Albion blogger Jarrod Hill can see the future for the Baggies in midfield generals Gonzalo Jara and Graham Dorrans.
The international break has come at a bad time for us, as we continued our recent good form against Leicester City on Saturday. The 2-1 score line doesn’t really reflect how comfortable the win was, as the new central midfield pairing of Graham Dorrans and Gonzalo Jara again took full control in the middle of the park.
The great Brian Clough always stated that the centre of midfield was arguably the most important part of any team and in Dorrans and Jara we have found a partnership that works so well.
Their talents seem to compliment each other and their success is highlighted by the fact they are keeping out players of the quality of Youssouf Mulumbu and Robert Koren.
Our midfield is looking very strong and importantly scoring goals every week. I would be astonished if Premier League scouts aren’t regular visitors to our games as Dorrans and Jara continue to flourish.
The message coming out of the club is that we are under no pressure to sell and, unless we received an offer that was ‘out of this world,’ I would resist splitting up a squad that is starting to find their collective feet.
Also pleasing on Saturday were the displays by both full-backs. So far this season both Joe Mattock and Gianni Zuiverloon have been less than impressive, and many fans – including myself – had highlighted this area as a possible problem.
I was impressed with the way that young Joe not only played at Leicester, but also the way he handled the abuse he received from his old club’s fans. Gianni also put in another good display and hopefully the player we all raved about at the beginning of last season has returned.
The gap between us and third position may only be four points, but it represents an excellent opportunity to pull away from the pack.
Now the lads have all jetted off to La Manga for some training in the sun and I hope it has a positive effect on the squad. For the ones on international duty this weekend it’s a case of fingers crossed that they all return in good health.
The management must be pleased with the last two performances and with the January window fast approaching, I wonder how our head Roberto Di Matteo views it. On one hand it represents an opportunity to strengthen the squad in certain areas, fine tune the team he is slowly bringing together, yet on the other it stirs up speculation regarding some of our star performers.
Even when it has been made clear we are not interested in selling a particular player, the speculation can have a damaging effect and we all know what some agents can be like.
Unlike our previous manager, Roberto has steered clear of using the loan market. Sources within the club have explained that the boss prefers to work with and develop our own players rather than developing other clubs future stars.
I can understand his desire to only focus on players who will be future assets to West Bromwich Albion, but does this point towards us signing new players in January? If it does what area of the team should we focus on?
The rumour mill is already warming up and this week we have been linked with striker Leon Best at Coventry. It is an area of the team that should we get promoted would require the most attention, we can rest assured that our excellent scouting network is working hard and I hope they can unearth a striking gem to go alongside the midfielders they keep finding.
My feeling is that we will only spend money in January if we generate it from players leaving. That leaves me in a quandary, I want to see how this squad flourishes across the course of a season, but I also want to see at least one new striker come in.
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34 Comments
Good result for the Albion at the weekend, away games at promoted clubs are partiularly difficult games. Jara looks like he could be a good signing-if the travelling at internationals does not effect him too much. Dorrans continues to improve but if you do not get promotion he will surely be one that has to be sold because of the cut in parachute payments? Get yourselves up as I think we will have our black country derby next season.
The premier league is superb, Arsenal have their strongest squad in years and we had to applaud their football on Saturday. We are well and truly in a fight but have been desperately unlucky with injuries but we will stay up.
Middlesbrough will be the improving side once Strachan starts to make his mark and will be the side to watch. Roberto’s credentials will be tested again when you have another bad patch and lets hope that his lack of expereience does not dent your promotion hopes. Best of luck.
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Anyone missing Greening now?
No?
Thought not!
As to where we strengthen in January – if Jara is going to be played in midfield then surely we still need another decent centre back.
And the perenial problem up front still needs sorting too – Kevin Phillips anyone?
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I’ve always been impressed with Leon Best, and we’ve been very fortunate that he’s so often been injured when we have played Coventry over recent seasons.
