People need to realize...

[KZNSeagull]

I can understand the doom and gloom on here from people having watched this season in it's entirety. Hugely disappointing and frustrating.

However....I can see some positives from both yesterday and the Bournemouth game. Neither team dominated us for long periods of the game but the difference in the last third (and getting there) is vast. Had we had a Deeney or equivalent in the side, we would have been 1-0 up yesterday within 90 seconds and the game would have been entirely different. Some wise acquisitions this summer in attack (strikers and creative players) and a bit of tinkering in defence and we will challenge again. Our midfield is one of the best in the division now (Ince, Stephens, Kayal, Crofts, JFC and Holla) so nothing needed there.

We are not far off being a decent side, but getting the right attacking options in and having the luck that they perform when they get here, is absolutely crucial though. An interesting summer ahead.

 

[Geriatric Seagull]

I'm afraid on recent evidence, it's not just tinkering and a couple of strikers that are needed. I would suggest that we require at least two full-backs (Calderon and Bruno as back-ups), two central defenders (with the fading Greer in reserve) a creative midfielder ( I can't agree that ours is one of the best in the division) two strikers who actually know where the goal is (and there are some in the lower leagues) and a winger with a bit of pace who is not afraid to take on his full back! It sounds a lot but those players are out there and don't necessarily gave to cost fortunes. After all, Bournemouth are going up with a squad that didn't cost a fortune and includes two highly rated defenders that we gave them and several others teams challenging for the play-offs or promotion have done similarly by bringing in players from abroad or finding them from other clubs. Yes, it will cost money but big fees don't necessarily guarantee success. And that's without considering our own development players. If they're not good enough at 21 then maybe they should be released. It could be an interesting summer.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Agreed. But mid table mediocrity for the next 2 seasons at least imo...

Maybe not. There's added pressure on the board to come up with a more attractive product now. 5 year 1901'ers are up for renewal soon and corporates are already reporting that some of them can no longer persuade clients to come along to the Amex. Hopefully that will act as a suitable stimulus for improvement.

 

[Triggaaar]

Up to £13m losses allowed for 15/16 season (with owner investment).

Ah, that's interesting. I wonder what TB can afford, and what he wants to spend on a club with such ungrateful fans.

Bloom is in a very difficult position. We need to stay in this division to attract support, sponsors and other associated revenue. but if he hasn't got the money to buy quality players we run the risk that next year will be as bad if not worse.

There's never been any indication that he isn't willing to invest enough to keep us in this division or get promoted. The suggestion we'll be worse than this year is ridiculous.

 

[Triggaaar]

We need a massive overhaul, there is not one part of the team that is functioning well even though it's obvious the striker situation is the worst. People who think we have good defenders here are missing the fact that we've mainly set up with a defensive strategy this season of one striker and plenty of defensive midfielders - it's only ever taken a small amount of goals to beat us because we never score any ourselves! That doesn't mean we are "defending well".

Unfortunately I think your last point is a good one. If we had been equalising, the other sides would be pushing for another, but as it is, they know one is enough. That said, I think our team would be ok with a decent front two (whatever their exact positions). Obviously we need to replace Bennett, whose loan will expire, and we will be trying to make additions elsewhere too, but if we get the front right I think we'll be in for a much better season.

 

[Triggaaar]

Defence? Pronounced differently on t'other side of the pond, I know, but do they spell it differently?

 

[KZNSeagull]

Unfortunately I think your last point is a good one. If we had been equalising, the other sides would be pushing for another, but as it is, they know one is enough. That said, I think our team would be ok with a decent front two (whatever their exact positions). Obviously we need to replace Bennett, whose loan will expire, and we will be trying to make additions elsewhere too, but if we get the front right I think we'll be in for a much better season.

I tend to agree - our defence whilst not as good as it was, is still not too shabby. It needs strengthening, but the priority has to be getting the other end of the pitch sorted out. Our defence has done pretty well considering they have been playing for most of the season knowing that we cannot score. Get the attacking side working and it takes the pressure off the defence.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

One decent centre back (preferably young), one decent left back who can defend, one right winger, and a pair of goalscoring forwards who can work together (preferably one with a bit of height so we can mix it a bit). Not asking for much, eh?
If these had the class and work ethic of Kayal we won't go far wrong.

