[Slick_Footwork]

I would pretty much go with the flow as long as we don't give SA to much credit, at the end of the day if the season had started when he took over we would only just be outside the relegation zone now with 3 still to play.  It also bothered me a little yesterday, that he did nothing about Furlong getting overloaded often 3 on 1 on that right hand side, with the same move over and over again, a three way triangle followed by a cutback to the third man, they cut through us numerous times with the same move and  nothing Furlong could do about it on his own.

I think he tried to, he switched Robbo who started on the right with Phillips who is more defensively minded.

I like Robbo, but he didn't do any defensive duties at all. Saka basically had a free lunch.

Unfortunately Phillips couldn't really live with Saka either. I guess it would've been an occasion for Snodgrass, had he been fit.

Sometimes though you just have to acknowledge the opposition are a bit too good and I think Saka was excellent marauding forward from left back.

Although, we've had some bad luck this season. In every other game where Tierney was out, Arteta selected Xhaka or Cedric at left back. Had he done that yesterday, we probably would've got a result. Sod's law that he finally realises how good Saka is in that position when they play against us.

Not sure I agree Slick, it took him what seemed an age until Philips and Robbo changed sides, I was just listening to the E&S podcast on the game and they were making the same point that SA did nothing to try and plug that hole until it was to late. If you were picking the team I bet you would look at the probable Arsenal line up and think, "OK Furlong is going to be isolated here with Saka and William bombing down that wing, I better give him some protection" and I'll bet you wouldn't think "with those two bombing down our right side, I will put out least defence minded winger in front of Furlong and our best defensive winger on the other side of the pitch". I am trying to remember a really good game Robbo has had playing on the right wing I am sure there will be some, just can't remember any at present.

To be fair to BFS I think that's the first time Saka has played at left back under Arteta so he couldn't really predict that. Keown was slagging Arteta off all game for not playing him in this role sooner.

But I agree you could see early Robbo wasn't doing his defensive duties and is generally better from the left.

I've looked at the highlights to identify how long it took BFS to move Phillips over but it's hard to tell. Either way, Saka was just as effective running off Phillips as he was Robbo. Also there were a few danger moments when he simply ran in behind Furlong and Arsenal didn't have an overflow. But you reap what you sow when you go into a Premier League season with Darnel Furlong as first choice right back. Ultimately BFS did see what we saw and hence Phillips moving, but with our quality (or lack of it), it made little difference.

[wba13]

Just taken this off another site and this chap is pretty reliable so this could be true.

Just a post for an update. I don't post much I admit, but usually when I do it's accurate (please feel free to check out my previous posts, if you can be bothered lol)

I won't elaborate too much but I do know someone who knows someone type thing - and my source is pretty accurate.

So Allardyce is willing to stay and the Board are happy to keep him here, the money side of things is fine. Allardyce is concerned about his health though so he is weighing up the possibility of walking from football all together - or at least in a high pressured role.

The board have more or less confirmed that Pereira and SJ are going to be sold - but all the funds recouped will go to the transfer budget. The Board are convinced we will have the Leagues best budget. We have also enquired about Yosulu on a permenant deal but the wages may be a sticking point, he is very settled despite it being a loan. Again though the Board are chancing their arm a bit on that.

If in the scenario Allardyce and the Board can't come to a solution, then they have 99% made up their mind that Chris Wilder is their preferred man. Hence they want the Allardyce decision soon as they don't want to lose out on Wilder either.

Again, I'm not saying this is bonified concrete information, and of course feel free to disregard it all, but the guy who usually tells me these things is bang on.

[BaggieSteve]

Just taken this off another site and this chap is pretty reliable so this could be true.

Just a post for an update. I don't post much I admit, but usually when I do it's accurate (please feel free to check out my previous posts, if you can be bothered lol)

I won't elaborate too much but I do know someone who knows someone type thing - and my source is pretty accurate.

So Allardyce is willing to stay and the Board are happy to keep him here, the money side of things is fine. Allardyce is concerned about his health though so he is weighing up the possibility of walking from football all together - or at least in a high pressured role.

The board have more or less confirmed that Pereira and SJ are going to be sold - but all the funds recouped will go to the transfer budget. The Board are convinced we will have the Leagues best budget. We have also enquired about Yosulu on a permenant deal but the wages may be a sticking point, he is very settled despite it being a loan. Again though the Board are chancing their arm a bit on that.

If in the scenario Allardyce and the Board can't come to a solution, then they have 99% made up their mind that Chris Wilder is their preferred man. Hence they want the Allardyce decision soon as they don't want to lose out on Wilder either.

