[Albion] In praise of the unsung heroes

[tigertim68]

The whole team was great yesterday

 

[wehatepalace]

Anyone who criticised any of our players yesterday was an idiot. They were all very good and Bong was among the top two or three performers yesterday. So great to see him back to his best and what a ball for Skalak for the second goal.

Totally agree, the guy and his son are both chumps !
Bong was a bit out of sorts after his injury, I don't think anyone would disagree with that, but he's been back to his best for a while now and yesterday never put a foot wrong and provides us another fantastic attacking option when he gets forward.

 

[ROSM]

There's a bloke who has appeared 2 rows behind me in the family stand this season. Every game he slags off our players (usually Bong and Stockdale) and his kids echo his comments in that really frustrating repeating grunty way.

Yesterday he had a go at Stockdale for punching in the first half without understanding that to catch you would need both arms over which means you can't stretch as far. Just because a keeper can reach to one handed punch it doesn't follow they could reach to catch the ball.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Totally agree, the guy and his son are both chumps !
Bong was a bit out of sorts after his injury, I don't think anyone would disagree with that, but he's been back to his best for a while now and yesterday never put a foot wrong and provides us another fantastic attacking option when he gets forward.

I'm pretty sure that he would have been dropped for Rosenior once Duffy signed if Rosenior hadn't got injured. But he stayed in the team and has got better and better. He looks a different player to the start of the season when he hardly got forward. That run and pass for Skalak was a classic illustration of that.

I really rate Rosenior but, if we're playing Skalak, Bong is a preferred option at left back for me as we don't want two right footers on the left flank so it is great to see him back to his best.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

There's a bloke who has appeared 2 rows behind me in the family stand this season. Every game he slags off our players (usually Bong and Stockdale) and his kids echo his comments in that really frustrating repeating grunty way.

Yesterday he had a go at Stockdale for punching in the first half without understanding that to catch you would need both arms over which means you can't stretch as far. Just because a keeper can reach to one handed punch it doesn't follow they could reach to catch the ball.

I remember that. He got good distance on the punch and won a free kick. Hard to know how anyone can criticise him for that. Some 'fans' are never happy.

 

[Hastings gull]

The quality and depth we now have in midfield is the major difference from last season.

��

Exactly. Who can recall that woeful display against Preston last year, with Messrs Stephens and Kayal missing. Though I do not mean this in any way unkindly, the fact remains that if that albeit very effectice partnership is not together, we do not worry any more.

 

[dazzer6666]

I remember that. He got good distance on the punch and won a free kick. Hard to know how anyone can criticise him for that. Some 'fans' are never happy.

We've got a Stockdale hater in the row behind us too in WSL........just got a loud 'FFS Stockdale what are you doing you **** ?' when he punched clear yesterday. Clueless. He's the same every game.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

And a big shout out to the pitch-waterers. Never seen a side slip-sliding away like Bambi On Ice like Norwich were in the first half. By the time they (presumably) changed their studs at half-time, they must already have been head-mental with frustration. Certainly looked it!

 

[Finchley Seagull]

We've got a Stockdale hater in the row behind us too in WSL........just got a loud 'FFS Stockdale what are you doing you **** ?' when he punched clear yesterday. Clueless. He's the same every game.

I don't get it. Surely as a supporter you get behind the team not pick out individual players and shout abuse at them. It's very odd. Judging by some of the threads on here, they are not alone in hating Stockdale.

Personally, this and last season are my favourite Albion teams ever (started watching in 1990). Think we've now won 33 of the last 61 league games (and only lost 7), which is a phenomenal record. Also 3 league defeats in 35 since Rotherham away last season. If you are moaning with a record like that, then why bother going as you'll never be happy.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

If I had a nimbler mind, when Baldock is about to complete a one two, I'd blurt 'Play it again, Sam'. I appreciate that the correct line is 'Play it, Sam', but I doubt thay anyone other than film school students would find that remotely amusing.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

There's a bloke who has appeared 2 rows behind me in the family stand this season. Every game he slags off our players (usually Bong and Stockdale) and his kids echo his comments in that really frustrating repeating grunty way.

