You may say never look a gift horse in the mouth, but I am to not only going to look at it but perform dental surgery, writes Albion blogger Jarrod Hill.
The FA is an absolute disgrace and a total sell out; 12.15pm kick off for an FA Cup Semi-final?
It is just another slap in the face of fans who actually attend games, they have shown a total disregard for both sets of fans who will be travelling to Wembley.
Yet another example of the power of TV over football, why not a 3pm kick-off?
We are being robbed of enjoying the whole build up to the game, there will be hardly any pubs open on the way down and many fans face a long journey made worse by the time they will have to set off.
OK that’s my rant over!
The draw against Crystal Palace was disappointing, we lacked any real threat in the second half, this was due to lacking any width, with Mowbray having to replace Morrison, Brunt and Gera we had nobody who could stretch a very congested midfield.
I also thought the referee had a very poor game, every decision seemed to go their way and with Palace adopting spoiling tactics the referee seemed happy to let it go on and on and on.
We now face a Leicester side fighting for their lives at the bottom of the division, three points is vital to both sides and I predict a tense affair.
I cannot remember enjoying a season as much as I am enjoying this one, even if we lose to Portsmouth and do not get promoted I will still look forward to another hugely enjoyable season come August.
I am getting slated by friends and family for saying this but it is what I genuinely feel.
Of course I want us to win the cup and get promoted, but if it does not happen I will rest easy in the knowledge that come next season we can all look forward to entertaining football with a manager who is moving the team forward.
In some ways it will be seen as failure, but on reflection I would argue that I pay my money and support my team and want to be entertained and enjoy supporting the Baggies, and as far as I am concerned this season has ticked all the boxes.
The final stages of the season are going to be tense and there will be many more twists and turns, all of the teams at the top are finding the pressure hard to handle and putting a run of wins together is proving to be difficult.
So let’s sit back and enjoy the excitement of it all, well, if your nerves will let you.
Albion fans have your say below
42 Comments
Totally agree with the comment about it being an enjoyable season. And we haven’t even beaten the Wolves yet!
I agree its been an exciting season, but if we don’t get promoted next season it will not be as entertaining.
For one we will lose a handful of our players, and two I think there is a real threat someone could poach Mowbray from us.
We need promotion in my eyes, however no matter how heart broken I may be come May, I’ll still be renewing my season ticket! Sucker for punishment!
Good morning Jarrod
I notice the BBC are pointing the finger at the
Metropolitan Police, as the reason for the
unbelievably ridiculous KO time.
As far as i am concerned, this is just some BBC
spokesperson making noises,
i am not normally a cynic, but i would say it is ENTIRELY the BBC`s decision on the KO time
due to their saturation coverage later that day, of the Grand National.
A very special ingredient will be missing,
the fun,
the hours of build up, the singsong in the surrounding pubs, the increasing atmosphere as the pubs fill up nearer kick off time.
The BBC has ROBBED Baggies and Pompey fans of
a very special occasion.
Disgrace does not begin to describe it.
Good blog and totally agree. Anyone have any thoughts on our midfield for Saturday??? If Brunt and Morrison are both injured, who should he play?? Either Kim gets a start, Pele plays in the centre, or Luke Moore plays as the opposite wide man to Gera.
Against such a physical Leicester team i am worried that Kim will not be strong enough on the ball. If we play Pele i don’t think we will have enough width. So my vote would be to play Luke Moore in a wide role. He has played it many times for Villa with alot of success.
Anyone agree??
I’ve enjoyed the season until this morning. At about 5.45am I tried to sign up for my two tickets to Wembley. You had to enter your postcode where your password should be, (but it didn’t actually say that), then ‘Accept’ sales terms, then sit in a ‘Virtual Waiting Room’ until about 8am, then receive a ‘FORBIDDEN’ to enter and a Gateway Time Out notice. I’ve ordered tickets on line before but ‘Tickets.com’ score NIL at the moment!
