West Brom - The Mighty Blues

Wow.... 93rd minute, WB score, but inches offside.

VAR offside

FT 0-1 not pretty but fuck it 3 points & 4th

All over!!!!

Very even game, could have really gone either way.

Ok... a draw in the Shite v Chavs is best for us... but I'd love the Chavs to do them & make it FIVE home defeats in a row


COYB

4th!! What the fuck!!!

Well, we won. Not much else to add other than lucky we were playing West Brom today.

Carlo Catenaccio, Carlo Fantastico!

We are turning into a typical Italian defensive side hitting the opposition on the break, it’s a dangerous risk,absolutely boring to watch.but effective.

Yankthattoffee wrote: Carlo Catenaccio, Carlo Fantastico!

That's exactly what it is. We're more Italian than any Serie A club.

That was actually less painful in the second half than some of the recent games. We kept them at arms length for the most part, and West Brom are really shit. Dodged a bullet with the disallowed goal - on balance, VAR has been our friend so far this season.

First half we were rotten. No movement and we couldn't control the ball. When Bernard's first touch goes, he really has nothing else, he's just a little puppy chasing after a ball.

My highlight of the game, apart from the goal, was that little burst of pace from my man-crush Godfrey right at the end. Only 15 yards or so while covering but he put a good 5 yards between him and the forward he was covering. Bloody hell.

Theory: Carlo knows what he's got, and knows exactly what he's doing. We're trying to win some of these games with the minimum possible exertion, so that when we know we'll have to work hard in a game (Leeds, the Shite, the coming game against Chelsea) we've got the legs to do it. He's trying to stretch out a pretty threadbare squad across a 38-game season. If this is all at the expense of our blood pressure, so be it.

Oh, and Allan...he's basically Roy Keane, isn't he? Just a bit less angry. Same size and shape, same game, a better footballer than he gets credit for but knows his limitations.

Three clean sheets on the bounce.

Made 4 Gwladys wrote:Ok... a draw in the Shite v Chavs is best for us... but I'd love the Chavs to do them & make it FIVE home defeats in a row


COYB

your wish came true bud

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56191317

What penalty is Allardyce talking about in that interview? Seriously? Eh mate? And he keeps on talking about it in the interview for minutes!

Knight of Thorgothshire wrote:https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56191317

What penalty is Allardyce talking about in that interview? Seriously? Eh mate? And he keeps on talking about it in the interview for minutes!

No idea mate but he was ranting at the 4th official for most of the second half, it appeared.

Don't forget that Allardyce is a master manipulator. I remember in his Blackburn days, he went public the week before we played them to claim that Cahill always leans on the defender when he jumps for a header. And lo! In the game, Cahill got penalised every single fucking time he jumped in the air. The ref fell for it, and after one such decision the camera panned to Sam (sat in the stands munching on a whole fried chicken and swigging from a 2 litre bottle of non-diet Tango) smirking to himself. And I remember thinking, fair play, you've done your job there. Didn't work tonight though did it Sam? You fat sweaty dirty Brexit cunt.

Anyway, I always think that when Allardyce starts having a moan at the officials during the game, the 4th official need only produce an extra large doner kebab from his pocket to distract him. Sam's eyes will follow it as he waves it around, borderline-hypnotised, while everyone else can get on with the game in peace.

Rotterdam 1985 wrote:

Knight of Thorgothshire wrote:https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56191317

What penalty is Allardyce talking about in that interview? Seriously? Eh mate? And he keeps on talking about it in the interview for minutes!

No idea mate but he was ranting at the 4th official for most of the second half, it appeared.

Don't forget that Allardyce is a master manipulator. I remember in his Blackburn days, he went public the week before we played them to claim that Cahill always leans on the defender when he jumps for a header. And lo! In the game, Cahill got penalised every single fucking time he jumped in the air. The ref fell for it, and after one such decision the camera panned to Sam smirking to himself. And I remember thinking, fair play, you've done your job there. Didn't work tonight though did it Sam? You fat sweaty dirty Brexit cunt.

I was at that game and everyone around us said the same, only highlighted on MOTD that night.

Tonight we lacked a bit of thoughtful footy up front. I'm not sure why Imobi didn't have a go at the FB once. Maybe instructions?
Surely some wide men have figured out the Beckham technique. Don't try and beat the FB with pace. Pull it wide and whip it across.
A RB has to be at the top of Carlo's list. Even at his age, we miss Coleman's knowledge of the position. As much as I like the lad, Holgate doesn't have the RB mentality.

Yankthattoffee wrote:

Rotterdam 1985 wrote:

Knight of Thorgothshire wrote:https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56191317

What penalty is Allardyce talking about in that interview? Seriously? Eh mate? And he keeps on talking about it in the interview for minutes!

No idea mate but he was ranting at the 4th official for most of the second half, it appeared.

Don't forget that Allardyce is a master manipulator. I remember in his Blackburn days, he went public the week before we played them to claim that Cahill always leans on the defender when he jumps for a header. And lo! In the game, Cahill got penalised every single fucking time he jumped in the air. The ref fell for it, and after one such decision the camera panned to Sam smirking to himself. And I remember thinking, fair play, you've done your job there. Didn't work tonight though did it Sam? You fat sweaty dirty Brexit cunt.

I was at that game and everyone around us said the same, only highlighted on MOTD that night.

Tonight we lacked a bit of thoughtful footy up front. I'm not sure why Imobi didn't have a go at the FB once. Maybe instructions?
Surely some wide men have figured out the Beckham technique. Don't try and beat the FB with pace. Pull it wide and whip it across.
A RB has to be at the top of Carlo's list. Even at his age, we miss Coleman's knowledge of the position. As much as I like the lad, Holgate doesn't have the RB mentality.

Wise words on the Beckham thing. I don't recall Beckham ever trying to beat a full back. Well, he couldn't. And there isn't a CB in the league who has the beating of DCL in the air.

On the RB conundrum, however, we just need a new one. Coleman is done IMO. Even at his best he wasn't the greatest technician. Savvy teams these days suss out the players with the weakest technique and pressure them, swarm them, when in possession. We need 10 outfield players who aren't a liability with the ball at their feet. Well, we can get away with one (i.e. Doucoure) as long as his other attributes outweigh his shortcomings, but that's about it.

There's some talk about Max Aarons from Norwich. He'd cost a lot of money though. I watch a fair bit of European footy and I've always liked Sime Vrsaljko at Atletico Madrid. He's a lot older, 29 (we signed Allan at 29), he's a right back who can also play on the left and is comfortable as a wing back. Croatian international, good defender, good technically, and he's only got a year left on his contract. He's had some injury problems (knee surgery) but he's fit now. If FFP means we can't spunk the money on someone like Aarons, this fella could be an option, I reckon we could get him for 10-12 mil, maybe less.

Potentially a decent 2/3-year option, could be a steal if (big IF) his injuries are behind him. And Andy Gray, Peter Reid and Paul Power were all crocks when we signed them, weren't they?

Blue gazza wrote:

Made 4 Gwladys wrote:Ok... a draw in the Shite v Chavs is best for us... but I'd love the Chavs to do them & make it FIVE home defeats in a row


COYB

your wish came true bud

yay

but it means we drop to 5th

ok... who's gonna open the Chavs thread???

Made 4 Gwladys wrote:ok... who's gonna open the Chavs thread???

A new thread has been started!