[Albion] "We Don't Need to. We Finished 17" - Glenn Murray

[Pavilionaire]

Bruno has retired leaving Glenn as the elder statesman of the squad. I think if Hughton takes the West Brom job he could come in for Bong and Kayal who are the next oldest. Therefore, in terms of experience, I think it is important Glenn remains at the club.

I also think he's a decent bench option. When there's 20-25 minutes left you may only get one chance and he has that ability to be in the right place at the right time. I would hope that without the weekly grind of being a starter he may be fresher throughout the season. It is noticeable his goals dried up in the final few matches as tiredness kicked in - that should not be a problem next season.

Personally, I hope we move on Locadia and replace him with someone that might benefit from Glenn's wisdom. Glenn himself said he'd learned from Bruno and you cannot underestimate the value of experience in the squad.

 

[rippleman]

I'm very surprised and disappointed by that ridiculous comment from Glenn. Thank God we are freshening things up this season.

Agreed. Suggests a total lack of ambition. Not what I would have expected from him. Disappointed.

 

[Easy 10]

That should have been this season.
Murray should have also received a 'hero's goodbye' on Sunday.

If the new manager names GM in his 25, he and a fair few on the recruitment side, would have failed the club.
In the unlikely event Mr Bloom doesn't make the funds available to replace GM, (again) then there was no real point in sacking Mr Hughton.

Murray was given another 12 month deal in November taking him up to summer 2020, so it would appear he is still in our plans. I'd agree that if he is starting all our games next season then something has gone badly wrong this summer. But as a squad player I think he still has something to offer coming off the bench. 13 goals last season in a team that barely crosses the halfway line was not a bad return.

 

[theboybilly]

GM has played his last game for the Albion.

My thoughts too

 

[Lower West Stander]

Knew someone would spot that the moment I read it back...

 

[Springal]

Well at least his performances since November are now explained...

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

If Cardiff's last minute winner had been correctly ruled out for offside, Murray’s last minute header had gone in against Newcastle and we'd held on a couple more minutes against spurs, we'd have finished 15th. But the season would have been fundamentally the same.

Small margins down there and we finished at the bottom end of our potential points range. Plenty of reasonable scenarios where we have cruised into 13th place and not played any different.

 

[chaileyjem]

If the new manager names GM in his 25, he ... would have failed the club.

Poor old Glenn.!!

 

[Supadupahands]

Blimey - Balogun's 31?! Anyone else think he was a bit more of a whippersnapper?

Kayal is 31 is more of a surprise

 

[theboybilly]

13 goals last season in a team that barely crosses the halfway line was not a bad return.

Exactly a sentiment expressed on TalkSport the other week. Glenn has done so well for us but is surely someone we should only be turning to in an emergency now. Even a much more mobile Jermaine Defoe is no longer deemed Premier League standard now. It's all about pace and Albion need more in almost every position to progress

 

[chaileyjem]

Excluding pens, he scored 9 in 38 appearances in the PL (6 from open play, 1 counter and 2 set piece) and had 1 assist - and we relied on him to stumble over the line and stay up. Including pens it's a goal every 3hrs+. IMO we are utterly ****ed if he's leading the line next year. Not a dig at Glenn who has been fantastic for us since he came back but we simply have to improve (and I realise it's not just him but the chances we create for whoever is up front, goals from midfield etc etc)

Where does it say we don't have to improve ? Because i missed that bit.
i did read the bit where says "Squads and clubs want to keep improving and we will be no different.”
what a load of fuss about nothing this interview is.
he'll almost certainly be a squad player next season - probably quite a good one. Why get rid of an experienced , well liked squad member, premier league goalscorer from your 25 ?

 

[BNthree]

Blimey - Balogun's 31?! Anyone else think he was a bit more of a whippersnapper?

Yep, I'd have thought he was about 24!

 

[Bold Seagull]

Murray was given another 12 month deal in November taking him up to summer 2020, so it would appear he is still in our plans. I'd agree that if he is starting all our games next season then something has gone badly wrong this summer. But as a squad player I think he still has something to offer coming off the bench. 13 goals last season in a team that barely crosses the halfway line was not a bad return.

It was likely that was the plan this season, only our signings had other ideas. His conversion of chances rate is exceptional. The way he has looked after himself, his professional approach, experience will definitely be important to have around. We may even find that new approaches elsewhere on the pitch suit Glenn even further and he continues to be our go-to-player.

Too old really is on the same coin as being too young. Throw the coin out because if you're good enough, you're good enough.

 

[DJ NOBO]

That should have been this season.
Murray should have also received a 'hero's goodbye' on Sunday.

If the new manager names GM in his 25, he and a fair few on the recruitment side, would have failed the club.
In the unlikely event Mr Bloom doesn't make the funds available to replace GM, (again) then there was no real point in sacking Mr Hughton.

Why are you so quick to want to retire our only regular goalscorer?
Not saying Murray should be the main striker next season but we could surely do a lot worse than have him on the bench

 

[Stat Brother]

Why are you so quick to want to retire our only regular goalscorer?
Not saying Murray should be the main striker next season but we could surely do a lot worse than have him on the bench

Because the team (management and/or recruitment) should be able to do an awful lot better.

 

[Triggaaar]

If you were to consider this in any other work space - just doing enough to avoid a very clear and public failure - would have you in a poor place at your annual appraisal.
If you want to play on the edge of failure, go ahead, but I wouldn't want anyone working in my team that thought coming that close to failure was okay - would soon be out the door ...

What a crap analogy. If you put the 20 best managers in the world in charge of the 20 PL teams, and let each of them select the best players from around the world, with no limits, and they all did their jobs well, 3 of the teams would still be relegated. It's not like that in other lines of work.

 

[Triggaaar]

Not correct though is it

Yes it is.

I know TB is a gambler but not improving will give us 36 points.

No, that's one interpretation, but not what Glenn Murray meant. He meant we don't have to improve our league position. If you offered Klopp 90 points next season (that's 7 fewer than this season), with the condition that it was more than any other team, do you think he's say 'No, that's worse than this season'?

 

[Two Professors]

Glenn is 100% right.Being in the final spot above relegation was worth a mint in television rights.Maybe even enough to buy a decent striker.

 

[Goldstone1976]

When I go to see Albion, I go wanting to see them win. If the attitude is that all we have to do is win a few to see us safe then its not a lot of fun going to watch. I'm paying a fair amount of money for my season ticket and I'd like to see a bit more desire than that. The home games in 2020 have been painful to watch and I haven't enjoyed it at all.

Tony must be fuming. He fired Hughton last year precisely to get away from boring, defensive football. And here we are, a year on with our home performances exactly the same as last year.

 

[Nottseagull]

Playing 2514 verses...

I can't decide which of the 2 jokes to go for there...

Tony must be fuming. He fired Hughton last year precisely to get away from boring, defensive football. And here we are, a year on with our home performances exactly the same as last year.

Damn, I missed the thread for that event.