Hi Jarrod,
Totally agree with your views on the season. I said exactly the same thing last season when we scored 100 goals, went to wembley, played the best football at the hawthorns in 2 decades and beat our nearest rivals in the league, the cup and the playoffs - twice. So we didn’t go up - it just didn’t seem to matter when I looked over the season as a whole.
I would really enjoy watching a ToMo team in the prem - I think its made for him, and although we would be the minnows in a big pool I think we would suprise a lot of people. However if it dosn’t happen -
and I still believe we will - I will still look back favourably on this season.
Regards the Semi final - complete disgrace…. they would not do it if it had been Man Utd v Chelsea.
I now see the FA have issued a statement saying that the kick off time is due to the fact they do not want it to clash with the 3pm kick offs in case it has a detrimental effect on the attendances and the police would not authorise a late kick-off. So if we kick-off at 12.15 and it goes to extra time and penalties, nobody could make a 3pm kick off anyway could they!! Even if the game only lasts 90+injury it means the game ending at around 2.10pm, ok if you watch it in the pub on your way to the game fair enough, but if you watch it at home you are going to struggle to make 3pm kick off.
Sorry just cannot hide my fury at 12.15 kick-off.
Great barr baggie,
Discussed this last night with my dad and bro, maybe putting Pele in the middle and move Greening wide left, i know moving Greening is not ideal, the other option would be to play McDonald wide left, he looked ok their on a couple of sub appearances. Luke Moore wide is also an option i had not thought of, if Morrison nad Brunt remain injured the left hand side is a worry, especially with Tex being out for the season.
Im left footed if you are reading Mobs, not bad in the air too!!
Jarrpd.
Good call on the semi final. The absence of the ‘big four’ means that the media and especially the BBC will treat the FA cup as, at best a second class tournament and at worst an embarrassment. Even if we’re not in the final I’ll be looking forward to it more than I have for years, real clubs and genuine fans. No doubt it will be played at ten o’clock on a Thursday evening.
On your other point I’m afraid we differ slightly. Yes the football has been on a par with the Jimmy Hagan , Johnny Giles and Ossie Ardiles teams. Like you, if we weren’t in line to win anything I’d still say that I’ve enjoyed this season immensely. Some of the football has been magical but more importantly the team spirit and total absence of prima donnas has been a breath of fresh air.
Where do we differ then? Unlike you I’m very worried at what may happen if we don’t go up. I’ll ignore the well aired debate of cup vs league, like you I don’t see why both shouldn’t be the aim. Promotion is so important, not as our dear neighbours believe because of the financial implications, my new best friend Jeremy has this side sorted. Should we fail the vultures will be circling around TM, Newcastle, Boro, Celtic, West Ham and no doubt a host of others. While I believe from what I’ve seen, that he’s an honourable man, I’m too long in the tooth to take anything for granted. Then there’s the players, the carrot of the premier league will be dangled during the close season and with those wonderful people the agents doing there best to unsettle their clients, it won’t be the most conducive atmosphere to launch another promotion push.
Excellent, thought provoking blog as usual Jarrod. Onward and upward.
Just think, knocked out of the FA Cup by pompey, loose out on promotion, starting next season in the chumpionship with a poorer squad and level on zero points with the wolves.
So much to look forward to!
Still, at the very least you guys will have had value for your turnstyle money, thats more than can be said for us ‘nuggets’ this season.
Can we swap managers? please?
Agree with all the comments re: the KO time, but nothing surprises me any more. I don’t think the game should be at Wembley either, even though we’ll enjoy the day out.
I agree with you Jarrod regarding the fact that it’s been a great season come what may, but I just think it will be a tragedy if we don’t get to the Premier with Mowbray in charge, as for the first time we will have a real chance to show what we can do and hopefully stay up in style. If we don’t make it and someone poaches TM as Gornalbaggieboy says, it will be the biggest missed opportunity in our recent history. To my mind it is vital we do it this year.
Thinking about it, this has been an amazing decade for supporting the Albion. Never a dull end of season since 1999-2000….not all of it good, but never dull. No wonder I’m a nervous wreck.
