinan played but was on death's door.
Groß was playing CM and Milner was right back

We’re top of the PL injury table. Bring on 2 international; one for his first minutes in the PL, one barely back from injury. I’m now not sure if you’re on a wind up - you’re normally pretty sensible?

 

[Guinness Boy]

Bournemouth had 8 players out last week and won 5-0 against the same team.

 

[DJ NOBO]

Bournemouth had 8 players out last week and won 5-0 against the same team.

Two of the reasons why the injuries excuse doesn’t wholly stack up.
Another being that we could have set up better today. That starting line-up was guaranteed to fail.

 

[1066familyman]

Yeah this.

RDZ and Potter improved players.

This guy has just inherited a good squad and done nothing with it.

Plenty of good 30 minute spells in games, whixh I doubt are down to him.

We are so easy to play against.

He's inherited a very new squad, with many injuries.

So the plenty of good 30 minute spells aren't down to him? What about the plenty of shite 30 minute spells? All on him?

Granted, we are easy to play against, with some of our defensive performances especially. Not getting the basics right there is more to do with the players I feel, rather than how they are set up.

 

[trueblue]

A central midfielder.

Like the two that were on the bench? For any club outside the top 7 or 8 we have enviable strength in depth. Not much point though if you don't make use of it.

 

[BBassic]

He's inherited a very new squad, with many injuries.

So the plenty of good 30 minute spells aren't down to him? What about the plenty of shite 30 minute spells? All on him?

Granted, we are easy to play against, with some of our defensive performances especially. Not getting the basics right there is more to do with the players I feel, rather than how they are set up.

How are they set up?

Does anyone know? The players don't seem to. Early in the first half today Pedro was at f***ing left back.

 

[1066familyman]

It's odd we didn't want to back RDZ in the same way, I'd love to know what he'd have done with these players. I still think it's too early to tell with FH, needs to find a consistent style and tactics.

Exactly this!

Obviously something went on behind the scenes with RDZ, but for me he was right to be fed up when he wasn't backed in that January, whilst still in Europe and with so many injuries.

I think to date, RDZ is the best manager we've ever had.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

We’re top of the PL injury table. Bring on 2 international; one for his first minutes in the PL, one barely back from injury. I’m now not sure if you’re on a wind up - you’re normally pretty sensible?

I'm getting a bit tired of posters claiming that injuries were responsible for a 7-0 thrashing.

It wasn't injuries.
It was Huerzeler's decison to play 4-1-4-1 against the 3rd placed team, that are probably the best counter-attacking team in the league.

Sure losing Ayari and Baleba was a massive blow, but the answer wasn't going all out attack..

The truth is that I have been waiting for Huerzeler to show what he's got.
The Palace performance was a worry, the Everton performance worsened that, but this has really damaged his credibility.

 

[trueblue]

We have been a corporate business more obsessed with making money than winning games of football

Not really true. We're a business that tries to make money to give us a chance of consistently winning games of football. The environment is heavily stacked against smaller clubs so there's not much choice.

 

[1066familyman]

How are they set up?

Does anyone know? The players don't seem to. Early in the first half today Pedro was at f***ing left back.

Well it was a simple back four today, but Lamptey is no good in that system.

Worse today though is that JPVH and Veltman were our poorest defenders! Ball watching and not picking up the likes of Wood is unforgivable basics.

Minteh was our best defender today!

 

[Uh_huh_him]

He's inherited a very new squad, with many injuries.

So the plenty of good 30 minute spells aren't down to him? What about the plenty of shite 30 minute spells? All on him?

Granted, we are easy to play against, with some of our defensive performances especially. Not getting the basics right there is more to do with the players I feel, rather than how they are set up.

I suspect, not getting the basics right, shows that the players aren't really taking to the coaches instructions.
I'm sure injuries have played into this, but 24 games in, we should be seeing more positive moments than we are.
We were terrible against Palace, Everton, West Ham, Southampton.

Increasingly every game follows the same pattern, slow, intricate passing that goes nowhere, followed by the last 10 minutes of balls ove rthe top Hoping for our wingers to get onto them.

