[Albion] Home form

[Bold Seagull]

This is exactly why we need to invest heavily in a striker in January (and should have done so pre-season). It's all very well being hard to break down, but need to start converting these home draws into wins. Murray can't do it all by himself.

Wasn't the thinking pre-season that we needed someone better than Murray or Hemed to start games to score goals? I honestly think the start they've both had means we have a bit more flexibility in the transfer market if we cannot land our initial striking targets.

12 games in, in my opinion Murray is playing the best football of his career. His pass last night for our second is someone absolutely brimming with confidence.

Murray 4, Gross 3, Hemed 2, Izquierdo 2, Knockeart 1, March 1; feel pretty pleased with the goals spread around at present. Be nice to see Stephens or Propper get in on the act. There are only 2 other sides below us out of 11 that have scored more than us, only 9 sides have scored more in the whole league!

 

[dazzer6666]

Wasn't the thinking pre-season that we needed someone better than Murray or Hemed to start games to score goals? I honestly think the start they've both had means we have a bit more flexibility in the transfer market if we cannot land our initial striking targets.

12 games in, in my opinion Murray is playing the best football of his career. His pass last night for our second is someone absolutely brimming with confidence.

Murray 4, Gross 3, Hemed 2, Izquierdo 2, Knockeart 1, March 1; feel pretty pleased with the goals spread around at present. Be nice to see Stephens or Propper get in on the act. There are only 2 other sides below us out of 11 that have scored more than us, only 9 sides have scored more in the whole league!

Agree with most this but still think the club will go all out for a striker. I thought Murray was looking a bit past it earlier in the season but he seems to have got fitter, and he's playing very well now, and lasting 90 mins which looked unlikely a few weeks ago

If we maintain a GD that is more or less neutral as we are now we simply won't go down. Relegated teams typically have a GD of -20 or more (often a lot worse than that, and -16 is the best GD of a relegated team in the last 10 years)

 

[Bold Seagull]

Agree with most this but still think the club will go all out for a striker. I thought Murray was looking a bit past it earlier in the season but he seems to have got fitter, and he's playing very well now, and lasting 90 mins which looked unlikely a few weeks ago

If we maintain a GD that is more or less neutral as we are now we simply won't go down. Relegated teams typically have a GD of -20 or more (often a lot worse than that, and -16 is the best GD of a relegated team in the last 10 years)

I didn't mean we don't need a striker, still the absolute priority, but the summer seemed to be about getting a better striker than what we have – which should still be the aim, BUT, I think we can look at the market, and get a striker in that is perhaps a similar option or backup to Murray / Hemed, which gives us a bit of flexibility in who we go in for. Delighted if we get someone that is straight in and an improvement, but doesn't feel half as desperate as it did 3 months ago.

 

[dazzer6666]

I didn't mean we don't need a striker, still the absolute priority, but the summer seemed to be about getting a better striker than what we have – which should still be the aim, BUT, I think we can look at the market, and get a striker in that is perhaps a similar option or backup to Murray / Hemed, which gives us a bit of flexibility in who we go in for. Delighted if we get someone that is straight in and an improvement, but doesn't feel half as desperate as it did 3 months ago.

Aye, agreed. CH has done exceptionally well with what he has..........

 

[Bold Seagull]

Aye, agreed. CH has done exceptionally well with what he has..........

Now that is a truth.

Typically the saying goes a foreign player coming in to the Premier League for the first time needs a season to bed in. To have 4 of our signings look totally at home, scoring goals, winning accolades from the media after just 12 games, all of whom are completely new to the country, it is some testament to CH, our staff and the spirit around the club.

 

[perseus]

To 40 points against the bottom 14

H W8 D6 = 30 pts W2 D3

A W2 D4 =10 pts W2 D1

 

[dazzer6666]

To 40 points against the bottom 14

H W8 D6 = 30 pts W2 D3

A W2 D4 =10 pts W2 D1

I'll take 7 more wins and 4 draws from 26 games.....................sounds easier

 

[Blue3]

It's how the Premier League minnows survive isn't it?

When we face Palace we'll be over two months from our last home win, having failed to beat the poor teams of Everton, Southampton and Stoke.

We need to smash the clowns from up the road.

I remember watching and hearing the fans of top tier teams who were utterly overcome with grief when their team failed to make the top six or win a cup I recall thinking of the total disconnect with reality well the reality I was used to a reality where we were languishing in the lower divisions and for two seasons running were officially the second worst professional team in England.

Here we are some years on in the top flight and unbeaten in the last five games which includes two away wins, yet somehow this is being seen as a cause for concern have we made it I assume so as we now have a total disconnect with reality?

