What Steve Claridge said. This time I tend to agree.

[Deleted User X18H]

''Missing out on the play-offs would be an under-achievement''.

But we must realise apart from Ulloa we are toothless in attack.

Yes CMS and Hoskins injuries are unfortunate , but we need a Lee Steele / Gary Hart player desperate to do well, not a and untried loanee going through the motions, hoping his parent club might read good reviews.

Albion have no given right to do well or get promoted , but we are appear to be progessing side ways a little or maybe moving backwards , but certainly not forwards.

I don't like be negative and the standard of foorball was great yeaterday, but how come the 7 clubs above us have significantly lower attendances than us, yet are clear of us.

We have 46 points that is by no means a satisfactory haul.

We seem to take three or four steps forward (Birmingham Leeds Doncaster) but then suffer setbacks like yesterday.

How long can the club sustain making multi million signings and not acheiveing the goal that is the Premier League?

And Augustien? This crazy a palyer who could set Ulloa away time after time, a player who can beat a defender, frozen out.

We have all made some sort of sacrifice for Albion to be where they are now however small, getting to the Prem is a sooner rather than later necessity , rather than becoming an Ipswich or a Middlesbrough.

Make hay while the sunshine's, sign a decent,expirienced, striker on loan. Just like other clubs do.

 

[glasfryn]

blasted thumbs up not working properly
I totally agree

 

[Superphil]

****ing hell, a sensible post. Ban him.

 

[Zebedee]

I don't think we have had a truly prolific striker at the club since Murray left and before that in the days of Knight and Zamora. When it comes to identifying and buying strikers that are exceptional, we do appear to be lacking compared to many other clubs. I'm not sure why this is but it is bloody frustrating. Time after time we create chances but fail to put the ball in the net. We are never likely to get promoted to the Premiership unless the club sort out and adequately invest in our forward line.

 

[algie]

I don't think we have had a truly prolific striker at the club since Murray left and before that in the days of Knight and Zamora. When it comes to identifying and buying strikers that are exceptional, we do appear to be lacking compared to many other clubs. I'm not sure why this is but it is bloody frustrating. Time after time we create chances but fail to put the ball in the net. We are never likely to get promoted to the Premiership unless the club sort out and invest in our forward line.

What are you talking about? Ulloa has a goal scoring record of one goal in every two games i believe. Isn't that prolific?

 

[Rugrat]

rather than becoming an Ipswich or a Middlesbrough.

Or a Leeds, or Forest, or Derby, or a Birmingham or (until now) Leicester. We shouldn't underestimate the difficulty of getting out of this league. It needs to have a whole number of factors lining up in your favour plus a good dose of luck.

For me keeping in this league will always give us a reasonable chance of going up, and there will always be at least 4 or 5 clubs with significantly bigger budgets. I can't see much further than an expectation of having a shot at it

 

[dougdeep]

Have you all forgotten Rodriguez?

 

[goldstone]

Two things we need right now:
- another proven goal-scoring forward to play alongside Ulloa or at least give him some competition
- play Agustein. Give the guy a proper run in the team. I think, like Conway, given a chance he will come good.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

What are you talking about? Ulloa has a goal scoring record of one goal in every two games i believe. Isn't that prolific?

Yes but with other prolific strikers there has also been someone to understudy Zamora / Hart /Steele , Knight/ Hart , Murray/Forster.

Lets get Hart back.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

What are you talking about? Ulloa has a goal scoring record of one goal in every two games i believe. Isn't that prolific?

20 goals in 37 starts.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Have you all forgotten Rodriguez?

I think we are trying to. Not impressed Doug, he runs around a lot. But so does my 4 year old. He runs out of ideas quickly and looks a little disinterested, again like my 4 year old.

 

[chaileyjem]

If, and admittedly its a big if, Albion beat Millwall (likely) and Reading (not completely unlikely given their form and our performance yesterday if not the finishing) then we would have exactly the same # of points from games (52 from 33) as we had at the beginning of March last season.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

If, and admittedly its a big if, Albion beat Millwall (likely) and Reading (not completely unlikely given their form and our performance yesterday if not the finishing) then we would have exactly the same # of points from games (52 from 33) as we had at the beginning of March last season.

Exactly no further forward.

 

[KZNSeagull]

After what went on in the summer, I am not sure that under-achievement is correct - in my view we are doing well to even be there or thereabouts.

As for signing a decent, experienced striker - obviously someone like that is not going to come cheap - we would have to break our current wage structure to get anyone half decent, certainly from the PL side, I would say. I wonder how much Ravel Morrison is costing QPR, for example? Or how much Kevin Phillips is charging for his services? What impact would that have on the current squad? What would Len think if we bought in someone earning 2 or 3 times his wages? I wonder who we could get from the PL for 10k a week for example? Wilbrahim probably or his level!

Bargains like Len (and Zamora when we signed him) do not come along very often and I am afraid that until such time as wages start coming down significantly and clubs in our division stop gambling on promotion, we are only really in the market for bargains that others have missed. I do not see that changing anytime soon.

 

[stss30]

Disagree entirely. We were ravaged by injury problems in the first half of the season, Gus didn't exactly leave us in a great position, we had several loanees/new players and Oscar was trying to implement a different style of play to Gus's. Added to the fact we've only had one goalscorer in what feels like 2 months it's a minor miracle we are where we are imo.

 

[Blues Rock DJ]

interesting to note that yesterday's starting strikers against us are both loanees. With the money we're getting from our mini cup run (I realise we're tight for money at the mo'), fail to see why we are not addressing the situation urgently ......... unless Matty Fryatt's coming back on our 50 seat Fokker tomorrow night !! Have rarely seen us dominate a 'top' side at the Amex as yesterday, but if you do not take chances.......

 

[KZNSeagull]

Exactly no further forward.

Did you really expect us to be further forward though, after what went on in the summer?

 

[happypig]

I don't like be negative and the standard of foorball was great yeaterday, but how come the 7 clubs above us have significantly lower attendances than us, yet are clear of us.

Wigan, QPR & Reading have parachute payments so considerably more to spend. Forest are spending like a student with a visa card. Leicester have been building a side for a while and are reaping the benefit. Burnley are a dark horse, batting above their average.

We are trying really hard to comply with FFP and if the League do what they should, it could be good for us next season, with promotion rivals crippled (hopefully forest are one of them)

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Wigan, QPR & Reading have parachute payments so considerably more to spend. Forest are spending like a student with a visa card. Leicester have been building a side for a while and are reaping the benefit. Burnley are a dark horse, batting above their average.

We are trying really hard to comply with FFP and if the League do what they should, it could be good for us next season, with promotion rivals crippled (hopefully forest are one of them)

Do what they should or not do what is expected?

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Did you really expect us to be further forward though, after what went on in the summer?

Yes, off pitch situation.