Back from the Game: West Bromwich Albion

[under the tin]

"Cliche mode on"
That was a game of two halves
"Cliche mode off"
We were the better side in the first, Albion were better in the second.
Thoroughly enjoyed the game against IMHO comfortably the best league opposition we have seen down here.
A fantastic advert for championship football, two teams going for the win.
Haven't enjoyed a game as much since the home game against Palace in the 106 season.
G'Arn URZ

[West_Reading]

What an entertaining game and yes, the lino in front of the east stand was that bad. I was in Y20, in line with all the decisions and nearly every one of them seemed on by at least a yard.

Fed - 9 - Excellent handling, distribution and key saves.
Griffin - 7- Thought he found Thomas tough to handly early on but came back well.
Mills - 9 (MOTM) - Won everything and composed on the ball.
Khiza - 9 - Like Mills, jus pipped to MOTM.
Bertrand 9 - Brilliant going forward and had their right winger on lock.
Kebe - 8 - Mattock couldn't handle him all day, just his end product was lacking.
Howard - 8 - Excellent on the ball, great vision on the counter.
Gylfi - 8 - Pops up again with the goal, great ball to Church for the 1 v 1.
Gunnar - 8 - Done exactly what it says on his tin. Would've taken him off for Karacan though earlier as thought his legs had gone.
Mcanuff - 9 - Thought he was a threat all day and more often that not picked the right ball.
Lonh - 8 - Played the lone striker role really well, Olsson was all over him for most of the game.

Subs -

Church - 6 - Really should have buried that chance.
Rasiak - No time to make an impact. I would have put HRK on.

Thought West Brom were only dangerous when they hit us on the counter when Barnes and Miller came on. For all their passing, they got no where as our workrate kept forcing them back.

[PlasticRoyale]

My gosh, i didn't realise they allowed so many of the working class into games. First game of the season...

[readingfc13]

"Cliche mode on"
That was a game of two halves
"Cliche mode off"
We were the better side in the first, Albion were better in the second.
Thoroughly enjoyed the game against IMHO comfortably the best league opposition we have seen down here.
A fantastic advert for championship football, two teams going for the win.
Haven't enjoyed a game as much since the home game against Palace in the 106 season.
G'Arn URZ

I disagree that Albion were the better team second half. Yes they had the majority of possession but they scored with their first real attempt of the second half and we created the best two chances and should have taken atleast one of them.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Good performance today, but should of come away with all three points. I thought generally every player put in a good shift today, with notable mentions to Mills and Bertrand.

Good voice from our fans, West Brom didn't bring much to the table. Bring on next Saturday.

D'Urso and the linesman on the East Stand side were terrible throughout.

[oldebiscuit]

The ref made a lot of mistakes and fortunately, the biggest one was a blatant Mills handball in the box.

[moo]

I'd have given everyone 8 or 9 personally - with exception of Church - who was a 6 maybe a 7. I remarked to Schards when he came on that I wouldn't have changed anything personally, but I don't know whether Long came off as he'd not been training due to birth of his baby or whatever. Long has changed so significantly for me - he's a much stronger player and holds the ball up well - I just hope he's not becoming the new "Leroy" and falling over on purpose, as it's just not worth it.

I thoroughly enjoyed that game and think everyone should be proud of their efforts, even the Reading fans!

Just heard on radio that Mr Angry managed to tell the referee assessors what they should be putting in their report! Good for him. I thought the standard of refereeing and the assistant refs was some of the poorest I've seen - and that's not sour grapes or anything - I'd have said the same if we'd won 7-0. A blatant foul throw from the hoardings and the number of times we were given offside and weren't, was laughable. However, Sig could have got a red card and Mills' looked like handball in the area - so West Brom are entitled to moan too!

Onwards and upwards.

URZZZZZZ

This explains the weight gain

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

surely the birth would mean weight loss???

[PEARCEY]

I thought WBA were good value for the draw. They were very dangerous in the first 15 when Andy Griffin really struggled. After that Griff improved and Mills and Kish at the back were outstanding. Kish really does have the knack of doing the right thing under pressure.
I know others have said how well Gunnar played but I would have preferred Karacan to have come on after 60 just to give us a bit more energy at a time when their midfield were on top. Howard was very busy in the first half but faded in the second and got narky with Church. West Brom passed the ball around superbly in the second-half.

We had three gilt edged chances. Siggy should have buried the header. I thought Church had scored and could not believe it going the wrong side of the post.
Jimmy was unlucky at the end when it looked like he had got around Carson. However I don't think Jimmy was that effective with his crosses going behind the strikers.
Jobi did some good things but made a schoolboy error running back into our own box with the ball...not clever.
Overall disappointed we didn't win but we matched a very good side. We have come a long way in a very short space of time.
Oh and watch out for Leicester...they have some very tough games coming up. The play-offs are still an outside bet.

