[Albion] Premier League 13-15/4/24

[chrisg]

I'm surprised big clubs are still looking at RDZ when Emery has built a very, very good team.

Fantastic manager

 

[Justice]

I'm surprised big clubs are still looking at RDZ when Emery has built a very, very good team.

And losing £100m a season or whatever it is. So basically living well out of their means.

 

[jimhigham]

Just seen the Palace goal on MOTD2. Annoyingly superb in its simplicity. The sort of goal we scored last season. Glasner’s been in charge about the same length of time it took RDZ to get things moving. Have to hope the vultures do some shopping in the summer because the buggers are getting organised. Might not be the pushovers we’ve had so much fun with most of this season.

 

[Triggaaar]

I'm surprised big clubs are still looking at RDZ when Emery has built a very, very good team.

I've been wondering this for about a year. Yes, we did have a great season last year, but Villa's form was better than ours once Emery joined them. Just a couple of days ago Alan Brazil was on talkshite saying about Liverpool or Utd getting de Zerbi, and I'm wondering why they'd want him.

 

[Milano]

Just seen the Palace goal on MOTD2. Annoyingly superb in its simplicity. The sort of goal we scored last season. Glasner’s been in charge about the same length of time it took RDZ to get things moving. Have to hope the vultures some shopping in the summer because the buggers are getting organised. Might not be the pushovers we’ve had so much fun with most of this season.

You’re kidding right? Liverpool created enough chances to win 3 games.

 

[jimhigham]

You’re kidding right? Liverpool created enough chances to win 3 games.

Not kidding at all. The Nigels defended like their lives depended on it. Compare that to the clown car that rocked up at our place.

 

[Milano]

Not kidding at all. The Nigels defended like their lives depended on it. Compare that to the clown car that rocked up at our place.

Agreed but still conceded enough chances to lose 3 games. 9 times out of 10 Liverpool win that 4-1

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

I've been wondering this for about a year. Yes, we did have a great season last year, but Villa's form was better than ours once Emery joined them. Just a couple of days ago Alan Brazil was on talkshite saying about Liverpool or Utd getting de Zerbi, and I'm wondering why they'd want him.

Basically because Emery was seen to have failed at big clubs in Arsenal and PSG previously. Bit unfair though as he went into both of those jobs at difficult times for different reasons and he couldn’t really win. He is a top, top manager, certainly better than RDZ currently.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I've been wondering this for about a year. Yes, we did have a great season last year, but Villa's form was better than ours once Emery joined them. Just a couple of days ago Alan Brazil was on talkshite saying about Liverpool or Utd getting de Zerbi, and I'm wondering why they'd want him.

Because when you're deemed to have failed at a big club your star fades precipitously. Whilst when your on the way up, teams don't want to miss out in case you're the messiah,
so tend to promote too early.

It's one of the better arguments for getting Potter back, we wouldn't be looking over our shoulder in fear of our manger being poached for the first time in three or four seasons.

 

[Eeyore]

I'm surprised big clubs are still looking at RDZ when Emery has built a very, very good team.

I've been wondering this for about a year. Yes, we did have a great season last year, but Villa's form was better than ours once Emery joined them. Just a couple of days ago Alan Brazil was on talkshite saying about Liverpool or Utd getting de Zerbi, and I'm wondering why they'd want him.

The alternative, of course, is that these clubs are not looking at De Zerbi and it's all made up in the usual rollerball way.

 

[London Irish]

Well obviously i disagree. I think if you went back 2 years and sold Mac Allister that summer and then had March, Mitoma and all the rest injured for that season we not only wouldn't have finished 6th but also wouldn't have been sitting 10th with six games to go. If you want to argue the opposite then be my guest but it aint very likely to convince me.

Yes -astonishingly if we had sold our best players two seasons ago without adequately replacing them, we wouldn’t have been in an especially good state then either. I think the penny might be finally dropping there?

The reality is these past few months have shown how dangerousy overreliant the squad is on a few creative players. Even a brilliant manager like RDZ is treading water faced with that. This should not be regarded as cause for satisfaction or great confidence, nor should the symptom of a tumble from 6th to potentially 13th (Palace at least won’t catch us thankfully).

It all points to a huge job of work over the summer where the board will have to put right the unbalancing of the squad by the sales and the signings that haven’t worked out.

