1999-2000 season

[MassDebater]

Megson played direct football focusing on hard work and organisation. Albion legend. Roy focused on defensive solidity and organisation. Hugely popular at Albion. Allardyce does the same... fat dinosaur.
His start hasn't been great but he had similar starts at other clubs. Needs to be judged in a months time when he has brought some of his own players in not now. If things haven't improved by then... fine to lambast him. Too early yet though given the mentally fragile players he's inherited.

We have regressed under Sam. That is a fact. Points wise, goals for, goals against, performance, tactically ....every aspect. Anyone that watches the matches can see this.

Defensive solidity and organisation! We’ve conceded 15 goals in 5 games. We’ve scored 3 goals in 5 games. Two headers and a penalty. 2 of which were against a division 3 team, may I add. Ajai is the only player to score from open play under him. 

I didn’t want Slav out but understood the need for a change. However we have got that change catastrophically wrong and now we are worse.

Absolutely bANG ON. When Blackpool are more attacking than us then we know the manager is at the end of his clues.

[Tom Joad]

Megson played direct football focusing on hard work and organisation. Albion legend. Roy focused on defensive solidity and organisation. Hugely popular at Albion. Allardyce does the same... fat dinosaur.
His start hasn't been great but he had similar starts at other clubs. Needs to be judged in a months time when he has brought some of his own players in not now. If things haven't improved by then... fine to lambast him. Too early yet though given the mentally fragile players he's inherited.

We have regressed under Sam. That is a fact. Points wise, goals for, goals against, performance, tactically ....every aspect. Anyone that watches the matches can see this.

Defensive solidity and organisation! We’ve conceded 15 goals in 5 games. We’ve scored 3 goals in 5 games. Two headers and a penalty. 2 of which were against a division 3 team, may I add. Ajai is the only player to score from open play under him. 

I didn’t want Slav out but understood the need for a change. However we have got that change catastrophically wrong and now we are worse.

Absolutely bANG ON. When Blackpool are more attacking than us then we know the manager is at the end of his clues.

But were they? On 75 minutes we'd had loads more possession and they'd scored with their only 2 shots on target. This only highlighted Albion's faults. we rarely looked like scoring and always were capable of conceding. The remaining 15 minutes plus extra time highlighted our other fault, we were knackered and a team 2 leagues lower that had been chasing the ball for over an hour took control.

[MassDebater]

Megson played direct football focusing on hard work and organisation. Albion legend. Roy focused on defensive solidity and organisation. Hugely popular at Albion. Allardyce does the same... fat dinosaur.
His start hasn't been great but he had similar starts at other clubs. Needs to be judged in a months time when he has brought some of his own players in not now. If things haven't improved by then... fine to lambast him. Too early yet though given the mentally fragile players he's inherited.

We have regressed under Sam. That is a fact. Points wise, goals for, goals against, performance, tactically ....every aspect. Anyone that watches the matches can see this.

Defensive solidity and organisation! We’ve conceded 15 goals in 5 games. We’ve scored 3 goals in 5 games. Two headers and a penalty. 2 of which were against a division 3 team, may I add. Ajai is the only player to score from open play under him. 

I didn’t want Slav out but understood the need for a change. However we have got that change catastrophically wrong and now we are worse.

Absolutely bANG ON. When Blackpool are more attacking than us then we know the manager is at the end of his clues.

But were they? On 75 minutes we'd had loads more possession and they'd scored with their only 2 shots on target. This only highlighted Albion's faults. we rarely looked like scoring and always were capable of conceding. The remaining 15 minutes plus extra time highlighted our other fault, we were knackered and a team 2 leagues lower that had been chasing the ball for over an hour took control.

Blackpool made over 54% of their passes in our half. We made less than 45% of our passes in their half. We may have had more possession, but what's the point of it in your own half?

That tells me which team was being more positive / attacking. They had more shots than us (less on target though).

[Cheshire East Baggie]

Megson played direct football focusing on hard work and organisation. Albion legend. Roy focused on defensive solidity and organisation. Hugely popular at Albion. Allardyce does the same... fat dinosaur.
His start hasn't been great but he had similar starts at other clubs. Needs to be judged in a months time when he has brought some of his own players in not now. If things haven't improved by then... fine to lambast him. Too early yet though given the mentally fragile players he's inherited.

