[Albion] Pre Season Friendly vs West Brom @ Amex - Saturday 5th September, ***2pm***

[chaileyjem]

Was said last week that he picked up a knock in training with the Dutch squad. No point risking him in a friendly.

The last update on Davy Propper was that he wasn't risked - v Chelsea - due to a "slight achilles injury". Other reports suggested it was "minor" . He wasn't picked for the Dutch squad and hasn't been training with them.
https://twitter.com/AndyNaylorBHAFC/status/1299770051378262016

 

[tigertim68]

I think we’re trying to sign attackers, we just haven’t got them yet.

Yeah we been trying to sign attackers for 4 years now , still waiting

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Perfectly adequate defensively but we play percentage football in that we take the easiest route to not giving the ball away. There were loads of opportunities to cross the ball but because we were outnumbered in the box, the play went backwards EVERY time. Sometimes a cross can get to the one or two forwards and make it difficult to defend, but we are always reluctant to do it. Even if we get another decent striker I worry that we will still be light on ideas on how to convert.

 

[chaileyjem]

Yeah we been trying to sign attackers for 4 years now , still waiting

Do Murray, Ulloa, Locadia, Andone, Maupay, Gyokeres and Connolly not count ?

 

[chaileyjem]

Reality: a bang average squad which has been added to with an experienced/past it sicknote and an exciting centre back from the Championship

And a 28 year old Dutch international who played alongside Van Dijk earlier this week, An 18 year old England u18 international, and a 16 year old forward who last year became the youngest ever player in the EFL.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Perfectly adequate defensively but we play percentage football in that we take the easiest route to not giving the ball away. There were loads of opportunities to cross the ball but because we were outnumbered in the box, the play went backwards EVERY time. Sometimes a cross can get to the one or two forwards and make it difficult to defend, but we are always reluctant to do it. Even if we get another decent striker I worry that we will still be light on ideas on how to convert.

Oh dear that does sound very Hughton'esqe

 

[harriri2000]

Do Murray, Ulloa, Locadia, Andone, Maupay, Gyokeres and Connolly not count ?

Murray - very good in his prime, but second time round was never going to score 20 goals per season

Ulloa - we sold him 6 years ago!!

Locadia & Andone - never lived upto their expectations

Gyokered & Connolly - both products in development

So no we're still waiting for a very reliable striker that can score even the simplest goals

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[Fat Boy Fat]

Yeah we been trying to sign attackers for 4 years now , still waiting

But we did sign two, spent a lot of money on them and clearly don't want to make the same mistakes...

 

[tigertim68]

Do Murray, Ulloa, Locadia, Andone, Maupay, Gyokeres and Connolly not count ?

Murray , Ulloa were signed over 4 years ago , Connolly and Gyokeres hardly count as big signings , Andone not trusted by any manager , so we are left with Maupay who came from a Championship team , hardly a big signing

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Oh dear that does sound very Hughton'esqe

Nah, but I’d like them to vary it a bit to give is a chance of scoring.

 

[Easy 10]

No I'm basing this on the squad. We've added to the defence, yet barely touched on your weaknesses of last season.

But you're not allowed to talk about that because everything has to fit the PR claptrap spouted about the modern regime and how wonderful everything is.

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We clearly need reinforcements urgently up top, I'm not arguing with you there.

But its all the pearl-clutching at the performance of the team yesterday, in what amounted to a half-paced training session that has my eyes rolling. If anyone was expecting a rip-roaring end-to-end GOALFEST in a practice game a week before the shit starts for real, then I can only imagine they've never seen a pre-season game before in their lives. It was an absolutlely typical trot-about, and a classic example as to why I've not attended a pre-season warm up since I was about 15.

The only thing I'm often shocked at, is at some peoples shock.

 

[BeHereNow]

Yes, I know it was only a pre season game and it looked like an attack versus defence exercise for most of the time (I wonder which team actually got more out of it regarding fitness?) but our toothlessness is quite worrying.

Pass the ball around fine in our third and the middle, but as soon as we get in their third we either give it away through a poor pass, or refuse to get a cross in, this makes it look like we aren’t even trying to score. If you want to draw every game, then that’s the way to go about it.

By now, you would’ve thought that we could put together some good moves that would, at least, end up with us having a shot on target.

 

[GT49er]

Oh dear that does sound very Hughton'esqe

I used to think they played that way as part of Hughton's tactics, but now that they're still not pinging centres across I think it's something in the players' mindsets. When they get to the point where the likes of Alexander-Arnold or Tavernier would whip in a cross just far enough away from the GK to put him in two minds, they just freeze and turn round and pass it back, or sideways.

 

[chaileyjem]

Yeah we been trying to sign attackers for 4 years now , still waiting

Murray - very good in his prime, but second time round was never going to score 20 goals per season

Ulloa - we sold him 6 years ago!

So no we're still waiting for a very reliable striker that can score even the simplest goals

Murray , Ulloa were signed over 4 years ago , Connolly and Gyokeres hardly count as big signings , Andone not trusted by any manager , so we are left with Maupay who came from a Championship team , hardly a big signing

Didn't realise the benchmark here is a "big signing" or "20 goals per season" or scorer of the "simplest goals"... we've signed plenty of attackers over the last 4 years and no doubt will add to that list before the end of the window. For Maupay and Murray to do the business (10 goals + is the reasonable benchmark Albion should be looking at - 20 is a remarkable number for the Prem) and for Connolly to be a 20 year old prospect signed for nothting is a pretty reasonable hit rate. Those goals got us promoted and earned us a fourth year in the EPL. But fair enough if you think we should have done better or spent more.
PS: we signed Ulloa again in Jan 2017.

