[Albion] De Zerbi: 'We deserved to lose...I understood the problem in January!"

Weststander · Mar 2, 2024

Guinness Boy said:
The most bang average player left in our squad

He’s not a £20m cb. Has always had mistakes in his game, diving in unnecessarily near the centre circle setting dangerous counter attacks on and passing to the opposition 25 yards out under no pressure. Dunk to the rescue countless times.

Ike and Tina Burner · Mar 2, 2024

I'm a bit torn about this to be honest. On the one hand we should be playing better with the current selection of players available and a lot of that is down to RDZ. Picking Steele over Bart is inexcusable at this point. They also seem demotivated which, again, RDZ has to take responsibility for.

However the core of the squad was gutted in the Summer and we absolutely have not replaced it or even tried really. He has good reason to be annoyed about that.

People keep mentioning Dahoud failing but, and I can't emphasise this enough, but he was signed on a free. Perhaps he was just the best player available for the budget the club were willing to give him. And the same can be said of Fati. He is shit but maybe RDZ felt he was the best of those the club would realistically sign.

HangletonGull · Mar 2, 2024

rebel51 said:
Not English as I said earlier, thomas Frank would be a good call if he wants to leave brentford.

Thomas Frank ridiculous what’s he done ? Not young either

studio150 · Mar 2, 2024

So was the team selection today:

1. To ensure that the starting players on Thursday are as fresh as possible
2. A clear message to Tony and the board, that we lack depth, and first team ready incoming transfers are required in the summer
3. Proof that anyone in the team can play any position in his system, given we started with six defenders
4. Nothing to do with RDZ, the team was picked by the medical team.

Munchkin · Mar 2, 2024

Unfortunately this all stems from us not replacing Caicedo, MacAllister and Mwepu in the summer.

We’ve punched above our weight for periods of this season, the Europa League run and some stand out results have ultimately papered over the cracks.

RDZ knows it and it’s obviously a massive source of frustration for him, to the extent where he probably doesn’t feel he can commit to the club until he feels they can commit to the resources he feels he needs to compete and challenge for regular European football / trophies.

Makes for an interesting summer ahead.

Weststander · Mar 2, 2024

Skaville said:
Wouldn’t it be nice though, to have a manager that can adapt and change it, rather than blindly, predictably play together same way week after week.

But our CM has been decimated. It took Bissouma season’s to come up with the goods and Baleba is at that early stage, Lallana/Milner/Dahoud have/had no pace, Gilmour is a playmaker without pace who needs cover behind him.

A far cry from Caicedo, Mac A, Mwepu and Bissouma (his last two seasons). Other than Gilmour’s craft, we’re levels below what we had.

Gross the only quality constant.

Eeyore · Mar 2, 2024

Ike and Tina Burner · Mar 2, 2024

The Fits said:
I wonder what being backed actually means.
What/who did he want? I'd love to know.

Being backed means not spending the summer massively weakening the squad

raymondo · Mar 2, 2024

studio150 said:
So was the team selection today:

1. To ensure that the starting players on Thursday are as fresh as possible
2. A clear message to Tony and the board, that we lack depth, and first team ready incoming transfers are required in the summer
3. Proof that anyone in the team can play any position in his system, given we started with six defenders
4. Nothing to do with RDZ, the team was picked by the medical team.

1. mainly, IMO

Jaxie · Mar 2, 2024

Oh_aye said:
It's definitely true. Its really only CM where we might be a bit light, but with Moder back we still have 4 CM's - and that doesnt include Hinshelwood playing there. No one can argue that with a club our size he hasn't been 'backed'.

If you have a lot of injuries you can't just keep stockpiling players and risking the future. Most of our young players are coveted all over the world, we spent 20 million on a new keeper after he bombed out sanchez and broke our transfer record on a new goalscorer after Trossard left, Adingra and Barco are the next cabs off the rank and the club has brought through Hinshelwood and club plocy has brought in about 300 million over the last few seasons to keep us in good shape.

Meanwhile he recommended a total space cadet and a lightweight high cost fanny from Barca who have both bombed.

Hes a cheeky bastard with this one.

Just laughed out loud at that final two sentences!

raymondo · Mar 2, 2024

Eeyore said:

First time I've seen him look so uncomfortable. Kept saying he wasn't going to blame any individuals... although the interviewer wasn't asking him to.
A little bit weird...

Neville's Breakfast · Mar 2, 2024

Bozza said:
As subtle as a cricket bat with a breeze-block nailed to it.

What’s the rest of the quote ? I can’t find it.

kevo · Mar 2, 2024

So we are all turning on RDZ now? Right-ho. FFS.

I listened to the full interview (not just the snippet clipped here for click bait) and thought everything he said was pretty much spot on.

Thought it was a strange team selection but he had very little choice. What is he supposed to do? He's not a miracle worker. He wants to achieve something with this club, but was always going to be difficult with the number of fixtures and injuries unless the club strengthened the squad.

Affy · Mar 2, 2024

It’s a strange spell currently. we tend to dominate the ball well. Our defenders do seem to be playing well for the most part yet are leaking goals left right and centre. Our firepower up top has been extinguished and RDZs refusal to change from the tika-taka passing style is costing us.

Unless I’m mistaken, the tactics last year were to draw the opponent on to us, spring the break at speed and get in the spaces behind. We don’t seem to be doing that this season. We’re either not drawing the oppo in (as they know not to press) in which case we sit with it in the half way line (usually a goal or 2 down so the oppo don’t care) or they do press, we get pass them, drive forward and then pass it sideways or backwards.

Ferguson is clearly struggling but dropping him for a spell will ruin his confidence. He looked more likely today than he has in weeks and once he gets a couple, I feel he’ll pick up massively.

We do have to find a way without JP and Mitoma as they will likely move on and we need to be able to cope without them.

I know Barco is new but he looked solid on Wednesday and I was surprised he was t given a chance today, especially if he was keeping a few back for Roma.

There is obviously a disagreement between PBOBE/TBOBE and RDZ Re incomings. Yes, we all wanted some fresh blood as fans but PBOBE/TBOBE obviously had their reasons for not doing so.History has proved our two esteemed leaders have made the right decisions in the end even if we didn’t initially seem to see it and I keep my faith in them.

RDZ does seem a bit up and down with his body language and pressers lately. Regardless of whether he agrees with the January window or not, he should be working his very best to get the results we need with the players we have. Personally, I feel like we need a plan b for games in which plan an isn’t working as intended.

Yes, we’ve dropped a couple of places today but points wise, we still could well very well finish 7th (or higher) If we can put some wins together. 3 points against forest and a through to next round of the Europa League would put us all in a much more positive mood I’m sure.

Guinness Boy · Mar 2, 2024

Skaville said:
Wouldn’t it be nice though, to have a manager that can adapt and change it, rather than blindly, predictably play together same way week after week.

Again, there’s “blame” on Bloom here. We will only ever play possession football, regardless of coach, because we want every team in the club to have that philosophy. Hughton went when we sat back instead.

I actually think TB is spot on, but I don’t reckon we’ll have a pragmatic coach for a while, as a result.

Springal · Mar 2, 2024

Ike and Tina Burner said:
Being backed means not spending the summer massively weakening the squad

I reckon a few recent managers would have loved a £30M striker , or a £20M goalkeeper who got played every match, not just half of them.

zefarelly · Mar 2, 2024

tigertim68 said:
We might have 4 central midfielders but not of the calibre of last season’s midfielders

All of those midfielders missed baloons on the doors.

Alexis Corner got the blues.

BadFish · Mar 2, 2024

We need to hold our nerve, We have hit a bad patch and it has been a frustrating season.

The narrative of blaming the manager or the club is the most depressing aspect of this though.

This premier league business is bloody hard and I am glad we have who we have navigating it. We need to manage our expectations and stay positive.

The Fits · Mar 2, 2024

Chelsea backed Poch. They paid 100 million for Caicedo and look at them.

birthofanorange · Mar 2, 2024

dwayne said:
Shut up you mug.

Stop being a whiny prat , get ya head down and fight for this club.

Moan in the summer if you want.

Piss off. The end.

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[Albion] De Zerbi: 'We deserved to lose...I understood the problem in January!"

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