We have come to the stage of the season where results are more important than the quality of performance, writes Albion blogger Jarrod Hill.
Saturday was the perfect example, we were edgy and nowhere near as fluid as we have been, and in all honesty we have played better this season and lost.
What was most satisfying was the desire the team showed to take all three points, I have been saying for a while now that the key to us winning at home has been to score first.
The longer the game stays 0-0 the opposition have something to hang on to, but when they score first they drop even deeper and too often we have found it difficult to break down a team defending from the 18 yard box.
Although it was sad to see Texeira go off with what looked a serious injury, it proved to be a turning point in the game.
The introduction of Gera on the right hand side of midfield was the catalyst to go on and win the game; I have stated on numerous occasions I believe Gera and Brunt are our two best wide players and both performed well Saturday.
At this stage of the season results are far more important than the performance, we have had plenty of plaudits this season from opposing managers, players and fans but I would happily swap them now for points.
With Stoke losing to QPR on Sunday, the opportunity to take second spot is now in our own hands, every game is now huge and it is up to the players to rise to the pressure and push on.
Top spot has changed hands so many times this season it has almost become too hot to handle and we will now see how well the amazing Bristol City do with the pressure.
We now face a very interesting week, with Sheffield Wednesday away tonight followed by our quarter final game against Bristol Rovers on Sunday.
Wednesday are fighting for survival at the bottom of the league and with anybody beating anybody in this division it will be another test of our promotion credentials.
With the league being so tight I find it hard to decide which of the two games is the more important, I realise the opportunity of a trip to Wembley beckons for the winner of the cup game, but three points tonight would set us up for a real run at top spot.
A win in both would be nice, but many fans fear the distraction of a semi-final game would derail our push for promotion, personally I do not see why we cannot achieve both.
Mowbray has a big squad full of quality players at his disposal, and could in theory play two different teams and just to prove the point I have named them!!
Kiely, Robinson, Barnett, Albrechsten, Hoefkens, Greening, Koren, Brunt, Gera, Bednar, Phillips.
Danek, Hodgkiss, Cesar, Pele, Tininho, Morrison, Kim, Texeira, Worrall, Miller, Moore.
Players still not named are, Martis, Slusarski, Beattie and the players out on loan.
When you see it on paper it shows the quality in depth we have, and although I appreciate Mowbray would not play two completely different teams it does highlight the players we have at our disposal.
Come on you Baggies.
Albion fans have your say below
27 Comments
both them teams would beat the dingles no probs,,,goals everywhere weem lovin it,,,DOING THE DOUBLE THE MOWBRAY WAY,,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,,OH YES
As Jared says,against Plymouth,The Albion were particularly ineffective and edgey before Teixeira’s injury. Gera tranformed our approach to the game.He stays wide. Brunt,on the other hand,is particularly left footed but keeps wandering inside and didn’t have a good game. He would be better if he stayed wide. We must win tonight in order to keep the pressure on the teams above us.
We have to keep it a little tighter at the back because our strikers have the class to nicka win.I thought we defended the multitude of corners well on saturday. If we carry on like that we have a good chance.The pressure will tell on Stoke and Watford but I think Bristol cant believe where they are and might just play without fear. Although I agree about Brunt and Texiera, TM will still rotate his squad to keep everyone fresh.We shouldn’t forget that Morrisson and Texiera can both be match winners and Kim looks a classy little player too!Although TM says we will now cocentrate more on winning than entertaining, I cant see him abandoning all of his principles.
from a neutral point of view, wolves are much bigger than the baggies. their ground is much better, their fans are on a par with any of the top premier clubs ( but below us ha ha ). their history boasts more trophies especially in europe. around london wolves are well known and respected. there are several large london wolves supporters clubs. i dare say albion have but i ain’t heard of them.
but on a footballing level the albion are certainly better at the moment.
so there you go!!
At the end of the day I dont care how we get the 3 points as long as we get them,yes its great to see us playing passing/pretty football and I for one like to see us oplaying like that,but if we play scrappy and only have good patches in a game and still win,thats all that matters.
West ham united…..just remember size isn’t everything!!