 

[Exile]

Here we are some years on in the top flight and unbeaten in the last five games which includes two away wins, yet somehow this is being seen as a cause for concern have we made it I assume so as we now have a total disconnect with reality?

This. We're doing just fine, people.

https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/content.php?710-Albion-2-2-Stoke-City-20-11-2017

If a third successive single-point haul feels a shade below satisfactory to some, perhaps expectations need to be checked. Everton, Southampton and Stoke are all seasoned Premier League outfits – all perennial top half finishers – and all currently below the Albion. Celebrate the point, rather than dwelling on two ‘lost’. Every point is a good point this season – one more on the board – a small step closer to the target. It’ll do for me.

 

[Bozza]

I remember watching and hearing the fans of top tier teams who were utterly overcome with grief when their team failed to make the top six or win a cup I recall thinking of the total disconnect with reality well the reality I was used to a reality where we were languishing in the lower divisions and for two seasons running were officially the second worst professional team in England.

Here we are some years on in the top flight and unbeaten in the last five games which includes two away wins, yet somehow this is being seen as a cause for concern have we made it I assume so as we now have a total disconnect with reality?

I wasn't expressing concern, although I can see it could be read like that. I may have had a drink or two last night.

It was more that we seem to be bucking the trend a bit, or at least deviating slightly from the perceived standard way a club should be going about a first season survival campaign.

 

[Live by the sea]

I concur, without those 2 away wins, we would be in trouble. Our home form does need to improve if we are to stay up

 

[Bold Seagull]

I concur, without those 2 away wins, we would be in trouble. Our home form does need to improve if we are to stay up

In the 'home' results only table, we are 10th with 9 points, only 1 less than Chelsea...

'Away' results only table, we are 9th with 7 points, only 1 less than Manchester United and Liverpool...

I do think people are getting a themselves 'at it' at present, I suggest a spoonful of reality before bedtime.

 

[Arkwright]

With the target of forty points we are doing well at present, maybe in-front on the predicted target line. Yes, we could (you could argue should) have won against Everton (h) and Watford (a) however we could have lost to Southampton and Stoke but showed character to gain a point in each game.
The Premier was never going to be easy and we will lose a few games on paper we feel should be three pointers but I'm sure we will also pick up points against the top six sides.
While home draws are bloody frustrating we are chipping away at the forty point goal (it might be less come May) and building confidence both with the players and supporters alike. Personally we are doing better than I ever imagined and can feel the positivity and confidence growing around the club. Enjoy the ride.

 

[Bozza]

We'll now be approaching 3 months between home wins IF we beat Burnley.

Will we?

 

[AZ Gull]

Bouncing this thread because I think there are some interesting posts in it and the points haul from the remaining 8 home matches will surely determine our fate.

In my view we simply HAVE to beat West Ham, Swansea, Leicester and Huddersfield at home. And if we do, our ability to somehow squeeze an unexpected victory from one of the matches against Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs and United could prove the difference maker.

Given our away form over the last couple of months (and complete inability to create chances and score goals) it would seem that any points earned on the road will simply be bonus points.

 

[dazzer6666]

Bouncing this thread because I think there are some interesting posts in it and the points haul from the remaining 8 home matches will surely determine our fate.

In my view we simply HAVE to beat West Ham, Swansea, Leicester and Huddersfield at home. And if we do, our ability to somehow squeeze an unexpected victory from one of the matches against Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs and United could prove the difference maker.

Given our away form over the last couple of months (and complete inability to create chances and score goals) it would seem that any points earned on the road will simply be bonus points.

West Ham who spanked Hudds away today ? Leicester who held Chelsea with 10 men ?

 

[Bozza]

Bouncing this thread because I think there are some interesting posts in it and the points haul from the remaining 8 home matches will surely determine our fate.

In my view we simply HAVE to beat West Ham, Swansea, Leicester and Huddersfield at home. And if we do, our ability to somehow squeeze an unexpected victory from one of the matches against Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs and United could prove the difference maker.

Given our away form over the last couple of months (and complete inability to create chances and score goals) it would seem that any points earned on the road will simply be bonus points.

We won’t get relegated because of a bad day at the office away from home, we’ll go down because of all the times we failed to win when having a good day at the office at the Amex.

 

[Albion Dan]

We really need to bring a cup final mentality back for all our remaining home games. The Amex has been far too flat since after the Newcastle at home game. We fail to win those matches highlighted above we are down. Simple as that.

 

[Surf's Up]

We won’t get relegated because of a bad day at the office away from home, we’ll go down because of all the times we failed to win when having a good day at the office at the Amex.

.... and its difficult to avoid the conclusion that we've already spunked too many home points away (8?) when playing well and deserving all 3 instead of coming away with just the 1.