[Archived] West Brom Preview

[Flopsy]

The reason teams lose after going down to 10 men is that they defend to deep and leave a lone man up front who can't retain the ball, meaning that the pressure is instantly heaped back on the defending team. I'd go for a 4, 3, 1, 1 formation

Bringing on Tugs wasnt such a stupid idea as it was probably aimed at getting him to stick his foot on the ball and keep possesion. Unfortunately when he came on he was bobbins.

Still a point away from home after being down to 10 men is a disgrace, and for all those moaning about last minute goals, its a good sign, it means that

1) The team's fitness levels are good; and

2) They really do care and will keep on going instead of giving up.

[thenodrog]

It isn't? That's news to anyone that's ever played football.

Correct. It's certainly crap up front on your own with two centre halves constantly breathing down your neck.

[tony gale's mic]

edit

[thenodrog]

I have enjoyed more football this season thus far than ALL of last season under Hughes.

Thats rubbish mate. Sorry but I'm not having any of that. Of our best 'crowd pleasers / skillful players' Bentleys gone, RSC's injured more often that not and Dunny's injured too. Apart from a few sparkles from Carlos and sterling energetic performances from Emo and Warnock we have precious little to 'enjoy'.

At home we've been annhialated by two teams that we shared points with after titanic performances last season Arse and MU! The rest of the games we've huffed and puffed our way through.

[gumboots]

Did I somewhere miss the criticism of McCarthy for getting himself sent off yesterday? It was obvious that the ref was clueless and felt bad about the penalty he quite rightly awarded (the pull on the shirt was so blatant that we were screaming about it from the far end of the ground before the ref even blew for it) . He therefore proceded to look to even things up as far as possible by not booking their players but warning them whilst booking our players for fairly innocuous challenges, and giving as many of the little things in their favour as he could and so to handball so clearly was an act of ridiculous stupidity by McCarthy. Had he stayed on I think we'd have weathered the pressure that West Brom put on after we scored and probably done our goal difference some good. As it was Roberts was left stranded up front and with his determination to always play the man before the ball was never going to get the free kicks he probably deserved. West Brom have big strong players who made life very hard for him.

Credit to Andrews for the goal. He always hits good straight shots and it was good to see one go in for him. also good to see the rest of his team mates so delighted, not just with a very late equaliser but also for him. Don't think there's actually much wrong with the team spirit contrary to what one or two posters here have suggested. Before the match I said to my husband that I almost wished we weren't going because we never get anything out of the West Brom game, indeed it was a couple of years ago that the match caused one of the only real arguments I can ever remember in our household, because Rovers were so awful it was unbelievable. Thought yesterday was all going to end in tears so pleased with the point. It's not the away draws that are the problem - it's the home form that has me worried but if I remember rightly it was a problem in quite a few of our games under Hughes.

[vintageadidas]

Thats rubbish mate. Sorry but I'm not having any of that. Of our best 'crowd pleasers / skillful players' Bentleys gone, RSC's injured more often that not and Dunny's injured too. Apart from a few sparkles from Carlos and sterling energetic performances from Emo and Warnock we have precious little to 'enjoy'.

At home we've been annhialated by two teams that we shared points with after titanic performances last season Arse and MU! The rest of the games we've huffed and puffed our way through.

Individual brilliance on the odd occasion last season - we never played neat and tidy football at all and mainly played the long ball in my opinion. So far i am liking what Ince is trying to do - once he sorts a few things out (conceeding weak goals the main one).

Some of the interlink play this season has been very good and thats why i made the aforementioned statement. I am a little discombobulated as to why you would argue the point - last season was soooo boring from an entertainment point of view with a footballing hat on. Did we score a goal like Warnock's against Villa last season?

I am not getting away from the fact that points are more important than performances, but i like to be entertained. I also think that certain players do not suit Ince's pass and move style of play and once he has his team in place, we will challenging the top 6-8 again. I think a few players will be available for sale in as early as January.

Bolton used to be top 8 every season, so did spurs - they have both had two very poor seasons. So it isnt all that grim at the moment.

[brfcs5359]

Thats rubbish mate. Sorry but I'm not having any of that. Of our best 'crowd pleasers / skillful players' Bentleys gone, RSC's injured more often that not and Dunny's injured too. Apart from a few sparkles from Carlos and sterling energetic performances from Emo and Warnock we have precious little to 'enjoy'.

