West Brom

[toshes mate]

There is a risk involved if we do not replace Parker, and a risk involved if we do replace him.  As a Club we have been here before, many, many times under the Khan regime.  As strange as it may seem, both from statistical and real life viewpoints, not one of the coach replacement strategies has actually worked out really well.  When Symons was replaced by our most successful Khan era coach, Jokanovic, he was slightly less successful than his predecessor but managed us to survival.  That is probably where Symons would have finished too had his season been allowed to run through.  What is alarming supporters is their expectation versus reality mindsets because they foolishly run a team through their hearts when determining it is too good to be true rather than watch what actually happens on the pitch.

The game is about how teams perform and every team is eleven plus individual players working together for ninety minutes.  The problem for Parker is the same as every other coach has - how to get a team selection absolutely right every time a decision is made in order to produce three points.  Drawn games are marginally better than losses and are sometimes good results when they involve taking one point from a high placed side on their own patch, but, generically speaking, lost points at home are a no-no.

There is nothing wrong with possession based football until it consistently fails to produce desired outcomes and then you, as an observer, are looking to see how the coach changes things in subtle ways that deal with weaknesses and turn them into strengths.  Jokanovic was good at that.  Parker has a long way to go.  A.N. Other may be better or worse, but, under the Khans, most likely the latter.       

[colinwhite]

right ,the garbage we play saw us totally dominate them at the cottage where if we had taken our chances we would have won at a stroll. Only a mistake by our keeper gave them a point and Billic couldnt believe his luck !!

"We dominated them"...."If we had taken our chances" ..."one mistake cost us".......all sound like quotes from Parker.
Same old chat, no three points.

Maybe we all we need is a lucky manager !

No actually the same old chat is sack the manager as soon as things dont go quite according to plan .

[FFC1987]

Honestly, I can't believe the amount of apologists we're making for our team right now. When Stoke beat us, people were calling them 'undervalued in their league position so its a tough fixture' among other ludicrous assertions to inflate Stoke and claim it was just one bad day.

Now, people actually have the gall to say WestBrom are average, claim they didn't play well but managed to secure 3 points anyway....the sign of a top 2 team.

It really is baffling to me, the absolute mental gymnastics displayed to try and grasp at a few straws to suggest we're fine and on track for top 2 or that they 'don't mind the playoffs'......  Honestly, lost for words.

[Spirit of 2000]

Honestly, I can't believe the amount of apologists we're making for our team right now. When Stoke beat us, people were calling them 'undervalued in their league position so its a tough fixture' among other ludicrous assertions to inflate Stoke and claim it was just one bad day.

Now, people actually have the gall to say WestBrom are average, claim they didn't play well but managed to secure 3 points anyway....the sign of a top 2 team.

It really is baffling to me, the absolute mental gymnastics displayed to try and grasp at a few straws to suggest we're fine and on track for top 2 or that they 'don't mind the playoffs'......  Honestly, lost for words.

:plus one: 0001.jpeg

[KJS]

If you are all so impressed then go and Support WBA, we are not ready for promotion and until you all realize that fact you're going to have a very long season of Heart Ache!!!!!

[Spirit of 2000]

If you are all so impressed then go and Support WBA, we are not ready for promotion and until you all realize that fact you're going to have a very long season of Heart Ache!!!!!

We aren't ready for promotion? We have amongst the best 3 squads in the division, the highest wage bill, by far & away the best striker and if you haven't noticed this division is average at best with Preston topping the table before last night. Next season we'll be much less ready for promotion as Mitrovic will be gone along with a number of others, ffp will be tighter as parachute payments fall and we'll rely on selling Mitro to rebuild. Were Sheff Utd supposed by be "Ready for promotion"? They're 8th in the Premier currently. As for supporting anyone else - no ta, I've supported our mob over 40 years but would like a manager fit for purpose and who will get the best from the players we have - and that for me isn't Parker.

[FFC1987]

If you are all so impressed then go and Support WBA, we are not ready for promotion and until you all realize that fact you're going to have a very long season of Heart Ache!!!!!

I mean, I'm not 'so impressed' that a top 2 side managed to beat Stoke.....but yeh, tell people to support another club, that makes sense. Jerk.

[FFC1987]

If you are all so impressed then go and Support WBA, we are not ready for promotion and until you all realize that fact you're going to have a very long season of Heart Ache!!!!!

We aren't ready for promotion? We have amongst the best 3 squads in the division, the highest wage bill, by far & away the best striker and if you haven't noticed this division is average at best with Preston topping the table before last night. Next season we'll be much less ready for promotion as Mitrovic will be gone along with a number of others, ffp will be tighter as parachute payments fall and we'll rely on selling Mitro to rebuild. Were Sheff Utd supposed by be "Ready for promotion"? They're 8th in the Premier currently. As for supporting anyone else - no ta, I've supported our mob over 40 years but would like a manager fit for purpose and who will get the best from the players we have - and that for me isn't Parker.

