Midfield

[thr1879]

The fact is this is one area that has been shocking for a couple of years now. It feels like no action has been taken to sort it out. It feels like a situation of NHS 'bed blocking' with the likes of Barry, Livermore, Brunt and Morrison, all highly paid for this level but stopping any development due to the constraints financially. Barnes offered something different, but he seems a distant memory, and Gayle apart, who the present regime appear to stick out wide aside, the other two up front are complete dogshit.

I know some of you absolutely rave about Harper. I see an often languid, slow player who appears to lack that decisive touch and get more nervous the higher up the pitch he goes. He's ok but nothing special.

It's clear, we play a style of play from the back, that our players especially or central defenders aren't good enough to play and despite every man and his dog seeing this, Graeme Jones and his assistant are oblivious, no matter how many matches it costs us.

I feel that what I feared with regard to Big Dave is quickly coming home to roost. He was on a hiding to nothing with this squad and even more so with this owner. The club is very quickly becoming toxic once again and is edging towards a very dangerous position. The Lai/Jenkins era will only head one way and we'll be very lucky to make the play offs on recent performances. Yesterday's season ticket announcement also did nothing to create unity, threatening fans to pay up early or lose their seats.

I genuinely think were on a downward spiral and I can't see this club going anywhere near the premiership anytime soon. The smalltime attitude of the owners on and off the pitch will see us fall behind quite a few of our championship, let alone premier rivals, many of whom appear to have plans to grow and expand their operations.

Moore never was the answer, never will be, but the problems at Albion run deep and I feel he'll become the scapegoat very soon.

[Cunninghamismagic]

I don't believe the atmosphere is toxic. But agree 100% that the midfield has been an issue for a couple of years. Last season it cost Pulis playing 3 pedestrian players in Barry, Livermore and Krychowiak. We still look as pedestrian and earlier in the season often relied on the Barnes and Phillips picking the ball up on the transition and running at the opposition to either score on create for Gayle or J Rod. Without that we simply look laboured and our biggest assets up front isolated.

[boingingbaggie]

We’ve had a distinct lack of pace in our squad since the days of Pete, long and lukaku.
With Barnes, Phillips, Gibbs, and to a certain degree Gayle earlier this season we finally had that pace.
With 3 of them missing tonight we were back to the pedestrian team we’ve been watching for years. Leeds looked quicker and fitter than us. Tonight was very much like watching us against the big boys away under TP. 4 centre backs, no pace in midfield and beaten to most balls.

The criminal thing to me was the fact we finished the game still playing 4-3-3.
Baffling

[thr1879]

I don't believe the atmosphere is tocic. But agree 100% that the midfield has been an issue for a couple of years. Last season it cost Pulis playing 3 pedestrian players in Barry, Livermore and Krychowiak. We still look as pedestrian and earlier in the season often relied on the Barnes and Phillips picking the ball up on the transition and running at the opposition to either score on create for Gayle or J Rod. Without that we simply look laboured and our biggest assets up front isolated.

Apologies, meant to say Toxic amongst fans. I feel that the team management are oblivious to the obvious with regard to tactics and it's getting heated amongst fans. There's also frustration at the boards failure to back the manager and invest in the squad properly. Couple that with an overall lack of ambition and holding your fans seats to ransom and I personally feel the atmosphere is degenerating fast.

[Cunninghamismagic]

We’ve had a distinct lack of pace in our squad since the days of Pete, long and lukaku.
With Barnes, Phillips, Gibbs, and to a certain degree Gayle earlier this season we finally had that pace.
With 3 of them missing tonight we were back to the pedestrian team we’ve been watching for years. Leeds looked quicker and fitter than us. Tonight was very much like watching us against the big boys away under TP. 4 centre backs, no pace in midfield and beaten to most balls.

The criminal thing to me was the fact we finished the game still playing 4-3-3.
Baffling

+1

[Cheshire East Baggie]

I was very surprised we started with the same midfield that was so poor against Sheff Utd.

[Squid]

When Barry is good, we're good. When he's bad, we don't have a plan B.

It's as simple as that.

[Sandking]

Keith Andrews momentarily picked up on it post-match. He used the word naive to describe it.

Leeds were good, very good, and fully exposed us. But, that's the rub for me, it doesn`t necessarily have to be fully exposed for teams to get the better of a three-man midfield, they just need to get a sniff and see it begin to creak. Just an opposition manager with a degree of acumen and a plan will do.

Pulis, Wilder and now Bielsa - You look at 4--3--3 on paper, draw a bit fat ring around that central three and say to yourself, here, this is where we target them, this is where the game can swing and be won.

You don`t need UEFA coaching badges to see this, its basic manager tit for tat shit.

[Squid]

Keith Andrews momentarily picked up on it post-match. He used the word naive to describe it.

Leeds were good, very good, and fully exposed us. But, that's the rub for me, it doesn`t necessarily have to be fully exposed for teams to get the better of a three-man midfield, they just need to get a sniff and see it begin to creak. Just an opposition manager with a degree of acumen and a plan will do.

Pulis, Wilder and now Bielsa - You look at 4--3--3 on paper, draw a bit fat ring around that central three and say to yourself, here, this is where we target them, this is where the game can swing and be won.

You don`t need UEFA coaching badges to see this, its basic manager tit for tat shit.

True. But when Barry's on form he can outthink any players they have. Second half SheffUtd away was a good example of that and we've been relying on his passing to get us out of trouble. But he's hit a poor run off form.and DM doesn't seem to have realised that. I don't think him and Livermore can play together either.

[B36baggie]

I was very surprised we started with the same midfield that was so poor against Sheff Utd.

Unfortunately I wasn’t & that’s the concern. That midfield Three were clearly overrun last week & needed to be altered. 

We can all see it, why can’t the management team ?