 

[southstandandy]

Yes, I know it was only a pre season game and it looked like an attack versus defence exercise for most of the time (I wonder which team actually got more out of it regarding fitness?) but our toothlessness is quite worrying.

Pass the ball around fine in our third and the middle, but as soon as we get in their third we either give it away through a poor pass, or refuse to get a cross in, this makes it look like we aren’t even trying to score. If you want to draw every game, then that’s the way to go about it.

By now, you would’ve thought that we could put together some good moves that would, at least, end up with us having a shot on target.

Very much this. No problem with this just being effectively a training exercise and No I wasn't expecting a goal fest, but with a decent number of players who are likely to start against Chelsea on Monday week, the lack of any real chances being created or shots had was a concern. We all know with so little in the striking department that (currently) we are unlikely to see masses of goals from our front men/man but the lack of chances fashioned from midfield was my over riding concern.

Let's just hope for some arrivals this week, get the quarantine out of the way (if coming from abroad) then start looking forward to the first few games.

 

[SimpKingpin]

I've always thought our problem is service to the strikers. You know, a lot of passing around and no penetration.

But against WBA Solly March and Ben White (when he was a RB in second half) delivered low crosses into the box and nobody got onto them.
Which I found kind of worrying.

I've always thought of Maupay as the predatory type. A greedy striker (who should get on the end of these type of crosses).
Greed is OK if you are on form and banging them in for fun.
But I definitely feel like his assists are non-existent because of that greedy mindset.

For me at least, he seems to waste a lot of great opportunities to put someone else in for goal.
The attack will just fall apart with a halfhearted pass from him that gets easily intercepted.

I don't know, maybe this is blasphemous talk. He turns up in the big games.
I just think he could improve that part of his game. Trossard can certainly score given half a chance.

We just don't seem to have an effective plan in the last third.
Maybe we need a strong target man who can hold the ball up.
Or maybe we need to work on our quick short passing.
Maybe both.
I always think of Laudrup and Elkjaer and the Danish "short passing machine" of '86...

 

[vagabond]

Guys.. seriously, you’re taking these training games way, way too seriously. They’re a kick about, getting fitness levels up. You think players will bust a gut knowing the season starts next week?

Let’s take a look at some other preseason results:

Aug 26: Aston Villa 1-0 Bristol City
Sep 1: Millwall 0-1 Crystal Palace
Sep 5: Crystal Palace 1-1 Brondby IF

Everton have spent loadsa money right? Some of you seriously think they’re going to challenge top 6. Let’s see their results.. oh:
Aug 22: Blackpool 3-3 Everton
Sep 1: Blackburn 3-0 Everton
Sep 5: Everton 2-0 Preston

High flying Leicester score loads of goals! They want to push for top 4.. Great so let’s see their exciting results:
Aug 29: Leicester 0-0 Sheff Wed
Sep 5: Leicester 1-1 Blackburn

Spurs playing championship opposition, must be a goal fest right guys? Hmmm:
Aug 29: Tottenham 1-0 Birmingham
Sep 5: Watford 2-1 Tottenham

So going by bedwetter logic, I guess all these Premier League teams are going to struggle this season and may go down.

 

[BluesRockDJ]

We clearly need reinforcements urgently up top, I'm not arguing with you there.

But its all the pearl-clutching at the performance of the team yesterday, in what amounted to a half-paced training session that has my eyes rolling. If anyone was expecting a rip-roaring end-to-end GOALFEST in a practice game a week before the shit starts for real, then I can only imagine they've never seen a pre-season game before in their lives. It was an absolutlely typical trot-about, and a classic example as to why I've not attended a pre-season warm up since I was about 15.

The only thing I'm often shocked at, is at some peoples shock.

Sevilla last pre season wasn't bad ?

 

[Easy 10]

Sevilla last pre season wasn't bad ?

Can't remember tbh. Do friendlies ever live long in the memory ? As [MENTION=38362]vagabond[/MENTION] said, nobody is busting a gut, nobody gives a toss. Number 1 priority is NOT getting injured, so its hardly ever going to be a proper game. I remain astonished at just how much some people read into these training ground exercises.

 

[dwayne]

I've always thought our problem is service to the strikers. You know, a lot of passing around and no penetration.

But against WBA Solly March and Ben White (when he was a RB in second half) delivered low crosses into the box and nobody got onto them.
Which I found kind of worrying.

I've always thought of Maupay as the predatory type. A greedy striker (who should get on the end of these type of crosses).
Greed is OK if you are on form and banging them in for fun.
But I definitely feel like his assists are non-existent because of that greedy mindset.

For me at least, he seems to waste a lot of great opportunities to put someone else in for goal.
The attack will just fall apart with a halfhearted pass from him that gets easily intercepted.

I don't know, maybe this is blasphemous talk. He turns up in the big games.
I just think he could improve that part of his game. Trossard can certainly score given half a chance.

We just don't seem to have an effective plan in the last third.
Maybe we need a strong target man who can hold the ball up.
Or maybe we need to work on our quick short passing.
Maybe both.
I always think of Laudrup and Elkjaer and the Danish "short passing machine" of '86...

Jury's still out on maupay ... 10 goals was a decent return last season but he missed loads in a team that created quite a bit.

3 goals in last 23 games is pretty dross.

His arsenal heroics have clouded people's judgement a bit.

In short we need at least 2 more strikers

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