However, if he’s not coming in until January, (i.e. not on loan beforehand) I see the similarities between him and a certain Mr Miller to be quite high, except Best is better in the air and holding the ball up, whereas Miller is better at running channels and turning defenders.
The performance on Saturday, from everyone in an Albion shirt, was excellent and the only stage that we looked slightly stretched was after RDM took Cox off and left Moore as a sole striker. After he made this change, we didn’t keep the ball as well without the extra outlet up front.
Don’t get me wrong, we should’ve added to our tally, and were close to doing so, on several occasions.
I just think we’re better as a team, when we’re playing 4-4-2 and this helped to highlight that fact in my opinion.
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supermaths
Excellent point re Greening. I was and still am a Greening fan, but the centre of midfield needs to be an effective partnership, and our current crop of centre mids seem to be able to play together regardless of who is picked, although Dorrans and Jara look the best so far.
re KP, he would be a short term answer, ie this season. I would prefer us to unearth a new striking talent, i have heard a rumour we have been closely monitoring a South American striker. I didnt include it in the blog due to not hearing anyhting on the rumour boards, although it has come from a source who has been proved correct in the past.
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Jarrod.
Things are starting to look good. As you say we are in an excellent position to pull away with Newcastle and leave the others fighting for play-off places.
Was it only a couple off weeks ago that our perennial Doubting Thomas’s were forecasting doom and gloom? We have a young team that is still gelling and there will be plenty more banana skins between now and the rainbow’s end but we need to keep behind the team and the Manager.
Interesting about the window. Luckily we have a few weeks to see how Moore and Cox flower as a partnership before RDM needs to decide to strengthen. The window isn’t the best time to buy, especially strikers. I’d like to see us bring in a couple of young defenders to the squad, happy to wait their chance on the bench, we do lack any depth at the back when the inevitable suspensions and injuries kick in.
I see on the transfer page that Joss Ladabie is back from Shrews, unfortunately the poor grammar prevents any clarification. Also from the same page, apparently Wolves have been showing an interest in Young Boys.
PS. BoyfromtheRealCountry.
Just remembered reading your post on the Jara blog. Very funny, at first I thought it was Shadrag using your name but in my defence, I’m not at my quickest in the morning.
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To be fair, we still have problems in the forward department as although Moore and Cox both put in the effort on Saturday (which hasn’t always been the case for the former), there wasn’t a great deal of goal threat. There will be games, probably at home rather than away, when we need to be able to batter sides with something a bit more physical and Moore and Cox won’t be able to do that. As for loans, I wouldn’t bother unless we start to pick up more long term injuries. Bednar and Miller will add to the forward options and we still have plenty of cover (for the moment) elsewhere – Mulumbu, Koren, Tex, Cech etc etc
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RDM keeps talking about how much stronger we will be when miller and morrisson return, which makes me think we won’t be signing a striker in January.
I think a centre half should be brought in, although i have been quite impressed with meite since he came back into the team! never thought i would say that
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I’m with Roberto on the loan market. What’s the point in having reserves if they are not good enough to give a go when the opportunity arises? Youngsters wobble at times, we shall get one or two more bad patches no doubt, but it was great to read how well the fullbacks did. In Jonas and Meite we may well have what we need in the middle defence too and with the cavalry charge of Dorrans and Jara, the future’s bright, it’s blue and white! Greening was a good player for this club, we’re managing without him. Be grateful.
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Nedball
I completely agree with you re: 4-4-2 and have been saying it for the last 3 seasons. I think any team that plays 4-5-1 is conceding that very little of the game is going to be played in their third of the pitch unless you’ve got an exceptional striker and support players. I just don’t think that’s our style, we’re essentially an attack-minded team and can’t grind out results like the Stoke City’s of the world.
In those 3 years, there have been so many games where we’ve been technically the better side but played the entire game in front of opposition back four/eight and ended up dropping points. Coventry away the other week being one that springs to mind. Does anybody remember drawing at home 0-0 to Wolves a couple of years ago? Gera missed a pen, that was another. They just sat there and let us pass across the pitch, without really hurting them.
