Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
One last Boing for the Baggies
Thursday 19th May 2011, 8:39AM BST.
So here it is the final game of the season, and like all good things, this season must come to an end, writes Albion blogger Jarrod Hill.
It feels like a life time ago when I was sitting in a pool side bar in Portugal blowing the froth of a few cold ones while watching Roberto Di Matteo`s side get hammered by the recently crowned Premier League Champions Chelsea. Nothing that day suggested we would be entering into our final game of the season clear of danger and looking to cement a mid table finish, but as Jimmy Greaves famously put it “football is a funny old game”.
Fast forward to October 16 and we were walking out of Old Trafford singing our heads off and celebrating a remarkable comeback from two goals down to take a point off Manchester United. Only now do we realise what an achievement that was when you consider up until this forth coming weekend we are the only side to take anything away from the theatre of dreams.
The draw against the Red Devils came on the back of a home draw against Bolton and the amazing 3-2 win away at Arsenal. It proved to be heady days for us baggies and after beating Fulham at home the following week we found ourselves fourth in the table, nine games played 15 points already clocked up and things couldn’t have been rosier in the Hawthorns garden.
Next up an away trip to Blackpool and although they had already had some good results themselves confidence was high. In steps a certain Mr Michael Oliver who not only gives a rather soft penalty but also sends off Pablo Ibanez, and like an undone stitch, we fall apart. Two players sent off, a battle that nearly ended in us taking a point, and all of a sudden the wheels had come off in the space of one game.
It took another five games before getting another win, a 4-1 win away at Everton followed by another three points at home to Newcastle and we were back up to 8th in the table and the team was looking comfortable. Unfortunately we lost a number of key players to injury around that time including Jonas Olsson, and the next eleven games gave us one win, which was a nervy “skin of our teeth” win against Blackpool.
The team looked devoid of the cavalier spirit they had shown at the Emirates and Old Traffford, heads were dropping quicker than the price of a timeshare in Beirut, and fans began to fear relegation for the first time this season.
After a predictable 3-0 loss at Manchester City I was at home preparing the Sunday lunch when Pete Danckert rang me to tell me that Roberto Di Matteo had been placed on gardening leave. Our conversation probably lasted a while but all I can remember thinking is what a gamble Jeremy Peace had just taken. I even said in my blog at the time that our Chairman would live and die by the decisions he makes and this was a pretty big one to call. Only time would tell whether he had got it right, and even now we will never know if Roberto could have turned things around, but the fact remains, his decision to replace Roberto Di Matteo with Roy Hodgson has now been fully justified.
First game in charge and Wolves came to town also looking to drag themselves away from the relegation places. Things looked to be getting off to the worst possible start for Roy Hodgson until a shot by James Morrison was fumbled and Carlos Vela pounced to give us a last minute equaliser in the Black Country Derby. Looking back now that goal could have been the building block to which we now stand on. A loss in that game would have had a disastrous effect on both the players and fans alike, but we managed to move on and a six game unbeaten run under our new Head Coach soon had us on the up again. A brilliant performance at the Stadium of Light and we found ourselves up to 10th in the league and in truth have been comfortable ever since.
Roy made some simple changes to what we do as a team when not in possession of the ball and those small changes have had some large effects on our season. Not only are we now planning for another crack at the Premier League but we have also had the pleasure of conducting a memorial service for the hoodoos we have managed to knock off our shoulders and bury once and for all. Wins against Liverpool and Aston Villa and a draw away at Stoke showed that things are changing at the Hawthorns, and we now have a Premier League squad and a Premier League manager to lead them.
This season has been quite remarkable, a season I will never ever forget, and even when I am only writing about it I feel exhausted. Just remembering the tension of going to games, the moment Chris Brunt stepped up to hit his second penalty against Liverpool, and the second half collapse against West Ham, the range of emotions this season have been poles apart.
