[Archived] West Brom Preview

[Blackpool_Rover]

Id like to see this team...

Robinson

Simpson Zurab Nelsen Warnock

Emerton Grella Andrews Gamst

Villanueva

McCarthy

If grella doesnt make it put warnock in the middle with tugay ready to come on and ollson at lb. If warnock out then ollson left back.

[frosty]

2-1 Rovers

[FourLaneBlue]

Difficult to know how this game will go. Albion are a difficult proposition when they are at home and a sold-out stadium (the WBA parts at least) will make it a great atmosphere.

I would be happy enough with a draw in the circumstances although hopefully we will control the game like Wednesday and see it out this time.

Would like to see Zurab in the team, Warnock in left midfield and either Andrews or Emerton in the central midfield spots. All this talk about Warnock as a centre midfielder is well and good but Emerton`s work rate and fitness suggests he could be an ideal choice. I also seem to remember him playing well there last season.

Benni and Roberts up front as well as they worked well together before Benni´s head was turned by Chelsea (or maybe just by his agent and the newspaper talk) a year or so ago.

I will go for 1-1.

[patrickvalery]

1864roverite,

I would disagree with most of your comment. A mid table finish would be considered very succesful given all the factors.

Ok our team wasn't broken and we had become an established top ten side. However i never truly felt we had as much quality as Spurs or Everton. We were extremely rigid and our lack of creativity in midfield meant we were intent on ball winning and in effect frustrating the opposition. We ground out almost every win we ever had. Subsequently our style was never easy on the eye and we didn't receive the plaudits other sides did. But when an opposing team passed through our midfield they found our soft under belly, namely our back four.

Nothing has changed in that department. We are still weak at the back. Our back four are reduced to making too many last ditch tackles, which on a good day make them look outstanding. But on a bad day concede penalties, incur red cards etc... This season has exposed this weakness even more due to the fact Ince wishes to adopt a passing style throughout the side. Our midfield now looks to be a little more forward thinking and thus leaves more holes. The signing of Grella was obviously meant to give this some balance, but due to injury he has yet to really help.

I don't think we have lost any of our desire to win. Or desire to fight for the cause. I just think Ince has tried to make us a little more easy on the eye. This will take time. As you said the players had it drummed into them for 2/3 years about being hard to beat. It will take them time to adapt to playing attractive but more importantly winning football. But this doesn't mean we will necessarily go down. This worst case scenario would be the end of us. But equally if we continued to operate as we did under Hughes then we would ultimately suffer too. Our only realistic hope is to get bought out, this is something i believe most fans now realise. This will not happen if potential suiters see a half empty stadium every Saturday. The only way we can change this is by entertaining people. Ince is trying to do this.

Our failure in replacing Bentley has been widely criticised. But why? One of this seasons top performers has been Emerton. The man filling Bentley's shoes. His form this year is as close to anything i have seen from him since his triumphant debut against Wolves. I believe Ince and his backroom staff have identified this and i would imagine he won't be too concerned about a replacement. I firmly believe that we have needed a quick and agile centre half for sometime and it would not suprise me if we sign one in January.

Ince has been honest in everything he has done thus far. He has admitted he isn't sure of his strongest side yet. I know this isn't what everyone wants to hear but he has hardly been helped by seemingly having 2,3 or 4 injuries most matches.

So considering the overhaul in back room staff plus the change in style i believe a mid table finish will be a succesful season and provide a grounding for the coming years.

In order to justify this off topic rant being posted on this thread, i'm going to go for a 2-1 win for rovers.

[grizfoot]

This should be an entertaining games with both sides prefering a more total football style of play albeit not exactly up thier in quality terms with the likes of Arsenal. Both defenses aren't exactly solid currently. Watched West Brom against the Barcodes and thought they did reasonably well and could have got a point if they'd took their chances better. I'm reckoning 2-1 Rovers. With Villanueva getting his first premiership goal to open the scoring (good value bet at 10/1 in my opinion). Rovers will then concede a sloppy goal towards the end of the first half. Then Sir Matty will come on a score late winner for the Rovers. You heard it here first.

[USABlue]

Finished 2-1 to Newcastle. West Brom play some pretty decent stuff but without an end product most of the time. Their defence looks shaky too.

Bit like us then, draw or a loss methinks.

[thenodrog]

We need to start with the mentality that this is a six pointer.

Cos WBA will!

[dopper69]

Good feeling about this one. Rovers 3 - 0 West Brom.

My preferred line-up: (4-1-2-1-2)

Robinson

Simpson (WB) - Samba - Nelsen - Olsson (WB)

Grella

Emerton - Warnock

Villanueva or Pedersen (like see him link the forward play - cant be any worse than out left)

Roberts - Benni Mac

[DP]

1864roverite,

I would disagree with most of your comment. A mid table finish would be considered very succesful given all the factors.

Ok our team wasn't broken and we had become an established top ten side. However i never truly felt we had as much quality as Spurs or Everton. We were extremely rigid and our lack of creativity in midfield meant we were intent on ball winning and in effect frustrating the opposition. We ground out almost every win we ever had. Subsequently our style was never easy on the eye and we didn't receive the plaudits other sides did. But when an opposing team passed through our midfield they found our soft under belly, namely our back four.

