Don't understand the club's stance...

[Cheeky Monkey]

"No ambition"...... No ambition would be coining it in by selling Dunk, Knocky, Stephens, Kayal for about 25 million.

Agree to an extent, but it's still running to stand still isn't it?

 

[Guy Fawkes]

With strikers appearing to be at £8 Mill plus in this division, will we ever go that extra £5/£6 Mill to bag the "25 goal a season" striker that would definitely be the difference between staying were we are than going up? Possibly not.

Very pessimistic view, especially as we were about to spend that sort of money for a player in Pritchard a few days ago (before Norwich hijacked it)

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Couldn't agree more,we've all been mugged off,one day after the annual play off chokeathon "we're going to be targeting a top two finish next season"
3 months later ,we roll over and have our belly rubbed.
22k fooled again.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

You weren't 'fooled' as you've been moaning all summer. I don't understand why you bother supporting Albion (if you even do) as you spend so much time criticising them

 

[Zebedee]

I don't understand how a few weeks ago we were willing to spend 8mil on a no.10 and since failing to sign him we haven't brought anyone in. Surely there must be similar players out there that would have cost similar or even less than the quoted fee.

Exactly what I think. If there is a will etc........

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Couldn't agree more,we've all been mugged off,one day after the annual play off chokeathon "we're going to be targeting a top two finish next season"
3 months later ,we roll over and have our belly rubbed.
22k fooled again.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

You weren't 'fooled' as you've been moaning all summer. I don't understand why you bother supporting Albion (if you even do) as you spend so much time criticising them

 

[deslynhamsmoustache1]

It was the first game of the season and teams take time to bed in. Yes, we didn't take our chances but nor did Derby who could have scored a couple early on. Anyway, we don't need to win at Derby to finish mid table (which apparently we'll be lucky to do according to you). I'm as frustrated as anyone if we have missed out on a striker but can have a bit more perspective than ludicrous comments like that.

But Derby have gone out and tried to correct that, albeit in a now totally O.t.t way with 9 strikers

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Christ on a bike. It is still summer. Are you in a small tent in the Antarctic? Unclench for goodness' sake. Your ringpiece will thank you for it . . . . . .

You weren't 'fooled' as you've been moaning all summer. I don't understand why you bother supporting Albion (if you even do) as you spend so much time criticising them

Norman Baker suck my lozenge = a trolling account

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

You weren't 'fooled' as you've been moaning all summer. I don't understand why you bother supporting Albion (if you even do) as you spend so much time criticising them

Alright! I heard you the first time!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Jim in the West]

I don't understand how a few weeks ago we were willing to spend 8mil on a no.10 and since failing to sign him we haven't brought anyone in. Surely there must be similar players out there that would have cost similar or even less than the quoted fee.

Probably, but whether they (or their clubs) wanted them to come here is the problem. West Brom have said (a) money is (virtually) no object, and (b) they can't get anyone in (apart from Chadli). They're desperate, but can't sign anyone. There are always two sides.... And, perhaps the money has gone on Pocognoli's wages (he's a Premiership player and Belgian international, so can't be cheap), and a better deal for Stephens (possibly unlikely). Personally I think that after getting Murray in the absolute priority was a left back - Bong is a liability, and Rosenior is getting on a bit. We've also spent £4.5m on a centre back, and (so far) resisted attempts to buy Dunk, Knockaert and Stephens.

So - if this trf window ends up with us retaining our key players from last year (Stockdale, Dunk, Knockaert, Stephens and Kayal), and adding Pocognoli, Duffy, Murray, Norwood, and Sidwell, that is pretty good as far as I'm concerned.

 

[doogie004]

Yes, we have kept hold of our best players, however Murray and Hemed will not work together as a strike partnership and Baldock doesn't score anywhere near frequently enough. Why bother keeping Stephens and Kayal on the final year of their contracts if we aren't going to invest in someone to score the goals? Doesn't make any sense to me, our failure to sign a striker means top 6 at the very best, and we will most likely lose two of our best players at the end of the season for no money.