But now and probably only now, can I look back with a huge smile on my face and realise what a truly wonderful season of football this has been. I know its not over quite yet, and we have to play Newcastle on Sunday, but as long as we avoid any needless red cards or injuries, the game will be a side show to what happens elsewhere and I am more than happy for that to be the case.
I may not receive any commission for how many end of season dvds the club shop sell this summer, but I for one will definitely be purchasing one, even at fifty quid each they would still represent value for money.
Anyway time to go, I need to go and blow the dust off my golf clubs and take a look at the DIY list I have ignored since last August.
See you next week for the final blogs of the season.
Boing boing.
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Very nicely summed up mate.
Your description of our enjoyable season and current relaxed state made me think of Adrian Childs book (you don’t know what your doing) where he charted a very different season which saw us fail to win from February and ended in misery.
It’s memories like that that make this season and the pleasure of being safe so enjoyable.
A perfect ending would to finish as top midlands club and top promoted club – would seeing the the wolves go down be a cherry on the cake ???? – truth is I’m so happy already I don’t care !!
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I see the paper talk has began regarding our better players. According to The Sun, Bayern Munich, Villa, Everton and a whole host of Prem and Bundesliga teams are going to battle it out to sign Mulumbu for a fee of…..£1.4 million! Hahaha do they not know our chairman? I think they’ll find that the lad is under contract until 2014 with a further year in the clubs favour so it would probably take ten times that fee to land him…and even then I don’t think JP would sell!
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LMS
I have read about the supposed interest from the clubs you have mentioned, but i didn`t see that fee, wherever it is, is too ridiculous for words.
I said last week that i think our chairman faces a summer of seige, and whilst i am confident he can secure fees above and beyond for our players, as fans 30/40/50 million pounds in the coffers is of no value to us when we have a weaker team.
The three main players mentioned, Mulumbu, Brunt and Odemwingie…..we MUST resist selling at any cost, the problem is the effect of unscruplous agents unsettling the player, we have recent and first hand knowlege of this with Davies.
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Forever,
Quite agree, Agents will try to fill their pockets by moving reluctant players on. the clubs mentioned are no better than where they are already at.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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It was the Sun who reported £1.4 million for Mulumbu.
Not really a paper of any substance or credibility.
I too thought that it was a ridiculous amount for an ever improving Premiership Player.
He, Brunt and Odemwingie are worth their weight in Gold for next season.
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Jeff
Forgive the modernism, LOL The Sun !
If i picked up that….err newspaper this morning, and read the date Thursday 19th May, i would check elsewhere to see if this was correct.
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A ‘sports journalist’ at the Sun probably couldn’t even get his own name right.
If one reporter from that ‘paper’ had actually sat in the stands and covered one match for the Baggies, then they would realise that price is miles off.
As the old addage goes, write what you know. Unfortunately that would leave pretty much all of the Suns Journo’s at a loose end.
Boing Boing
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I hope they’ve all got somebody of the equivelent nerve of the Cincinatti Kid employed if they’re thinking of taking on JP in this particular game of poker. I would think the Villa would run a mile as their fingers must still be burning from last time.
The thing that all of the clubs mentioned have in common is that none of them are paricularly well off at the moment.
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when things were looking bleak i consoled myself with the bbc match predictor, lo and behold i had us reach 49pts and finish 9th. i didn’t believe we’d get anywhere near that, but it gave me some crumbs of comfort. good blog, it brought back hair raising, spine tingling memories for me. i was at work when we were at the emirates and when we got the third goal the surgeon was stunned to see me leaping around the operating table like a demented loon. (i hasten to add the patients appendix was removed safely.) what a season, only down side being the massive club down the road surviving will make the knuckle draggers believe they’re superior once more. thanks jarrod, thanks roberto, thanks woy, thanks st peter, thanks youssouf, thanks jonas and thank you god for giving the world the beloved baggies…WEST BROMWICH ALBION F.C.
