WBA

[pete0]

Speaking to the Enemy

 

Replies from TT's friends over at WBA zone.

Only the 3 replies, but everyones probably to stuffed to type. So a big thankyou to shrew, Monkey Star Tennis and British Pharoah for contributing.

 

1) What are your views on Roys style of play and is he the right man for the job?

shrew: 1. Overall good he had a spell of trying to be defensive team but has now got the balance cock on.

 

MonkeyTennisStar: We keep our shape and discipline under Roy, no longer do we tippy tappy with pointless pretty patterns like we previously did under other managers, but we do play good football when appropriate and direct when needs be. At present we are playing 442 but both forwards offer us movement that allows us width with the ball and an extra man in midfield when we haven't.

 

BritishPharoah: His style is the perfect balance between prudenct and free flowing all-out attacking flair

2) What are your January expectations?

shrew:Normally January is a bit cold for us but 6 points would do me ... beating Stoke would be a real personal plus

 

MonkeyTennisStar: To continue to pick up roughly a point a game in our quest for the magical 40pts and safety. We might get a player on loan and ship a couple of fringe players out.

 

BritishPharoah: A defender and midfielder and/or maybe an investment in a raw, young talent

 

3) If you could swap 3 players for 3 of ours, who would they be and why?

shrew:Baines for Shorey, Cahill, for Fortune and Jagielka for Tamas

 

MonkeyTennisStar: Baines, Cahill, Osman Simples they are better than what we have

 

BritishPharoah: Jagielka, Cahill and Distin for Jara, Fortune and Bednar

 

4) Moyes seems to be reluctant to play Ross Barkley, a highly promising youngster that us blues fans can't wait to see on the pitch. Is there any hidden gems that have got you excited for the future, and are they getting a fair chance?

shrew:George Thorne (played as sub last week ) think he is one for next season

 

MonkeyTennisStar: Thorne and there's no place in the team for him at the moment but expect him to play more if injuries force Roy's hand or we are safe before the last few matches of the season. This may happen sooner than we expect with Mulumbu out injured at present.

 

BritishPharoah: Saido Berahino is a very good looking teenager at the moment

 

5) With Odemwingies return to form plus Shane Longs constant threat who is the biggest danger to Everton?

shrew:We play well as a team at the moment and the threat could come from quite a few

 

MonkeyTennisStar: Both have their qualities, Long is excellent in the air despite his average height and works his wotsits off for the team. Not having the best of times in front of goal but will not give your back four an easy afternoon even if he doesn't score.

Odemwingie has had a stop start season but after Roy gave him a bit of a gentle kick up the backside he has started to look brighter and scored some vital goals. The more naturally gifted player out the two I expect him to pose more of a goal threat to you. However the main threat will be if they click as a partnership consistently which they have started to do lately.

 

BritishPharoah: You need to watch out for the front pair that you mentioned as well as Jerome Thomas who CAN (but hasn't enough this season unlike last season when he was a huge threat) be a handful down the left with his pace and dribbles. You also have to watch out for Brunt and his exquisite through balls, neat touches of skill and that lethal left foot, Mulumbu can score a goal any goddam time he wants but usually sticks to his job of being the best defensive midfielder on English soil. Morrison is a danger to score a phenomenal goal from 20-30 yards out and Olsson is a threat in the air from set pieces...Good Luck

 

6) Everton v WBA tends to be a good game, what do you think the final score will be? and where do you see the clubs finishing?

shrew: Everton will finish 7th or 8th and hopefully us around 10th

 

MonkeyTennisStar: I hope we win but don't expect it. I'd suggest we might shade it at home 2-0.

Final league positions

Us- 14th

You 12th

 

BritishPharoah: We have had some great results against Everton. Last season's 4-1 was particularly delightful but I am going for an Albion 2-0. We're in form and confidence is sky high. I think both teams will finish in the top half

[MikeO]

Nice one Pete.

 

Funny how people still see Cahill as a threat after such a poor year .

 

I'm struggling to see even a point for us from this tbh.

[Hafnia]

Surely we could get a cheeky £5m for tim??? Every match thread opposition teams really fear him.

[pete0]

Nice one Pete.

 

Funny how people still see Cahill as a threat after such a poor year .

 

I'm struggling to see even a point for us from this tbh.