It feels like we are going backwards.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Not going to dig out Hinshelwood, whose been out ages and always tries his best, but as soon as I saw that team sheet with Jack in the 6 or 8 role against some bigger physical Forest players, I questioned the wisdom.

Throughout first half it was patently clear it wasn't working and Jack was being overrun and yet nothing was done till HT.

Potter for his sins probably would've altered formation in game.

Hurzeler may get the starting formation wrong, it happens, the passive first half, non existant in game management sealed the humiliation the second half just confirmed.

To be fair Hinshelwood was about the only decent player in the first half……

Feckin long journey back…..

 

[BBassic]

Well it was a simple back four today, but Lamptey is no good in that system.

Worse today though is that JPVH and Veltman were our poorest defenders! Ball watching and not picking up the likes of Wood is unforgivable basics.

Minteh was our best defender today!

And what about the decision to play one recognised central midfielder?

I don't care how people try and spin this: we should not have lost 7-0. Fab has hard questions to answer and if he can't answer them he needs to go.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

It’s odd when people see those who don’t find negative with the club or team such an affront.

True, but there is such a thing as objectivity as well…..

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Thing is, this has been the case since day 1 with him. He’s not learning and he’s not adapting. He’s just not very good. And we’re so easy to play against.

This….

It literally is the ‘not learning’, it’s now becoming a concern (well for me anyway).

 

[willalbion]

We f***ed up massively by not getting Potter back in the summer and we’ll do the same if we don’t get Ashworth back too.

I’m a ‘never go back’ person. Rarely works.

 

[Lethargic]

No, it doesn’t. You said:



I pointed out that one player from the U23’s started, and one came off the bench. Nowhere did you originally say anything about the subsequent “points” you made, and that’s a generous term.

You didn’t check, made a mistake, got called on it. Fair play, we’re all wrong sometimes. Just own it.

No, it doesn’t. You said:



I pointed out that one player from the U23’s started, and one came off the bench. Nowhere did you originally say anything about the subsequent “points” you made, and that’s a generous term.

You didn’t check, made a mistake, got called on it. Fair play, we’re all wrong sometimes. Just own it.

Fair enough on pointing out specifics however I am not looking at this game in isolation we are lauded for giving youngsters opportunities. To me this is not the case this season opportunities for U23s have been limited despite our injury challenges

To this point I have been very positive and I can see the longer term plans but we don't seem to be following our plans anymore.

 

[1066familyman]

I suspect, not getting the basics right, shows that the players aren't really taking to the coaches instructions.
I'm sure injuries have played into this, but 24 games in, we should be seeing more positive moments than we are.
We were terrible against Palace, Everton, West Ham, Southampton.

Increasingly every game follows the same pattern, slow, intricate passing that goes nowhere, followed by the last 10 minutes of balls ove rthe top Hoping for our wingers to get onto them.

It feels like we are going backwards.

Tbf, I'm also getting tired of slow build up play and the way we congest the opposition box, often getting in each other's way.

That discussion might be for another thread though. I think it's work in progress.

The fact remains £200m doesn't really reflect the players we've brought in, and the injuries have added to that. Arguably, of the new players, only Rutter has had any serious impact so far. It's really not like FH is working with 200m worth of proven superstars, which is what some might have us believe when they just quote the headline figure.

 

[willalbion]

The recruitment has been a disaster. All about trying to sign players for profit over the needs of the team in the now. Havent come close to replacing Gilmour and Gross and the lack of bringing in PL ready cover at LB is pure negligence. Our CBs are nowhere near good enough either.

Fabien has to take blame but David Weir I assume in delivery of Tonys strategy is equally as culpable,

JPVH is definitely good enough. Did anyone think we weren’t going to get battered when they saw our line up? 1 midfielder.Fab will get to the end of the season, but he’s making some odd tactical choices.

 

[1066familyman]

And what about the decision to play one recognised central midfielder?

I don't care how people try and spin this: we should not have lost 7-0. Fab has hard questions to answer and if he can't answer them he needs to go.

Not sure it was his decision to have Baleba and Ayari out so late on.

Granted, it's an opportunity to start Gomez or O'Riley, and Hinshelwood was left vulnerable.

Still the biggest take away for me today is the sheer schoolboy level of comedy defending we displayed.