What I find strange is why anyone from WHU would wander onto this site and post anything at all. Probably a sheep in wolfs clothing trying to reignite the oft disputed point on my Dads bigger than your Dad.
On the point of the blog, we will have to just settle for winning ugly, just so long as we win. Now that injuries and suspensions are starting to bite we should have the strength in depth to push on. Yet we all know our beloved WBA will make it interesting between now and the season end.
Whos got any nails left!!! ‘cos they sure wont last long now.
Lovin it all the same
Boing Boing!!
I love seeing us play passing/pretty football,but if its a scrappy game and we only play well for small periods of time,who cares as long as we get the 3 points thats all that matters at this moment in time…
For me our 2 central midfielders seem to have lost that extra bit of drive over the last few games.
Once Koren and Greening get back to their best again I have no concerns
I suppose where you sit may influence one’s judgement, but early on Brunt was brilliant (East stand side) and and for me had an excellent game. He’d be one of the first names on my team sheet every match. Gear owed us one after the mixed performance against Hull and paid it off in full with as good a performance as we have had from him. Barnett was my M.of M., never put a foot (or head) wrong and SO brave with super backup from Alby. It wasn’t as pretty as usual sadly, but still interesting and should do wonders for confidence.
I’m slightly bored of saying it now (I’ve been saying it since October!) but Gera and Brunt have to start for me - yes they will both make mistakes and Brunt may drift in and out of games a little but the combination of the two with delivery and aerial ability is too potent a weapon not to take advantage on a regular basis.
I agree with you Jarrod that tonight is massive and a win tonight is a must to start us on this run we so desperately need. I do also stress that a win on Sunday is as vital though. Winning tonight and losing on Sunday will be a massive psychological blow to the players as they will be desperate to play at Wembley (who wouldn’t?!). Therefore, in my eyes both are must win games. However, one game at a time…………3pts tonight please gents
4. Must admit I did enjoy Lampard’s goal on Saturday!
Number 4 WHU.
So you are a neutral you say ?
Then pray tell, why are you on the Wolves site
saying WE & US referring to Wolves….it`s pathetic.
However i will engage you with some facts,
something you are clearly devoid of.
Err…..when did Wolves win a trophy in Europe ?
All this “bigger and better” is so tedious, but here goes for the umpteenth time.
The population of Wolverhampton is double that of West Bromwich, and a catchment area of around 10 times more,
so yes you have a larger fan base…………
so it`s very poor, that your average is only
1500ish more than ours.
Much better ground…..How Why ?
Ah…more trophies, yes 2
winning third and fourth division titles and
Sherpa cups is not success, you have had to be an almighty failure to win these in the first place.
Oh and finally,
the much bigger club have just signed Kevin Kyle whilst your inferior neighbours have signed Luke Moore.
Sorry Jarrod, nothing to do with the blog,
but the dingle purporting to be WHU needed answering.
I am seriously thinking of becoming a tesco.
They have been playing better than us, and have been doing so much netter than we have for some time and I’m fed up with having nothing to shoul about. Still in the cup and heading for promotion where as we will be lucky to finish above mid table.
To be honest i cant stop looking at the table and the fixture list, i think Bristol City have the toughest run in, and Stoke the easiest, but it never works out that way does it??
I think it will go to the last day of the season, loftus road and us all biting our collective nails.
As for the West Ham fan, how on earth did you wind up on here, are you dyslexic, and was trying to type West Ham??
Thank you for your thoughts on Midlands football, my memory of West Ham is when we came from 3-0 down to win 3-4 at your place!! And from your comments i take it you have never been to the Albion pub in London, something does not add up about you, Wolf in chav clothing indeed!! Sorry i mean sheeps clothing obviously!!
Does anyone else think its funny that a West ham fan comments on which team is the biggest in the midlands / black country…. but then living in the shadow of Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea he probably has a chronic inferiority complex.
I bet he is always on the Leyton orient web sites giving it large.
Bomber & Happy
Check out Nathans blog on the dark side, all will
be revealed regarding WHU`S true allegiance.
2.- Are you sure you were watching the Plymouth game???? ‘Brunt didn’t have a good game’ - I thouught that Brunt had an outstanding game and was arguably our best player (alongside Gera and Barnett). I know that the majority of the people sitting around me in the Smethwick also agreed!
west ham united said: Mar 4th, 2008 at 11:51 am simple!! adebola ain’t irish or ex sunderland. and as fot the “nuggets” who go online, are the same nuggets who buy season tickets and stand on the terraces. sorry but this is bang out of order, and moxey should make mcarthy appologise for slagging of the supporters like that. mcarthy is struggling to keep the fans on side as it is, remarks likethat will alienate him completely.
i was going to support him tonight, but now i’m gonna let him know what a nugget he is.
disgusting, so to my southbank friends let him have it tonight.
Thats west hams comment on the dingle page. Whats the point mate we are all having a good laugh at how sad you really are
no i live in the midlands now, have done for 15 years. and yes i have grown to like wolves since i’ve lived here. but cockney born and bred and west ham through and through.
don’t forget the leauge titles, fa cups, league cups they won as well.
hey i ain’t got nuthing against west brom, and west ham don’t live in anyones shadow.
now be nice could you could be comming to us next season.
besides the one thing that sets west ham apart from any other english club is this.
WE WON THE WORLD CUP IN 1966
alf ramsey west ham manager till he took the england job.. bobby moore west ham catain.. martin peters west ham winger scored one made 2.. last but not least geoff hurst.. west ham striker and hat trick hero.
now there’s somthing neither wolves or west brom could ever hope to equal.
WHU
What what and what??
You confuse yourself let alone both Wolves and Albion bloggers!!!
WHU were a good club in the 60s - you will fit right in with the dingles who are still living in the 50s.
Between winning the world cup and pioneering in europe you should have a lot to talk about…. if you’re over 70.
WHU
Too much to expect a Cockney to check facts. We’ve won the FA Cup more times than Wolves. They’ve never won anything in Europe contrary to your first post. And West Ham did not and never will win the World Cup. You’re a totally overrated club trading off perceived former glories. No wonder you were drawn to the Dingles.
ok now we’ve cleared that up. i’ll leave you to your blogg. as i said i’ve got no quarrel with west brom. baggies / wolves that’s your thing not mine. now chelsea / millwall that’s another story.
so i’ll trot back over to our bit, good luck with the fa cup.
see ya boys.
i’m forever blowing bubbles, pretty bubbles in the air. they fly so high.. oh! sod it.
byeeeee
WHU.
Surely you missed out Gordon Banks, George Cohen, Ray Wilson, Nobby Stiles etc etc who were all West Ham players, The Queen who’s a well known West Ham fan and Wembley Stadium which was actually the West Ham ground. I think you’ve been too long in Chelseas’ shadow, it’s getting you down.
Sorry, just woken from a bad dream where I was talking to a moron with a mockney accent.
Jarrod.
I remember during Brunt’s first game saying to bloke next to me if we play Blunt left and Gera right, Gera will get a hatfull of goals. For some reason TM doesn’t seem to like playing them together, I’m sure he has his reasons.
2 Kinswinford.
In reply to your point about Brunt coming inside. I’ve read an article where TM says that he wants Brunt to cut inside more often, so perhaps that’s why.
4 west ham united are you a dingle in disguise if you are a w ham fan you should not be in the premiership anyway. You cheated Sheffield united by playing a player you hadn’t signed,and YOUR GROUND IS NOTHING TO SHOUT ABOUT
Its obvious west ham utd is a dingle. U could tell as soon as u read it! Yes wolves have won a few more pointless mickey mouse trophies & won a few lower divisions which is hardly worth mentioning. Oh and had a bit of a good time in the(50’s) we were on course and bookies fave 4 the english treble in 78! Did’nt get it mind but never less we won more fa cups and a lot more recent. And for THE LAST TIME our fans are so much better, winning awards etc your just a load of whingers who just ramble on about the 1950’s! Lets see if next comment has comment off a fan in disguise…
I am a newcastle fan there are loads of west brom supporters clubs here u know, and evryone knows wba are bigger, better.