[PEARCEY]

A special mention the worst foul throw decision you will ever see, Thomas vaulted the advertising hoardings whilst simultaneously taking the throw in - in mid air. From my limited knowledge of the rules you have to have both feet on the ground - he had none. They scored shortly afterwards that makes it particularly grate.

Indeed, but LOL at all those people saying we didn't win because of that decision. We didn't win because we didn't take our many chances.

Oh, and a very big LOL to the twat who texted BBCRB saying words to the effect that "Federici was outstanding but Church is rubbish." So, to recap, when we don't score it's because we're rubbish, but when they don't score it's because of the brilliance of our keeper. Yeah, right....

Presumably the same idiot who thought Church was rubbish felt the same when Churchy won the penalty against Leicester. Talk about fickle.
Dont agree with you about the last ditch fould though Dirk. We were fighting like mad to hold onto the lead. Other teams would do just the same...although Siggy should have seen red and the West Brom fans were right to be pissed off about it.

[No Hoops]

West Brom have conceeded 43 goals this season and you can see why.

We should have been 3 up before they scored.

WBA are a big lumbering side with some.....but not a lot of talent.

Carson won them the point.

Our boys were knackered at the end.

Attack, attack, attack. Is their mind set.

If we took our chances we would have won comfortably.

Dimateo almost shagged Carson when he came off the pitch at the end.

Great run of games lads you deserve the break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FiNeRaIn]

Church was poor, missed a chance that most of the fans could have scored and was offside more times than nicky forster.

He's usually much better than that but its very worrying how many sitters he misses. I said this on another thread a month ago and people got all defensive over him but it stands again, absolute guilt edge chance, horrible miss and it cost us two points. By far the worst of any of the misses we saw today. He got lucky with the bounce against WBA last time at home, wasn't that lucky today. Needs to work on his finishing big time.

[Handsome Man]

It was a really entertaining game with loads of chances and most of the better ones fell to use. Maybe we should have been a bit calmer at the end, and maybe it was a game for us to use all our substitutes a bit earlier - there were some tired legs out there - but so what. We were fantastic in parts and they certainly haven't got a player as good as Sigurdson in their side.

The ref was the worst I have seen, but he got the red card decision right - there were covering defenders.

[No Hoops]

Yes he missed a glorious chance.

But they dominated the second half on possesion. we should have killed them off before.

3 1 on 1's and missed them all. plus 1 off the line they had 3 shos on target the whole game.

[PEARCEY]

West Brom have conceeded 43 goals this season and you can see why.

We should have been 3 up before they scored.

WBA are a big lumbering side with some.....but not a lot of talent.

Carson won them the point.

Our boys were knackered at the end.

Attack, attack, attack. Is their mind set.

If we took our chances we would have won comfortably.

Dimateo almost shagged Carson when he came off the pitch at the end.



Great run of games lads you deserve the break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carson did do well but WBA are a good side and could have nicked it at the end.

[Terminal Boardom]

They played Reading, and they didnt lose.

I'd celebrate that to be fair.

+1

Loved the big time tossers on the coaches giving it the V signs and oxf*rd gestures as they left the ground

WBA, sorry, wba fans (they don't deserve capital letters), have to be the biggest bunch of no-neck, in-bred oxf*rd the world has had the misfortune to allow. In fact, Villa fans aside, all west mids supporters are a bunch of oxf*rd.

[PEARCEY]

Church was poor, missed a chance that most of the fans could have scored and was offside more times than nicky forster.

He's usually much better than that but its very worrying how many sitters he misses. I said this on another thread a month ago and people got all defensive over him but it stands again, absolute guilt edge chance, horrible miss and it cost us two points. By far the worst of any of the misses we saw today. He got lucky with the bounce against WBA last time at home, wasn't that lucky today. Needs to work on his finishing big time.

Why single out Church? Siggy's header was just as gilt-edged(gilt and not guilt btw) and Jimmy was also one on one with Carson at the end. Church should have scored but so should Siggy and Jimmy.

[Terminal Boardom]

That was one of the best games of football I have seen this season. It had pretty much everything. It is amazing how far we have come since we surrendered pathetically at the Hawthorns.

And lay off Church. He had only been on the pitch barely a minute before that chance fell to him. What do you expect? Wayne frigging Rooney?

[PEARCEY]

We would celebrate in similar circumstances. They got a late draw away from home against a team bang in form. A point gained for them and not two points lost.
It does show how far we have come. We are on the way back and are a match for any of the play-off contenders now. Its just a shame we are still having to play catch-up.

[No Hoops]

West Brom have conceeded 43 goals this season and you can see why.

We should have been 3 up before they scored.

WBA are a big lumbering side with some.....but not a lot of talent.

Carson won them the point.

Our boys were knackered at the end.

Attack, attack, attack. Is their mind set.

If we took our chances we would have won comfortably.

Dimateo almost shagged Carson when he came off the pitch at the end.



Great run of games lads you deserve the break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carson did do well but WBA are a good side and could have nicked it at the end.

"Nicked it at the end"

Nuff said.................."Nicked it"