Yesterday he had a go at Stockdale for punching in the first half without understanding that to catch you would need both arms over which means you can't stretch as far. Just because a keeper can reach to one handed punch it doesn't follow they could reach to catch the ball.

Yep, there was a similarly insightful comment from behind us in the Lower West. The
amusing thing was that by the time his whinging 'why don't you catch it' sentence had escaped his lips the accurate punch had already set up an attack and the ball was being carried over the halfway line.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Funny, isn't it, how we've almost forgotten the loss of Kayal? Not because he isn't brilliant, but because Sidwell and Norwood, at different times, have both stepped up to the plate? What a lovely position to be in.

Sidwell was just a bundle of energy yesterday, easy to forget he's no spring chicken. A decent run of games was, it seems, exactly what he needed (quelle surprise).

Duffy had probably his toughest challenge yet against a striker who is more than decent in the air (Jerome). Unusually for Shane, he didn't win EVERY single header, but he nonetheless held up brilliantly and was a major factor in ensuring Norwich's first half domination of possession didn't lead to much in the way of goalscoring opportunities.

 

[ROSM]

Jerome was the only player I would have paid money for in Norwich 's team. He actually had a good game but had no movement or support round him and dunk/Duffy shackled him well

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Jerome was the only player I would have paid money for in Norwich 's team. He actually had a good game but had no movement or support round him and dunk/Duffy shackled him well

It must be tough to be up against the best central defensive pairing in the division at the best of times. When you have no support from your teammates, it is even harder.

 

[SUA Seagull]

O contrare... was playing Band Royal Marines GOSBTS in car approaching Beaconsfield just now! Beamed all the way home, no need to put the fog lamps on although 'twas very thick in places. Brilliant brilliant day, well worth the 165 miles round trip!

we should have driven in convoy with GOSBTS blaring out! Beaconsfield is about half way home for me (round trip 310 miles) and as you'll know the M40 is prone to sudden mist and fog hazard, which we were fortunately spared last night ...although we witnessed a nasty prang outside High Wycombe (one car, thankfully no-one badly hurt).

Still buzzing this morning in the cold light of day. What an incredible performance that was. More of the same please Mr Hughton! Watching the Albion is a pleasure, and it was refreshing yesterday not to be subjected to one of our cliff hanger finales! As you say, the long trip is absolutely worth it to watch the Seagulls. Wouldn't change it for anything.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I was wrong about Duffy.

I thought Goldson was good enough and that we should be spending the money on a striker.

Duffy has proved to be an excellent signing.

 

[trueblue]

We are lucky to have numerous big and obvious heroes. We all know who they are.

But we have less obvious ones. Thought turns to Messrs Bong and Sidwell to kick this one off. Working hard at a high, yet less than obvious level.

What a team we have.

Great days to be an Albion fan.

I can't be bothered to count how many goals Bong has been involved in over the last few weeks, but it's a lot. Yet again, a player people were slating in when he was trying to get back into the groove after injury, and also early season. A bit more patience would be really helpful sometimes as we know 90%+ of the squad are good players and fully-committed. There's really very little reason to ever get on their backs.

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

I agree with the OP and most of the other posts.
Bong, Sidwell, Skalak and Stephens were all terrific yesterday
I also thought Tomar Hemed when he came on was faster and nimbler than he was 4 weeks ago. The international goals seemed to have given him extra confidence and he seemed a lot more mobile yesterday.
Maybe it was Norwich that were a yard slower at the end when 5 down.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Jerome was the only player I would have paid money for in Norwich 's team. He actually had a good game but had no movement or support round him and dunk/Duffy shackled him well

I thought Hoolahan was alright in places, at least he was trying to make things happen for them.

 

[trueblue]

I thought Hoolahan was alright in places, at least he was trying to make things happen for them.

Agree with that. He is quality and, I think, the major reason we ended up sitting so deep in the first half, compressing the space between midfield and defence. Just can't afford to lose him for a second. Really dangerous.