At home we've been annhialated by two teams that we shared points with after titanic performances last season Arse and MU! The rest of the games we've huffed and puffed our way through.

I don't agree with anything you say but respect your right to say it. Your anti Blackburn Rovers in my view. Your criticism of Ince is personal and you never give any credit in your lob sided world.

There are so many positives. Hughes was poor and the team going backwards. Did you actually go to a game at Ewood last season????????????????????????????????????????????????????? and see the relegation dirge served up. The leaky defence everyone bemoaned back in October 2007. The lack of a midfielder.

We now have; (I'll list the positives)

Emerton playing better than under Hughes

Pederson quite rightfully dropped

McCarthy looking fitter sharper hungry

Nelsens form improved.

Moekoena pushed to the bench - How many times did you criticise Hughes over Moekoena??

Judge and Treacy blooded

Tugay playing better than in the last two years.

Olson coming through and given a chance and looking good

Dunn more positive about the new management

Warnock moved to a new position and rather than playing good one week crap the next, now looks a great player

Team spirit up 400% - Rovers players actually believe in what they are doing, looked united, LOOK LIKE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING!!! and play with a smile.

Set pieces. HOW MANY TIMES DID I SAY THIS ABOUT HUGHES. Useless!!!!! Now Ince has tightened up the obvious and we look 500% better on set pieces both attacking and defending. WE EVEN SCORED FROM A CORNER!!!

Pre-match training - we actually train professionally before the game.

Entertainment - We might only have our usual point tally but at least we have been entertained.

If you like Hughes so much why don't you buy a Man City Season Ticket! I am happy with Ince

[Amo]

I don't agree with anything you say but respect your right to say it. Your anti Blackburn Rovers in my view. Your criticism of Ince is personal and you never give any credit in your lob sided world.

There are so many positives. Hughes was poor and the team going backwards. Did you actually go to a game at Ewood last season????????????????????????????????????????????????????? and see the relegation dirge served up. The leaky defence everyone bemoaned back in October 2007. The lack of a midfielder.

Yeah, that complete garbage that missed out on Europe by the last game of the season! What a disgrace!

[47er]

Individual brilliance on the odd occasion last season - we never played neat and tidy football at all and mainly played the long ball in my opinion. So far i am liking what Ince is trying to do - once he sorts a few things out (conceeding weak goals the main one).

Some of the interlink play this season has been very good and thats why i made the aforementioned statement. I am a little discombobulated as to why you would argue the point - last season was soooo boring from an entertainment point of view with a footballing hat on. Did we score a goal like Warnock's against Villa last season?

I am not getting away from the fact that points are more important than performances, but i like to be entertained. I also think that certain players do not suit Ince's pass and move style of play and once he has his team in place, we will challenging the top 6-8 again. I think a few players will be available for sale in as early as January.

Bolton used to be top 8 every season, so did spurs - they have both had two very poor seasons. So it isnt all that grim at the moment.

Don't disagree with anything you say but at the start of the season would we have expected more than 4 points against Hull,Boro at home and Bolton,West Brom away? From that point of view its got to be disappointing. Fair enough---------certain players do not suit "Ince's pass and move style of play". Fowler? And do we assume the club can afford enough of the players who will? And can we assume Ince's transfer choices will be spot on? He did bid for Pennant on the last day of the window. Is that good enough? IMO this is where Hughes had it all over him. 4 years of fantastic work in the transfer market makes him a very hard act to follow.Ince has not yet been linked with a single player that gets the adrenaline flowing. I live in hope.

[brfcs5359]

Yeah, that complete garbage that missed out on Europe by the last game of the season! What a disgrace!

I saw most of our wins away from within the ground (not the TV) and we got more points than our play deserved. Call it good management, I don't cos we would have mopped up at home if that was the case. We didn't. Get over it. Hughes was taking this team backwards. Ince is taking us forward...

[LeChuck]

Hughes was taking this team backwards. Ince is taking us forward...

There is absolutely nothing whatsoever to support that statement.

[ABBEY]

hughes had us 7th

ince at the moment two points from the bottom 3.

graham explain forward.

[JAL]

At the end of the day West Brom are a championship team playing this season in the premiership so has playing with ten men distorted opinions on Rovers performance.

