[Albion] I think he's leaving this summer...

[um bongo molongo]

It can appear like that but I think we were prepared for one major selling last summer, Mac Allister, and really didn’t want to part with Caicedo as well. It dragged on, the player wanted to move and Chelsea came up with a mind boggling amount to make an offer we couldn’t refuse. I think the plan was for Caicedo to go this summer so by my reckoning no major outgoings this summer!

I agree with this BUT we had fair warning this was likely to happen in the January window and the best we could come up with for a replacement was Baleba. Who I think will be a very good player but quite clearly wasn’t ready - don’t think he’d ever played a whole 90 minutes in 1st team football. That was the biggest error imo.

 

[um bongo molongo]

If someone comes in with £ 70 m for Pedro he is gone, also Mitoma £ 50 m

I don’t believe this. We paid £30m for Pedro so that doesn’t make much sense financially. The bigger issue is if a ‘glamour’ club comes in and offers to triple a player’s wages and the player agitates for the move like Caicedo. In that scenario I’m not sure how much the club can do, beyond holding out for the very best price even if they don’t want to sell (also like Caicedo).

 

[Uh_huh_him]

and weren't good enough

What was wrong with Undav?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

De Zerbi has been spot on with his comments and observations. As a club we are a sellng club. Our ambition is to be established as a premier league team around midtable, that is very good and realistic. We are hghly unlikely to exceed that or win any silverware being a feeder club, last season was an exception but that was achieved with all our best players, several which were then sold and not replaced with similar quality, midfield. Whether that aligns with Roberto's ambitions we will see

This. There's a price to be paid for selling the core of a world-class midfield. With the money the Albion are prepared to pay, you can't just go out and replace them with players of a similar quality overnight, no matter how good the algorithm might (or might not) be. It has to weaken the overall quality of the squad and the subsequent performances of the team

 

[nwgull]

I do not see the issue with lasting 90min though and have been more concerned with the lack of intensity and concentration in our starts to games which has left us chasing games rather than controlling them (which uses more energy). If you look at our injuries March and Enciso was a twist on the pitch, Mitoma is back injury and Hinshelwood is a foot fracture which don’t point to training methods or fatigue. I also sympathise with De Zerbi a bit on depth as I was concerned with the sheer volume of games Pedro was playing without a break but when Wellbeck is not fit and Ferguson is out of form what choice did he have. Also Fati and Pervis have looked a shadow of their ability since returning from injury which has left us relying on the same players across 3 competitions which will cause fatigue. For me we need to increase the quality and reliability of the squad depth as Lallana, Milner, Webster and others are often not available through injury which for some in that category extends to before RDZ joining us.

Hinshelwood had a stress fracture, which is very likely down to training intensity. Enciso and Mitoma were also training injuries as were Pedro's and, I think, Estupinan's initial injury. The only on-field injuries I recall are March's at City and Fati's at Forest.

 

[Clive Walker]

Hinshelwood had a stress fracture, which is very likely down to training intensity. Enciso and Mitoma were also training injuries as were Pedro's and, I think, Estupinan's initial injury. The only on-field injuries I recall are March's at City and Fati's at Forest.

I keep pointing it out but the club doctor left just when all the injuries started.

 

[Kosh]

Time will tell if he learns but at face value he has acknowledged that last night he has a lot to think about and learn. You are right in the sense if he puts this down to injuries and squad depth and does not alter something himself he will not progress but for now I choose to believe his ambition will force him to adjust (and perhaps some snubs from the top names being linked to him won’t hinder that either).

I do not see the issue with lasting 90min though and have been more concerned with the lack of intensity and concentration in our starts to games which has left us chasing games rather than controlling them (which uses more energy). If you look at our injuries March and Enciso was a twist on the pitch, Mitoma is back injury and Hinshelwood is a foot fracture which don’t point to training methods or fatigue. I also sympathise with De Zerbi a bit on depth as I was concerned with the sheer volume of games Pedro was playing without a break but when Wellbeck is not fit and Ferguson is out of form what choice did he have. Also Fati and Pervis have looked a shadow of their ability since returning from injury which has left us relying on the same players across 3 competitions which will cause fatigue. For me we need to increase the quality and reliability of the squad depth as Lallana, Milner, Webster and others are often not available through injury which for some in that category extends to before RDZ joining us.

I tend to agree, and I agree that Roberto is spot on with his assertion that depth (as a result of last summer) is an issue. We're also WAY too reliant on a crop of older injury prone pros to fill the gaps and/or (in the case of Danny) lead the line... it's not going to cut it at the top as last night rather painfully proves.

I tend to think we're looking at a little from column a and a little from column b - ultimately, as you say and we agree, Roberto has much to learn and needs to develop more flexibility in his ideal when he's not holding the best of cards... it's folly to assume he can play his ideal system anywhere near 100% if the players are all at sea, out of form, out of position and/or out of their depth... or their legs have gone through fatigue and/or age...

If Roberto is to stay, all of the above needs to change or evolve if we're to take another step... or we have to accept our revolving door policy includes our coaches... for me, and I'm sure Tony being as astute as he is, realises that this represents the law of diminishing returns and before we know it we're Stoke City. Not an encouraging thought.

 

[Home and Away]

 

[Home and Away]

Not quite "Louis Van Gaal"-level interviews yet, but the tone has clearly changed...

 

[dwayne]

Misery. Is there a more moany manager in the league now ?

Quite like the interviewer at the end riling him up.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Misery. Is there a more moany manager in the league now ?

Quite like the interviewer at the end riling him up.

I thought he came across very well.
Apart the interviewer asking stupid questions designed on a phishing expedition.
Who'd blame RDZ for getting irritated.

 

[dwayne]

I thought he came across very well.
Apart the interviewer asking stupid questions designed on a phishing expedition.
Who'd blame RDZ for getting irritated.

Same old crap every interview though about injuries. No other managers do these interviews with excuse after excuse.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Same old crap every interview though about injuries. No other managers do these interviews with excuse after excuse.

But the inuries aren't crap are they.
The truth is that we have suffered from injuries and apart from JC it's the same crap questions during the pressers.
No other managers are the same, otherwise it'll be quite boring.
RDZ wears his heart on his sleeve, exudes passion about the game, whilst still commanding a fair grasp on the English language.

 

[studio150]

RDZ made a valid point, about the whole of the club needing to learn from this season in Europe so that when we return to European competition the club is better prepared and can deal more easily with three games a week.

Hopefully the return will not be too long into the future.

 

[London Irish]

Still a big fan of the guy. We don’t quite have the players for top 8 and with the injuries I think that’s taken away his fighting chance to get that level. I hope him and Bloom can come to some accommodation about strengthening in the summer, it needs a fair bit

 

[Weststander]

Another winless Saturday. Has RDZ no shame?

 

[the wanderbus]

Same old crap every interview though about injuries. No other managers do these interviews with excuse after excuse.

Smug Eddie??

 

[dwayne]

Smug Eddie??

He doesn't though does he. Not every interview

 

[raymondo]

But the inuries aren't crap are they.
The truth is that we have suffered from injuries and apart from JC it's the same crap questions during the pressers.
No other managers are the same, otherwise it'll be quite boring.
RDZ wears his heart on his sleeve, exudes passion about the game, whilst still commanding a fair grasp on the English language.

Yes, JC is best at the pressers. One of the Sky guys also reasonable. As for the rest...

 

[Weststander]

Smug Eddie??

Seven Hag.