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[Albion] Friendly at Birmingham tomorrow
- Thread starter swindonseagull
- Start date
burnee54
East Upper Hermit
This piqued my curiosity, it's from a match report on the Birmingham Live site
"Without injured pair David Davis and Isaac Vassell, as well as the frozen out goalkeeping pair of David Stockdale and Tomasz Kuszczak, it was arguably as strong a side as Monk could have named."
Why would they be frozen out?
It's not like they were on loan from us.
Does anybody have any ideas?
"Without injured pair David Davis and Isaac Vassell, as well as the frozen out goalkeeping pair of David Stockdale and Tomasz Kuszczak, it was arguably as strong a side as Monk could have named."
Why would they be frozen out?
It's not like they were on loan from us.
Does anybody have any ideas?
AZ Gull
@SeagullsAcademy @seagullsacademy.bsky.social
It's nothing to do with the fact they were playing us. From what others have said, the manager supposedly doesn't rate either of them.
Kosh
'The' Yaztromo
I can’t help but feel the coming season is going one of two ways. For me, this needs to be a transitional season, easing former championship and ageing PL (1st season) legends out of the starting XI. Bruno, Bong, Murray and even Duffy and (surely not!) Stephens (oh yes) are only likely to see us tread water or fall further into a very real relegation battle. The rub remains; Chris. He’s a tried and tested disciple, and thus we’re unlikely to see many fresh faces early enough. He’ll want to reward last season’s players for their efforts and they will probably all start at Watford.
Hughton will never throw caution anywhere, God forbid the wind. Thus he’ll continue with his tried and tested formula, restricting attacking intent, flair and non system approved moves wherever he finds them.
Sure it worked last season, but I have a series of nagging doubt’s re this campaign.
Man! that reads back awfully neagatively, and perhaps I should therefore emphasise my love for CH... it’s just making those hard transitional decisions, those emotive moments... is he that kind of manager, or just too gosh darn nice?
Hughton will never throw caution anywhere, God forbid the wind. Thus he’ll continue with his tried and tested formula, restricting attacking intent, flair and non system approved moves wherever he finds them.
Sure it worked last season, but I have a series of nagging doubt’s re this campaign.
Man! that reads back awfully neagatively, and perhaps I should therefore emphasise my love for CH... it’s just making those hard transitional decisions, those emotive moments... is he that kind of manager, or just too gosh darn nice?
Nixonator
Well-known member
So you start off by suggesting Duffy and Stephens should be ousted and finish by suggesting Hughton has his tactics all wrong.
We must be close to kicking off the new campaign, you're on form.
tigertim68
Well-known member
- Sep 3, 2012
- 2,624
Yep both are not very good keepers
Kosh
'The' Yaztromo
I may have my issues with certain players at this level yes, and with our on occasion serious negativity. I’m all about progression, and certain players will need to go to make that next step. Baldock getting three years last year, was an indication of loyalty and reward... a comfy decision, an easy one and a fair reward for a good championship player perhaps... one year tops in my eyes.
Today, our standout cameo... praised, yet reigned in with talk of the incumbent ‘system’... all out attacking players anywhere behind Murray, will always be constricted in a Hughton team... where defensive shape, even in possession, is nine tenths of the law.
But hey, that’s just how I feel... so no need for you to worry and get all u p s e t about it.
- Jun 27, 2012
- 14,612
He started at Man City last season with 5 new faces, half way through the year dropped his captain and his player of the season, and has literally spent millions on rivals or replacements this summer to those stalwarts - Bong, Stephens, Murray etc and no reason to suggest they won’t start if they’re good enough.
As for being too nice then he has had no qualms this close season getting rid of Sidwell, Rosenior, Baldock and Goldson .
As for tactics and shape - it’s 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2 that’s the unorthodox formation in the Prem League these days and it’s served the club well. 40 points and 15th in the first season was a miracle. Ask Pardew, Moyes, Clement, Pulis, and the rest who failed at clubs last season with more ££ and players with more experience.
Yep. It’s not a goalfest but not sure what you’re expecting or what you’d get with anyone else with our budget/squad.
When people say Hughton is too defensive, they really mean he’ll save you points, when they say he won’t throw caution to the wind, it means he’s coached the team to keep their shape and work hard and when they say he’s too nice, what they really mean is they don’t know him or they can’t really see what a class act he really is. He’s a clinical and brutal as a manager in his position has to be.
We will struggle thus season at some point and criticism of Hughton will surface ever louder. But Be really really careful what you wish for...
Weststander
Well-known member
As fans never take pre season friendlies too seriously.
I’ve seen clubs destroy all before them pre season, who go on to have crap seasons and vice versa.
It’s a pointless modern thing to look at these as real results and pointers, fuelled by media hype.
I’ve seen clubs destroy all before them pre season, who go on to have crap seasons and vice versa.
It’s a pointless modern thing to look at these as real results and pointers, fuelled by media hype.
- Jun 27, 2012
- 14,612
That will NEVER happen. Fact.
Might happen as early as Tuesday.
Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 31,263
I feel that it is only a matter of time before we start with Andone, Ali J and Bissouma, and that is a very different proposition to what we've seen in the last year or so.
I'm glad we didn't lose, and if these games encourage Chris to be a little bolder then so much the better.
I'm glad we didn't lose, and if these games encourage Chris to be a little bolder then so much the better.
BensGrandad
New member
Didnt DS and TK both play in a friendly for Brum midweek. so perhaps Monk wanted to look at all of the keepers so quite a simple answer really.
Weststander
Well-known member
Did you say the same about CH in the Championship? Where we played brilliant counter attacking football in numbers, scoring goals for fun, had countless victories and dished out some famous thrashings.
Last season with an incomplete PL squad, CH was a pragmatist and it worked.
jamie the seagull
Well-known member
- Jul 27, 2011
- 2,803
Both Keepers but especially Stockdale on huge huge wages.
Birmingham have no funds so need these wages off their books to fund loans or purchases.
Neither keeper going anywhere as no club will continue to pay what they are already on.
So Club has frozen them out of first team.
That will NEVER happen. Fact.
Please dont deny me this solace I am erect just thinking of this.
Whitechapel
Famous Last Words
Yes but he dressed it up in a stupid but creative way so it must be a great point.
Insane
I actually knew he was only getting 20 mins today but from his Youtube he impressed me. I had heard how good he was so was desperate to see him. I know it was against Championship opposition in a friendly but in that 20 mins you could see this guy is absolute CLASS.
Doesn't fit our system of playing with 2 wingers but man does he fit the plan B if the two wingers isn't working. The lads a superstar and can go past defenders from a standing position.
Dunno what the fee was but if it was 30M its a bargain. Brilliant player.