[1864roverite]

I cannot see where PI has taken this Rovers team any more forward than 7th spot in the league.

[LDRover]

Let's not forget that Ince has actually had the rub of the green as far as refereeing decisions go. Our 'offside' winner at Everton, wrongly disallowed goal for Boro and dubious allowing of Samba's first against Newcastle. That's 5 points better off through being on the right side of contentious decisions.

Christ, it could be a hell of a lot worse.

Mind you these things do even themselves out over a season, pass the Prozac when it happens.

[Exiled_Rover]

hughes had us 7th

ince at the moment two points from the bottom 3.

graham explain forward.

Or 7 points off fourth. Hughes had us 18 points off fourth, rubbish.

[andrew92]

Whilst I agree that Fife and others have a point when it comes to those fans that have hated Ince from the outset and are negative after every game, don’t be too quick to tar all fans that may have problems with parts of the management or the team with the same brush.

There are those fans who have pointed out what they see are problems with the way the team is managed, current match tactics, level of performance etc. It’s their observation on what is going on and it’s a view that they are entitled to.

If someone has a problem or a view that something isn’t right, it doesn’t necessarily make them an Ince ‘hater’ or against the management team in place.

AGREED!!!

[vintageadidas]

As stated before - this is a DIFFERENT Premier League than last season! I don't think Hughes would have finished higher than 10th this season. It is a tougher league with lower placed teams than ourselves splashing the cash and improving their squad whilst we lost 2 very good players. MH would not have been able to keep them two.

Everton - £15m on one player

Bolton - £11m on one player

Boro - £12m on one player

Fulham - £11m on one player

Spurs £15m on one player

City - £32.5m on one player

Portsmouth - £11m on one player

Sunderland - £60+m in 2 seasons

[Brfcrule1]

first off I cannot believe some people on here yes it was not the best result but the never say die attitude was there. I believe the sending off was justified at the end of the day Benni should have played till the whistle not just assumed yes we could have maybe coped better with ten men and we need to look at that. I felt Nelson made some glaring mistakes for their goals and needs to improve but the ref had an absolute howler the linesman should have easily seen in the 2nd half roberts was manhandled in the box and should have had a 2nd penalty and as others say the ref tried to even things up for the mistake he made for the first penalty hence the fact none of their players were even cautioned. Everytime Roberts got the ball up front he was practically raped arms of their lot all over the place they should have at least ended the game with 10 maybe 9 men but most of their horrible challenges went unpunished!. It is all very well this respect thing as Ince says but managers should be allowed to give their views and promoting rookie refs from the lower leagues is not going to improve refereeing in the premiership which yesterday's ref clearly was.

Rant over!

[Presty On Tour]

Considering we were losing with a minute to go and down to 10, I'm delighted with a draw.

Disappointing result as i feel WBA are one of the weaker teams in the division and after seeing them lose frequently this season, we should of turned them over.

The ref didn't help matters even though he gave us a soft pen, after the Benni sending off it was though it was 10 v 12 for the remainder of the game.

We never game up and rescued it at the end. For me every point is crucial this season.

[mhead]

On Monday morning after a 2-2 draw with 10 men.....the gloomy muppets are still pouring out their Anti-Ince pessimism.

I would like to know their views on Barrack Obama but its too late to make any difference!

The bottom 12 places are all up for grabs so its the Teams with the best Supporters that will have the edge.

Not the Saturday afternoon supposed supporters on BRFCS who pedal the gloom.

I blame it on Nicko who with his info made us feel part of the decision making...when all we are is SUPPORTERS!

Roll on Chelsea and then the Cup.

[Ricky]

hughes had us 7th

ince at the moment two points from the bottom 3.

graham explain forward.

We're also 2 points off 7th abbey. This season is extremely close, closest I remember with only 4 points seperating relegation and Europe (assuming 7th place get's Europe as has been the case in most seasons)

[Flopsy]

just shows how poor the premiership is this season

[brfcs5359]

Hughes - One win in last 6 games. Playing like a shower of.... The barometer being used to measure Ince.

And he has had longer at the helm, all the money he could wish (allegedly) than Ince.

Going forward under Ince because I think we were certain under Hughes to finish near the relegation zone. I think we will be mid table comfortably. Time will tell.

[Amo]

Hughes work at BLACKBURN, should be used to measure Ince's. Not whatever he's doing now.