[Albion] £200 million on players

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

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

Are you genuinely trying to find a reason why we lost 7-0 today?
One that can be fixed with certainty?
Perhaps by sacking the manager and appointing, er, some bloke?

Let it go. Let it go.
You'll only grind your teeth and give yourself a headache.
Tomorrow is another day

 

[BBassic]

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.

Yeah, being fair he was dealt a difficult hand today, midfield wise. Most managers will struggle, I'd like to think.

But to decide to leave central midfielders on the bench and rely on a player who's only recently returned from injury, away at a form side, is negligent. There's no other word for it.

The defending was calamitous and to a certain degree he's hampered by injuries there with Pervis and Ferdi out. But I have to return to the midfield. Another player in there takes the pressure off the back four.

As it was we were 3 down after 30 mins and out of the game.

We've got depth and injury problems. But they're exacerbated by a manager who appears to be out of his depth.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

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.

I would disagree, with that assessment of the new players,.
This seasons signings were to bring depth to the squad, and that has definitely been the case.

Our 2nd choices this season have been much stronger than what we had last season

Having lost 6 CM players through injury and transfer this season, we still had a choice of 3 CMs for today's game.
A similar injury list, would have given RDZ even worse headaches than he had last season.

Minteh is doing everything you would want from a young winger.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Are you genuinely trying to find a reason why we lost 7-0 today?
One that can be fixed with certainty?
Perhaps by sacking the manager and appointing, er, some bloke?

Let it go. Let it go.
You'll only grind your teeth and give yourself a headache.
Tomorrow is another day

I know the reason. The useless German stooge only played one midfielder against Anderson, Danilo and Gibbs-White.

 

[sagaman]

IMO we brought too many new faces in at the same time. Given the inexperience of the coach at this level, it’s added another layer of complexity to what is already a tough ask. Having said that most have taken themselves out of contention through injury.

If we’re asking our head coach to develop talent at the same time as winning football matches (we do) then I feel Hürzeler’s job has been made tougher by us timing our spending spree to coincide with his arrival. I understand why we did it, but there’s too many moving parts.

I’ve said before that you have to get to season three you can judge FH as a manager. Provided he can keep us away from the relegation zone in seasons one and two, and the club keep faith, I’ll trust the club.

It feels unnecessarily difficult though, to not only be developing players but also head coaches simultaneously. Surely at least some parts of your organisation need to be established with some kind of track record? In general the club get things right, I do wonder if hubris has set in at the top however.

Very well reasoned post. Add to the fact that it has been obvious for over 2 seasons that we have needed quick defenders and more experience and it’s a recipe for muddle

 

[1066familyman]

Yeah, being fair he was dealt a difficult hand today, midfield wise. Most managers will struggle, I'd like to think.

But to decide to leave central midfielders on the bench and rely on a player who's only recently returned from injury, away at a form side, is negligent. There's no other word for it.

The defending was calamitous and to a certain degree he's hampered by injuries there with Pervis and Ferdi out. But I have to return to the midfield. Another player in there takes the pressure off the back four.

As it was we were 3 down after 30 mins and out of the game.

We've got depth and injury problems. But they're exacerbated by a manager who appears to be out of his depth.

I wanted to like your post as I agree with everything in it, right up until the last sentence.

Replace that with...a manager who is still learning and finding his feet... and I'm in full agreement

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

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.

As for the money spent, I don't recall any clever people explaining how we had bought shite before today.
In fact I recall murmurs of appreciation. By and large.
With the assessment contrasting our cleverness now with our failures passim: Locardia, Jahandbag, Barn-door Billy, etc.

With the retrospectroscope firmly back in your pocket, who would you of brought instead of the players singed?
(When I say back in your pocket, I mean in you hand and up there, and a-scoping back in after-time)

 

[BBassic]

I wanted to like your post as I agree with everything in it, right up until the last sentence.

Replace that with...a manager who is still learning and finding his feet... and I'm in full agreement

Yeah it's fair enough. I'm perhaps being harsh.

But as someone said in another thread, or perhaps this one - this club isn't a poxy learning experience for a kid. It's our club and it's being handled poorly.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

I'm surprised there's so much chat about Hurzeler and not why we've spent £200m and still got Dunk as centre half and captain. It's beginning to get embarrassing watching his decline

 

[1066familyman]

I know the reason. The useless German stooge only played one midfielder against Anderson, Danilo and Gibbs-White.

Absolutely nothing to do with not getting the basics right in defence then?

Just because he's fvcked up by only putting in a rusty from injury midfielder, on his own!, doesn't excuse the not picking up players and ball watching by our very experienced defenders. Wood, twice! Silva, twice inside one minute of play! That's not counting the obvious weakness of short arse Lamptey in a back four against this Forest team.

I'm sorry, but those basic defensive errors by players who know better are not simply as a result of being over run because FH made the silly decision to go with one in midfield.

Anyway, we're straying off topic here.