Sell them or sign a goalscorer, no point hovering in between...

Absolutely this with bells on

 

[martin tyler]

Whilst I don't disagree per se, we had Ulloa who did well with little service, now we have the best service in the league from all over the pitch but are light up top.

Surely now was the time to gamble just as Burnley did with Andre Gray? He wasn't the sort of player we probably would have been looking for either and seemed over priced - looks good value now though with the clarets sitting pretty on £180m

I agree it does and he was worth the cash but he fitted in to how they wanted to play. Wasn't pretty but they hit the channels used grays pace and hoped he produced some magic or won a set play, from which they were pretty impressive.
Pritchard would of been perfect in this team in a free role, would of played most weeks and when March was back we would of had a devestating attacking. Pity he wanted the money over game time.
The problem this year strikers have gone up again. 9 million would of been a push for us but the players recruited by villa, Newcastle, Norwich and Derby are starting at 8 million which would get a vidra, gestede or Pritchard. The top players like Gayke, Ritchie, McCormack, kodija ect are 12 million plus and without parachute payments it's almost impossible to compete with that. Our most realistic signing today in my opinion would be Dack and hope he could take the step up

 

[One Love]

So yours is a perspective and mine blind faith? So arrogant. Your serious opinion is a team that finished third and has made the following changes this summer will be lucky to finish mid table

Pocoglioni for Calderon
Duffy for Greer
Adekugbe for Chicksen
Hall for Rea
Norwood for Crofts
Murray for Zamora

Yes, we've not replaced Wilson but we only had Hemed, Baldock and Wilson for the final three months last year with Zamora out injured. Murray is an improvement on Wilson. We've also added Sidwell, Knockaert and Skalak since the end of August last season.

As I said, I'm not happy as I expected us to sign a striker so it's not blind faith. I just think you and others are massively over reacting. We're currently eighth despite hardly playing Stephens this season, not had Pocoglioni and we've got March, Goldson and Huhnemeier to come back.

To some extent I agree but last year we had an engine room of Stephens and Kayal that was probably the best centre midfield partnership in the league.

That seems to have been wrecked by Stephens wanting to leave.

 

[stss30]

Why oh why didn't we sign a Leon Best, Jonathan Obika or a Billy Paynter as we are so desperate for a 4th striker on the books, after all they have all scored goals elsewhere so they must be up to our required standard and wouldn't have just been a spot filler in the squad for the sake of having a 4th striker

If we are unable to get the player(s) we were after, there is a good explanation for that
- either they were unavailable for signing by their existing club (Like Burnley's bids for Stephens or Newcastle's bid for Knockaert)
- they were asking far too much money for what we would be getting (transfer fee or wage demands were simply far too high and above our maximum valuation for them)
- the player decided against joining us and either stayed put or joined one of our competitors (like Pritchard and Norwich)

The calibre of players we are after is much higher now than before and they become more scarce (and more fought over) than just picking up a striker who doesn't improve us but only adds an extra body into our squad, surely it's better to hold fire and continue to try to get the best players we could feasibly sign (like a Knockaert) rather than just taking any old player out there

We were willing to pay £8m (£5m up front I believe) for Pritchard. I am sure we could have acquired a decent quality striker for that amount. I agree that there's no point in signing players for the sake of it but even a season long loan from one of the Premiership's big boys must be better than trying to 'get by' with 3 first team strikers. 1 of whom I don't believe would score more than 5 league goals even if he played every game (Baldock).

 

[doogie004]

This is a better squad than last season.

Brighton were the highest championship goal scorers last season. Joint with Burnley on 72 goals. The only difference is literally Zamora and Wilson being swapped for Murray in the striker department. I'd back Murray to score more than those he replaced...

If one got injured you had another this time round we r ****ed if Murray gets injured

 

[Finchley Seagull]

To some extent I agree but last year we had an engine room of Stephens and Kayal that was probably the best centre midfield partnership in the league.

