[Albion] Alireza Jahanbakhsh joins Feyenoord

[Stat Brother]

On a very recent visit to England to catch up on the Albion and having the displeasure of witnessing Ali J in action and having watched all our games this season (on TV) except West Ham away I can say without doubt the lad is shithouse.

He can’t cross, he can’t beat a man, he can’t shot and can barely track back.

*on the off chance you’re reading this Ali J feel free to prove me wrong against Newcastle with a hatrick*

A hat-trick wouldn't prove anyone right or wrong, just yet.
Although it will allow us fence sitters plenty of time to get even more comfortable.

There can't have been many games this season where the 2.5 newbies were all given a start together.
I'll imagine (don't really have to imagine in Andone's case) they were all a little frustrated it had to come in a game that was only played in half the pitch.

As said though I still think they all played well, as per instruction, it's just a shame we're unlike to see it again on Saturday when the team has to be more expansive, but CH won't be and Murrayoffside will lumber about the place.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

A hat-trick wouldn't prove anyone right or wrong, just yet.
Although it will allow us fence sitters plenty of time to get even more comfortable.

There can't have been many games this season where the 2.5 newbies were all given a start together.
I'll imagine (don't really have to imagine in Andone's case) they were all a little frustrated it had to come in a game that was only played in half the pitch.

As said though I still think they all played well, as per instruction, it's just a shame we're unlike to see it again on Saturday when the team has to be more expansive, but CH won't be and Murrayoffside will lumber about the place.

I'd prefer to say give our top scorer a rest?

 

[Guinness Boy]

A hat-trick wouldn't prove anyone right or wrong, just yet.
Although it will allow us fence sitters plenty of time to get even more comfortable.

There can't have been many games this season where the 2.5 newbies were all given a start together.
I'll imagine (don't really have to imagine in Andone's case) they were all a little frustrated it had to come in a game that was only played in half the pitch.

As said though I still think they all played well, as per instruction, it's just a shame we're unlike to see it again on Saturday when the team has to be more expansive, but CH won't be and Murrayoffside will lumber about the place.

Does it always take you an entire, nine month, multi billion pound season, half of it utterly wretched, chanceless and virtually goalless to decide you’ve got enough splinters in your Harris?

Did you consider for a second that the instructions are thus because the players charged with carrying them out aren’t good enough at this level to do much else?


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[Bold Seagull]

Does it always take you an entire, nine month, multi billion pound season, half of it utterly wretched, chanceless and virtually goalless to decide you’ve got enough splinters in your Harris?

Did you consider for a second that the instructions are thus because the players charged with carrying them out aren’t good enough at this level to do much else?


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This is where I am. I’m not in denial about how bad we’ve been. What I’m unsure about is the reasons. Many have made their minds up that it’s 100% Hughton. I’m not so sure. I’m not certain he sends them out to lose the ball not make the right decisions in the final third etc etc. Is he completely responsible for our transfer policy, the January decision? Anyone who does know this must have access to the training ground, the offices, and to senior figures at the club.

 

[Stat Brother]

Does it always take you an entire, nine month, multi billion pound season, half of it utterly wretched, chanceless and virtually goalless to decide you’ve got enough splinters in your Harris?

Did you consider for a second that the instructions are thus because the players charged with carrying them out aren’t good enough at this level to do much else?


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I believe there's 101 reasons why 2019 has been appalling.

The blame doesn't come down to just one or two new players or solely Mr Hughton.

Posters citing 20 appearances as 'proof' of shitehousary have clearly made up their minds about a player, and so be it, I just can't see how they can be so definite after such a bits and pieces first season.

I don't know if Ali will 'come good' but I'm prepared to wait before making sweeping statements based on performances like 10 minutes away to Man City et al.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Did you consider for a second that the instructions are thus because the players charged with carrying them out aren’t good enough at this level to do much else?

I think Hughton has his tactics and sticks to them. We are not suddenly going to be a team that presses high and plays possession football... the question is, are the signings we've made suited to Hughton's tactics? If not, why not? My view is that the attacking players are better than we're seeing because they are forced to defend far too much, and when we do attack we tend to have an absolute maximum of 2 players in the box - maybe 1. I don't care how good the winger is, he's highly unlikely to look good in that system.

