Well it's League Cup business on the agenda at ER Stadium tomorrow and it looks like a decent match to follow that disappointing loss to HNK Rijeka on Thursday. Hibs without Doidgy and Paul Hanlon, but should still have enough player resources to take on this cup tie and win it. I think our main concern is the jolt to Hibs confidence levels in Croatia and what impact it has on the guys. IMO it is up to Jack Ross to "lift spirits" and "go again". C'mon Hibs!

GGTTH

The whole subject re the volatile history of Afghanistan is certainly a complex one, but since the infamous 9/11 attack by Al Quaeda on the NY twin towers it became a US/Bush project to try and negate any terrorist threat in the region as well as introducing the whole concept of democratic rule and encouraging the people to embrace a proper democracy and modern cultural change. Well over $1T dollars came out of US coffers to finance this project and try to make it work. Lots of lives (Afghan, US, Brit and others) also lost during this long period of transition in a region where years n years of random conflict have been common for centuries in a country with tribal influence spread throughout the mountain communities/outlying regions. However, a modern democratic state can't be fully evolved in 20 years esp in such a volatile setting where the Taliban had effectively "gone underground" (back to their homes) temporarily when the US military came in after 9/11, "all guns blazing", together with the UK and other western troops. Eg look at S Korea - US troops stationed there since the 1950s. As soon as President Biden announced the US withdrawal, one genuinely feared for the security and well being of the country and its populace. This has now been confirmed in dramatic fashion and the implications for a new generation of Afghan people, embracing democracy and better educated etc, are horrendous in facing a Taliban enemy who will potentially wreak havoc on them and vulnerable groups, women, educated people - a pogrom initiated under a self-proclaimed caliphate forced upon the people they have effectively conquered. And it looks like the west/the world is gonna watch while this horror, a humanitarian disaster, is likely to unfold in the coming weeks/months. I must say I am sitting very uncomfortably in my chair listening to the heartfelt pleas from people within the country who feel like they've been "hung out to dry" while US and Brit military personnel come in to quickly assist in the removal of US/Brit nationals and other "at risk" operatives. There is no doubt their own govt has a lot to answer for in not preparing for such an eventuality, but they can't take all the blame for this. Indeed a huge "finger of blame" could be pointed at an intransigent Taliban enemy that refused to stop killing people and continues to do it as well as a complicit Pakistan govt/security force that has been an able ally to the Taliban down the years albeit sneakily "hovering in the background".
I can't watch a lotta this stuff unfold or listen to the genuine pleas for help from many women (and others) who fear the worst from insurgents who they describe as "animals" - uneducated and ruthless people/thugs with no regard for other people who are "different" from them and their religious ideology.

GROUND



MANAGER

VELJKO PAUNOVIC

Veljko Paunović (Serbian Cyrillic: Вељко Пауновић, pronounced [ʋěːʎko paǔ:noʋitɕ]; born 21 August 1977) is a Serbian football manager and former player, who is currently the manager of EFL Championship club Reading.

A versatile attacking unit, he could operate as an attacking midfielder or a striker, and spent most of his professional career in Spain where he represented eight clubs,[2] amassing La Liga totals of 212 matches and 38 goals over 11 seasons and having several spells with Atlético Madrid.

Other than in his own country, Paunović also played professionally in Germany, Russia and the United States.
Coaching career
Serbia NT
Paunović earned a UEFA PRO coaching licence and a sporting director degree from the Royal Spanish Football Federation. For nine months, he was a UEFA Champions League analyst for RTVE in Spain.[19]

Paunović began working as a manager with the Serbian national team, being of charge of their under-18, under-19 and under-20 sides. While with the latter, he won the 2015 FIFA World Cup.[20]

Chicago Fire

Paunović at a U.S. Open Cup match away to Cincinnati in 2017
On 24 November 2015, Paunović was appointed head coach of Chicago Fire FC in Major League Soccer.[21] He led the team to the playoffs in 2017, which happened for the first time in five years.[19] In the same year, he coached in the All-Star Game against Real Madrid.[22]

Paunović also reached the semi-finals of the U.S. Open Cup in 2016 and 2018.[23][24] He and the Fire parted ways on 13 November 2019.[25]

Reading
Paunović replaced Mark Bowen as manager of Reading on 29 August 2020.[26] On his EFL Championship debut on 12 September, the team won 2–0 at Derby County.[27] The Royals missed out on a playoff place with two games remaining, after a 2–2 draw against Swansea City at the Madejski Stadium.[28]

LAST TIME OUT

THE MATCH

SATURDAY 14TH AUGUST KO 3:00PM

v

LAST MATCH



We started life in league one with a good point against Charlton. The game was delayed about 6 minutes when Paterson was injured when defending a corner and was replaced by Kamberi. We defended well but were toothless in attack, Kamberi made several decent runs but nobody was on the same wavelength. Charlton put a bit more pressure on in the second half but Peacock-Farrell wasn't tested. Our best chance came for Bannan, who beat a couple of defenders but pushed his shot a foot or two wide.

THE MATCH



First home league game of the season and the first Derby of the season, as we entertain Doncaster. Donny lost there first game of the season at home to WImbledon but then won on penalties in the cup. This is Moore's former team, he managed to get them near the playoffs before he joined us, then Donny faded towards the end of the season. There main man, James Coppinger, has now retired and joined the coaching staff. Hopefully our attacking players can start to fire and we get our first win of the season

CURRENT FORM

OWLS               -                                    

DONNY            -                                                                                 

EFL STOOGES

DOES IT MATTER THERE ALL CORRUPT  

ROSS JOYCE
Joe Clark and Paul Newhouse
Fourth Official : Matthew Smith

THE TEAM

Looks like 433 may be DMs starting formation:

Peacock-Farrell
Hunt Hutch Iorfa Palmer
Bannan Wing Adenarin
Johnson Gregory Corbeanu

SCORE & SCORER (HOME TEAM SCORE FIRST)

1-0 Gregory

BML STANDINGS

SCO 1
SS 1

OTHER GAMES OF MILD INTEREST

AFC Wimbledon v Bolton Wanderers
Burton Albion v Ipswich Town
Cheltenham Town v Wycombe Wanderers
Lincoln City v Fleetwood Town
Milton Keynes Dons v Sunderland

AAAHA

THE MUPPETT LEAGUE




KATE BECKINSALE TRIBUTE PIC

Albion will play Arsenal at home in the 2nd round of the League Cup, with the match scheduled to take place the week beginning August 23rd.

 Cassierra another new striker linked.
https://www.westbromnews.co.uk/2021/08/1...cassierra/

Signs a 3 year deal. Plenty of wet knickers over on Bobs. Does this mean we are going for broke?

Hibs currently top of the Scot Prem v Rijeka who are also top of their national league. We have a chance of progressing to the next round v the next tough opponent (based on Scot footie standards). However, this Croatian team looks tough enough after observing what they had to offer in the 1st leg v a Hibs team that has started the season in fine form. I think the early exchanges of this match will define where Hibs end up in this Euro tourney. I'm sure the manager will try to "keep it tight" as much as poss and counter them with fast forages up front. I doubt he'll play "two up top" after observing their fast break outs in parts of the game at ER Stadium. I think this will be a "nail biter" and hopefully Hibs will come out of it by winning the tie.

GGTTH