MATCHWATCH : West Bromwich Albion (a)

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Unlucky in the end. Game plan was there again, could see what we were trying to do, subs were good by P.Ince with the right intent but it just wasn't to be. Been a solid festive period overall though, can turn our attention to the cup for a week now as well.

Thought Lumley had a good game bar misjudging the one going through, probably MOTM. Thought Loum was very good again, if he can continue like he has since the World Cup break then I'd definitely look to sign him permanently. Dann as well might look back at the goal with disappointment but thought he slotted in well there for us today and didn't really look out of place either.

NGW struggled a bit but Wallace is one of the best players in this league so no real surprise, although he now knows what levels he needs to reach if he wants to be consistently as this level.

Another gritty performance that lacked quality really, just on the wrong side of it though today. Disappointing, but we go again.

[Hound]

It took the keeper a full minute take a fk and gk and the ref added 10 seconds

Yeah was annoying that. Tbf had given up hope of snatching anything by then

[Zip]

Thought Lumley,Yids and Loum did well.
TInce not on his game at all.

If Baba takes his chance we pick up a great point although in fairness they had 6 or 7 very good chances.

[Sutekh]

Would love to nick something here but don't see it. This is a haunted hunting ground for us

Few years back we have had some good wins up there.

It’s a graveyard of a place in the league. Different proposition in the cup where Reading have drawn 1 and won 2 of the last 3 visits.

[Elm Park Kid]

I reckon we're seeing some gradual improvement. In matches before the WC we either overwhelmed weak opponents or got battered by the stronger ones. Now we're becoming much more difficult to beat, not just by parking the bus but by defending well as a team (most of the time). For some reason our forward play has gotten worse, but I'm hoping that will start clicking as we grow in confidence.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I reckon we're seeing some gradual improvement. In matches before the WC we either overwhelmed weak opponents or got battered by the stronger ones. Now we're becoming much more difficult to beat, not just by parking the bus but by defending well as a team (most of the time). For some reason our forward play has gotten worse, but I'm hoping that will start clicking as we grow in confidence.

Yeah I agree, I think we are seeing a more consistent side now anyway that has improved. I thought about it earlier today, we've suffered some stuffing's like at Rotherham and I'd question whether that would happen now, even the defeat at Blackpool (I know we didn't have our squad finalised by then). I know that can sound like "when you play teams", but I do think we look a lot more stable now.

Hopefully come the summer when we can bring some players in properly, we can try and add a bit more creativity and we can become a bit more of a threat going forward, that's the next step for us.

[Snowflake Royal]

Completely forgot about this game.

[Hound]

Thought Lumley,Yids and Loum did well.
TInce not on his game at all.

If Baba takes his chance we pick up a great point although in fairness they had 6 or 7 very good chances.

Agree with that - though nearly all their chances came early

Prob loums best game for us. Been a load better since the WC

[RoyalBlue]

It took the keeper a full minute take a fk and gk and the ref added 10 seconds

Yeah was annoying that. Tbf had given up hope of snatching anything by then

Imagine a keeper and ref doing that and supporters getting wound up by it!

[South Coast Royal]

I reckon we're seeing some gradual improvement. In matches before the WC we either overwhelmed weak opponents or got battered by the stronger ones. Now we're becoming much more difficult to beat, not just by parking the bus but by defending well as a team (most of the time). For some reason our forward play has gotten worse, but I'm hoping that will start clicking as we grow in confidence.

Yeah I agree, I think we are seeing a more consistent side now anyway that has improved. I thought about it earlier today, we've suffered some stuffing's like at Rotherham and I'd question whether that would happen now, even the defeat at Blackpool (I know we didn't have our squad finalised by then). I know that can sound like "when you play teams", but I do think we look a lot more stable now.

Hopefully come the summer when we can bring some players in properly, we can try and add a bit more creativity and we can become a bit more of a threat going forward, that's the next step for us.

I keep on reading about next Summer and have been feeling the same way as you so I do hope that we won't be disappointed to find that the anticipated arrivals don't arrive.

The easy part is putting 10 men behind the ball; the hardest part is creating chances and scoring goals.
so, for now we have to content ourselves with the former but, as others have posted previously, we are a hard watch.

[Hound]

It took the keeper a full minute take a fk and gk and the ref added 10 seconds

Yeah was annoying that. Tbf had given up hope of snatching anything by then

Imagine a keeper and ref doing that and supporters getting wound up by it!

