Top of the league and we are having a laugh? writes Albion blogger Jarrod Hill.
Well no, not yet. The performance at Blackpool on Tuesday was truly dreadful up until the introduction of Super Kevin Phillips.
Blackpool could and probably should have been beyond us at the point Mowbray finally remembered he had the most prolific striker in the league sitting next to him on the bench.
To say his introduction changed the game would be an understatement. The starting formation was a little baffling, and with Miller, Brunt and Moore as a front three we never looked like scoring.
Mowbray can argue he got it spot on, we won 1-3, got the three points and now sit top of the league.
Never has a 1-3 win made me more cautious about promoting our chances of winning the league, similar to the home game against Colchester, we eventually spluttered into life in the last ten minutes.
As I am sure you are all more than aware of by now, I swing between being cautious and pessimistic, and games like Tuesdays do not help!
The results continue to go our way with both Stoke and Watford losing during the week, it seems as though nobody can handle the pressure of being at the top, and my prediction is that 79 points will be enough for automatic promotion.
That would mean we need three wins from our remaining five games. Watford and then the local derby is going to go a long way to deciding our fate.
My message to Mowbray is to play 4-4-2 and dispense with playing three up front, and when fit play Miller and Phillips together.
When Phillips came on against Blackpool it was like he had found the on button for big Ish, Miller and Phillips is definitely the most natural partnership and the goals yielded from them proves the point.
Miller looked a little lost until Phillips joined him, they then ran riot for the last ten minutes and could have scored more than just three.
The club’s decision to reduce ticket prices for the two remaining home games is yet another indication of the fantastic job being done behind the scenes.
They have taken into account the need to fill the ground and reward fans for backing them all season.
Unfortunately I cannot attend the game this Saturday due to it being my mom’s 60th Birthday (happy birthday mom, love you).
It is going to be tough listening to it on the radio, and I hope we play better than we did on Tuesday.
So close now, it’s tough at the top, can we handle it?
Only time will tell, come on you Baggies!
Albion fans have your say below
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30 Comments
I would be delighted with 4 points from our next 2 games.
I reckon it will be 4-4-2 on Sat with Phillips and Miller up top and Brunt/Gera out wide.
I also think we will play 4-5-1 on Tues with Morrison coming in to the middle and Bednar up front on his own.
P.S Happy Birthday Mrs Hill
Part time supporter !
Your missing a match cuz its ya moms birthday,and you call yourself a fan,best take her for dinner where they got sky, just jokin,anyway have a boinging birthday misses hill,gettin a bus pass the MOWBURY WAY
We’ve got out of jail against both Colchester and Blackpool. Time to stop messing about and just play the best players for the final five games.
Anyway, Mrs Hoff has stupidly booked a holiday for us over the last day of the season so we need to tie up promotion quickly so I can enjoy the celebrations. It wouldn’t be fair to expect her to go away by herself would it ?
I for one will not get carried away just yet, but if we win against Watford, it might be a little difficult not to! Boing Boing!
It,s a good job you have got K.P in the team,a gem like that should be given a two year contract,no if,s or but,s.I think he will be off end of season to a club who looks after players,he as been the spine of your season so far.
6. Typical Old Gold negativity
I am going to Wolves on Tuesday though, my office is in Wolves and you are all welcome to come for a beer there!!! Only place serving!!!
We have done well and been very lucky to be where we are considering we took three months off to concentrate on the cup. The Watford game tomorrow will determine our fate. If we win, and if the Dingles take something off Bristol City we will probably get promoted with 77 points. Will not be easy tomorrow as Watford will be hurting after Barnsley display.
WOTS guin,birthdays,booking holidays,are you men or mice,my mrs birthday fell on the day we played palace so i brought her a £23 ticket for the match and a chinese curry from the deli at asda and a bottle of wine, hope we dont have a match on her birthday next year 23 quid is the most ive ever spent on her boing boing love you really darling
Hi Jarrod - as you know my mood swings between optimistic and blind loyalty - so i just remember all the games we have dominated and played great football and got naff all at the end - inc the semi final.
Last season sunderland probably got 20 points playing rubbish football same with blues - so I’m not too worried yet.
The good thing is that we know we are capable of still playing free flowing sexy football if we get the chance.
At blackpool we may have been overrun for lomg periods but we kept it at 0-1 which gave us the platform to win it late on. We just need to get the defence AND the attack having a good game in the same match !!
With KP in the squad - even on the bench, we always have the heavyweight boxers big punch… we may be on the ropes but one good swing and its all over.
I would love 4 points from the next 6 - but its definately squeaky bum time.
but…… LOVIN IT !!!!!!
I believe 3 points on Saturday, will be a massive plus for us going into the derby on Tuesday, and may well take some pressure off us whereas Wolves predicament even if they win the Weekend will be that they are still playing catch up with a number of teams in the same situation (don’t get me wrong I think Wolves will make the playoffs), but being at Home and pressure if Wolves don’t score early may play in our favour.
Jarrod how can you miss it, I missed my own funeral last week mate so I could go to Wembley, glad I did I heard the atmosphere was dead at the church (boom boom).