 

They have their own Cahill in Shane Long, but he runs the channels and scores goals.. maybe we could swap, pretty please with a cherry on top

[Zoo]

Other teams will probably see Cahill as a top player because of the success that he has had at our club. Since coming from Millwall he has really made a name for himself and worldwide he has become a household name. The problem is whether other teams managers think the same as they are the ones that will be parting with the money. If we was to accept offers for Cahill then I would like to see more than five million being put onto the table considering how the current markets are going. He has had a poor 12 months with us but he still has abilities that can be used to get more money out of teams such as the heading and scoring ability that he displayed when he was first signed. I think if Moyes was to negotiate strongly enough we could be heading towards higher offers and could then use that money to get a top player.

 

With regards to the match I'm not expecting much. West Brom are on a high at home after their 0-0 draw with Manchester City and will be coming at us full force expecting to win. With our performance against Sunderland we will just have to hope and pray that Ossie wears his shooting boots at the Hawthorns so that we can bag a few penalties to convert into points.

 

Would take a draw; West Brom 1 Everton 1

[Dalziel Kane]

12-30pm start on New Years Day for this, Leave Off, I don't think I'll be in any condition to be following this match

 

Maybe I should follow the players lead and have an early night on Saturday and give it all a miss, it's only another year after all, I don't know what the big deal is I really don't

 

I think albion have done better away from the Hawthorns on the road this season than playing at home by all accounts, we played them in the League Cup a few weeks ago before sneaking a result late on. Haven't been up there for a few years but travelled to the game from Birmingham Snow Hill on the Monorail, it was quite a fun trip

[craigb]

i think we will win it 2-1 because moyes might be outrageous and play a few other players.. cahill and neville dropped please, and if fellainis fit get him in there with barkley... How longs Rodwell out for?

[Luke]

Looking forward to this one for some strange reason. In our past few games we have looked average if anything, against Norwich we struggled to find the net even though we created lots of chances, we were lacklustre against Swansea and didn't have much to defend against so that was a pretty easy game. Then against Sunderland, the only reason we got a point was because of a dodgy penalty decision, which I'm not complaining about as such, because at the end of the day I was happy with the point. As for this game West Brom come into on the back of a great performance against the league leaders and I'm sure they'll be looking to build on it against a side they are capable of beating. I think on our day we are capable of beating anyone away from home (outside the top four) but last season West Brom really surprised us by beating us 4-1 at home and then we played them in a nothing game in May where they just edged it so they can been a tricky team, no doubt about it. Hopefully Drenthe will start as even though he lost the ball a few times against Sunderland he looked sharp and was actually trying to create chances. If Heitinga and Neville start in centre midfield together I won't expect much from the latter but when Rowell and Fellaini are injured, I suppose they have to fill in. I am also wondering when Barkley is going to get his chance as I thought he might have came on against Sunderland but he'll probably start against Tamworth. I think if we get an early goal we'll be all right but in the first half of games this season we haven't looked good at all so who knows. It's obviously going to be a tough game but I think we can get something out of this. On a side note, it's annoying this game is on New Years Day as I'm going to have to have a quiet one the night before as the coach leaves at half nine. Stupid Sky and moving games.

 

West Bromwich Albion 1-1 Everton

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

Im going for 1-1 as well

 

Gutted Donovan is not available after the Echo raised my hopes

[Bailey]

I think this is a game where we should be capable of at least getting a point.

 

All depends on the starting line-up.

[THFC6061]

Lawro's Prediction for West Brom v Everton

 

West Brom are going well. They were good value for their draw against Manchester City on Boxing Day and gave them a really good game.

 

Everton, by their own admission, didn't deserve a penalty against Sunderland in their last game but thought they deserved a point and they were probably right on both counts.

 

On form alone, I would have to go for the Baggies but I am wondering whether Everton might be able to spring a bit of a surprise.

 

Toffees boss David Moyes says he is searching for a striker to sign in January but I'm not sure he will have the money to get one.

 

Having Landon Donovan back on loan is a boost for them, and he will make a difference, but the reality is they have little or no money to spend.

 

Their fans want to know where all the money has gone but no-one has taken it - it has been spent on wages to keep players there and to keep the club in the Premier League.

 

It is all very well the supporters saying they want a rich owner to come in but Everton need a new ground and they need a multi-multibillionaire to fund that too.

 

So I don't really understand the fans marching before games calling for chairman Bill Kenwright to go, because that won't change the club's situation.

 

Those sort of protests are fine in my book, however, because unlike what is going on at Blackburn, once the game starts the Everton fans are 100% behind the team.

