[Beefy 1965]

I honestly would give Pulis until the end of the season if he is up for it. Hate his style of football but if he could organise that defence, with the almost world-class Lescott and solid GMac in the centre, Poco and Gamboa as fullbacks, Mulumbu and Yacob holding and allowing the likes of Sess/Bera/Ideye/Varela/Blanco/Samaras on rotation to counter attack we could get some points on the board.

I wouldn't mind that to be honest,

However I don't think Pulis and JP would be a marriage made in Heaven.

Puliis would want his own players, i just dont think he would take on a Head Coach position

[Beefy 1965]

Good point,

We scored 2 against Sunderland on the opening day of the season , since then NOWT !!!

Even the 1 against Oxford was a OG FFS !!!!

[WBA-Josh]

I still think Irvine needs 4 or 5 more matches with the new signings all ready to play.

That being said if Irvine chooses to continue with the timid team set-ups like today then it will be pointless giving him the 4 or 5 matches. It will will have also been a pointless escapade signing talented guys like Blanco and Varela and not using them to their strengths. Blanco playing very wide on the left today with no freedom to move around restricted him a lot. I have seen Blanco play plenty of times and he needs to be given the freedom to express himself on the game.

The problem we have now is that next week away at Tottenham we may need to line-up in a similar fashion like today because if we line-up with an expansive, attacking team Spurs could batter us.

---

If Irvine goes I would want to see an accomplished European coach like Quique Sanchez Flores take over. He would be able to bring the best out of guys like Varela and Blanco whilst also not being afraid to drop under-performing or trouble making players like he did with Diego Forlan at Atlético Madrid. He also took Valencia to the Champions League 2 seasons in a row with little money and then won the Europe League with Atlético Madrid.

[TheFunkyJoker]

I can't even watch Saturday games anymore due to work, I knew Irvine was going to be pants as soon as Brunt was announced as Captain AGAIN... He's never been a captain and never will be... And surprise surprise my suspicions have been confirmed.

Also, rumors of a bust up in the dressing room as well which resulted in Lescott, Myhill and Sess being sent home - REALLY sounds like the happy camp they made it out to be

[Thequietwatersby]

You remember how I was saying earlier on, that the result today would be blamed on the two mistakes which led to the goals?

Alan Irvine: West Brom devastated by errors

Let's not forget just how poor the PERFORMANCE was and just focus on those two defensive mistakes, that'll pull the wool over the eyes of the fans eh?

The majority of the crowd booed today, not because they all secretly want Alan Irvine or the players to fail. They did that as there was no spirit shown from the players and no ambition to chase the game early on from Irvine with his daft substitutions.

That Express and Dingle article trying to spin this off as frustration at the result doesn't fool me or anyone else!

#IrvineOut!

Rant over haha (that feels better!)

[Slick_Footwork]

That's the worst home performance that I can remember for some time.

We all read in the press that under Mel everyone was unhappy, no atmosphere
etc and how much better it's been under Irvine.

Well, if that's the case, why aren't the players trying for him?

There appeared to be no spirit, no fight, no quality.

Although that doesn't get Irvine off the hook. His selections have been an absolute
shambles from day one.

Why is our best centre half on the bench every game? Being kept out by Dawson
who isn't a Prem player.

That midfield must have the least quality in the division. Where is the balance? Gardner,
Dorrans and Mozza are all the same type of player. Where is the protection for the
centre backs?

Yacob must be wondering how he's ever going to get in the side when he's on the
bench and Irvine is playing those 3. Not only are they similar, they're very average.

The Celtic fans were all over our board stating that Samaras isn't a good up front but is
far more effective on the left wing. Where does Irvine bring him on? You guessed it,
up top.

Does this guy do any due diligence at all?

Why are we all of a sudden playing 4-4-2 with the same personnel that operated in a
4-5-1 a few weeks ago?

How many manager are we going to have to go through before they realise Dorrans
can't play wide? Or actually, just isn't good enough.