Yep, the amount of posters completely lacking perspective on this issue ie what we'll look like next season and how much trouble we could be in with FFP is staggering. At the end of the day, whether people love him or not, the buck isn't really with Parker. Its with the people who gambled on a manager with no experience, and gave him one of the toughest objectives in football at the moment. With the huge wage bill, the cost of the squad, and solid investment, it means failure is a sacking. Parker knew this upon signing his contract so it is what it is really.

[Jim©]

It really is baffling to me, the absolute mental gymnastics displayed to try and grasp at a few straws to suggest we're fine and on track for top 2 or that they 'don't mind the playoffs'......  Honestly, lost for words.

It's not mental gymnastics, it depends on someones outlook. I'm a pretty cheery, trusting and positive individual. I've seen enough to warrant Parker staying in situ and really do not want to go through the whole PITA of finding a new manager.
I do get that others' outlooks are not as cheery as mine and view the world through less positive eyes hence the sheer disaster (according to them) that they think is currently unfolding.

[FFC1987]

It really is baffling to me, the absolute mental gymnastics displayed to try and grasp at a few straws to suggest we're fine and on track for top 2 or that they 'don't mind the playoffs'......  Honestly, lost for words.

It's not mental gymnastics, it depends on someones outlook. I'm a pretty cheery, trusting and positive individual. I've seen enough to warrant Parker staying in situ and really do not want to go through the whole PITA of finding a new manager.
I do get that others' outlooks are not as cheery as mine and view the world through less positive eyes hence the sheer disaster (according to them) that they think is currently unfolding.

The irony Jim, is, i'm mostly cheery, trusting and positive, but I'm just not going to polish a turd for the sake of it. If the expectation wasn't top 2, i'd be absolutely fine with current conditions to be honest.

[colinwhite]

Calling people apologists etc is hardly strengthening the case to sack our manager. We played very poorly against Hull and have had a few difficult results but we are still very much in contention and your crystal ball arguments are not exactly adding much to the discussion. the same people stating that we have one of the best squads in the championship,also keep going on about the table  doesnt tell lies. We are 5 points off second place and  at our lowest point of the season , sometimes that can be a catalyst to turn things around. Lets see if Parker can do that.

For the record Im not sure that I would have appointed Parker. He is our manager however and at times we played very well this season. We have been guilty of leaking silly goals and not taking our chances in front of goal. Anyone who has been involved in football knows that these two things often go hand in hand. It can also turn around very quickly.  Having had 3 managers last season the last thing we need is a change of manager to rock the boat again.  If that means missing out on automatic promotion then so be it. 7 points is catchable and we are still very much in the race for a play-of place. I agree we need to start winning matches and Im predicting we get three points on saturday,not because our players are superior to all the other teams in the league but because I think the whole squad and staff will be hurting and will come together.

[FFC1987]

Calling people apologists etc is hardly strengthening the case to sack our manager. We played very poorly against Hull and have had a few difficult results but we are still very much in contention and your crystal ball arguments are not exactly adding much to the discussion. the same people stating that we have one of the best squads in the championship,also keep going on about the table  doesnt tell lies. We are 5 points off second place and  at our lowest point of the season , sometimes that can be a catalyst to turn things around. Lets see if Parker can do that.

For the record Im not sure that I would have appointed Parker. He is our manager however and at times we played very well this season. We have been guilty of leaking silly goals and not taking our chances in front of goal. Anyone who has been involved in football knows that these two things often go hand in hand. It can also turn around very quickly.  Having had 3 managers last season the last thing we need is a change of manager to rock the boat again.  If that means missing out on automatic promotion then so be it. 7 points is catchable and we are still very much in the race for a play-of place. I agree we need to start winning matches and Im predicting we get three points on saturday,not because our players are superior to all the other teams in the league but because I think the whole squad and staff will be hurting and will come together.

After we laid out the main reason the table is even worse is because of the actual teams we've played, the lead has increased so we have harder fixtures to come and we're supposed to recoup those points from harder fixtures? I'm not going to back track and calling at least one of the above an apologist when he literally claimed people aren't supporters.....that's not even an argument, just ad hominem.  I'm all for positive outlooks and giving people time etc. but again, I won't be polishing this turd. It's still all to play for but its an objective fact, we aren't performing well, we're dropping points and look in decline.

[Spirit of 2000]

It really is baffling to me, the absolute mental gymnastics displayed to try and grasp at a few straws to suggest we're fine and on track for top 2 or that they 'don't mind the playoffs'......  Honestly, lost for words.

It's not mental gymnastics, it depends on someones outlook. I'm a pretty cheery, trusting and positive individual. I've seen enough to warrant Parker staying in situ and really do not want to go through the whole PITA of finding a new manager.
I do get that others' outlooks are not as cheery as mine and view the world through less positive eyes hence the sheer disaster (according to them) that they think is currently unfolding.

The irony Jim, is, i'm mostly cheery, trusting and positive, but I'm just not going to polish a turd for the sake of it. If the expectation wasn't top 2, i'd be absolutely fine with current conditions to be honest.

