Was at the Royal Oak before the game and couldn't believe how friendly a place and atmosphere was inside. About a 60 home to 40 away ratio in there and both fans were having a drink and conversing together. Strange really nowadays. The only downside was drinking a guiness out a plastic glass!
Another 2 years at the albion wouldn't hurt him.. he's still in the learning process and gaining more experience at this level instead of playing second fiddle in the PL would only benefit him to make the move either with us or a prem team in the next few years.
Absolutely shocking first half, looked like a different player in the second. Put in some brilliant challenges in the midfield but agree with Ali, ridiculously one footed and if his other peg was worked on he would be the business out wide.
Absolutely stoked for him, had an immediate impact as soon as he came on, with the shot and he grew from there. Reckon we should start taking him more seriously because he's clearly no worse than CMS at the moment.
The issue I raised before is would you settle for bringing a striker in from one of the foreign leagues as a total gamble hoping for it to pay off, or wanting a name everyone has heard of?
I meant at championship level. La Liga is a very different league. Colunga's signing in the summer could still turn out to be a very good one, but what I'm saying is signing an unproven player at championship level in january, rather than a known striker who's done it in this league before would...
At this current stage I feel we need someone who is a proven goal scorer at this level and Murray certainly is that. I agree about the whole scouting policy and how that got us to where we were eventually under Poyet, but to take a gamble on discovering an unproven player such as a Colunga type...
There's always the issue of going back to a club that you've done well at before and it then not working at all. Take Benno for example, didn't have enough time, but looked a shadow of what he was when with us before.
Speculation in today's argus.. Bloom refusing to comment on any shown interest by the club, which suggests maybe an enquiry has been made?
I personally would snap your hand off to resign him.
They can have him.. Darren was a good asset for us, but a committed decent striker on a permanent deal is something we need to build a long term understanding within the squad.