[Albion] To reach the next level...

[Mr deez]

Deary me... what a happy little soul you are. That half empty cup!!!!

Oh no quite the opposite! I am totally chuffed with what we are doing - do we really think an urgent need to step up is needed / realistic?

 

[TheDuke]

I am not sure that they were there for the taking. How many games have they lost at home to English clubs? We would have been hammered if we had played any other way imo. We had half chances but they defended very well against them. I don’t like losing but it the grand scheme of things it’s just a blip on what should be a slow uphill swing for this club. I am enjoying the ride.

Well done IcyGull for a little optimism at last. We are just on the first rungs of this new adventure and there are so many knockers expecting too much, too early.

 

[Weststander]

I'm happy with our level, but we can add say 2 or 3 first team quality players this summer.

The PL bottom 3, Championship and League One are all riddled with clubs who are/used to be in the PL, where fans talked about the next level, targeting Europa League, etc.

 

[Eeyore]

Well of course Man Utd pretty much have every advantage over a team like ours, but when you see our build up play and the positions we got into tonight you can't help but feel a little more quality and we would have caused them serious bother. When you see what Burnley have achieved this season it is not impossible...

Burnley have achieved that from defence rather than attack. They have less goals than us.

 

[Mackenzie]

To reach the next level.....throw about a billion quid at it.

 

[Barry M]

I’m blaming the loss on the commentators curse! Seconds before their second goal he said the stats guys said United haven’t had a shot on goal in the second half. Next ball . = goal!

 

[Weststander]

I’m blaming the loss on the commentators curse! Seconds before their second goal he said the stats guys said United haven’t had a shot on goal in the second half. Next ball . = goal!

I'm blaming it on the modern football spenders curse. A £750m squad very rarely fails to win against a relative minnow, especially at home. That's superstition.

 

[BN41Albion]

Well, I've been called boring for being unhappy with a meek and tame 2-0 defeat. Maybe I'm just disappointed that we've lost a cup game without really having too much of a go and without ever really committing to really trying to get into the game. We lacked quality and ambition pretty much all over the pitch in my opinion and I think we can get better, and will do better, and will be able to compete in quater finals and against teams like this one tonight. Obviously they're a fantastic team and the investment in the squad is incredible and can not compare to ours, but they were there for the taking tonight I thought and we haven't really laid a glove on them.

Ian Darke said at the end it was a bloodless victory for Man United, and that's what it was.

We've just created more clear cut chances than Man United at old trafford for the second time this season. Yes we ended up losing both times, but if it had not been for a freak goal last time and poor defending this time, and had we been more clinical in both games, then no one could have argued if we'd ended up with positive results both times. Personally i thought we were excellent tonight. Tonight wasn't a meek or tame performance by a long shot imo

 

[BensGrandad]

To reach the next level we have to either learn how to defend crosses into the box or sign a player who can.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

We've just created more clear cut chances than Man United at old trafford for the second time this season. Yes we ended up losing both times, but if it had not been for a freak goal last time and poor defending this time, and had we been more clinical in both games, then no one could have argued if we'd ended up with positive results both times. Personally i thought we were excellent tonight. Tonight wasn't a meek or tame performance by a long shot imo

We are getting more and more experience with every game. Survival this season, and knowing we've got more money to come for next season, means we can get more quality in.
Players will always make mistakes, as they're human, but please put this into perspective. In 117 years of being a club, we've never won at Old Trafford, so one step at a time.
Consolidate as a Prem club, and beat the big 6 when we can, and we can build from there.

 

[Weststander]

To reach the next level we have to either learn how to defend crosses into the box or sign a player who can.

You'll be pilloried, but you have a good point. That's not been our strongest defensive trait this season.

 

[Perkino]

The reason some footballers sell for more than £50m is because they have the ability to impact a game and do something unexpected. However to reach the next level to me means becoming a top 10 side and we simply need to have a squad who can be consistent and compete with the other 12 sides who are not garunteed safety each season both home and away.