Nothing has changed in that department. We are still weak at the back. Our back four are reduced to making too many last ditch tackles, which on a good day make them look outstanding. But on a bad day concede penalties, incur red cards etc... This season has exposed this weakness even more due to the fact Ince wishes to adopt a passing style throughout the side. Our midfield now looks to be a little more forward thinking and thus leaves more holes. The signing of Grella was obviously meant to give this some balance, but due to injury he has yet to really help.

I don't think we have lost any of our desire to win. Or desire to fight for the cause. I just think Ince has tried to make us a little more easy on the eye. This will take time. As you said the players had it drummed into them for 2/3 years about being hard to beat. It will take them time to adapt to playing attractive but more importantly winning football. But this doesn't mean we will necessarily go down. This worst case scenario would be the end of us. But equally if we continued to operate as we did under Hughes then we would ultimately suffer too. Our only realistic hope is to get bought out, this is something i believe most fans now realise. This will not happen if potential suiters see a half empty stadium every Saturday. The only way we can change this is by entertaining people. Ince is trying to do this.

Our failure in replacing Bentley has been widely criticised. But why? One of this seasons top performers has been Emerton. The man filling Bentley's shoes. His form this year is as close to anything i have seen from him since his triumphant debut against Wolves. I believe Ince and his backroom staff have identified this and i would imagine he won't be too concerned about a replacement. I firmly believe that we have needed a quick and agile centre half for sometime and it would not suprise me if we sign one in January.

Ince has been honest in everything he has done thus far. He has admitted he isn't sure of his strongest side yet. I know this isn't what everyone wants to hear but he has hardly been helped by seemingly having 2,3 or 4 injuries most matches.

So considering the overhaul in back room staff plus the change in style i believe a mid table finish will be a succesful season and provide a grounding for the coming years.

In order to justify this off topic rant being posted on this thread, i'm going to go for a 2-1 win for rovers.

What a refreshing post to read, rather than the usual knee jerk crap that spills out on this board these days.

[Mr. E]

1864roverite,

I would disagree with most of your comment. A mid table finish would be considered very succesful given all the factors.

Ok our team wasn't broken and we had become an established top ten side. However i never truly felt we had as much quality as Spurs or Everton. We were extremely rigid and our lack of creativity in midfield meant we were intent on ball winning and in effect frustrating the opposition. We ground out almost every win we ever had. Subsequently our style was never easy on the eye and we didn't receive the plaudits other sides did. But when an opposing team passed through our midfield they found our soft under belly, namely our back four.

Nothing has changed in that department. We are still weak at the back. Our back four are reduced to making too many last ditch tackles, which on a good day make them look outstanding. But on a bad day concede penalties, incur red cards etc... This season has exposed this weakness even more due to the fact Ince wishes to adopt a passing style throughout the side. Our midfield now looks to be a little more forward thinking and thus leaves more holes. The signing of Grella was obviously meant to give this some balance, but due to injury he has yet to really help.

I don't think we have lost any of our desire to win. Or desire to fight for the cause. I just think Ince has tried to make us a little more easy on the eye. This will take time. As you said the players had it drummed into them for 2/3 years about being hard to beat. It will take them time to adapt to playing attractive but more importantly winning football. But this doesn't mean we will necessarily go down. This worst case scenario would be the end of us. But equally if we continued to operate as we did under Hughes then we would ultimately suffer too. Our only realistic hope is to get bought out, this is something i believe most fans now realise. This will not happen if potential suiters see a half empty stadium every Saturday. The only way we can change this is by entertaining people. Ince is trying to do this.

Our failure in replacing Bentley has been widely criticised. But why? One of this seasons top performers has been Emerton. The man filling Bentley's shoes. His form this year is as close to anything i have seen from him since his triumphant debut against Wolves. I believe Ince and his backroom staff have identified this and i would imagine he won't be too concerned about a replacement. I firmly believe that we have needed a quick and agile centre half for sometime and it would not suprise me if we sign one in January.

Ince has been honest in everything he has done thus far. He has admitted he isn't sure of his strongest side yet. I know this isn't what everyone wants to hear but he has hardly been helped by seemingly having 2,3 or 4 injuries most matches.

So considering the overhaul in back room staff plus the change in style i believe a mid table finish will be a succesful season and provide a grounding for the coming years.

In order to justify this off topic rant being posted on this thread, i'm going to go for a 2-1 win for rovers.

Ok. A mid table-season might be great from what realistically we can achieve.

But, following this logic, "realistically" we will never again be one of the top clubs. Never play in the Champions League, never challenge for the title, never win another cup. Baring a miracle. Realistically there are many richer teams than us, and because of our geographic location, we will never have the recourses to compete. Not in this lifetimes anyway.

That is the "realistic" situation. So tell me - does that satisfy you then? Knowing the best we can do is mid-table? Because for me it is not. Even if we have a minimalistic chance, every season I want my club to fight for the very top. And when we fail to do so, it is a disappointment - whether "realistic" or not.