 

[Bombadier Botty]

We're all just one post or bad day away from doing a 'Falling Down' Triggaar:

Sheila: Hi, can I help you?
Bill Foster: Yes, I'd like a ham and cheese whamlet and some whammy fries--
Sheila: I'm sorry, we've stopped serving breakfast but we are on the lunch menu now.
Bill Foster: But I want breakfast.
Sheila: You can't have it, we're not serving it.
Bill Foster: So you said. Is that the manager?
Sheila: (sighs) Yeah.
Bill Foster: Could I speak to him please?
Sheila: Sure. Rick, there's a customer who would like to speak with you.
[a young man with a happy smile walks up to the counter]
Rick: Yes, sir?
Bill Foster: Hi. I'd like some breakfast?
Rick: We stopped serving breakfast.
Bill Foster: I know you stopped serving breakfast Rick, Sheila told me that you... why am I calling you by your first names? I don't even know you. I still call my boss 'Mister' even though I've been working with him for seven years, but all of a sudden I walk in here and I'm calling you Rick and Sheila like we're in some kind of AA meeting and... I don't want to be your buddy, Rick. I just want a little breakfast?
Sheila: You can call me Miss Folsom if you want.
Rick: Sheila. We stopped serving breakfast at 11:30.
Foster looks at his watch to find it's 3 minutes past the deadline. He places his gym bag full of guns on the counter.]
Bill Foster: Rick, have you ever heard the expression "the customer is always right"?
Rick: (sighs) Yeah.
Bill Foster: Well, here I am. The customer.
Rick: (still smiling) That's not our policy. You'll have to order something from the lunch menu.
Bill Foster: I don't want lunch. I want breakfast.
Rick: Yeah, well hey, I'm really sorry.
Bill Foster: (smiles back) Yeah, well hey, I'm real sorry too. (pulls out a TEC-9)

 

[Gary1]

Maybe not. There's added pressure on the board to come up with a more attractive product now. 5 year 1901'ers are up for renewal soon and corporates are already reporting that some of them can no longer persuade clients to come along to the Amex. Hopefully that will act as a suitable stimulus for improvement.

This is a worrying line that I've heard from some companies that have 1901 packages. They are finding it very difficult to persuade clients to come along to games and the seats are staying empty or in some cases the owners are just bringing along a friend or taking their kids. Wonder how many will want to commit to renewing their package.

 

[Triggaaar]

We're all just one post or bad day away from doing a 'Falling Down' Triggaar:

Sheila: Hi, can I help you?
Bill Foster: Yes, I'd like a ham and cheese whamlet and some whammy fries--
Sheila: I'm sorry, we've stopped serving breakfast but we are on the lunch menu now.
Bill Foster: But I want breakfast.
Sheila: You can't have it, we're not serving it.
Bill Foster: So you said. Is that the manager?
Sheila: (sighs) Yeah.
Bill Foster: Could I speak to him please?
Sheila: Sure. Rick, there's a customer who would like to speak with you.
[a young man with a happy smile walks up to the counter]
Rick: Yes, sir?
Bill Foster: Hi. I'd like some breakfast?
Rick: We stopped serving breakfast.
Bill Foster: I know you stopped serving breakfast Rick, Sheila told me that you... why am I calling you by your first names? I don't even know you. I still call my boss 'Mister' even though I've been working with him for seven years, but all of a sudden I walk in here and I'm calling you Rick and Sheila like we're in some kind of AA meeting and... I don't want to be your buddy, Rick. I just want a little breakfast?
Sheila: You can call me Miss Folsom if you want.
Rick: Sheila. We stopped serving breakfast at 11:30.
Foster looks at his watch to find it's 3 minutes past the deadline. He places his gym bag full of guns on the counter.]
Bill Foster: Rick, have you ever heard the expression "the customer is always right"?
Rick: (sighs) Yeah.
Bill Foster: Well, here I am. The customer.
Rick: (still smiling) That's not our policy. You'll have to order something from the lunch menu.
Bill Foster: I don't want lunch. I want breakfast.
Rick: Yeah, well hey, I'm really sorry.
Bill Foster: (smiles back) Yeah, well hey, I'm real sorry too. (pulls out a TEC-9)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eREiQhBDIk

 

[BobbySmith]

Interesting chat with an ex player yesterday in the 1901 lounge, who said that there appears to be a lack of discipline and commitment by the players to the cause, as they seem to be more interested in 'their diamond earrings and flash cars'. He also said when he played they had a mobile phone ban for a time before the game and he know that they don't have that and he thinks that is a severe lack of professionalism within the players. I am sure there is a bit of ' better when I played football' syndrome, but feels all this and a lack of a proper leader is our main problem. We are looking at Spanish and other European strikers for that unknown nugget apparently.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Part of the problem last season was that we didn't manage to land many of our main transfer targets (Grabben, Clayton, etc) and they went to other teams that are in the promotion mix so i don't think that player identification was necessarily the problem. We offered a fee, but the player decided to join another club rather than us (we'd just missed out for the 2nd time running in the play-offs, so surely a good bet for these players to join us if we look like we could go up) so why did we miss out?

Was it wages, we just couldn't offer what the teams with parachute payments could? was too much tied up already in players here meaning we didn't have enough left to match the other clubs / players demands?