We have had a superb season but there have been about 5 matches where I felt we were unlucky not to win and 3 where we have embarrassed ourselves by a poor away performance. If we could show a little more fight away from home then we would reach the next level

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

We need to make the most of our opportunities when we reach advanced positions instead of delivering mediocre balls into the box and also try to stop switching off a couple of times a game to gift the opposition easy goals. I know we were playing against Man United and their budget looms over ours but I thought our build up play was almost on a par with them tonight. Difference was they had quality balls in the area at key times and didn't give us any free time whatsoever in their box, apart from when Dunk evaded his man from a corner on one occasion.

You feel like we are nearly there in terms of really competing with this teams, however we do need to cut out our wastefulness and occasional errors at the back.

Thats fair enough. To get to another level we will have to improve everywhere. Considering our record of continuously improving for years now, I'm confident we will

 

[Perkino]

Thats fair enough. To get to another level we will have to improve everywhere. Considering our record of continuously improving for years now, I'm confident we will

I disagree, there is no longer an obvious group of mid table sides. In order to get to the next level, which I would consider to be a consistent top ten side we simply need to be competitive against the other bottom 13 sides both home and away

 

[Bold Seagull]

I disagree, there is no longer an obvious group of mid table sides. In order to get to the next level, which I would consider to be a consistent top ten side we simply need to be competitive against the other bottom 13 sides both home and away

Home form has been fine, improve away and we’d be challenging toward that best of the rest spot.

Reckon we need to continue looking at our wings and frontline in the summer. We’re pretty decent at the back, although wouldn’t be surprised to see some fullbacks come in, but you relieve pressure by keeping the ball and exerting pressure. We still lack a bit of pace.

 

[biddles911]

I disagree, there is no longer an obvious group of mid table sides. In order to get to the next level, which I would consider to be a consistent top ten side we simply need to be competitive against the other bottom 13 sides both home and away

Kind of a circular argument. Given the money available to all Premier League teams, most of them will be able to improve year on year.

The question really is where are we weakest?

Defence is clearly pretty solid already. Attack is probably ok, if Locadia works out, though we can hardly expect to keep Murray going much longer at this level.

I’m inclined to think our midfield requires a significant upgrade to give us better options and we desperately need someone who can supply a few goals from that area too....... but who?


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[Stat Brother]

Let's not run before we can walk chaps, and get all palacey.

Stay up this year - far from being a done deal.
Consolidate next season, hoping for mid-table throughout the year.
Sign the final couple of players needed for a dig at a Europa League spot by the end of season 3.

 

[Perkino]

Home form has been fine, improve away and we’d be challenging toward that best of the rest spot.

Reckon we need to continue looking at our wings and frontline in the summer. We’re pretty decent at the back, although wouldn’t be surprised to see some fullbacks come in, but you relieve pressure by keeping the ball and exerting pressure. We still lack a bit of pace.

We lack pace and drive and don't exploit space quickly enough allowing our opposition to attack us in the hope we will soak up the pressure particularly away from home. If we had turned up at Huddersfield, West Brom & Everton then our position would be different. Similarly we have dropped points against Southampton, Everton, Stoke, Palace, Bournemouth at home when we looked like we were the better side.

I also think if we had played those home games in 2018 rather than 2017 we may already be at another level.

I'm not criticising in any way simply trying to state just how close the next level is following a great season

 

[Weststander]

Kind of a circular argument. Given the money available to all Premier League teams, most of them will be able to improve year on year.

The question really is where are we weakest?

Defence is clearly pretty solid already. Attack is probably ok, if Locadia works out, though we can hardly expect to keep Murray going much longer at this level.

I’m inclined to think our midfield requires a significant upgrade to give us better options and we desperately need someone who can supply a few goals from that area too....... but who?


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On paper that’s true about the ‘bottom 14’, with all receiving over £100m from broadcasting. But in reality, some clubs waste huge sums on a constant revolving door of managers and/or players (Leicester, Everton, West Ham and Palace), potentially giving an advantage to clubs with settled management and astute recruitment.

 

[Perkino]

Let's not run before we can walk chaps, and get all palacey.

Stay up this year - far from being a done deal.
Consolidate next season, hoping for mid-table throughout the year.
Sign the final couple of players needed for a dig at a Europa League spot by the end of season 3.

3 seasons is key. Very few sides stay up in their first season and those that do most get relegated by the end of season 3. I am confident if we hold onto CH and he has the opportunity to build that we can establish ourselves for a very long time