FT: WEST BROM 4 - 2 CARDIFF CITY. Match thread

[Divine Wright]

We got relegated and decided to sell a lot of our better players. Of course we’re going to find it hard against the best teams.

Play-offs would be a fantastic achievement, and it’s probably beyond us

fixed it.

[SunderlandBluebird]

Just got back. Not a great performance but all a bit over the top the reactions. Been to the majority of games this season and WBA we’re comfortably the best we’ve played. That Pereira in the middle was excellent.

I think the sooner people get to grips with where we are in terms of we’d have had an excellent season to reach the play-offs, the better.

Always tough for teams that come down. I feel we’re a bit of fine tuning away from being a bit more solid on the road. Ralls a huge miss at the moment.

[the other bob wilson]

Bob, we apparently made £100 million last , season , must have made a profit on the summer transfer window and have a parachute payment so we should not be going to Wigan,Hull,Reading Blackburn and now WBA and being happy with a return of 3 points from a possible 15 !
Fair enough WBA but the other 4 we really should be looking at 9 point plus from those fixtures if we were serious about play offs or promotion!

I can't argue with you Billy and although the Flint/Morrison partnership is looking strong and effective at home, our goals against record on the road is dreadful given the level of opposition we've faced so far.

[dembethewarrior]

Just got back. Not a great performance but all a bit over the top the reactions. Been to the majority of games this season and WBA we’re comfortably the best we’ve played. That Pereira in the middle was excellent.

I think the sooner people get to grips with where we are in terms of we’d have had an excellent season to reach the play-offs, the better.

Always tough for teams that come down. I feel we’re a bit of fine tuning away from being a bit more solid on the road. Ralls a huge miss at the moment.

You’ll know better having seen the game, and I agree West Brom have looked good what I’ve seen of them, but, buuuttt.. we weren’t a million miles off staying up last season and we really should have strengthened with the cash available and actually been a better team than we had promotion season and maybe not too far off the quality we had in the PL.

Agree it’s difficult going down, you’re in a negative mindset and not used to winning and it must be mentally tough to get over that, but at the start of the season and after the talk pre season of having a real go, I don’t think “scraping the top 6” was the impression a lot of us were given to be honest.

Maybe scraping top 6 after our start will be a good season, but we really should have been looking to get as high up the table as we could.

I get a little bit bored of the excuses sometimes, it was all there for us.

[SunderlandBluebird]

You’ll know better having seen the game, and I agree West Brom have looked good what I’ve seen of them, but, buuuttt.. we weren’t a million miles off staying up last season and we really should have strengthened with the cash available and actually been a better team than we had promotion season and maybe not too far off the quality we had in the PL.

Agree it’s difficult going down, you’re in a negative mindset and not used to winning and it must be mentally tough to get over that, but at the start of the season and after the talk pre season of having a real go, I don’t think “scraping the top 6” was the impression a lot of us were given to be honest.

Maybe scraping top 6 after our start will be a good season, but we really should have been looking to get as high up the table as we could.

I get a little bit bored of the excuses sometimes, it was all there for us.

I agree with most of this tbh. I think our recruitment has been poor two seasons running. Whether that’s Warnock, Ken Choo or some scouts no one knows I don’t know but that’s the main problem I think. I feel like we’re playing with a worse first 11 than two seasons ago. Maybe we have some better strength on the bench but that’s about it.

Having said that, I think we’re our normal selves at home. Hard to beat, fairly solid if unspectacular. Doesn’t seem to be happening atm, but I don’t feel we’re too far off starting to pick up points on the road.

I think Warnock is notoriously defensive on the road (was in the last champ campaign but we nicked so many games by a goal relatively fortunately - Burton, Barnsley, Sunderland, Ipswich, Norwich are five off the top of my head). I think he went a bit more attacking against Wigan and we were a shambles at the back and he’s reverted to type even more than usual.

I’d like him to give it a go 4-4-2 or something on the road at some point but can see why he never today. Don’t think it’s a million miles off though.

The next 5 between the two sets of internationals are each a big test for different reasons. Think it’ll tell us a lot about where we’ll end up.

[Divine Wright]

I agree with most of this tbh. I think our recruitment has been poor two seasons running. Whether that’s Warnock, Ken Choo or some scouts no one knows I don’t know but that’s the main problem I think. I feel like we’re playing with a worse first 11 than two seasons ago. Maybe we have some better strength on the bench but that’s about it.

Having said that, I think we’re our normal selves at home. Hard to beat, fairly solid if unspectacular. Doesn’t seem to be happening atm, but I don’t feel we’re too far off starting to pick up points on the road.

I think Warnock is notoriously defensive on the road (was in the last champ campaign but we nicked so many games by a goal relatively fortunately - Burton, Barnsley, Sunderland, Ipswich, Norwich are five off the top of my head). I think he went a bit more attacking against Wigan and we were a shambles at the back and he’s reverted to type even more than usual.