How many of our 200m signings were on the pitch today?

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

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

Everton seem to be doing ok.

There are lots of examples of it working.

 

[1066familyman]

Yeah it's fair enough. I'm perhaps being harsh.

But as someone said in another thread, or perhaps this one - this club isn't a poxy learning experience for a kid. It's our club and it's being handled poorly.

It's being handled poorly!

We're currently in our 7th season in the premier league, sitting comfortably in mid table with well over half the season played. All with a brand new manager and a much changed, half crocked squad.

Sorry, I think you've hit the knee jerk button pretty hard there

 

[GT49er]

Absolutely nothing to do with not getting the basics right in defence then?

How many of our 200m signings were on the pitch today?

None that looked like improvements/upgrades.

 

[1066familyman]

As for the money spent, I don't recall any clever people explaining how we had bought shite before today.
In fact I recall murmurs of appreciation. By and large.
With the assessment contrasting our cleverness now with our failures passim: Locardia, Jahandbag, Barn-door Billy, etc.

With the retrospectroscope firmly back in your pocket, who would you of brought instead of the players singed?
(When I say back in your pocket, I mean in you hand and up there, and a-scoping back in after-time)

Sorry, I may be getting your ever so clever for me post confused. Often I don't understand you.

Are you suggesting I'm saying we've bought a load of old shite?, because that's certainly not what I'm saying!

I'm saying we've brought in players that are largely still in development, have no previous experience of this division, and over half of which are, or have been, injured.

It's not a recruitment criticism at all! I like what we've got. I'm saying it's not like FH has a crop of premium league Rolls Royces to work with, all of which are available to play.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Sorry, I may be getting your ever so clever for me post confused. Often I don't understand you.

Are you suggesting I'm saying we've bought a load of old shite?, because that's certainly not what I'm saying!

I'm saying we've brought in players that are largely still in development, have no previous experience of this division, and over half of which are, or have been, injured.

It's not a recruitment criticism at all! I like what we've got. I'm saying it's not like FH has a crop of premium league Rolls Royces to work with, all of which are available to play.

No, you're good.
I was emoting 'at large'.
I agree with your perspective

I get a bit irritated by the tsunami of negativity after a bad defeat.
Nothing to do with your post.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Absolutely nothing to do with not getting the basics right in defence then?

Just because he's fvcked up by only putting in a rusty from injury midfielder, on his own!, doesn't excuse the not picking up players and ball watching by our very experienced defenders. Wood, twice! Silva, twice inside one minute of play! That's not counting the obvious weakness of short arse Lamptey in a back four against this Forest team.

I'm sorry, but those basic defensive errors by players who know better are not simply as a result of being over run because FH made the silly decision to go with one in midfield.

Anyway, we're straying off topic here.

How many of our 200m signings were on the pitch today?

You misunderstood the purpose of the thread with that last paragraph. I’m not blaming our signings. I’m saying we spent all that money and we’re much, much worse.

But, yeah, imagine being in that team talk. “You four forwards, don’t dare lose it or they’ll drive into the thirty yards of space where our midfield should be. Defence, if this happens watch for their midfield coming through and their wide players overlapping and Wood charging through the middle. And Jack, run around a lot eh? Good luck….”

 

[BBassic]

It's being handled poorly!

We're currently in our 7th season in the premier league, sitting comfortably in mid table with well over half the season played. All with a brand new manager and a much changed, half crocked squad.

Sorry, I think you've hit the knee jerk button pretty hard there

We're going to have to agree to disagree.

 

[1066familyman]

You misunderstood the purpose of the thread with that last paragraph. I’m not blaming our signings. I’m saying we spent all that money and we’re much, much worse.

But, yeah, imagine being in that team talk. “You four forwards, don’t dare lose it or they’ll drive into the thirty yards of space where our midfield should be. Defence, if this happens watch for their midfield coming through and their wide players overlapping and Wood charging through the middle. And Jack, run around a lot eh? Good luck….”

Sorry, how could I have misunderstood the purpose of this thread?

You started it today.

I asked how many of those 200m worth of players were on the pitch today?

 

[Uh_huh_him]

It's being handled poorly!

We're currently in our 7th season in the premier league, sitting comfortably in mid table with well over half the season played. All with a brand new manager and a much changed, half crocked squad.

Sorry, I think you've hit the knee jerk button pretty hard there

Think you may have lost a season there

 

[NorthstandRacoon]

Thing is, I don’t want to think this about our manager. Everyone always has a go about being negative, but I’ve not really felt negative about a manager since the end of CH’s reign.

But this guy… he just doesn’t have it. He may do at some point in the future, but he doesn’t at the moment. And he’s making the same mistakes he’s been making since the first game of the season.

Of course that doesn’t mean we won’t win some games. Of course we will, because we have too much quality. But we’re getting by on having good players at the moment, rather than having good players who are well coached and managed.

Agree. 100%.