Perhaps one of the reasons, and this links in with SuperMaths’ and Bomber’s points, is the balance in the midfield. Greening was a fantastic servant and I’ll always applaud him, but he was a sitter, without being a tackler (a bit like Carrick for Man U), and we always had to try and compensate for that.
Now we have that balance and IMO don’t need to clog up the midfield, we have enough presence with Jara/Mulumbu sitting behind Dorrans.
A few people commented recently that they didn’t know what RDM’s teams stood for, suggesting this could be a negative point. I think the reason we don’t know is because for years we’ve been watching 2 ends of the spectrum (Megson and Mowbray). Now we’ve got a proper balance, an effective unit. If we can keep the bulk of this team together, hopefully the future can be brighter than it ever was under TM. Fingers crossed.
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I totally agree Jara and Dorrans have been brilliant this season, so has Mulumbu. Koren has been very unlucky not to get a chance with someone of his quality. Begging Robby and the backroom staff not to sell Gonzo or Dozza, they have been a great partnership and this could backfire on us.
I also think we need one more striker and Leon Best is good, been the best striker for Coventry this season and scoring goals and I personally think he is a little different to Miller and he could be back anytime after the New Year. It would be better for either of these to play with Bednar anyway. Gives us lots of options.
I agree with goldenwolf, I reckon Wolves might stay up this season and kind of hope so, therefore we get our Derby which would be an amazing atmosphere in the Premier League.
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where do we need strengthening !!! we do not need the money just sold valero for a few million !! a striker is a priority like every club phillips will be on every list but how about a defender i would try to buy evans from man u and heskey from villa…. can not wait to see miller come back hopefully he will do a job, but you could have a PREMIER league team from who we have sold kamara, roberts, gera,etc etc
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goldenwolf
The Premiership this season is absolute tripe
just look at last nights result with Birmingham
getting a draw against Liverpool.
When Albion were in the Prem Man Utd had the
likes of Tevez and Ronaldo,Liverpool had Alonso
and a fully fit Torres and Gerrard,and even the
likes of Villa had an Ashley Young banging them
in.
If Blues and Wolves cant stay up this season
then they never will!
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Just a quick point re: Leon Best.
I’ve not seen a great deal of him, so am not in a position to be judgemental, but I find his career statistics a little worrying for someone seen as a solution to our goalscoring problems:
Appearances 145 Goals 39
….reminds me a bit of Kevin Doyle’s Premiership goalscoring record
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We are Albion it is inevitable that we will sell Dorrans to join the list of previous players with any talent, it is also inevitable that we will get a good price 2-3 mil I expect.
12. I wouldnt mind Kevin Doyle in our side better than the ‘great’ Leon Best.
11. Evans that gets in Man utds team coming to Albion? Heskey that gets in the England side coming to Albion, please get real your giving our fans a bad name. The last striker we signed was Reid from Rotherham that is our ambition not Heskey etc!
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12. Tevez is still int he premier league, Arsenal have improved immensely, Man City have spent a further 100mil, Liverpool have brought Aquilani, it is the best league in the world. Blues got a fantastic result, we go to Chelsea next sat to play their all-star side. If you guys are happy watching your team beat Leicester away and lose to Swansea at home then fair enough I prefer watching my club develop and progress which it has done in leaps and bounds in the last 3 years.
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13,warren thats abit unfair on doyle, he has managed to score 1 goal this season in a really poor team that hasent got a hope in hell of staying up,and he only cost 8 million,aye boing boing
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15,yow aint progressin very well in the premier am ya,you lost four at home to a depleted arsenal side,they only beat us 2-0 away and we only had 10 men,see if you can get your players to progress over the halfway line.aye boing boing down down
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we cant have a black country derby with dingles cuz when they played stoke it was a staffordshire derby,you cant be in staffs and the black country,can ya?meks no diffrence anyway cuz we guin up n dem comin down,aye boing boing
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Just a point to remember.
JP does not like buying players in January. Prices are usually inflated then maybe because it is teams who are struggling who are desperate for new blood so prices go up.