I really can't understand how Brunt is maintaining his place in the side. He's been poor
all season. I don't care if he's club captain or not, if he can't whip a decent cross in,
unchallenged, then he isn't bringing anything to the table.

He was club captain when we started well under Clarke, that didn't stop him dropping him...

Irvine can moan about excuses, but lets face it, if it wasn't for Everton's poor finishing, it
could've been a cricket score.

IMO our squad is good enough to be okay in this league. But Irvine's selections have been
poor from day one. The worry is, already, that we've taken 2 points from 4 'winnable' games.

Will Irvine be able to wake up tomorrow and realise the mistakes he's been making? Will he
realise that he keeps playing square pegs in round holes and leaving our best players on the
bench?

Personally, I can't see how he's suddenly going to have a clue.

And worst of all, since the Mowbray era, under RDM, Clarke and Mel we've at least maintained
a decent style of football.

Today the football was horrible. 40 yards between the defence and midfield. 40 yards between
the strikers and nearest midfield player. Nobody playing between the lines, no options for the
man on the ball.

Probably saw Olsson knock more long balls this season that all of last year combined.

Playing ugly and winning isn't great, but playing ugly and losing is terrible.

I'd already be chuffed if Irvine was sacked. I know there's only been a few games but
his mistakes are glaringly obvious. Mel and Clarke got sacked when they were at least
picking sides that resembled what most people thought was the best XI. Irvine's selections
are beggars belief.

Absolutely fuming after watching that. Can only hope that something changes, but I will
not be holding my breath based on what I've seen so far.

[Beefy 1965]

I can't even watch Saturday games anymore due to work, I knew Irvine was going to be pants as soon as Brunt was announced as Captain AGAIN... He's never been a captain and never will be... And surprise surprise my suspicions have been confirmed.

Also, rumors of a bust up in the dressing room as well which resulted in Lescott, Myhill and Sess being sent home - REALLY sounds like the happy camp they made it out to be  

Where did you hear that mate

[bomberbrown1968]

I have tonight officially pressed my panic button.

At 2.30 this afternoon I resisted the temptation to post a response to the line up, even though I was flabbergasted by the starting line up - Mulumbu out so we start the game without a defensive midfielder, Berahino still starts out wide, besides Gardner we start with the midfield trio of 4 or 5 years ago, no whiff of any width on the pitch or the bench and no sign of Lescott

I didn't post, deciding to wait and see how things turned out, 2 minutes into it the game was effectively over, we huffed and puffed up to half time, then halfheartedly huffed and puffed a bit more, creating nothing for another 20 minutes before Everton scored again, it was almost like putting a stricken animal out of its misery.

AI hasn't had a clue when or how to change things in 4 and a half games this season so what was the hope he'd do it at half time or 10 minutes into the second half of this one. Instead we wait till we're 2 down before doing anything, so we chase the game by taking off Ideye for Samaras, like for like position wise, and Brunt for Blanco - a creative midfield player - and sticks him out on the left wing!!. That was exceeded though 7 minutes later when he brought Gamboa on for our best player Poco, then swaps Wisdom over to the left and Gamboa takes Wisdoms position on the right.

WHAT WAS THE FOOKING POINT OF ANY OF THOSE SUBSTITIONS APART FROM PLAYING 2 PLAYERS OUT OF POSITION!!!!

We have a £10m striker in Ideye who's being made to look like a modern day Paul Williams (younger members, google him), we haven't given him any service since he's been here, he's not had a through ball to run on to or a cross put on his bonce (apart from one at Southampton). We have the soon to be record goalscorer for the U21's playing right wing when he's obviously a striker, Brunt playing left wing because he's the captain so has to play somewhere??.

Am I the only one who thought we might have gone 3 at the back with McAuley coming on, wing backs Poco and Gamboa bombing on to give us some width, with either Samaras or Blanco coming on to give Berahino a crack more centrally with Ideye, what had we got to lose trying something different. Just my opinion, I'm not paid to manage the Albion - but Irvine is.