So it seems to me there are two choices. Either you hope for the best and must face disappointment and frustration game after game and season after season, or you go with what is realistic and settle for mediocrity. It seems that the majority of fans have chosen the latter.

edit: Which, although I'd never make excuses for these types of people, is why Hughes, Bentley, Santa Cruz etc. all wanted/want out. When they feel the club's ambitions are too small. And when we lose those players, our realistic chance become even smaller. It's a cycle from which there's no way out until we change our mentality.

[budha]

Not yet on the official site, but SportingLife says:

West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Donk, Olsson, Robinson, Koren, Greening, Morrison, Borja Valero, Bednar, Miller

Subs: Kiely, Hoefkens, Cech, Brunt, Kim, Moore, Pele

Blackburn: Robinson, Simpson, Samba, Nelsen, Olsson, Emerton, Andrews, Grella, Warnock, McCarthy, Roberts

Subs: Brown, Kerimoglu, Pedersen, Khizanishvili, Villanueva, Fowler, Derbyshire

Edit: 4-4-2 with Warnock on the left?

[Bobby G]

Robinson - Simpson, Nelsen, Samba, Olsson - Emo, Andrews, Grella, Warnock - Benni, Roberts

First time in a long time with this striking partnership...

MGP, Tugay, Carlos, Matt, Fowler, Zurab and Brown on the bench.

[alexanders]

Not yet on the official site, but SportingLife says:

West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Donk, Olsson, Robinson, Koren, Greening, Morrison, Borja Valero, Bednar, Miller

Subs: Kiely, Hoefkens, Cech, Brunt, Kim, Moore, Pele

Blackburn: Robinson, Simpson, Samba, Nelsen, Olsson, Emerton, Andrews, Grella, Warnock, McCarthy, Roberts

Subs: Brown, Kerimoglu, Pedersen, Khizanishvili, Villanueva, Fowler, Derbyshire

Edit: 4-4-2 with Warnock on the left?

If this is the team I have a great feeling we might win! This is a very good XI!

[Mr. E]

Not yet on the official site, but SportingLife says:

West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Donk, Olsson, Robinson, Koren, Greening, Morrison, Borja Valero, Bednar, Miller

Subs: Kiely, Hoefkens, Cech, Brunt, Kim, Moore, Pele

Blackburn: Robinson, Simpson, Samba, Nelsen, Olsson, Emerton, Andrews, Grella, Warnock, McCarthy, Roberts

Subs: Brown, Kerimoglu, Pedersen, Khizanishvili, Villanueva, Fowler, Derbyshire

Edit: 4-4-2 with Warnock on the left?

Olsson is very poor, and I don't see where the creativity will come from central mid, but hopefully Benni and Roberts will do enough with what they'll get.

[RoverRich]

Robinson

Simpson Nelsen Samba Warnock

Emerton Grella Andrews Pedersen/Villanueva

McCarthy Roberts

Thats not bad, closest I have ever come to being able to predict what random XI Ince will start with. Just Olsson in for my Pedersen/Villanueva and I would have been spot on.

Like I said when I posted that team, it is a strong, well balanced side so HOPEFULLY it should be 3 points to the Rovers.

[Rovers in America]

Let me guess, no TV today again?

[alexanders]

well balanced side

I think this is a key for tonight match.

Grella will do the defensive work and Andrews will do the offensive part.

Roberts is strong and Mccarthy is technically gifted. Both Emerton and Warnock are not afraid to try and get past their opponent. The only negative thing is that they both seem to drift too much in to the middle.

[RibbleValleyRover]

The McCarthy/Roberts partnership used to work pretty well so lets hope history can repeat itself.

The side selected today has balance, Grella being defensive and allowing Andrews the chance to make forward runs. From what i've seen Andrews has come close a few times to scoring his first goal for the club, lets hope he scores today.

[T4E]

Interesting side, atleast it looks balanced and not overly defensive.

Gives us a decent chance.

[Amo]

Glad to see Zurab make the bench, although I'm sure he'll be relegated again when Ooijer returns.

Reasonably pleased with this line-up. With Grella scrapping it out, it's time to see how much of a box-to-box midfielder Andrews really is.

[dopper69]

Glad to see Zurab make the bench, although I'm sure he'll be relegated again when Ooijer returns.

Reasonably pleased with this line-up. With Grella scrapping it out, it's time to see how much of a box-to-box midfielder Andrews really is.

King Keith - The new Lampard?!

[Exiled_Rover]

Let me guess, no TV today again?

Can't find anything, very frustrating.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Now I'm really worried. What's happened to all the "Oh my God"-ing that usually accompanies a team announcement???

Despite that, 2-0 win today with a Benni brace

[RevidgeBlue]

Decent selection, I would have put MGP in on the left and Warnock back at LB but otherwise in agreement.

[ebenrocks]

really hope that aint the team. Olsson is awful, against boro he neary lost us the game time and time again. Carlos is playing brilliantly so why leave him out?