To lose GM once may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose him twice looks like carelessness

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

(I've said it before though - had we got Murray in January, I believe we'd be in the Premier League now)

Agreed

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Why do people constantly go on about lack of goals, need a striker. Look at last years table and tell me where it shows that. As others have said we were joint top scorers. It was a our defence that cost us in the end, too many goals conceded. Yes one more goal would have made a difference but that doesn't mean it had to be scored, one less goal conceded would have made just as much impact.

This year we have conceded far less goals than any of the teams around us, we have 10 clean sheets the most in all the football leagues, so if this is the way Chris is going, long may it continue. Just please get off this, it was the strikers that cost us bus.

Hurray.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Baldock and Hemed have NEVER scored for fun, with or without providers. They're both TOILERS at this level. Apologies, but sometimes you have to be a wee bit objective about these things. The alternative is you end up hanging onto, say. CMS, for a couple of seasons past his score-by date.

It's remarkable that Hemed got 17 goals from his toiling. 17 goals for a Championship player in his first season in England. Pretty good eh?

 

[lawros left foot]

We get it, you don't like Hemed or Baldock.

Baldock is in the PFA player of the month list, obviously, other people watch the whole game, not just the ball.

 

[Notters]

I said WE scored for fun, as I believe that strikers do more than just score goals, as defenders do more than just stop goals.

This is the table from last year from when we had both Skalak and Knockaert. Spot anything?

View attachment 79098

(I've said it before though - had we got Murray in January, I believe we'd be in the Premier League now)

Middlesbrough had a bang-average second half to the season. Surprised how well Burnley did.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Baldock and Hemed have NEVER scored for fun, with or without providers. They're both TOILERS at this level. Apologies, but sometimes you have to be a wee bit objective about these things. The alternative is you end up hanging onto, say. CMS, for a couple of seasons past his score-by date.

Duplicate post due to freezing!!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

We get it, you don't like Hemed or Baldock.

Depends how you define 'like'. I'm sure they're both perfectly decent blokes. But both were part of last season's problem. If we get in a proper second striker in January to play alongside Murray, both Hemed and Baldock will be consigned to the bench. Only reason that doesn't happen currently is because the only other option is Manu. Which is no option at all.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Depends how you define 'like'. I'm sure they're both perfectly decent blokes. But both were part of last season's problem. If we get in a proper second striker in January to play alongside Murray, both Hemed and Baldock will be consigned to the bench. Only reason that doesn't happen currently is because the only other option is Manu. Which is no option at all.

Come on, you've done enough fishing now.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I like this thread and am glad that I (else it would have been somebody else) started it earlydoors. The signing of (probably) 25 goal Murray is going to loom large in all our Albion lives over the next six months.

 

[Simster]

Depends how you define 'like'. I'm sure they're both perfectly decent blokes. But both were part of last season's problem. If we get in a proper second striker in January to play alongside Murray, both Hemed and Baldock will be consigned to the bench. Only reason that doesn't happen currently is because the only other option is Manu. Which is no option at all.

Last season's problem appears to have been that we conceded too many goals. Yet you're moaning that 17 goals a season is a dreadful return. Shurely shum mishtake?

 

[BensGrandad]

Losing 4-1 at Cardiff, 3-0 at home to Boro, an own goal at home to Wolves, and 2-0 away to Rotherham were the games that undid us.

No THPP, I am not wrong.

That is correct but an extra 2 or 3 goals early season would have turned at least 1 game from a draw to a win which would have been sufficient so it was a contribution of both and as an example the games against Derby we could have won either with just 1 more goal. How many games pre Christmas did we draw or lose by 1 goal so that 1 goal would have made a difference but its all ifs and buts. Scoring most goals is a bit of a stick to beat people with but a stick that is easily broken.

As regards GM I would hope that TB will pull out the stops to sign him permanently in January and any price under £5m must be a sound investment forboth this and next season but I think it will stand or fall on his personal terms again.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

My bad, can't see them doing it tho, they hardly ever played him when he was in their squad

That's right but Plucky Eddie would do it just to spite us.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Last season's problem appears to have been that we conceded too many goals. Yet you're moaning that 17 goals a season is a dreadful return. Shurely shum mishtake?

Remind me again about THIS season - which we're already a third of the way through?

 

[Simster]

Remind me again about THIS season - which we're already a third of the way through?

I don't need to. You said this:

But both were part of last season's problem.

Basically you're changing the question because you don't like the answer.

 

[lawros left foot]

That's right but Plucky Eddie would do it just to spite us.

Yeah, just cos you're paranoid doesn't mean no ones out to get you.
If he really wanted to spite us, Murray would have gone elsewhere in the summer, or be in their reserves.

 

[BensGrandad]

Yeah, just cos you're paranoid doesn't mean no ones out to get you.
If he really wanted to spite us, Murray would have gone elsewhere in the summer, or be in their reserves.

Perhaps the financial deal we offered made it impossible to refuse so lets hope the same happens in January.

How does a year loan stand if some other club came in to buy him would there be a get out clause just in case.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Basically you're changing the question because you don't like the answer.

Genuinely not sure I follow you. Are we supposed to judge Hemed this season because he scored quite a few goals (including a fair number of penalties) in one half of LAST season?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

If he really wanted to spite us, Murray would have gone elsewhere in the summer, or be in their reserves.

Murray wanted to play for the Albion - close to home, etc. He wouldn't have agreed to a loan elsewhere - he'd have just sat collecting his wages at Bournemouth.

Perhaps the financial deal we offered made it impossible to refuse .

No. We paid NO loan fee, nor are we paying all of his wages.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Genuinely not sure I follow you. Are we supposed to judge Hemed this season because he scored quite a few goals (including a fair number of penalties) in one half of LAST season?

Ah, yes, the good old fall back of 'a fair number of penalties'!!

If you hadn't noticed, he was scoring for fun, and on international duty, but then got injured. He hasn't played for five weeks.

You have had some good bites, though.

 

[lawros left foot]

That's right but Plucky Eddie would do it just to spite us.

Murray won't want to go back, only because of our prize winning pies, they are the only thing we've got going for us.