[Albion] How exactly did we blow the Championship title in 2016/17?

[Sorrel]

That this thread exists shows it still hurts (some of us).

 

[Curious Orange]

I think Chris Hughton's experimental lineup versus Norwich played a big part in spooking the team.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

What the truth of it is, I don't know. but i don't just think it's alcohol. There's also a psychology element. When you've reached your target, it's very hard to stay on course for your secondary target. For example, I'm convinced that Leverkusen are going to lose at least one remaining game this season. It's human nature to fall below your normal levels at least once or twice

 

[El Turi]

Those last 3 games still annoy me as does that goal Newcastle scored at the Amex which is still the flukiest goal I’ve ever seen.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Alcohol...
View attachment 181161

This photo is basically the reason.

We always seem to forget the season prior to promotion. How close we came only to have it ripped away from our grasp not once but twice. That season would have taken a huge amount of mental and physical effort and then we had to turn round and do it all again.

Promotion was the culmination of two years of effort and would have been monumentally tiring mentally. Once that pressure valve was released with promotion against Wigan there was no way we were going to be able to get back to the kind of focus that we'd shown for the previous two years.

It's a shame but those celebrations after the game looked immense. The players themselves said that they were the biggest promotion celebrations they'd seen/been involved in. Would those of you who were there trade that night of wild celebrating for the title and a quiet night in?

 

[A1X]

The Bristol City game was the one. At home, against a team down the lower echelons of the league, had time to get over the initial euphoria, and we absolutely stank the place out.

 

[GJN1]

Nowt to do with CH.

This was a joke.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The Bristol City game was the one. At home, against a team down the lower echelons of the league, had time to get over the initial euphoria, and we absolutely stank the place out.

Yup, this. Wish now that I'd taken a photo of the Championship Winners podium being quietly dismantled and taken away after that absolute shitshow

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I think Chris Hughton's experimental lineup versus Norwich played a big part in spooking the team.

I don't think it was so much 'experimental' as 'which 11 players are in the best state to actually play'.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

FFS I'd finally forgotten about that.

 

[GJN1]

Exactly….and erm time to move on…the OP would be better off cleaning the toilet or something similar

Bog standard reply.

 

[US Seagull]

Promotion was obviously the important part, but yeah, it still annoys me slightly. Especially since it was Newcastle that pipped us.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I've just checked again on BBC's website and - yes - Norwich did beat us 2-0 despite not registering a single shot on target in the match.

This. We only needed 3 points.
Two flukey shots hit the woodwork and bounced back in off Stockdale.

You couldn’t make it up. In decades of watching football I’ve only seen it happen elsewhere just once.
Twice in one game. Nothing to do with drunk players, just plain bad luck.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I think Chris Hughton's experimental lineup versus Norwich played a big part in spooking the team.

Did it have a magnetic effect on the ball and the woodwork?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

This was a joke.

No, it wasn’t.

 

[Nobby]

It still rankles. Three games left, one win needed. Then calamity x 3.

Hughton should have been sacked there and then.

If he had we would have been straight back down.

Are you ok, son?

 

[Cornwallboy]

Is there any actual evidence that the players were out 'on the piss' for two weeks? Yes I get there was after the Wigan match, but beyond that?

 

[Baldrick]

"We've got Knockaert, Anthony..............................................".

But we didn't did we. He and several other players went on a bender. Many players too drunk to see the season out.

 

[GJN1]

No, it wasn’t.

Yes, it was.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Yes, it was.

A joke is funny, that wasn't.