 

Prediction: West Brom 1-2 Everton

 

 

Here are all of Mark Lawrenson's 190 Premier League predictions for the 2011-12 season, together with how the League Table would look like if all his forecasts were correct:

 

http://www.myfootballfacts.com/Mark_Lawrensons_Predictions_2011-12.html

[Romey 1878]

We're guaranteed to not win this with him predicting a win for us.

[Joey Mac]

One of those games we could do without in the poor spell we are having, they are on a good run of form and i think we may well get slaughtered by a 3 goal margin. 3-0 or 4-1.

 

Similar with Sunderland.

[StevO]

Cant see a win, West Brom are organised at the back, we are not organised at the front.

[Hafnia]

What is lawro doing getting involved in fan politics? This is not the first time he's done this when he's making his predictions.

[The Regulator]

I fully expected us to face a tough game at Sunderland, but from what I can tell, they had glimpses of attack but not a whole lot, while for spells we dominated. I think the doom and gloom won't be lifted until we start converting chances, but we are missing Rodwell and Fellaini badly. I'd be happy if Osman played wide left if it meant we started with Feallini and Rodwell in the middle and Drenthe on the right. Even with Cahill and Saha up front I can see us finishing more opportunities that way. Especially when Donovan is available again. We could have a string of players get injured in Distin, Neville, Cahill, Bily etc and we would still have a stronger starting 11 out for it.

 

Moyes too is being unneccesarily vague about how long people are out for, and more content to mention McFadden's return to form. My only guess is he doesn't like saying how long players are out for so the other team will have to set up expecting our strongest 11. If that is the reason then fair enough, but I think maybe sometimes he's just an arse.

 

West Brom are well organised, well drilled under Hodgson. I think Roy's methods sometimes take a little while to settle in, hence part of the reason for his collapse at Liverpool. H'es a very good manager, but he needs his team to do what he says and be more disciplined. However, West Brom do like the counter attack, and thus sit back and wait for an attempt before bursting on their opponents. You may point out that we are toothless in front of goal at the moment, but the margin hasn't been as much lately. Like I said, with a few of our regular first 11 back I think we will be more dangerous and games like this won't indimidate us as much second half of the season if they can stay fit.

 

I'm going to go for 1-1. West brom are in good form, but just like Sunderland, we tend to be the monkey wrench in these games, and I never usually worry about them. Games to sides we should definitely beat, or definitely lose to, I always worry about, because anything could happen. Against West brom though I think we will create a few chances, and I see us putting one of them away. Probably Drenthe for us, Odemwingie for them.

Edited December 30, 2011 by The Regulator

[Avinalaff]

Wow, all the pessimism yet again.

We'll destroy West Brom. Bring it on. Hibbert to score.

[Bailey]

I fully expected us to face a tough game at Sunderland, but from what I can tell, they had glimpses of attack but not a whole lot, while for spells we dominated. I think the doom and gloom won't be lifted until we start converting chances, but we are missing Rodwell and Fellaini badly. I'd be happy if Osman played wide left if it meant we started with Feallini and Rodwell in the middle and Drenthe on the right. Even with Cahill and Saha up front I can see us finishing more opportunities that way. Especially when Donovan is available again. We could have a string of players get injured in Distin, Neville, Cahill, Bily etc and we would still have a stronger starting 11 out for it.

 

Moyes too is being unneccesarily vague about how long people are out for, and more content to mention McFadden's return to form. My only guess is he doesn't like saying how long players are out for so the other team will have to set up expecting our strongest 11. If that is the reason then fair enough, but I think maybe sometimes he's just an arse.

 

West Brom are well organised, well drilled under Hodgson. I think Roy's methods sometimes take a little while to settle in, hence part of the reason for his collapse at Liverpool. H'es a very good manager, but he needs his team to do what he says and be more disciplined. However, West Brom do like the counter attack, and thus sit back and wait for an attempt before bursting on their opponents. You may point out that we are toothless in front of goal at the moment, but the margin hasn't been as much lately. Like I said, with a few of our regular first 11 back I think we will be more dangerous and games like this won't indimidate us as much second half of the season if they can stay fit.

 

I'm going to go for 1-1. West brom are in good form, but just like Sunderland, we tend to be the monkey wrench in these games, and I never usually worry about them. Games to sides we should definitely beat, or definitely lose to, I always worry about, because anything could happen. Against West brom though I think we will create a few chances, and I see us putting one of them away. Probably Drenthe for us, Odemwingie for them.

 

I think Rodwell and Fellaini are both out from what I have read?