That seems to have been wrecked by Stephens wanting to leave.

Yes, agree re Stephens. We need him to work hard and give his all once the transfer window has shut. If it turns out he is sulking, our chances of challenging will go down.

To be honest, I'm just a bit fed up with the relentless negativity on here and trying to put an alternative perspective.

 

[Wardy's twin]

Christ on a bike. It is still summer. Are you in a small tent in the Antarctic? Unclench for goodness' sake. Your ringpiece will thank you for it . . . . . .

I would have liked to see a nippy forward signed, I would have liked Wilson to be honest as I think there is a lot of talent there. If we don't sign anyone then I don't see it as all the doom and gloom that people are posting. We have to face some facts here

a)TB has spent an awful lot of money and we are in a very good place - excellent ground and a great team

b)We are not in the same financial place as others where they have parachute payments or had the infrastructure (ground) already in place. We cannot compete and we have to understand that.

c)Last season we scored 72 goals and were joint top scorers and one could argue we are stronger as we could expect Murray to score more than Wilson & Zamora did

d) last season we overachieved and it will be harder this year

We don't have a bottomless pit of money so maybe Hughton/Bloom thinking is they would rather loose the potential sale Kayal & Stephens than sign a striker which might force me to sell one or both. they have March coming back and I think Murphy as a number 10 is worth a punt.

So agree with HWT stop moaning and enjoy....

 

[Stat Brother]

So yours is a perspective and mine blind faith? So arrogant. Your serious opinion is a team that finished third and has made the following changes this summer will be lucky to finish mid table

Pocoglioni for Calderon
Duffy for Greer
Adekugbe for Chicksen
Hall for Rea
Norwood for Crofts
Murray for Zamora

Yes, we've not replaced Wilson but we only had Hemed, Baldock and Wilson for the final three months last year with Zamora out injured. Murray is an improvement on Wilson. We've also added Sidwell, Knockaert and Skalak since the end of August last season.

As I said, I'm not happy as I expected us to sign a striker so it's not blind faith. I just think you and others are massively over reacting. We're currently eighth despite hardly playing Stephens this season, not had Pocoglioni and we've got March, Goldson and Huhnemeier to come back.

This is all about the strikers.
You're right we have a fantastic squad for 2/3rds of the pitch, but not in the most important area.

Yes Murray is 'better' for the squad than Zamora.
But he's not better on the pitch, because he is identical to Tomer, so identical in fact they've already tackled each other.
Neither has the guile of Bobby.
Baldock has already shown flashes of what's needed and a ponderous hour of what's not, and that's it.

Let's not forget the strength of the relegated teams, and the strengthening of the teams that were around us.

Sorry I just don't see 'it'.


(Oh and for the record we're both being arrogant!!)

 

[Notters]

Shall we wait till the window closes eh?

 

[studio150]

We must sign a striker or its a disaster.

Which all sounds like a night out where you haven't yet pulled, so you get desperate and lower your standards, but at last success, but then wake up the next morning and instantly regret your decision making.

However in football you are stuck with that decision for some months not just the one night stand.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

This is all about the strikers.
You're right we have a fantastic squad for 2/3rds of the pitch, but not in the most important area.

Yes Murray is 'better' for the squad than Zamora.
But he's not better on the pitch, because he is identical to Tomer, so identical in fact they've already tackled each other.
Neither has the guile of Bobby.
Baldock has already shown flashes of what's needed and a ponderous hour of what's not, and that's it.

Let's not forget the strength of the relegated teams, and the strengthening of the teams that were around us.

Sorry I just don't see 'it'.


(Oh and for the record we're both being arrogant!!)

Zamora and Hemed rarely played together and Baldock rarely scored last season so we've not lost much there. I agree the league is stronger and if you said we'll do well to push for the play offs, I would have said fair enough. It's the negativity of saying we'll be lucky to finish mid table that is so negative and I don't understand why.