Posts: 4,339
Threads: 455
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation:
23
Two threads to do this week, so this one's short and sweet.
Following another tough game in which we got out of jail free, it seems any ideas we may have had about cruising comfortably to safety this season can be shelved. It'll be a struggle all the way, and every point will have to be fought for. The good news is that we showed some of that fighting spirit in the second half at Burnley, when rolling over and accepting defeat could have been a temptation, but even so, another opportunity to grab a much-needed win and drag ourselves out of trouble has gone begging.
Our fixture list for the remainder of the season is concerning. Aside from the QPR and Leicester games in April, our home matches are all against teams in the top half of the table, beginning with Swansea this week. We're still struggling to break sides down, and Pulis's tinkering with the defence - while obviously designed to maximise our threat from set-pieces - is leaving us very flimsy and prone to conceding. With Victor Anichebe ostensibly suffering from another bout of housemaid's knee, we're looking to Saido and a hopefully-rejuvenated Brown Ideye to lead the way in scoring. Expect a lot more high balls and set-pieces in the months to come. It won't be pretty, and it won't always be effective either, but it's just about the only path left open to us.
Swansea are adapting to life without Wilfried Bony and missing Sigurdsson through suspension, but if TP insists on playing centre-halves at full-back again on Wednesday, their wide men could have a field day. It's vital we field a team which can contain them, and look at snatching a goal by any means necessary. Another point would be welcome; a win would be a serious boost at a time we really need one.
Over to you, Tony. Time to swap the baseball cap for your thinking cap.
"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
Posts: 860
Threads: 5
Joined: Nov 2014
Reputation:
2
Excellent thread opener Ska'd 
Really not sure what to make of this one.
Poor record against Swansea in general of recent years and we haven't put in many great performances.
We're getting results and we're at home.
With Bony gone and Siggy out we should be able to get something from this game.
Hopefully sort out the full backs but the midfield won't/can't be changed drastically and Ideye may have earned a start up front.
I expect a couple of changes and another point without much of a performance, I've got a feeling Swansea won't really be at the races either.
Posts: 917
Threads: 10
Joined: Oct 2014
Reputation:
5
08-02-2015, 23:23
(This post was last modified: 08-02-2015, 23:24 by aries22.)
This is going to be another very tough ask just to stop Swansea from scoring, Bony or no Bony, let alone actually beat them. If Burnley can score two against us, all our forthcoming opponents will be confident they can score at least one against us.
Posts: 4,339
Threads: 455
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation:
23
Under Hodgson and Clarke, Swansea always excelled at passing their way through our rigid and static midfield, opening up space by switching flanks and terrorising our full-backs with pace on the wings. There's every chance they can do the same against us with Pulis at the helm, because we still have the same problems. However, I'm clinging to the hope that when we tried to do that sort of thing against TP's Stoke teams, they just anti-footballed us to death and snatched a lucky winner.
It'd be absolute toss to watch, but if we could do the same this Wednesday, I'd take it all day long.
"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
Posts: 512
Threads: 1
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation:
3
Really worried about this one, the Swans normally murder us on possession so this could be hard to watch.
TP needs to get Poco in at left back and again we will have to keep it tight at the back.
It's gonna be a long hard struggle but it's a winnable game.
Posts: 61
Threads: 2
Joined: Nov 2014
Reputation:
1
Foster
Baird Lescott Olsson Pocognoli
Fletcher Yacob Morrisob
Sessegnon Berahino Ideye
Posts: 1,048
Threads: 20
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation:
2
I fancy us for this one. I was so pleased to see Ideye score against Burnley and his reaction said a lot. I actually think this will give hima massive boost and I predict he'll score a couple on Wednesday night (Given the chance). He is looking angry and strong and his pressure on the Burnley defender nearly got us a winner from Berahino albeit a great save from their keeper and then hitting the defender on the line.