This isn't an anti-Hughton post. If that's the way he feels we need to play, so be it - and Uncle Tony will decide if that works for Albion. My point is that it's very hard to judge our attack-minded players in such a system. Forget the wingers, I would love to see players like Propper and Bissouma given a little more licence to influence the game in the final 3rd as that's where they can cause damage.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I think Hughton has his tactics and sticks to them. We are not suddenly going to be a team that presses high and plays possession football... the question is, are the signings we've made suited to Hughton's tactics? If not, why not? My view is that the attacking players are better than we're seeing because they are forced to defend far too much, and when we do attack we tend to have an absolute maximum of 2 players in the box - maybe 1. I don't care how good the winger is, he's highly unlikely to look good in that system.

This isn't an anti-Hughton post. If that's the way he feels we need to play, so be it - and Uncle Tony will decide if that works for Albion. My point is that it's very hard to judge our attack-minded players in such a system. Forget the wingers, I would love to see players like Propper and Bissouma given a little more licence to influence the game in the final 3rd as that's where they can cause damage.

I don’t entirely disagree but earlier I put the signings in to good / bad groups. Ali J is in the latter. Reason being he doesn’t look like he has the pace and strength to force that break. Andone and Izquierdo do. Locadia can’t be arsed to and March can in the Championship but not the PL.

Ditto the midfield. I would love to see Bissouma released to attack more as he can but Gross doesn’t have the pace and needs things to happen in front of him. Stephens will always play the safe pass because he’s been told to. Propper goes from the sublime to the average to the ridiculous. Bottom line with him is, if you play him more advanced, what do you do with Bissouma and Gross?


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[Stumpy Tim]

I don’t entirely disagree but earlier I put the signings in to good / bad groups. Ali J is in the latter. Reason being he doesn’t look like he has the pace and strength to force that break. Andone and Izquierdo do. Locadia can’t be arsed to and March can in the Championship but not the PL.

Ditto the midfield. I would love to see Bissouma released to attack more as he can but Gross doesn’t have the pace and needs things to happen in front of him. Stephens will always play the safe pass because he’s been told to. Propper goes from the sublime to the average to the ridiculous. Bottom line with him is, if you play him more advanced, what do you do with Bissouma and Gross?

Personally, I would like us to play a pressing game, much like Southampton have done. This pushes everyone further up the pitch. I'm not the manager though.

If I was Bloom, I would be concerned about two things. (1) Premier League survival (2) the decline in value of all of our attacking signings... I just don't believe our attacking players are anywhere near as bad as the statistics suggest

 

[Mellotron]

I just don't believe our attacking players are anywhere near as bad as the statistics suggest

It does seem a bizarre coincidence for them to have ALL suddenly turned rubbish the moment they joined the Albion, and think it's a tad naive for others to use such black-and-white thinking.

I'm not expecting them to match their Eredivisie/La Liga goal tallies - we all agree it's a step up - but if they were being utilised correctly I think we would've seen at least 15-18 goals between Locadia, Ali and Andone this season. I think that would be par.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I believe there's 101 reasons why 2019 has been appalling.

The blame doesn't come down to just one or two new players or solely Mr Hughton.

Posters citing 20 appearances as 'proof' of shitehousary have clearly made up their minds about a player, and so be it, I just can't see how they can be so definite after such a bits and pieces first season.

I don't know if Ali will 'come good' but I'm prepared to wait before making sweeping statements based on performances like 10 minutes away to Man City et al.

However, despite 2 glorious free scoring seasons in the Championship, a successful first stab at the premier league, a decent enough start to this campaign, you're prepared to wait for Ali J, but not the manager.

We all know you're still waiting for CMS to come good.

 

[Mellotron]

However, despite 2 glorious free scoring seasons in the Championship, a successful first stab at the premier league, a decent enough start to this campaign, you're prepared to wait for Ali J, but not the manager.

We all know you're still waiting for CMS to come good.

Ali, and Andone, and Locadia, and Bissouma, etc etc...