You are right—12.15 KO is a scandal. Personally I would not be happy if we stayed in the Fizzy for another season—think we would loose some players and maybe TM. I also feel TM would be able to make some much neede changes at the back if we went up and would love to see us playing our footie against the teams in the Prem. I think we would be comfortable there especially if we get a new defence.
Finally I have been trying to get tickets against Charlton but cannot get through on the phone (Wembley I guess) and they are not for sale on the web
Jarrod,
I hadn’t thought about moving Greening back to his old position if i’m honest. Not a bad idea, but i agree its not ideal. I think moving Greening would disrupt our style of play too much and possibly weaken our team in too places (out wide and in the centre of midfield). McDonald is an option and has played well in the past; however Luke Moore possesses that little bit of extra quality that will win games.
Another name into the hat would be Miller?? Not my choice, but has played wide left for City in the Prem. Although we have injuries and people say we are short now - look at the options we still have!!!
10 - didn’t your lot say the same thing at the end of last season ?
We had lost all our “star” players, the previous season counted for nothing (easy to say when you lose 4 times to your nearest rivals) and we started again on level points… oh, and Merlin was building a squad of hungry young wolves and Freddys gonna get ya… walking the league, up by christmas, baggies going down blah blah blah..
So I guess us being in the FA CUP semi at wembley, top scorers in the whole country and favourites for promotion is a bit of a let down for you - what with the mighty wolves 11th and going backwards.
Still, you gotta laugh….
So the BBC are covering the Albion v Portsmouth match. So yet again we will have to put up with watching Albion fans crying at Wembley. Typical of the BBC, they show far too many repeats.
I hear that when wolves get to wembley CBEEBIES have put in a bid to show it - they like made up stories for kids.
E&S were going to put a wolves countdown to wembley feature on the main sports page - but it wasn’t wide enough to get all the numbers on.
One thing gives me some confidence concerning our manager. He talks about ‘OUR FOOTBALL CLUB’ not ‘this’ football club. The job he signed for is only started and with his philosophy, won’t be finished until we are challenging at the top of the Prem. He did sign an extended contract and I am certain he will honour it. . So, more of the same will do for me. Now, how the Hell do I get my Wembley Tickets?
15 steve bull stand
Got to be honest the repeats gag made me chuckle!!
15 Repeats you say eh, yes….maybe
However the repeat that is really hilarious, is
the Wolves fans bigging up their inexorable
march to the championship title, their 40 goal
striker, the inevitable Champions league place,
the season after.
After yet another false dawn this term,
i am looking forward to a repeat of the above
next May/June/July,
oh… and another repeat of your realization that it will Definitely be the season after.
15. Funny!
19. Lighten up!
though i agree with you about the k/o time,it will give us more time to celebrate on the night,besides the final will be 3-0clock k/o and we can enjoy the day then,going to wembley the early way boing boing
15) good shot like it
Andy
Err sorry mate…..that WAS me being light.
15,bull,its nice to know that youv got your w/e planned,bet you cant wait to get up get in your armchair open your lager with all your mates,bet you,l even be talking about it the night before in the pub,its the big day tomorra lads albion in semi-final,you,l be chanting come on pompey come on pompey,then silence in the 85th minute as super kev bangs in an unstopable right footer past the stranded james,albion in final,then your horse falls at the fust in the national wikend ruined,going to wembley the MOWBURY WAY boing boing
totally agree,the fa are a joke.as a wolves fan of course i want pompey to win but if you beat them i expect you to go on & win it & you will deserve it.i’ll even be supporting you if you meet cardiff,i would never support a foriegn team over one of our own,even if its albion.
16 Happy.
You’ve done it again with the countdown joke, embarrassed me by making me laugh out loud, TWB did it the other day with his David Blain joke(check back articles anyone who missed it.)
I sincerely hope that Cyril Randle, Happy-baggie & terrywalsallbaggie get their tickets.
It’s both annoying & frustrating at times like this,the armchair fans crawl out of the woodwork & somehow get their greedy mitts on tickets that should go to more deserving loyal supporters.