We have regressed under Sam. That is a fact. Points wise, goals for, goals against, performance, tactically ....every aspect. Anyone that watches the matches can see this.

Defensive solidity and organisation! We’ve conceded 15 goals in 5 games. We’ve scored 3 goals in 5 games. Two headers and a penalty. 2 of which were against a division 3 team, may I add. Ajai is the only player to score from open play under him. 

I didn’t want Slav out but understood the need for a change. However we have got that change catastrophically wrong and now we are worse.

Absolutely bANG ON. When Blackpool are more attacking than us then we know the manager is at the end of his clues.

But were they? On 75 minutes we'd had loads more possession and they'd scored with their only 2 shots on target. This only highlighted Albion's faults. we rarely looked like scoring and always were capable of conceding. The remaining 15 minutes plus extra time highlighted our other fault, we were knackered and a team 2 leagues lower that had been chasing the ball for over an hour took control.

+1  How many times did we have shooting chances that were skied over the bar? Three at least. Hitting the target isn't a superpower, it's more of an expectation for a footballer at Premier League level. Make their goalie work FFS sake! They missed a few as well, but they're League One. If any of our chances had gone in it would have changed the game. Not making excuses, just being balanced.

[Hopalong]

This team has no identity and integrity at the moment.  

It's like a cross between the characters in Oz and frankenstein's monster - no brain, heart or courage -  nothing fits together, it's clumsy and can't run. 

Thanks Mr Lai/Dowling with a special mention for Baldilocks.

[Baggie_Nick]

This team has no identity and integrity at the moment.  

It's like a cross between the characters in Oz and frankenstein's monster - no brain, heart or courage -  nothing fits together, it's clumsy and can't run. 

Thanks Mr Lai/Dowling with a special mention for Baldilocks.

That made me laugh! 

A fucking bastardised mix of the Oz characters and Frankenstein's monster.

You are mad! 

[Pfister]

Many good and valid points in this thread. The big one for me is that we simply don’t look match fit. These are supposed to be professional athletes. Many have Premier League experience, and should know what it takes to be competitive. Slav must take the blame for this. Lack of ability/nous is one thing, but blowing out of your arse and being second to crucial balls at this level is unforgivable. I’m certainly not defending Sam, but to transition a team that’s lacking even the basics is a huge ask of any coach. I honestly believe (whatever his shortcomings) he vastly underestimated the task he has in front of him, as well as overestimating the abilities of this squad. I genuinely wish him luck, as he’s going to need it!

[Birdman1811]

Megson played direct football focusing on hard work and organisation. Albion legend. Roy focused on defensive solidity and organisation. Hugely popular at Albion. Allardyce does the same... fat dinosaur.
His start hasn't been great but he had similar starts at other clubs. Needs to be judged in a months time when he has brought some of his own players in not now. If things haven't improved by then... fine to lambast him. Too early yet though given the mentally fragile players he's inherited.

Burnley have stayed in the league consistently playing supposedly archaic football with a less than stellar squad. Why? Because that style of football is far more conducive to doing so than nice pretty fan pleasing football. Dyche is 10 times the manager Bilic could dream of being. As is Hodgson, and Megson did far more for the club, yet doesn't get the sickening love in Bilic had at the end.

I've said I'm disappointed with Sam because imo he hasn't done the very basic, first thing I expected, which was shore us up, no matter how dull and boring it would be too watch. I don't buy that the players can't play extremely basic defensive football, if so they wouldn't have got past academy level.

[Big Daddy Cool]

The thing is we've seen us do defending well against City and Liverpool, two of the best sides in the league. Spurs and United too. So they are capable. What that tells me is that the players show more concentration, effort and motivation against the top sides. But they don't seem capable of that every game.

[Birdman1811]

The thing is we've seen us do defending well against City and Liverpool, two of the best sides in the league. Spurs and United too. So they are capable.

Exactly.

I'd have had them playing like that, with the sole aim of keeping a clean sheet for the last few games. 

Only when they keep 2 or 3 clean sheets will I have let them try to get the ball forward. 

KEEP CLEAN SHEETS. It is physically impossible to lose if you don't concede, and you get a point. We can't attack and defend together at the moment.