Why Roy Took The WBA Job

[White Noise]

http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/more-drivel/


More drivel


Filed under: General — rich @ 3:33 pm


While we peer out onto the dark and deserted ice-rink that is a post-elimination FA Cup weekend , here is a something about West Bromwich Albion and why Roy Hodgson probably felt comfortable taking the job.

The official 25 man squad is below.  What's interesting is the number of players who have been linked to Fulham which, when you factor in the players we already have from there (Gera, Greening, Kamara), does make you think.  About what I'm not sure.  The squad:

Giles Barnes (HG)  – Hodgson brought him to Fulham on loan but didn't use him.  Doesn't seem to have been in West Brom's squads since Hodgson arrived.  Remember the MOTD2 clip of him eating a sandwich at Man City?
Roman Bednar (on loan at MKE Ankaragucu)  – strikes me as a Hodgson type player, but MKE Ankaragucu can't be nearby
Chris Brunt (HG)  – the one that got away in Lawrie Sanchez's NI land grab (him and Kyle Lafferty).  We got Hameur Bouazza instead, and all that this entailed
Scott Carson (HG)  – should do well under Kelly, I assume (is Kelly there?)
Marek Cech
Simon Cox (HG)  – not really linked to Fulham, but often cropped up on TiFF as a "one to watch"; predictable results now he's not playing in League 1 (The Earnshaw Effect).  Worth having if they do go down though
Graham Dorrans  – excellent player
Marc-Antoine Fortuné  – I'm sure we nearly bought him at one point but the player said no and went somewhere else.  So another good thing for Roy
Pablo Ibanez
Gonzalo Jara
Dean Kiely (HG)  – strange that he and Paddy Kenny are still kicking around.  I confused both with one-another, and here they both are, still there or thereabouts
Abdoulaye Meite
Ishmael Miller (HG) (on loan at QPR)  – one of my favourite footballer names.  "Ishmael Miller".  Yes
James Morrison (HG)  – the lizard king; can he do anything?
Youssouf Mulumbu
Boaz Myhill (HG)
Peter Odemwingie
Jonas Olsson
Steven Reid (HG)  – I feel sure he must have been a Fulham target at some point.  That sort of player
Paul Scharner  -  long term transfer target in Hodgson's time. Disturbing hair, as if to say "I'm a bit mad, me"
Nicky Shorey (HG)  -  played for Hodgson when Konch was injured
Gabriel Tamas
Somen Tchoyi
Jerome Thomas (HG)  -  often rumoured to be a transfer target, I think during Hodgson's early days
Gianni Zuiverloon  – everything that Ishmael Miller is not

(also Carlos Vela, another player who was linked to Fulham in a loan deal)

If Liverpool was the wrong job, WBA must be the right one.  A decent group of mid-tier players who can't defend and need organising.  Perfect.  They'll be the new Fulham before we know it.  Get your money on those 0-0 away games (but give him a few months to calm everyone down: I've already been bitten by this one, going for a sure-fire 0-0 in last week's Birmingham v WBA game, which then finished 3-1 to the away team of all things).

[Snibbo]

The thing is, does Roy know the difference between a job that suits him, and one that doesn't? :dft012:

[TonyGilroy]

I'm looking forward to seeing how this pans out.

West Brom have a tough run in. I think they'll do well to get 41 points and I doubt that would be enough so I expect them to go down notwithstanding an obvious improvement under Hodgson.

What fascinates me is whether his safety first, avoid conceding at all costs, everyone behind the ball and in their assigned positions approach would garner enough points for a successful promotion attempt next season.

Had Paul Bracewell taken over from Tigana in the Premier League might he not have made a good managerial career out of making a team hard to beat and a virtually guaranteed 40 to 45 points a season.

No good for promotion of course where the need to win gives a greater risk of defeat.

[HatterDon]

TG, you really don't think that 41 points will be enough to see a team to survival?

[TonyGilroy]

Nerd that I am I've looked at the remaining fixtures.

I think Wigan will do well to get 37 and West Brom and Blackburn 41. All the others should get more.

So I reckon West Brom will need more than 41 to stay up but probably won't get that many.

No team deserves relegation this season.

[Lighthouse]

I think 38 points will be the cut off point. It will be very interesting to see what the bottom three can achieve in points total.

[TonyGilroy]

I think 38 points will be the cut off point. It will be very interesting to see what the bottom three can achieve in points total.

I think all but 3 teams will exceed 38. It's only if West Brom or Blackburn do really well that the cut off point will rise IMO.

[Burt]

40 points should be sufficient, but only just...

Its as tight as a gnats chuff, and that is what is making for a squeaky-bum run in to the end.

Nobody has been completely left behind yet.

Anyone can, and has, beaten anyone.

And 7th to 18th place is only separated by 10 points.

I am just thankful our goal difference is relatively healthy compared to the teams below us, that is worth another point straight away.