The idea of loan signings still holds good for me as we not only get a (Hopefully) decent player in, but also stop a rival team getting him.
JPs idea of a loan signing with an agreement to purchase is also good but of course, last season it fell down because we got relegated and arguably to good players in Fortune and Menseguez were lost to us.
I still hold out hope that when we go up, Menseguez will be be brought back. I thought he was an excellent player.
Up the Baggies.
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Congratulations Shadrag,
It took you a whole 8 minutes to bite re: Kevin Doyle
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Dear Golden.
Your logic is a bit flawed old dear. e.g. !00 million has not made Man City a team to be feared.
Tevez and Ronaldo are significant players and Man U have missed them.
Liverpool are a shadow of last seasons team and much easier to beat.
Cheating got them only a draw last night… and so on!!!
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1&15 Golden Wolf.
Your post at No1 was good. You gave an honest assessment of your views. There used to be a few Wulfies like yourself, Malvern Wolf, Debenhams etc, that came on to raise a topic, reminisce, have a joke/take the p**s or just pass the time of day. Unfortunately like some of our own, Happy Baggie etc the idiots make a lot of them give up in despair.
No12 DLB is one of ours. He comes on here calling players and other posters, abusive and insulting names. He has said previously that he finds it funny when opposition fans get beaten up. After a couple of defeats he stated that he ‘picks his games and will probably stop going altogether,’ (although we’ve had a good win since then, so this may be subject to change.)
Then we have No 14 boingboing. This is his latest assumed name. He’s a ‘Wolves fan’ and thinks he’s being clever by posing under various Baggies posters names. His posts are always the same, easily seen through and showing little understanding of written English.
The reason I’ve written this is to say that 99% of us are always glad to hear from people like yourself, as in post1. By post15 the morons on here have done exactly what their pea size brains have set out to do, IE dragged you down towards their level or put you off coming on again.
I occasionally post on the Wolves site, I try to be either constructive or raise a smile. Hope to hear from you on here again. DLTBGYD.
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21. A Utd without Tevez and Ronaldo, although Tevez is at another one of our rivals, Man City will finish in the top 6 and a weaker Liverpool side, no offence to the albion but if you get a late consolation at Banrsley to lose 3-1, lose at home to Palace and Swansea the above teams should be the least of your worries.
Regarding transfer targets, any club that pays 3.5mil for Luke Moore must not be taken seriously! I come on here to wish you the best and discuss our clubs but the envy is unbeleievable! Still when your rivals are in the Premiership, get bigger attendances, have a better stadium, better players and a sponsor I can’t blame you aye!
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Honestly mate , worry more about your lot we are fine. And what do we have to envy about, you current history shows out the two of us the sucsess has pretty much been one way traffic. Maybe if you beat us now and then then you can gloat. But seriously when we play you what happens … we win this is a fact i am afraid. If you want to be the top team in the Black Country you occasionly have to finish higher in the same league as us(when we are both in it) a or beat us a few times. As you do neither i suggest you examin your envy remark
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Goldenwolf
I echo the sentiments of Bully completely in that your sensible 1st post is well received by genuine Baggie football followers.
Unfortunately it seems that prior to reading this, you’ve let yourself down by being drawn into a rather patronising post 23.
In truth goldenwolf, the envy you speak of is not as you’d like it. Even your promotion-winning side of last year took the odd hiding (Norwich away being one), just because you don’t play them anymore, or Swansea or Palace, doesn’t automatically elevate you to invincible status. I dare say you’d be in a similar position to us were you in the Championship now.
Bigger attendances, better stadium is a subjective debate. To my mind, this is your 2nd Premiership season ever, enthusiasm reigned throughout your support pre-season, you’re a good size club, you will sell out, as did us, Hull, Stoke, Derby etc etc. 20 years ago this wasn’t the case for you. When we got promoted under TM, we had higher crowds than you home and away (official figures prove this). This will constantly move in cycles depending on fans’ enthusiasm/mood/team performance etc.