 

My team would be:

 

Hibbert - Jags - Heits - Baines

--------------Neville

Gueye--Osman--Barkley--Drenthe

-------------Straq/Vellios

 

The back four shouldnt have been changed for the Sunderland game after being successful in the previous games, and we will have a tough ask keeping Long & Odemwingie quiet.

 

With injuries in the midfield, I would have to stick Neville as a DM and make sure he keeps Barkley in check. If the latter isnt working then the only option would be to bring Cahill in, but given Osman's for behind the striker, and Cahill's lack of it it might be worth trying him deeper. Does anyone know where Cahill plays for Oz? Osman & Barkley could rotate getting forward the most. One will need to support the striker properly while the other sits alongside Neville. If Barkley is as good as people at the club have said then I dont see why he cant put in a discipled performance playing as the deeper of the two. After all its not like West Brom's midfield is full of quality.

 

Gueye & Drenthe have been promising in spells and I would fancy them to cause West Brom problems. I prefer Drenthe on the right so he can cut in and get a shot off, but we have to keep WB guessing a little so switching them every now & then wouldnt hurt.

 

Finally striker-wise I have just about had enough of Saha for the time being. Give someone else who gives a toss a game and this would be a good game to get Vellios involved in (compared to previous starts). They arent the biggest/strongest, and while they might be disciplined, with the creativity around him in Drenthe, Gueye, Barkley & Osman I would fancy him to get a couple of really good chances.

 

West Brom are a team we should be beating, but they work hard and will try and stifle us. However if we come out of the blocks and get an early goal, they will be ripe for us to pick off later in the game.

[Romey 1878]

http://www.evertonfc...-to-miss-albion

 

 

No Fellaini.

 

I'm hoping he doesn't play Heitinga and Neville together but I realise that's a baseless hope. Distin will have another opportunity to play well and knock Heitinga back to the bench even though he'd been excellent at CB.

Edited December 30, 2011 by Romey 1878

[marcopaulo]

neville and heitinga in midfield makes me want to rip my nuts off...

[Avinalaff]

Donovan apparently isn't playing on Sunday.

[Romey 1878]

Donovan apparently isn't playing on Sunday.

 

 

There's no apparently about it, he's not eligible. The first game he can play is the 4th against Bolton. It's always been the case, I have no idea why the Echo raised everyone's hopes.

[Zoo]

I was thinking the same myself. It has been black & white from day one that even if we signed Donovan before the window opened then we could only play him in January when we face Bolton and the window is open for all English clubs. I think that we should be able to do well without him though, he will be a much needed boost to the team but I don't want us to put all our hopes into him as a player. We are a football club that have eleven men on that pitch - not one. We need to improve as a team and work hard as a team and although Donovan can't play against WBA we should not doubt the fact that we can get a result against them because we are more than capable.

 

Also I'm guessing that Donovan will be playing against Tamworth? I'm guessing that Moyes will want to get as much out of him as he can before he heads back to Los Angeles Galaxy.

[The Beard]

I have a feeling this will be a dour draw but as it is the festive season I shall scrap that and go for 2-4 win for us. An early start means an early departing time, shocking that most on the coach will have had hardly any sleep, oh well. . See you there through bleary eyes.

[Avinalaff]

It's typical we have an early start on New Years day. It was always the case when we played Portsmouth away too.

[MikeO]

Howard, Hibbert, Baines, Jagielka, Distin, Heitinga, Neville, Rodwell, Osman, Cahill, Saha.

 

Mucha, Bilyaletdinov, Stracqualursi, McFadden, Gueye, Barkley, Anichebe

 

 

Sigh.

[bassman]

Where the cluck is Drenthe????????

[c1982]

Howard, Hibbert, Baines, Jagielka, Distin, Heitinga, Neville, Rodwell, Osman, Cahill, Saha.

 

Mucha, Bilyaletdinov, Stracqualursi, McFadden, Gueye, Barkley, Anichebe

 

 

Sigh.

 

Setting up as a 4-2-3-1? Good enough for brazil!!! - more likely will be Neville bombing down the left wing!

[MikeO]

Where the cluck is Drenthe????????

 

Good question...just "not in the matchday squad" according to the OS.

 

Why Vic, Stracq & McFadden over Vellios? Injured?

 

Don't see where the goals will come from today...serious lack of creativity.

[LexKing]

Have Royston been on parties yesterday! Or did he get a knock last game? Damn, would been needing him. Again couple of questionmarks about starting11 but whatta heck. Lets start a year with a win. COYB!