Recognising how our season is going, seeing how others have now worked out Parkers tactics and how to beat us, seeing how SP isn't playing to our best players strengths, plays a turgid predictable passive slow style & isn't up to the task he's been given isn't anything to do with "Cheery" - it's called being realistic & we'll be in much poorer shape to "go again" (minus Mitro & others) next season.

[hovewhite]

West brom under there coach are going up ,from what I've seen will deserve to go up,then Fulham will af to be in the mix for play offs at least or whoever is in charge end of season will be out of work .

[toshes mate]

It's called being realistic & we'll be in much poorer shape to "go again" (minus Mitro & others) next season.

My crystal ball has been a bit murky since Jokanovic was sacked, and I believe it is still in shock just like me.  However, I am totally convinced a lot of things will happen between now and May next year that will confound us all, and that the final table will not lie one little bit.  I like to be confident about the future like everybody else and right now I am glad not to be Shahid or Tony Khan because once again they will be damned if they do and damned if they don't.  It's out of my control and my crystal ball seems happy to agree with that.   

[Luka]

right ,the garbage we play saw us totally dominate them at the cottage where if we had taken our chances we would have won at a stroll. Only a mistake by our keeper gave them a point and Billic couldnt believe his luck !!

"We dominated them"...."If we had taken our chances" ..."one mistake cost us".......all sound like quotes from Parker.
Same old chat, no three points.

Maybe we all we need is a lucky manager !

No actually the same old chat is sack the manager as soon as things dont go quite according to plan .

I tend to forget about who is better than what team or with this manager or that squad.
Bottom line for me is that our style of turgid, slow as you like, always passing back, non incisive under whelming possesion based football is becoming increasingly dull to watch and non productive.
For me this is the most bland uninspiring season I've attended in over 20 years.
Parker in or out, in the PL or the Championship, what I want is to be entertained.

[Spirit of 2000]

right ,the garbage we play saw us totally dominate them at the cottage where if we had taken our chances we would have won at a stroll. Only a mistake by our keeper gave them a point and Billic couldnt believe his luck !!

"We dominated them"...."If we had taken our chances" ..."one mistake cost us".......all sound like quotes from Parker.
Same old chat, no three points.

Maybe we all we need is a lucky manager !

No actually the same old chat is sack the manager as soon as things dont go quite according to plan .

I tend to forget about who is better than what team or with this manager or that squad.
Bottom line for me is that our style of turgid, slow as you like, always passing back, non incisive under whelming possesion based football is becoming increasingly dull to watch and non productive.
For me this is the most bland uninspiring season I've attended in over 20 years.
Parker in or out, in the PL or the Championship, what I want is to be entertained.

Precisely - it's why I equate Parker'esque as being Ray Wilkins meets Paul Bracewell style. With all due respect to both (and RIP Ray Wilkins who was a lovely fella by many people's accounts) - I really struggled watching us under both of those managers, both had decent sides in context of the divisions we were in & both were succeeded by more dynamic managers (Keegan & Tigana) who went on to destroy those respective divisions the season afterwards with open attacking, flowing entertaining, fast paced football that was a joy to behold. If anyone wishes to use Man city or Barcelona as a model of total possession - the pace, tempo, especially transition in the final third is dynamic & quick, difficult for any side to counter unlike the pedestrian & predictable stuff under Parker, Wilkins & Bracewell. Slav liked total possession but the tempo was there. I do not recall any side getting promoted from the championship playing in the manner Parker is attempting to get us to ... and apart from the lack of any precedent of success, it's absolutely dire to watch as a spectator.

[colinwhite]

right ,the garbage we play saw us totally dominate them at the cottage where if we had taken our chances we would have won at a stroll. Only a mistake by our keeper gave them a point and Billic couldnt believe his luck !!


Luka fair enough. 

"We dominated them"...."If we had taken our chances" ..."one mistake cost us".......all sound like quotes from Parker.
Same old chat, no three points.

Maybe we all we need is a lucky manager !

No actually the same old chat is sack the manager as soon as things dont go quite according to plan .

I tend to forget about who is better than what team or with this manager or that squad.
Bottom line for me is that our style of turgid, slow as you like, always passing back, non incisive under whelming possesion based football is becoming increasingly dull to watch and non productive.
For me this is the most bland uninspiring season I've attended in over 20 years.
Parker in or out, in the PL or the Championship, what I want is to be entertained.

[ScalleysDad]

Oh for goodness sake. The last two games for West Brom were a draw, indeed a fightback, against Barnsley and a point against the upstarts at Charlton. Bilic Out did'nt happen.
Some people seem to simply not like Parker. Get over it or come up with a name, a plan, a squad a conquering style of play and a Plan B. That would be some debate.

[Spirit of 2000]

Oh for goodness sake. The last two games for West Brom were a draw, indeed a fightback, against Barnsley and a point against the upstarts at Charlton. Bilic Out did'nt happen.
Some people seem to simply not like Parker. Get over it or come up with a name, a plan, a squad a conquering style of play and a Plan B. That would be some debate.

So double the points we got against those 2 then!  :005: