[BaggieSteve]

Luckily there are 3 worse teams than us this season else we would be in a real relegation fight. If Sunderland and Norwich and of course Villa weren't so bad then I'd fear for us.

I'd add Newcastle to that list as well, but definitely a case of teams being worse which should keep us up. 

Can't wait for this season to be over now and hopefully the start of a squad rebuild in the summer!

But, to be honest, Tibby, assuming we stay up and, as a result that Pulis stays as manager, do you think next season will be any different because I cannot see how it will be? We don't have any creativity, pace or flair in the team and this is primarily down to Pulis, the players he buys and picks and the tactics he deploys. I see the issue as Pulis, as long he's the manager I don't think anything will change. He doesn't know another way, next season he will have a change of approach because he can't. I honestly believe next season will be more of the same.......but we'll have more money!

In my defence I didn't say Pulis should rebuild our squad, just that it should be rebuilt in the summer. 

If you've read my posts in the Should he be sacked thread you already know I share the same view that I don't want Pulis in charge for next season, so I'm not sure why my post has been focused upon to be honest.

We're being very blinkered if we truly think our poor performances are solely down to just one man. There's dead wood in our squad that needs replacing and the sooner it happens, the better.

Tibby, I wasn't disagreeing with you. I think you're right that there are a number of players who are not good enough but whom Pulis likes because they are prepared to play to the "tactics" he demands. These players need to in the summer. My issue is that, as long as Pulis is manager, they won't go because he likes them. So, no change of manager = no change of personnel and more of the same.

[BBB]

Year in year out, we moan, or some people do. So what would you have us doing, attacking and shipping goals, and leaving the Prem, or playing the occasional great match, and leaving the Prem.

Although last nights match had me again having heart burn, after scoring in the 95th minute...how many times have we this season scored after the 85th minute I wonder.

As for my vote i like the Prem, but prefer the Championship for its closeness of team standards, and points. Though this year with Leicester upsetting the main 4/5 the league is more open this year and 3pts could mean jumping 2/3 places, that's why we need to be careful with other teams being a game win under us, and buying in players.

Any thoughts besides thinking all this a load of rubbish. haha.

BBB

[Stairs]

I love the Albion, so do all of you.

I want to stay in the Premiership and although I don't like boring or negative football I do believe that you need to win games first and worry about style later. I believe there have been signs that this is coming, early signs, but signs all the same.

Injury and Saido's attitude have not helped the develop either the win first or any move towards style. But I am confident it will come.

Some good performances this remaining season and a tweak of squad in the summer and it could be better next season.

I live in hope.

[Squirrel Regis]

For me BBB staying in the premier league always has to be our number one priority. I was over the moon when TP was appointed as he is pretty much the expert at doing just that.
This season maybe more than any other the financial rewards for staying up are immense and the villa going down could ruin that club (shame ;-) lol ! )
I'm just feeling that we are not improving, in fact our home record is terrible so far compared to last season. Results have to be the priority but is it so much to ask that against teams below or around us we attack them ? The tactics just seem to be 1) keep clean sheet 2) try and score off set peice 3) if still drawing or losing with 20 mins left give it a go.
Should we really be giving the likes of villa, posh and Bristol city so much possession ??
Not sure if recruitment is totally down to TP but since Dan Ashworth left it has been dire.
We are quite obviously 5 or 6 players short of a starting 11 let alone a squad and with signings such as MacManamen, Chester, Lambert, Rondon, Gardner etc I don't trust TP to spend the £50-£60 million maybe needed.
More like Jonny Evans and Fletcher please but Mcmanamen & Chester signings I just don't get.
It's gonna be a very interesting summer and as one of the top 30 richest clubs in the world we need to spend big and spend wisely.
C O Y B

[4evaabaggie]

Squirrel, I agree in the most part but we are more restricted than most to do with spending. The none tv money we receive is much smaller than a lot of clubs, worldwide fan base, sells, attendance / gate receipts etc means we are more reliant on tv income and more restricted by ffp rules. Our recruitment since Dan left has been at best mediocre but mainly poor. We need width, pace, creativity and squad depth, we struggle because the chairman, JP, tries to keep our tickets affordable relative to local incomes ...... reduced income for the club, fierce competition for supporters, four teams in top two divisions in close proximity, Norwich only team in Norfolk, Ipswich in Suffolk, Newcastle in Newcastle and many more examples.