Remember, for those pollyannas who think it’s all just fine and dandy now - we currently have a situation where a growing minority of fans want to get rid of probably the best manager we’ve ever had. If that isn’t a wake up call to action, I don’t really know what is

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Yes -astonishingly if we had sold our best players two seasons ago without adequately replacing them, we wouldn’t have been in an especially good state then either. I think the penny might be finally dropping there?

The reality is these past few months have shown how dangerousy overreliant the squad is on a few creative players. Even a brilliant manager like RDZ is treading water faced with that. This should not be regarded as cause for satisfaction or great confidence, nor should the symptom of a tumble from 6th to potentially 13th (Palace at least won’t catch us thankfully).

It all points to a huge job of work over the summer where the board will have to put right the unbalancing of the squad by the sales and the signings that haven’t worked out.

Remember, for those pollyannas who think it’s all just fine and dandy now - we currently have a situation where a growing minority of fans want to get rid of probably the best manager we’ve ever had. If that isn’t a wake up call to action, I don’t really know what is

Alright. We started this when you said we had taken a step backwards this season. Although our team isn't as good this season, clearly, and frustratingly, i believe that our fundamentals are stronger, and hence that we have not taken a step backwards. All teams at any point in time have a floor, the worst they will do, and a ceiling, the best they can do. Although we as fans are always chasing that ceiling, the job of the clubs management is to raise that floor as high as they can, and keep raising it, which guards against risk and keeps the dream of the ceiling closer. It's not sexy but it's the good management we are always praised for. Leicesters ceiling was incredible, but it turned out their floor was relegation.

We saw close to the ceiling last year, an amazing season. This year we've seen closer to the floor. But my point about 'what if we'd sold Macallister and lost Mitoma and March before the 22-23 season' stands, and you acknowledge it - we wouldn't have got sixth and could have been in a relegation battle. This season this did happen to us, but we're still, for now, in the top half. Our floor seems pretty decent, our club is stronger, so i reject that we've taken a step backwards. Its not a step backwards if is just a fluctuation between the floor and the ceiling.

We might have lost Mac and Caicedo, Undav and Sanchez; Lallana is clearly nearing the end and Veltman looks past his peak. But look what we've gained. Igor, Pedro, van Hecke, Barco, Adingra, Hinshelwood, Baleba, Verbruggen. And Gilmour, Ferguson, Lamptey, Buonanotte have a full season under their belts. I think its silly to say we've become over-reliant on a few players - that was more true of last year, this year we've spread responsibility around a lot more players. We've lost several stars for all or part of the year but the rest have kept us comfortably mid table.

A higher floor. We didn't get close to our ceiling this season because a lot went against us, but the European adventure was fun and we haven't had to look over our shoulder. And we know we are capable of tooling up again next year and the year after because of the finances.

Is this really nonsense? To finish 13th or higher with the issues we've faced is pretty decent, no? We are only home wins against Burnley, Sheffield and Everton away from sitting in 6th, give or take a few goals, and would you honestly bet against us doing exactly that if March, Mitoma, Enciso and Pedro had been available for every game? That's literally the margins we're talking here.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Alright. We started this when you said we had taken a step backwards this season. Although our team isn't as good this season, clearly, and frustratingly, i believe that our fundamentals are stronger, and hence that we have not taken a step backwards. All teams at any point in time have a floor, the worst they will do, and a ceiling, the best they can do. Although we as fans are always chasing that ceiling, the job of the clubs management is to raise that floor as high as they can, and keep raising it, which guards against risk and keeps the dream of the ceiling closer. It's not sexy but it's the good management we are always praised for. Leicesters ceiling was incredible, but it turned out their floor was relegation.

We saw close to the ceiling last year, an amazing season. This year we've seen closer to the floor. But my point about 'what if we'd sold Macallister and lost Mitoma and March before the 22-23 season' stands, and you acknowledge it - we wouldn't have got sixth and could have been in a relegation battle. This season this did happen to us, but we're still, for now, in the top half. Our floor seems pretty decent, our club is stronger, so i reject that we've taken a step backwards.

We might have lost Mac and Caicedo, Undav and Sanchez; Lallana is clearly nearing the end and Veltman looks past his peak. But look what we've gained. Igor, Pedro, van Hecke, Barco, Adingra, Hinshelwood, Baleba, Verbruggen. And Gilmour, Ferguson, Lamptey, Buonanotte have a full season under their belts. I think its silly to say we've become over-reliant on a few players - that was more true of last year, this year we've spread responsibility around a lot more players. We've lost several stars for all or part of the year but the rest have kept us comfortably mid table.