Hughton has done a brilliant job up until now, only the daft wouldn't acknowledge that. But we have no evidence in his career that he is able to take a club beyond around 15th/16th in the Prem.

I'm not saying angrily GET RID OF HOUGHTON NOW or any of that nonsense. I think it comes down to how ambitious Tony Bloom is, and how much he's willing to fund those ambitions.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Personally, I would like us to play a pressing game, much like Southampton have done. This pushes everyone further up the pitch. I'm not the manager though.

Weren't we told by various players / the manager, that this year we would be playing a much more pressing style, and thats what we worked on at pre season training?? Sure I remember Solly & Bruno talking about it?

 

[blue-shifted]

Weren't we told by various players / the manager, that this year we would be playing a much more pressing style, and thats what we worked on at pre season training?? Sure I remember Solly & Bruno talking about it?

Well, if that was ever intended to be true, it clearly hasn't happenned. With Hughton, the shape is everything. Pressing compromises that so he'll never do it at this level

 

[NooBHA]

Ali, and Andone, and Locadia, and Bissouma, etc etc...

Hughton has done a brilliant job up until now, only the daft wouldn't acknowledge that. But we have no evidence in his career that he is able to take a club beyond around 15th/16th in the Prem.

I'm not saying angrily GET RID OF HOUGHTON NOW or any of that nonsense. I think it comes down to how ambitious Tony Bloom is, and how much he's willing to fund those ambitions.

He took Norwich to 11th place in his first season with them

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

Wolves beat Arsenal yesterday with 29 per cent possession of the ball. I expect the team to be similarly defensive, that is the strength. However what is missing is the individual skill and teamwork to make a quick break and threaten the opposition. Murray of course does not help this at all Adone is not good enough against decent sides. In the championship Knocky contributed so much by way of goals and assists and we were so reliant on him. He is now so often disappointing. However for the big game v Newcastle he needs to play and we need to hope it is his day. Then if we survive we must recruit a couple of quality players (one in midfield and on in attack) which hopefully will lift the rest and provide a better season.

 

[chaileyjem]

But we have no evidence in his career that he is able to take a club beyond around 15th/16th in the Prem.

Newcastle were 11th in the Premier League when he was sacked in Dec 2010.

 

[Nottseagull]

Newcastle were 11th in the Premier League when he was sacked in Dec 2010.

It didn't seem to do them much good because they finished twelfth.

Adone is not good enough against decent sides.

I was about to post that he should be because he's a god, but it turns out he's actually something else
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADONE

 

[highflyer]

It didn't seem to do them much good because they finished twelfth.

I was about to post that he should be because he's a god, but it turns out he's actually something else
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADONE

He's a high energy particle collider?
That explains a lot.

 

[Stat Brother]

That's handy I can just write:-

I think Hughton has his tactics and sticks to them. We are not suddenly going to be a team that presses high and plays possession football... the question is, are the signings we've made suited to Hughton's tactics? If not, why not? My view is that the attacking players are better than we're seeing because they are forced to defend far too much, and when we do attack we tend to have an absolute maximum of 2 players in the box - maybe 1. I don't care how good the winger is, he's highly unlikely to look good in that system.

This isn't an anti-Hughton post. If that's the way he feels we need to play, so be it - and Uncle Tony will decide if that works for Albion. My point is that it's very hard to judge our attack-minded players in such a system. Forget the wingers, I would love to see players like Propper and Bissouma given a little more licence to influence the game in the final 3rd as that's where they can cause damage.

This

It does seem a bizarre coincidence for them to have ALL suddenly turned rubbish the moment they joined the Albion, and think it's a tad naive for others to use such black-and-white thinking.

I'm not expecting them to match their Eredivisie/La Liga goal tallies - we all agree it's a step up - but if they were being utilised correctly I think we would've seen at least 15-18 goals between Locadia, Ali and Andone this season. I think that would be par.

and this

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Weren't we told by various players / the manager, that this year we would be playing a much more pressing style, and thats what we worked on at pre season training?? Sure I remember Solly & Bruno talking about it?

Yep. That doesn't seem to have happened really