Alan Irvine will take us down, of that I now have no doubt, nice bloke he might be, premiership manager he ain't, he has shown no tactical awareness either before, during or after any game. He is out of his depth and if it's allowed to continue it is going to be painful and embarrassing to watch, if Everton had gone for the throat today could have been the start of that embarrassment. If we wait for 10 games we'll be lucky to have 4 or 5 points.

My advice to JP would be act now and try to protect your investment

[Thequietwatersby]

I have tonight officially pressed my panic button.

At 2.30 this afternoon I resisted the temptation to post a response to the line up, even though I was flabbergasted by the starting line up - Mulumbu out so we start the game without a defensive midfielder, Berahino still starts out wide, besides Gardner we start with the midfield trio of 4 or 5 years ago, no whiff of any width on the pitch or the bench and no sign of Lescott

I didn't post, deciding to wait and see how things turned out, 2 minutes into it the game was effectively over, we huffed and puffed up to half time, then halfheartedly huffed and puffed a bit more, creating nothing for another 20 minutes before Everton scored again, it was almost like putting a stricken animal out of its misery.

AI hasn't had a clue when or how to change things in 4 and a half games this season so what was the hope he'd do it at half time or 10 minutes into the second half of this one. Instead we wait till we're 2 down before doing anything, so we chase the game by taking off Ideye for Samaras, like for like position wise, and Brunt for Blanco - a creative midfield player - and sticks him out on the left wing!!. That was exceeded though 7 minutes later when he brought Gamboa on for our best player Poco, then swaps Wisdom over to the left and Gamboa takes Wisdoms position on the right.

WHAT WAS THE FOOKING POINT OF ANY OF THOSE SUBSTITIONS APART FROM PLAYING 2 PLAYERS OUT OF POSITION!!!!

We have a £10m striker in Ideye who's being made to look like a modern day Paul Williams (younger members, google him), we haven't given him any service since he's been here, he's not had a through ball to run on to or a cross put on his bonce (apart from one at Southampton). We have the soon to be record goalscorer for the U21's playing right wing when he's obviously a striker, Brunt playing left wing because he's the captain so has to play somewhere??.

Am I the only one who thought we might have gone 3 at the back with McAuley coming on, wing backs Poco and Gamboa bombing on to give us some width, with either Samaras or Blanco coming on to give Berahino a crack more centrally with Ideye, what had we got to lose trying something different. Just my opinion, I'm not paid to manage the Albion - but Irvine is.

Alan Irvine will take us down, of that I now have no doubt, nice bloke he might be, premiership manager he ain't, he has shown no tactical awareness either before, during or after any game. He is out of his depth and if it's allowed to continue it is going to be painful and embarrassing to watch, if Everton had gone for the throat today could have been the start of that embarrassment. If we wait for 10 games we'll be lucky to have 4 or 5 points.

My advice to JP would be act now and try to protect your investment  

A top quality post bomber! Hits the nail on the head.

---

I can't even watch Saturday games anymore due to work, I knew Irvine was going to be pants as soon as Brunt was announced as Captain AGAIN... He's never been a captain and never will be... And surprise surprise my suspicions have been confirmed.

Also, rumors of a bust up in the dressing room as well which resulted in Lescott, Myhill and Sess being sent home - REALLY sounds like the happy camp they made it out to be  

Where did you hear that mate  

I'm interested to hear that as well Joker. A bad performance and result is one thing, this would be something else, though.

---

Fair play to Fozzy though.

https://twitter.com/BenFoster/status/510846715726159873

It was a terrible mistake today and it takes balls to put a message like that out there to all the fans.

[Baggie_One]

Sadly I went, had a ticket to a box. Oh Lordy. I had a season ticket until last season, however with two little ones, money is tight. I said all week that AI would balls it up and low and behold when the shiny team sheet was given out I quickly downed my complimentary drink and went back for more ! All huff and no actual finish. Brunt is clueless, Morrison and dorrans tried, however players being played out if position will not help. Did anyone else see Morrison give the V,s to the halfords lane ? Time for a change, now before we run adrift