Is it our staff when trying to sell the club and pursuade players to join us weren't good enough (Burke and Hyypia have gone so we shall see - no Poyet factor with his enthusiasm to sell the club to potential signings?)

Or is it something else? - like our location? We are in an expensive part of the country to live in so even if we matched the wages offered elsewhere, they would be better off up north so is that something we can change? not really without spending an even bigger chunk of our budget and limiting what we can do in terms of bringing in more players.

Is it the level of expectation? - and the addded pressure that brings that put players off (but given who some of them joined, maybe not)

Is it that they felt that they wouldn't get enough game time and were better off being the big fish in a small pond rather than join a club where they could find they are stuck on the bench or worse? (squad rotation used by Hyypia? our track record with leaving out decent players / higher profile players or using them out of position?)

Is it that the stadium and the training facilities don't count for as much as fans believe they do when a pro footballer decides where to move to?

Does our lack of PL history count against us, moving to a club thats been there before is seen as a better prospect / bigger club?

Is it simply that players have a choice and don't always make the one the fans want them or expect them to (CMS was in high demand and turned down bigger clubs with better prospects than us) They pick the one that they think will be best for them even if it's not the choice the fans believe they should make given the comparisons between the club

 

[BobbySmith]

It's is very simple, money ! players only want the best deal for them, we do not pay as much as A lot of teams in the championship, which I agree with, as I do not want us to go into more debt. Bloom has pumped 200 million into this club and covers annual debts and loads of people think he should be giving more ?, when we moan about extra costs on season tickets, catering. Let's make one thing clear, we are now the best position we have ever been in my 50 years of supporting the Albion, as I think apart from an out 10 years that has been in the third and forth tier of the league, so we ain't that bad. Think we will have to wait until our academy provides the players we desire, with some small additions on the transfer side, unless someone else have a load more money to put in. Think that is the fact of the matter.

 

[supaseagull]

If you can honestly see £10m+ being invested in the squad after this seasons antics then I'll have some of what you're on please.

If it isn't, we are going down next year. It's as simple as that.

 

[GT49er]

If it isn't, we are going down next year. It's as simple as that.

It won't be, and we won't. Feel free to bounce in 12 month's time.

 

[sdmartin1]

It's is very simple, money ! players only want the best deal for them, we do not pay as much as A lot of teams in the championship, which I agree with, as I do not want us to go into more debt. Bloom has pumped 200 million into this club and covers annual debts and loads of people think he should be giving more ?, when we moan about extra costs on season tickets, catering. Let's make one thing clear, we are now the best position we have ever been in my 50 years of supporting the Albion, as I think apart from an out 10 years that has been in the third and forth tier of the league, so we ain't that bad. Think we will have to wait until our academy provides the players we desire, with some small additions on the transfer side, unless someone else have a load more money to put in. Think that is the fact of the matter.

The club should make it clear to the supporters we are playing the long game then as Bloom seems to trot out the 'squad should be competing for the top 6' line every season, and unless we heavily invest in the form of transfer fees and/or wages we will be battling in the bottom half of the table again next season. The club have been backed by a very high number of season ticket renewals, especially after some of the dross we have seen this season but if we continue to see no improvement the attendances will begin to drop off. Higher numbers of season ticket holders than a fair few Premiership clubs yet we are currently competing with clubs like Rotherham- not good enough.

 

[Seasidesage]

Very interesting summer ahead. I think we will see TB's long term plan put into place, will he 'go for it' and splash out on a raft of new signings or will he attempt to mark time rather as I think he has done this season as he waits presumably for the academy to produce?

For me we need to look at the following

Goalkeepers - Fine
Defence - Regardless of whether you think they have done a good job this season or not, fact is as a group they are aging. We need to bring in some younger blood and start integrating that into the side. I'd like to see a new RB/LB and another CB with at least two of them brought as starters.

Defensive midfield - Very well served, both with starters and back up. strongest area of the squad by a mile. Unchanged unless we get a stellar offer for Ince.
Attacking midfield - For me we lack both quality and pace in this area. We need fresh blood desperately in the wide areas. March will help with creativity but I would like to see a new 'No 10' type player and two wingers. I would also listen to offers for Lua Lua who flatters to deceive on far too many occasions and lacks the fitness to play 90 mins.

Strikers - Clearly the biggest problem area, although I worry about the type and quality of chances we create. CMS going is a good sign and suggests that this will be given the priority it deserves. Baldock for continuity as much as anything likely to be the only survivor in this area of the squad IMO.

Replacing that many players with quality would be a expensive proposition but if we want to make a play off push then for me that would be the minimum requirement. Although I haven't seen a lot of development squad games, I cannot say that I've really seen anyone there that cries out to be brought into the 1st team squad. If we are going that route than I think we are going to need to mark time for 3-4 seasons before that starts to bear fruit...