15-10-2014, 20:22
Fun ride, this Premier League. Most Albion fans have enjoyed a stress-free October after our week of wins to close September and the best performance we've delivered in years at Anfield sadly failing to deliver the reward it deserved. And yet, the alarming fact is that all it will take is a Newcastle or Burnley win on Saturday - both possible - and we'll be looking over our shoulder again by Monday night. If we then fail to get anything from this, the pressure will be right back on for our next stretch of winnable fixtures.
A timely reminder that in this division, there's no such thing as a write-off...
![[Image: Louis_van_Gaal_Adolf_Hitlerjpg.jpg]](http://s7.postimg.org/68jngohe3/Louis_van_Gaal_Adolf_Hitlerjpg.jpg)
Manchester United at the moment have that feel of a second-hand car from a dodgy dealership; the flash front end with its souped-up engine attracts plenty of attention, but in spite of the best of paint jobs, they can't quite disguise the fact that it's welded to a back end with no wheels and an exhaust made out of bog roll tubes. They can score goals from nowhere, and they've proved it. But more than a few teams who've put pressure on that back line so far this season have seen it collapse, and Albion have to be prepared to take advantage of that.
Irvine will presumably set up to try and frustrate United and prevent them scoring, and there's nothing inherently wrong with that approach, but we'll need a plan B if they do make a breakthrough. With Saido in red-hot form, hopefully we'll make the effort to try and take the game to United if we fall behind.
No sane person demands victory against Manchester United, no matter how weak or unsettled they may be, but circumstances dictate that we need to take this match seriously and try to nick whatever we can. The really crucial matches for us will be in the weeks ahead, but something from this one would be a real bonus.
A timely reminder that in this division, there's no such thing as a write-off...
Louis Van Gaal strenuously denies rumours that he'll be instilling discipline at Old Trafford by adopting a tougher image.
Manchester United at the moment have that feel of a second-hand car from a dodgy dealership; the flash front end with its souped-up engine attracts plenty of attention, but in spite of the best of paint jobs, they can't quite disguise the fact that it's welded to a back end with no wheels and an exhaust made out of bog roll tubes. They can score goals from nowhere, and they've proved it. But more than a few teams who've put pressure on that back line so far this season have seen it collapse, and Albion have to be prepared to take advantage of that.
Irvine will presumably set up to try and frustrate United and prevent them scoring, and there's nothing inherently wrong with that approach, but we'll need a plan B if they do make a breakthrough. With Saido in red-hot form, hopefully we'll make the effort to try and take the game to United if we fall behind.
No sane person demands victory against Manchester United, no matter how weak or unsettled they may be, but circumstances dictate that we need to take this match seriously and try to nick whatever we can. The really crucial matches for us will be in the weeks ahead, but something from this one would be a real bonus.
Classic Match
West Bromwich Albion 4-0 Manchester United
Football League First Division: 16th October 1976
Oh, how they hated visiting the Hawthorns in those days. It's a long time ago, but we can dream.
"I would rather spend a holiday in Tuscany than in the Black Country, but if I were compelled to choose between living in West Bromwich or Florence, I should make straight for West Bromwich." - J.B. Priestley
![[Image: 1348664730___West_Brom_-_Banner.png]](http://www.footballaid.com/uploads/teams/1348664730___West_Brom_-_Banner.png)