I’ve already requested Jay Bothroyds Final allocation so I can give them to Cyril Randle, Happy-baggie & terrywalsallbaggie.
True supporters like them, deserve them!
No live games are shown on telly at 3pm saturday as it would have a detrimental effect on league attendances. 12.15 is better than 6 or 7pm which would be the alternative.
At least we will get out of there at a reasonable time for the trek home.
Oxonbaggie.
You’re much too reasonable and understanding, we come on here to have a good moan. Anyway, what trek home? surely it’s only a tuppenny bus ride for you.
Cyril, if you read my posts yesterday I had loads of problems, but they were eventually resolved, my tickets are now waiting to be despatched apparently.
12:15 not ideal but makes for an even earlier start drinking, although I do have to keep my senses as the little one will be with me, not quite sure whether he strong enough to carry me home.
As TWB already stated FA Cup final will be 3:00pm so we can get all the build-up in London then, fingers crossed.
As for the knockers this is the year for the Bird, so the throstle will bring back the FA Cup and wolves fans here’s the bird for you “V”
(not mean’t for Kentwolf and fellow sensible wolves posters)
TonyWBA:
No offence taken, my dear friend.
27,kent,thanks already got mine,and my dingle tickets boing boing
KentWolf, you can always come and meet us Albion fans in and around Wembley if you like, one word of warning though mate……DON’T WEAR YOUR COLOURS!!!!! Lol
TWB:
I hope to make the Derby,as I can always stay at my mums.It all depends on my Hospital appointments.
Got to go for Spinal injections next Tuesday.
Ouch!
34,kent,dont worry about hospital appointments,you,l proberly end up in new cross anyway with ya mates boing boing going to new cross in a dingle ambulance boing boing
Real Bully, you are right. It’s going to take me all of an hour maybe 90 mins to get there. Phew what a trek!
35 terrywalsallbaggie:
I believe your an Imposter using Terry’s name in vain.
Now get back to school & leave the computers to us grown ups!
TonyWBA:
To be honest with you mate, I really am not that thick.
I’ve been rediculed enough this season, people poking fun at me because I support Wolves, people poking fun at me because I’m Disabled.
I refuse to be totally humiliated by being seen in public, wearing a Wolves shirt in or around Wembley unless Wolves DO make the play offs.
Because we have sth and members in our firends group on the log in, we have to wait until Sunday to order our tickets, but if the club are guaranteeing each sth and member a ticket why do memebers have to wait an extra four days, the only reason i can think of is to allow sth the choice of were they sit.
Kentwolf
You can come and be baggie if you want, i can see you like us!!
Even Neil Warnock is warming to us, and we were singing Warnock is a …. i think we said something about working in finance maybe at a bank!!!
I would’nt ridicule mate, just offering you a drink and a bit of atmosphere while we down there.
I don’t poke fun at someones mis-fortunes, but being a Wolves fan is’nt a mis fortune it’s a choice, and you are one who does’nt take Albion-Wolves to the bone, we all like the banter and your one of the good one’s on here, do not ever take a post from me as a personal insult mate, hopefully you did’nt see my previous as that.
I’m in california and the kick off means 2 things.
1,a 4am start IF they play the game
2, possibly missing the game as they have Arsenal liverpool on at the same time and that will take priority here.
Just disgusting.
39 TonyWBA:
No offence taken.
To be honest & frank with you,Tony Mowbray & Mark Venus ARE the best management team outside the Premiership.
Tony Mowbray in particular as invested the available funds wisely, opting for quality rather than quantity.
Your a marvelous bunch of lads who I do enjoy the craich with & , I wish Albion every success for the remainder of this season.
I wouldn’t mind meeting up with some of you at Wembley, but not at the expense of a true,genuine supporter.
And if Debbie Egan reads this, Smethwick End forever, I know now I should’ve married you!
xxx
12-15 kick off is a disgrace to the f-a, why do they allow TV to dictate the times for the kickoff,its money again to pay for wembley