Wolves are having a go at what the Albion did last year, so far we failed and you look to be too. If the season stopped tomorrow we’d swap places again. Essentially we’re currently separated on timing differences alone. I’d quite honestly not swap our squads, manager, board etc and I’m sure you feel the same.
Hopefully you’ll stay up, and we’ll join you, then we’ll get to see who has the better players and show the rest of the country what a Black Country derby is all about.
P.S. Re: the strength of the Premiership debate. We’re all using the top teams as examples. The Premiership for Albion and Wolves is about the strength at the bottom of the league. Honest opinion- we didn’t have a freefalling Hull and a skint Pompey last year, but we’ll see.
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TRB 22 – nicely summed up.
The problem is that shadrag not only impersonates Albion fans when making childish comments, he also posts stuff under other wolves guises to allow him to further peddle his dross – he realises that under his usual name he will be ignored and so resorts to any length to get a reaction – how sad his life must be I can only guess.
Its a shame if goldenwolf 1 and 15 are the same as it was a very short journey to the sort of name calling shadrag seems to love.
I read in this paper that MM thinks wolves are ready to beat top 4 teams – whilst ignoring the fact that they aint beaten a bottom 4 team yet – but who cares ???
I used to enjoy posting on the wolves site – sometimes with a genuine comment, sometimes with a bit of banter – but ALWAYS under my usual name, but too many morons have made this pointless.
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Golden.21
Not following you at all here love.
I responded to your response to 12 who was saying that the teams in the Prem are not performing as strongly and therefore the wolves are struggling in an easier environment. I am not sure whether I agree with him. There is plenty of the season to go.
At no point did I compare watching Prem teams with the Albion losing to Banrsley (sic)Swansea, Palace.
I am not worried about them in the slightest. Just your assertions!!
I am totally happy with my own team and the way its run and not in the teeniest envious of wolves.
I don’t need to sink to the childish level of mine’s bigger and better than yours.
Was impressed with your first post but sadly downhill from there.
May the wolves be the best that they can this season and well done manager Mick.
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goldenwolf
Molineure might hold more but sometimes you lot
cant even fill it,Ive been to the Custard Bowl
once but never again after some gypo through a
bottle of urine at me.The Hawthorns is a fantastic
little ground and always seems to keep the atmosphere in unlike the Molineure where the wind
whips right through you.
Aston Villa also have a bigger ground but its
still a dump.
Wolves Fans should make the most of this 1
season in the Prem as you wont be there next
season when VILLA,BLUES,and ALBION will be.
That Ebanks-Blake looks decent for a SUMO WRESTLER.
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I enjoyed GoldenWolf at No.1. Now was it him with the other posts? Maybe he should say so on here. Whatever you do GW, ignore the one or two ‘hate’ merchants we have and post regularly. Once your ’style’ is noted we can recognise the childish ‘it wor me Mom, it was him’ dumbos who have no guts and try to impersonate intelligent posters. I’d bet my pension that such imposters spent their childhood saying, “Mom, tell her” when their younger sister dotted them one!
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23 Golden why do you dingles keep bangin on about us havin no owner and no sponsor you have got both and where’s it got ya boing boing
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I dont post on here much, just tend to read, but I must say Warren (25) superb comment well made and realistically mature also, I wish there were more fans prepared to debate at that level.
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I was pleased to read goldenwolfs´first comment, but was amazed how quickly his sensible attitude toward constructive debate sank without trace. Was it the same guy? Who can tell? If it was… take a tablet and have a lie-down. If not, I´m more than happy to read your comments. PS. If the Black Country derby was to be a Premiere fixture next season, does anyone think Sky would be arsed to show it?
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28.
brilliant sum up of the custard bowl, rubbish stadium with hardly any atmosphere. same for villa, but the difference is that wolves sing and villa dont even bother, might aswell go to church.
lovin the reference of how fat ebanks-blake is. renamed as sylvan helikes-cakes
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It seems that Shadrag is trying to get people wound up by posting tripe under assumed names but is getting wound up instead. Bless his little cotton socks!!
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