There’s a 3 page chat about in in one the threads…but yeah part of the game. Great when Lumley does it, infuriating when the oppo does

[windermereROYAL]

Ince post-match:
- Horrendous first 20mins, looked "tired, jaded"
- Lumley "miracle goalkeeper"
- Talked about blocking crosses all week
- 3 games in LESS than 6 days "ridiculous"
- Holmes ill last couple of days
- Didn't want to risk Naby
- Loum fantastic since WC

[blythspartan]

A battling 1-0 defeat and to think we could have snatched a late equaliser. Loum and Lumley were both very good today.

My only negative is that we could have viewed this game as a free hit and tried to attack WBA more. We’d have probably got a pasting tbf, but nonetheless I would have liked to have seen a more attacking performance.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I reckon we're seeing some gradual improvement. In matches before the WC we either overwhelmed weak opponents or got battered by the stronger ones. Now we're becoming much more difficult to beat, not just by parking the bus but by defending well as a team (most of the time). For some reason our forward play has gotten worse, but I'm hoping that will start clicking as we grow in confidence.

Yeah I agree, I think we are seeing a more consistent side now anyway that has improved. I thought about it earlier today, we've suffered some stuffing's like at Rotherham and I'd question whether that would happen now, even the defeat at Blackpool (I know we didn't have our squad finalised by then). I know that can sound like "when you play teams", but I do think we look a lot more stable now.

Hopefully come the summer when we can bring some players in properly, we can try and add a bit more creativity and we can become a bit more of a threat going forward, that's the next step for us.

I keep on reading about next Summer and have been feeling the same way as you so I do hope that we won't be disappointed to find that the anticipated arrivals don't arrive.

The easy part is putting 10 men behind the ball; the hardest part is creating chances and scoring goals.
so, for now we have to content ourselves with the former but, as others have posted previously, we are a hard watch.

I don't think it will be a quick fix, so I wouldn't anticipate having 3/4 creative players coming in and revitalising what we do, but just something we can build on each season. I've just watched the first half of the Brentford Liverpool game and I see similarities between our styles and Brentford's. Obviously Brentford have the better quality but sit deep, soak up pressure and launch counter attacks. They've got pace up front which we generally lack and when they have the ball they look to get it wide and get crosses into the box with powerful players. I could just see us going down a similar sort of route to that really.

[Uke]

A battling 1-0 defeat and to think we could have snatched a late equaliser. Loum and Lumley were both very good today.

My only negative is that we could have viewed this game as a free hit and tried to attack WBA more. We’d have probably got a pasting tbf, but nonetheless I would have liked to have seen a more attacking performance.

Or we could have viewed this game as a free hit and tried to limit WBA more, in which case we did pretty well

[Zip]

I reckon we're seeing some gradual improvement. In matches before the WC we either overwhelmed weak opponents or got battered by the stronger ones. Now we're becoming much more difficult to beat, not just by parking the bus but by defending well as a team (most of the time). For some reason our forward play has gotten worse, but I'm hoping that will start clicking as we grow in confidence.

We look a solid Championship outfit now. Lacking flair but awkward to beat. We are no longer a soft touch.

[Royal_jimmy]

Disappointing loss really but no shame, West Brom have been on a terrific run so no shame losing to them. Pleased we gave them a bit of a game at least.

We're looking like a midtable but top half side.

[leon]

Completely forgot about this game.

Good

[leon]

A battling 1-0 defeat and to think we could have snatched a late equaliser. Loum and Lumley were both very good today.

My only negative is that we could have viewed this game as a free hit and tried to attack WBA more. We’d have probably got a pasting tbf, but nonetheless I would have liked to have seen a more attacking performance.

Or we could have viewed this game as a free hit and tried to limit WBA more, in which case we did pretty well

WBA weren’t anything special. They had a lot of the ball but didn’t really look like scoring before the goal, and after the goal despite shots not on target. I’m actually disappointed we didn’t get at least a point from this.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

A battling 1-0 defeat and to think we could have snatched a late equaliser. Loum and Lumley were both very good today.

My only negative is that we could have viewed this game as a free hit and tried to attack WBA more. We’d have probably got a pasting tbf, but nonetheless I would have liked to have seen a more attacking performance.

Or we could have viewed this game as a free hit and tried to limit WBA more, in which case we did pretty well

WBA weren’t anything special. They had a lot of the ball but didn’t really look like scoring before the goal, and after the goal despite shots not on target. I’m actually disappointed we didn’t get at least a point from this.

They should have had about 3 in the first 10 minutes, outside of that though, maybe not so much.