A higher floor. We didn't get close to our ceiling this season because a lot went against us, but the European adventure was fun and we haven't had to look over our shoulder. And we know we are capable of tooling up again next year and the year after because of the finances.

Is this really nonsense? To finish 13th or higher with the issues we've faced is pretty decent, no? We are only home wins against Burnley, Sheffield and Everton away from sitting in 6th, give or take a few goals, and would you honestly bet against us doing exactly that if March, Mitoma, Enciso and Pedro had been available for every game? That's literally the margins we're talking here.

This is the post I have been trying to compose for ages but have never had the patience to finish. I agree with it all. No doubt the the disappointment of what might have been has dampened our end of season spirits, we are indeed raising the floor and putting ourselves in a position to raise it further next season. Personally I think this has been an impressive season despite the many obstacles we have faced.

I just hope that everyone both management, players and fans can get excited about the Amex run-in, pantomime villains Chelsea & Villa, Abu Dhabi and United. Some decent performances in those games and we can end the season with a spring in our step and look forward to the Euros and what should be an interesting transfer window.

 

[Jim in the West]

Alright. We started this when you said we had taken a step backwards this season. Although our team isn't as good this season, clearly, and frustratingly, i believe that our fundamentals are stronger, and hence that we have not taken a step backwards. All teams at any point in time have a floor, the worst they will do, and a ceiling, the best they can do. Although we as fans are always chasing that ceiling, the job of the clubs management is to raise that floor as high as they can, and keep raising it, which guards against risk and keeps the dream of the ceiling closer. It's not sexy but it's the good management we are always praised for. Leicesters ceiling was incredible, but it turned out their floor was relegation.

We saw close to the ceiling last year, an amazing season. This year we've seen closer to the floor. But my point about 'what if we'd sold Macallister and lost Mitoma and March before the 22-23 season' stands, and you acknowledge it - we wouldn't have got sixth and could have been in a relegation battle. This season this did happen to us, but we're still, for now, in the top half. Our floor seems pretty decent, our club is stronger, so i reject that we've taken a step backwards. Its not a step backwards if is just a fluctuation between the floor and the ceiling.

We might have lost Mac and Caicedo, Undav and Sanchez; Lallana is clearly nearing the end and Veltman looks past his peak. But look what we've gained. Igor, Pedro, van Hecke, Barco, Adingra, Hinshelwood, Baleba, Verbruggen. And Gilmour, Ferguson, Lamptey, Buonanotte have a full season under their belts. I think its silly to say we've become over-reliant on a few players - that was more true of last year, this year we've spread responsibility around a lot more players. We've lost several stars for all or part of the year but the rest have kept us comfortably mid table.

A higher floor. We didn't get close to our ceiling this season because a lot went against us, but the European adventure was fun and we haven't had to look over our shoulder. And we know we are capable of tooling up again next year and the year after because of the finances.

Is this really nonsense? To finish 13th or higher with the issues we've faced is pretty decent, no? We are only home wins against Burnley, Sheffield and Everton away from sitting in 6th, give or take a few goals, and would you honestly bet against us doing exactly that if March, Mitoma, Enciso and Pedro had been available for every game? That's literally the margins we're talking here.

This post deserves its own thread!! So much logic in there. Thank you

 

[VAL1850]

Chelsea one up, they would have been absolutely nothing without Cole Palmer this season....

 

[macbeth]

Not kidding at all. The Nigels defended like their lives depended on it. Compare that to the clown car that rocked up at our place.

spot on, most annoying thing about that all was they seemed to get the best of both worlds in that game. scored a beautiful goal that RDZ would be proud of and also defended very resolutely. we can do the first part of that but haven’t really managed the second, when we’ve won we’ve just generally managed to do the first part several times

 

[VAL1850]

Now 2 nil,Cole Palmer again...

 

[LamieRobertson]

Pickford ….again

Palmer hatrick

Sean doing his nut on the sidelines …..surprises me he never gets a yellow …RDZ must say some really bad stuff as he seems to get one quite easily

 

[VAL1850]

Palmer V Pickford.. Only one winner... Hatrick..

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

And again after a howler from Engerlands No 1.