I have said many times on here I hate the greed league and the whole set up of football in Europe, geared so to few clubs get richer and block any attempt for other teams to join the club, top six in England, Leicester doing well, rich backer only team in the city etc but their success this year not yet guaranteed will not last, big boys will put an end to it. Would not be surprised if the FA changed the rules so that a win for the big six is worth three points, for the other fourteen only two points .....

[Squirrel Regis]

4eva,
Indeed mate, when you see clubs like villa, Newcastle, Sunderland and even Chelsea struggling it puts things into perspective doesn't it !
It's tight and a battle at the bottom and I think we will end up finishing about where we are now which on paper is very respectable but you have hit the nail on the head when you say we have no pace in the team. We look so bad when we get possession in our own half, unless Sess beats his man we just have no outlet and it normally goes back to the keeper after a couple of side ways passes or gets hoofed up in the general direction of Rondon.
We will never be able to fund a proper squad but a LW with pace that can cross a ball we are crying out for.
G-Mac continues to be solid but he can't go on forever, Olsson should have gone 2 years ago and Dawson (granted playing out of position) does a fairly decent job but looks uncomfortable against pace and his distribution is appalling.
On the plus side the back bone of the team is good. Foster, Evans, McCauley,Fletcher all pick themselves and Yacob, Morrison and even Sess of late are certainly a good base. Haven't quite given up on Rondon but needs a partner. Can't stand the bloke but Berahino needs to be playing now, then get rid in the summer.
As somebody else said, one thing you can't fault is effort and heart and the squad has loads of it, so tactics again seem to be the stifling problem.

[4evaabaggie]

with our finances it is hard to recruit exciting young players, managers know this so it is hard to recruit the best coaches, we are seen as little ole Albion, nice club but no prospects, this all creates a vicious circle ..... let's hope villa sink without trace giving us the chance as the only west mids prem club to build a bigger fan base. Unless we pay £50+ for match tickets to improve club finances we will struggle to progress. Vicious circle ..... no money to improve for the fans, increase ticket prices improve but no fans.

Do we want the plastics, the glory hunters of other clubs ..... no.

The system is corrupt, the system needs changing ...... a level playing field.

---

A bit of good news ... Newcastle got beat 3 - 0, our draw looks a little better, now eight points clear. They also received a straight red ....... won't be easy but we are ticking along. One win five draws one defeat in seven. Do not loose, gives you a chance. COYB

[drewks]

So much gloom and doom, some very much justified, some great points being made.

I'd just say look where we are NOW as opposed to 10 years ago. We are now a (pretty much) established PL club, very solvent  and very unlikely to be relegated.

Hundreds of thousands of supporters would gladly be in our position.

End of?  

[4evaabaggie]

So much gloom and doom, some very much justified, some great points being made.

I'd just say look where we are NOW as opposed to 10 years ago. We are now a (pretty much) established PL club, very solvent  and very unlikely to be relegated.

Hundreds of thousands of supporters would gladly be in our position.

End of?  

Totally agree Drewks, I just hate the premier league, for us it will be a long slow road to build up sufficient independent non tv money to push on to the upper reaches ...... just had a thought ...... stoke, a similar sized club have been in prem longer than us, started off with Pulis, now just starting to bother the top ten with better football. There is hope yet.

[BaggieMan]

4eva, Stoke have had just one season longer in the Prem than us and apart from that season, were always the poorer neighbour in terms of finishing position and they suffered in exactly the same way as we are now during Pulis' tenure. His transfer record was also poor.

Stoke only started getting better and playing decent footy after they got rid of Pulis.

Just saying.