Again, I'm not saying this is bonified concrete information, and of course feel free to disregard it all, but the guy who usually tells me these things is bang on.

I don’t get the love in with Chris Wilder. This is the guy who blew £40 million on Rhian Brewster and Ollie McBurnie, and we’d be happy to entrust him with our precious, dwindling parachute money to rebuild the squad. Nah, you’re alright, thanks

[Arcane Astral Aeons]

Just taken this off another site and this chap is pretty reliable so this could be true.

Just a post for an update. I don't post much I admit, but usually when I do it's accurate (please feel free to check out my previous posts, if you can be bothered lol)

I won't elaborate too much but I do know someone who knows someone type thing - and my source is pretty accurate.

So Allardyce is willing to stay and the Board are happy to keep him here, the money side of things is fine. Allardyce is concerned about his health though so he is weighing up the possibility of walking from football all together - or at least in a high pressured role.

The board have more or less confirmed that Pereira and SJ are going to be sold - but all the funds recouped will go to the transfer budget. The Board are convinced we will have the Leagues best budget. We have also enquired about Yosulu on a permenant deal but the wages may be a sticking point, he is very settled despite it being a loan. Again though the Board are chancing their arm a bit on that.

If in the scenario Allardyce and the Board can't come to a solution, then they have 99% made up their mind that Chris Wilder is their preferred man. Hence they want the Allardyce decision soon as they don't want to lose out on Wilder either.

Again, I'm not saying this is bonified concrete information, and of course feel free to disregard it all, but the guy who usually tells me these things is bang on.

I don’t get the love in with Chris Wilder. This is the guy who blew £40 million on Rhian Brewster and Ollie McBurnie, and we’d be happy to entrust him with our precious, dwindling parachute money to rebuild the squad. Nah, you’re alright, thanks

Chris Wilder?...no thanks giving him what little transfer funds we may have  available next season is suicide...would be like giving him money to go to HMV,telling him to buy something decent and he goes and buys a shed load of Duran Duran Cd`s

[theo_luddite]

A long-long-time work colleague and Blunts fan more or less said the same last Summer. Worked miracles to get them up and not just keep them up but by a big margin. The wheels fell off after the mid-season break last season and then spending silly money on a couple of guys that didn't perform/couldn't score in a house with a red light over the front door etc. The wheels never got put back on.

BTW - your problem with Karlan Grant is he's a wide player that cuts in off the wing (left usually) to score in a front 2 or 3. You keep playing him up front on his own, where we also found out that he couldn't score in a house with a red light over the front door. Someone at Baggies HQ needs to dig out a few of our video's, I assume they have some or why else did you even turn up to look at him - or better still maybe the manager chap could talk to him about it.

Not one of Sam's best qualities tho'-but, talking to players about their strengths then picking tactics accordingly. It isn't anything he's well known for. Picking a system and then blaming players because they aren't suited to it/capable of playing in it is his modus operandi. Square pegs, round holes and all that when even the round holes are to his own design are with the wrong sized drill to boot for the few round pegs that he has. Some players still fall right through, some are also too big to sit comfortably in the hole he drilled for them. Pleased about his 100% England record, wouldn't want him to be able to go double or quits on that one tho' either.

Good luck chaps, I see Snoots has already welcomed you back.

[Zinman]

I don’t get the love in with Chris Wilder. This is the guy who blew £40 million on Rhian Brewster and Ollie McBurnie, and we’d be happy to entrust him with our precious, dwindling parachute money to rebuild the squad. Nah, you’re alright, thanks
[/quote]
As opposed to someone who wisely invested £40m in Cenk Tosun and Enner Valencia?

[BaggieSteve]

I don’t get the love in with Chris Wilder. This is the guy who blew £40 million on Rhian Brewster and Ollie McBurnie, and we’d be happy to entrust him with our precious, dwindling parachute money to rebuild the squad. Nah, you’re alright, thanks

As opposed to someone who wisely invested £40m in Cenk Tosun and Enner Valencia?
[/quote]

To be fair, I wasn’t pitching for Allardyce to stay, merely pointing out that Wilder’s transfer record was unimpressive. Maybe the answer is appoint neither of them

[Dingle-Dingle]

   

DD

[Dingle-Dingle]

"Grady has been fit for quite a while but we've been playing the same team on a regular basis," Allardyce said.

"We’ve been very good with injuries, so we’ve not had to change the side.

??????????? So leave out one of your better players and keep donkeys on the pitch.
What a great insight to his managerial skills.

DD

[theo_luddite]

Warned ya's on another thread about Allardyce.

Couple of good results, go watch paint dry the rest of the time. It's fascinating by comparison.