[Albion] Brown ahead of Baldock for the final 5 minutes in the Bournemouth game

[Lifelong Supporter]

I rate Brown as better in the air and defending set pieces than Baldock.

Baldock has had a long while out and it was a pacey game to come into. Witness Bruno who never seemed to get up to speed with the game and he has been playing regularly

 

[Invicta]

Brown looks totally disinterested whenever he's come on.

 

[Spicy]

Hughton has commented on this only a few days ago. Didn’t stop NSC rumours of course. Not sure why CH should provide a running commentary.

I missed that unfortunately - do you have a copy of what was said please? I agree CH doesn't need to provide a running commentary.

 

[BLOCK F]

Good thing Chris H wasn't around when Eric Potts was playing. He would never have become Mr. Super Sub!

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

My guess - and hope - is that it is something to do with appearances made in Brown's loan agreement. All other options are unpalatable and illogical in my view.

I'm sure it is to do with appearances - in that there is a clause that states if he plays in less than X% of games then Chelsea can recall him. Brown is clearly a very useful player, as his performance against Liverpool showed, and we wouldn't want to lose him. He is hardly playing because there are others ahead of him in the pecking order, but that would clearly change if we suffered a run of injuries and/or suspensions.

Palmer was injured, thus barely played, thus was able to be recalled. I assume we are giving Brown a few minutes here and there so that Chelsea can't recall him.

Speculation on my part of course.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I very much doubt that. Didn't PB say sometime last season that the club never makes loan agreements with appearance clauses in them?

Not ones that 'force us' to play a player, sure, but there are other versions of appearance clauses such as in my post above

 

[chaileyjem]

Not ones that 'force us' to play a player, sure, but there are other versions of appearance clauses such as in my post above

Are there ? Blimey ! Tell us more.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Are there ? Blimey ! Tell us more.

 

[chaileyjem]

I missed that unfortunately - do you have a copy of what was said please? I agree CH doesn't need to provide a running commentary.

I do.
"At the moment it's almost as difficult to pick the subs as the team.
"That's because we have got a lot of bodies fit and available and that's the way you would want it. So it's purely tactical."

 

[OzMike]

Sorry to ask what must seem an obvious question, but if fully fit then why isn't Baldock getting some game time.

 

[chaileyjem]

Sorry to ask what must seem an obvious question, but if fully fit then why isn't Baldock getting some game time.

Probably the same reason Murphy, Skalak, Rosenior, Krul aren't getting game time. And the same reason Brown has been dropped from the 18 several times.

 

[Originunknown]

We've seen very little from Brown to suggest he should be anywhere near the first team.

I hope to see Sam in the squad for Monday. He deserves to play if fit. Let's not forget he has played over an hour on occasions and scored for the U23 and U21 squads during November.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I hope to see Sam in the squad for Monday. He deserves to play if fit. Let's not forget he has played over an hour on occasions and scored for the U23 and U21 squads during November.

I like SB, and hope he is doing enough to feature, but how do you know he 'deserves' to play? Surely only the coaching staff and CH know how hard and determined he's been working and whether that should be at the expense of someone else.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Probably the same reason Murphy, Skalak, Rosenior, Krul aren't getting game time. And the same reason Brown has been dropped from the 18 several times.

CH doesn't think he's as good as TH, GM or PG....and seemingly IB...who at least has come off the bench ....its the way it appears

 

[Originunknown]

I like SB, and hope he is doing enough to feature, but how do you know he 'deserves' to play? Surely only the coaching staff and CH know how hard and determined he's been working and whether that should be at the expense of someone else.

I'm assuming and hoping CH will use the squad for this game making at least 7 or 8 changes. In this circumstance for this cup match I would suggest he deserves to play, if fit, at least from the bench.

His performances last season were of huge importance in our promotion. I appreciate they play in different positions but Brown has really not shown his quality, in fact his best game for us stands out as the pre season Vs Atletico!

 

[The Gem]

Even more so why when Jose could barely run after 70 mins was he left on ? I know defensively he is better than March but we had no outlet when we had the ball. Utterly baffling tactics by Hughton against Bournemouth

We did look VERY tired (understandably) in the final 15 and no, I couldn't understand the logic of leaving subs so late.

More to the point why did CH wait for an injury before making any subs when Bournemouth already had three subs on and half our team looked absolutely knackered?

Baldock will so off the pace that I’m not convinced he should be anywhere near the team until he has played a few games for whatever team CH can put him in which isn’t the first team in the Premier League.

As said before if he doesn’t get on the pitch against Palace the issues must run deeper than just an injury recovery.

Substitutions are strange old things. We all think its fresh legs and therefore bringing the result home, but as Bruno showed, no matter how good you are, getting into a game of that pace, even with 25mins to go is not easy. Their equaliser came 2 or 3mins after Schelotto went off. Not saying it had anything to do with it, but if you're holding a team at bay, which we were and still posing a threat, then making changes isn't necessarily going to help.

Who else would you have changed? Kayal for Gross, therefore taking away part of our attacking threat? Kayal for Stephens or Propper who have such a strong understanding now, and have such good legs, not sure that is benefitting you?

I could understand the logic. You only make subs if you think they will make you better. Howe had to change something because on 60mins we still looked the team most likely to score the next goal.

I remember standing on the terraces at Norwich last season, when they sang, Chrissie Hughton, he'll take you back down, at the time I thought haha you're just jealous, I have to say though after Boremouth for the first time this season mainly because of the tactics not used when we needed to press and try and win the game just like smug Howe did, I did begin to wonder if they were right.

If he continues to be so negative especially against teams around us at home the fat lady may just be clearing her throat.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I remember standing on the terraces at Norwich last season, when they sang, Chrissie Hughton, he'll take you back down, at the time I thought haha you're just jealous, I have to say though after Boremouth for the first time this season mainly because of the tactics not used when we needed to press and try and win the game just like smug Howe did, I did begin to wonder if they were right.

If he continues to be so negative especially against teams around us at home the fat lady may just be clearing her throat.

Excuse me for asking ...what substitutions against Bournemouth were negative?

 

[Springal]

Excuse me for asking ...what substitutions against Bournemouth were negative?

The ones he didn't make. We had no outlet because every attacking player was dead on their feet

 

[OzMike]

Probably the same reason Murphy, Skalak, Rosenior, Krul aren't getting game time. And the same reason Brown has been dropped from the 18 several times.

But if it is unanimously agreed that we need more pace up front he would seem the obvious choice.

 

[chaileyjem]

But if it is unanimously agreed that we need more pace up front he would seem the obvious choice.

Well he wouldn't have been on the bench 3 times unless he's in his contention or being considered but clearly he thinks Tomer/Glenn or Izquierdo/March/Brown have been better options for changing things up front via subs or games haven't turned out for CH to want to give SB his chance. (injuries, being ahead , chasing the game) .