Anyway best wishes to your mother, what better present than getting 3 points on Saturday.
Don’t know if this will be of any interest - but I’ve just been on the Watford local paper’s website. The Watford fans are really fed up with Adie Boothroyd and his recent signings. The’Duke’ is getting lots of stick for being ineffectual and lazy (big surprise there then). Loads are asking Boothroyd to resign, & saying he is out of touch, especially when he said that the barnsley performance was a lot better than the one V Hull.
HB
I really try not to be negative, i worry that after such a wonderful season we could end up with nothing. I would probably take two draws from the next two games, but hope springs eternal.
I fancy us more against the stuttering Hornets than Wolves, i just hope Mowbray plays 4-4-2 and stops tinkering so much.
the game this saturday is far more important than tuesday…..beat Watford and we’ve almost secured finishing above them. Not confident reagrding Saturday or Tuesday but Jarrod I’m not sure 2 points will be enough - especially with tricky trips away to Norwich and QPR still to come. For me 3 points is a minimum requirement, 4 or more with a win against Watford and I’ll be delighted.
I want the title
Jarrod
Glad you mentioned the family commitment mate,
i was going to pop into the Vine for a beer and introduce myself.
Big Rich,
it`s just column inches in my opinion,
KP WILL be given the contract he wants/deserves
if you read Mowbrays take on things……..
it`s somewhat different to what comes out of the media.
Watford have not been the same since we creamed them at Vicarige road. I see 6 points out of the next two games and the prize is almost ours.
Wolves will take something from Bristol tomorrow and we can thank them by taking all three pointss from the Custard Bowl on Tuesday.
The players and the manager, know wots at stake,we are the only team to have been near the top from start to finish,i just can,t see them blowin up.Id take a win over watford,and a point against the dingles.Id also keep SKP on the bench till the last 30min,what a weapon to have at this level,good luck and best wishes to TM and the boys.
jared.. If you read birthday contracts they end at 5.00pm so you can still make it lol.
79 points will not be far away . Crystal Palace will have a big say on who goes up have you seen there fixtures!!
point to one’s self, post 19 “spell your name correctly next time” lol
Jarrod, football is important and at this time of the season it’s very important but I would give up every game played for as long as I live for one day with my mum. Please give her a hug from me and tell her this particular Wolves fan wishes her a very Happy Birthday.
Jarrod.
Commiserations about Saturday. Those wonderful people at Sky have done the same to me for the Saints game. Arrange a holiday starting on the Sunday and it all goes up in smoke at TV’s whim yet the Albion/Wolves games where many can’t get tickets are never on.
On the subject of football, I think it possible that we could lose the Wolves game and still get up. Likewise Wolves could lose and still make the play offs. Once the whistle goes I’m sure that all these thoughts will be forgotten and local pride will be all that matters.
20. And I thought you were the cause of that strange oniony smell.
Now here we are really at the business end of the season, and guess what; we are all getting nervous….. well no change there then, after all we are Baggie fans and should know that nothing is ever made easy for/by us. Therefore the unbridled joy we will feel when we acheive promotion will be all the more euphoric because of this.
Yes HB it is squeaky bum time again,…again but would you have it any other way. Your observation about both defense and attack playing well at the same time is true, so we shall all go down to the hallowed turf on saturday again hoping that it will happen this time. If not we shall once more endure the roller coaster that is life as an Albion fan.
On paper i see us having too much quality at this stage of the season by comparison to other clubs to fail. Then again is this just blind loyalty…. no the thoughts of other managers in this division will out.
Taking nothing for granted, but expecting promotion (without a day out in London). Keep the faith. Happy Birthday Mrs H
Boing Boing!!
wbaforever 16 - i think we need to arrange a night at the Vine where we can all rip of our virtual web masks - and you find I’m the bloke who sits behind you with the really annoying laugh…. Jarrod is the guy who always lets rip and blames some one else - TRB is the bloke who ALWAYDS pushes in in the drinks cue and Terry is the bloke in the 3 piece suit who looks like a solicitor.
An end of season celebration / commiseration night with you guys sounds like fun…
Any thoughts anyone ??
Happy
Count me in mate,
wouldn`t mind a few of the Wolves lads either.
I go in the vine before all home games, how about the Southampton game???
HB i hope you are not accusing me of being a thug, cus if yo am i will pull one a yer arms of an club ya to death!!!
Or buy you a beer!!!
Sounds great as long as the snooker queue’s not to long (sorry couldn’t resist it.) Don’t know about anybody else but there are people on here who seem like friends anyway, including many from the dark side.
Yes - any wolves fans that wish to come to the Vine before the southampton game will be very welcome….. please wear your footy shirts so I can make sure I buy you a beer….
Seriously, yes the S’ton game would be the ideal time - or even just a night in the week where there is no pressure to rush off to the game ?
Either sounds good to me…. will we call each other by our web names ??
“ere, the real bully, frankthegas wants a bag of crisps and wbaforever wants some moster munch. Oh and tell terrywewontheleaguebaggie it’s his round next”.
surreal night coming up….
Just seen last post 27. Sorry can’t make that one due to holiday booked before Sky changed the day of the game.