Lescott needs to be moved back into the centre theres no doubt he is wasted at LB..Poco to come back in for me and Baird to drop out. GMAc and Yacob had 'mares' and need to be looked at. When Is Mulumbu back?
Foster
Wisdom, Dawson, Lescott, Pocognoli
McManaman Fletcher Mulumbu Sessegnon
Berahino Ideye
I would def have him start along side Saido.
Latecomer likes this post
BLACK COUNTRY BY BIRTH, ALBION BY THE GRACE OF GOD AND MY OLD MAN
You go in the cage? cage goes in the water, sharks in the water....Our Shark 
Ultrinque Paratus
Posts: 1,176
Threads: 91
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation:
2
I can't understand why TP continues to use CB's at full back.
What has Poco done or not done that causes him to be overlooked game after game.
Is he too slow, too attack minded or just reckless in the challenge?
In my very limited time as an amateur full back I was once obliged through injury to a team mate to play at CB.
It was a nightmare for me; a totally different set of skills needed.
TP mustn't cause Lescott to become disillusioned as IMO he is a vital cog in our defence.
On a different note for those supporters able to get to matches; what's the first impressions on Darren and MacMan.
Did they add to the mix or is it too early to say?
Some days I'm top dog, most days I'm just the lamp post.
Posts: 2,897
Threads: 86
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation:
7
(09-02-2015, 13:00)silverbaggie Wrote: I can't understand why TP continues to use CB's at full back.
What has Poco done or not done that causes him to be overlooked game after game.
Is he too slow, too attack minded or just reckless in the challenge?
In my very limited time as an amateur full back I was once obliged through injury to a team mate to play at CB.
It was a nightmare for me; a totally different set of skills needed.
TP mustn't cause Lescott to become disillusioned as IMO he is a vital cog in our defence.
On a different note for those supporters able to get to matches; what's the first impressions on Darren and MacMan.
Did they add to the mix or is it too early to say?
With you 10000% silver.
Playing CBs & MFers at FB is making our defence SHITE, not giving us anything in the overlap dept going forward, AND has the HUGE potential of destroying the confidence of those players played out of position.
I said this in the Burnley match thread - what have Gamboa and Poco done to make them unpickable?? THIS is actually frustrating me more than anything under AI - it's blindingly obvious!
TP was talking about us having 'an unbalanced squad', I believe, coming up to Deadline Day, then he picks players out of position who just CAN'T do as good a job there than the 'specialist' ones he overlooks! 
Didn't go but IMO Fletch didn't massively impose himself on the game but was very steady - think he'll do well. Mac is obviously a little away from 100% match fitness but wants the ball, wants to take players on and again, IMO, will do very well for us.
I think Ideye will now come good too - good 45 mins yesterday with plenty of effort which will endear him to the fans and put even more spring into his step. 
(Unless of course Big Vic is fit.  How about a new career for HIM as a LB?)
Swansea are one of those mid table teams with little to play for even now.......cold, midweek night in The Midlands...... if we friggin well pick 2 fullbacks in their correct positions I think we could well win this
Posts: 155
Threads: 2
Joined: Feb 2015
Reputation:
1
Regarding out new signings, McManaman doesn't look match fit but during a poor first half yesterday, looked like the player who could possibly create something.
Fletcher could be a huge player for us in the run in. I don't know if anyone noticed yesterday but after we equalised and the celebrations going on, he went round 4 or 5 players and had a word before play restarted, I take it letting them know what was expected and not to relax now back in the game. What a captain should be doing.
As for the full backs issue, I expect Wisdom to be in at right back v Swansea. He may not be everyone's flavour of the month but he offers more going forward in open play than Dawson.
It's a home game and we MUST be more offensive. As for Poco, I'm not convinced by him but again, if we are going to concede, why not play a left back who is going to offer a lot more than a player playing out of position and not getting forward.
Not seen enough of Gamboa so reserve judgement on him.
|