I’d like him to give it a go 4-4-2 or something on the road at some point but can see why he never today. Don’t think it’s a million miles off though.

The next 5 between the two sets of internationals are each a big test for different reasons. Think it’ll tell us a lot about where we’ll end up.

As things stand the season does have a “scrape the play-offs at best” look about it I’d say. Even after ten or so games, I think it’d be optimistic to think we’ll be challenging the top three or four, which leaves us scrapping it out with another ten or so sides for the other spots.

If I had to literally bet my life on it, It’d be tough, but I’d probably go with us finishing just outside.

January could be key if NW goes out and signs a playmaker and striker of PL standard.

[Des Parrot]

Not read the above. Just got back after spending the evening with the Baggies from Work.

Jekyll & Hyde performance. Could have been 3 up in the first ten minutes, row Z shooting cost us. Their first goal was probably the best of the season. 2nd was suicide. Smithies pulled off 3 world class saves to keep us in it. Pack was our sole midfilder, on times he was v 3 or 1 v 4 . We played 4-1-1-3-1. Bacuna was shocking, Paterson appalling. Glatzel well!. As soon as Paterson went off it changed the game. Hoilett brought control and skill to midfield. Danny Ward was excellent. Murphy skyed it over the bar when we had 5 free inside the box.

The 2nd half was our best football of the season, despite Bacuna & Patersons feeble efforts.

It could has been 8-2 , 6-6 or 4-5. Mad! Far happier than after Reading.

West Brom will win the division.

[LeningradCowboy]

I agree with most of this tbh. I think our recruitment has been poor two seasons running. Whether that’s Warnock, Ken Choo or some scouts no one knows I don’t know but that’s the main problem I think. I feel like we’re playing with a worse first 11 than two seasons ago. Maybe we have some better strength on the bench but that’s about it.

Having said that, I think we’re our normal selves at home. Hard to beat, fairly solid if unspectacular. Doesn’t seem to be happening atm, but I don’t feel we’re too far off starting to pick up points on the road.

I think Warnock is notoriously defensive on the road (was in the last champ campaign but we nicked so many games by a goal relatively fortunately - Burton, Barnsley, Sunderland, Ipswich, Norwich are five off the top of my head). I think he went a bit more attacking against Wigan and we were a shambles at the back and he’s reverted to type even more than usual.

I’d like him to give it a go 4-4-2 or something on the road at some point but can see why he never today. Don’t think it’s a million miles off though.

The next 5 between the two sets of internationals are each a big test for different reasons. Think it’ll tell us a lot about where we’ll end up.

We had over 50% possession at Hull playing 4-3-3, but then Ralls got injured and we're back to being overrun in the middle of the pitch playing 4-2-3-1.

[LeningradCowboy]

As things stand the season does have a “scrape the play-offs at best” look about it I’d say. Even after ten or so games, I think it’d be optimistic to think we’ll be challenging the top three or four, which leaves us scrapping it out with another ten or so sides for the other spots.

If I had to literally bet my life on it, It’d be tough, but I’d probably go with us finishing just outside.

January could be key if NW goes out and signs a playmaker and striker of PL standard.

I don't think that is going to happen.

[The Lone Gunman]

https://www.skysports.com/watch/vide...om-4-2-cardiff

Morrison didn't have one of his better days based on those highlights.

[RonnieBird]

As it turns out it didn't do much damage, but it was dissapointing.
We're really not getting it quite right yet. It's close sometimes but far too many sloppy moments.
The whole point of the system is to take control of the game in the important areas in exchange for allowing possession where it doesn't really matter , but that's not happening enough. It's close but there's no more time for on the job training.
They either get it right after the break or the opportunity will be lost.

[City123]

Bacuna was appalling and Paterson offered nothing. Why Warnock didn't have a midfielder (Vaulks) on the bench is beyond me, why do we need 2 wingers on the bench?

[Joe Gillis]

Bob, we apparently made £100 million last , season , must have made a profit on the summer transfer window and have a parachute payment so we should not be going to Wigan,Hull,Reading Blackburn and now WBA and being happy with a return of 3 points from a possible 15 !
Fair enough WBA but the other 4 we really should be looking at 9 point plus from those fixtures if we were serious about play offs or promotion!

Add to that, record season ticket sales, makes you wonder where all the money is going?

[LeningradCowboy]

Bacuna was appalling and Paterson offered nothing. Why Warnock didn't have a midfielder (Vaulks) on the bench is beyond me, why do we need 2 wingers on the bench?

Warnock's bench selections do tend to bemuse me. In some matches this season we've had two wingers, an attacking midfielder and two strikers on the bench. I guess it's because the squad is so unbalanced.

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Bennett has struggled for three consecutive matches, but he has to play because we don't have a genuine alternative.

Bennett is shocking! He gives way too much space down our left and is caught out of position/wrong side of his man far too often. But, as you said, he doesn't have any competion for that left-back spot.