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Based on your predictor result I will be proposing you as next seasons President of the GHFC. Even I didn’t see that run in coming.
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Predicted on these pages, 8 games ago, through Mirror League, final points tally for local teams
Albion 47
Villa 43
Blues 41
Wolves 40
with one game to go, actual,
Albion 46
Villa 45
Blues 39
Wolves 40
as long as Villa only draw (or lose) every one will be within 8% (or better) correct.
Not too shabby!
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Lords My Shepherd
I know mate it does make you laugh. Truth is if any of our stars are to leave us this summer we all know our chairman will make them pay over the odds, leaving plenty in the pot for Roy to replace them. But to be honest i would prefer us to keep this squad of stars together, Odemwingie, Brunt, Olsson, Mulumbu, JT, and Dozza and get rid of the fringe players.
It is exciting times, and with this years experience behind them i am sure the players will improve further.
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Jarrod’
It wasn’t so much the “Wheels coming off” at Blackpool as being “Taken off” by an incompetent referee. You recall Ibanez red card was rescinded, But that didn’t help our cause on the day. Ibaneth was the victim of players who clog their way through football,which does make it a hard life for some referees. That’s the only thing I can add to another of your informative blogs.
See wolves haven’t any clubs interested in any of their great players again. According to the e&d transfer site. It must hurt.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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2 LordsMyShepherd
I’ve also seen this and when I saw £1.4 million I just thought they wanted one of his boots!! There is no way that he is only worth that amount, if Mulumbu was in a top 4 team they (media etc) wouldn’t stop talking about him. In one way I’m glad that this is the way with our players as it keeps them under the radar most of the time
By the way a dingle commented on the same article on the website saying “1.4 million for 1 of there best players looks good business for baggies. That will boost the coffers no end. I am joking but your idiot chairmen will probably accept the offer & say it’s good business”
I know he says he is joking but he still says our chairman would say it would be good business…..how much did they spend on Fletcher again?
BOING BOING!!
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91.
There’s currently a thread over there about Matt Jarvis pledging his loyalty to the club. As far as I can see (and they’ve often said this about our players in the past)no club has actually shown any interest in him or any of their players.
There are numerous ones saying stay loyal to the club like Steve Bull and become a legend. Then one spoils it by saying
‘Matt well done mate.Steve bull had the chance to go to coventry city in his day and didnt.And now is loved by all wolves fans because of his loyalty.And i hope for more good seasons to come’
Good to see his head wasn’t turned by the bright lights of Coventry like Lee Hughes. Still that £5 mill helped set us off on our journey to where we are now.
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I’m not so sure it was loyalty to the Wulfs that stopped Steve Bull going to Coventry, more a case of Wolves not accepting the bid because they’d have to give 50% of it to us in a sell on clause! How could they have replaced him with only half the dough! Steve Bull being loyal don’t make me laugh! If they’d have let him go he would have been off like a shot!!
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got my olympic ticket application back this mornin,missed out on the mens 100 metre final but got 50,000 tickets for west ham v barnsley aye boing boing
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Brilliant as usual.
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It ain’t brilliant and certainly not original. That’s been texted around for a week, but mostly West Ham v Birmingham City
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Fozzy
Having a bad day are we, dont be so miserable.
It made me laugh! Rock on Sir Tez.
Ummmmmmmm Just a thought; it wouldn’t be pre match nerves would it?
Cause actually your not out of it yet are you!
Chill out my Custard Bowl friend!
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I remember seeing the likes of The Black Pearl, Cyrille, Bryan, Len, Bomber (I was a boy then I must add). Then Standing at Twerton Park that day and thinking that I would not see the their likes pull on the Blue and White shirt again. So to have witnessed a season like we have seen, matching United at OT and robbed at home, 4 points off Arsenal, beating Liverppol and the Old Enemy (those of us born in Smethwick don’t consider the Oranges our biggest foe) I feel for the first time that the new breed of Pete, Olsson, Mulumbu, Brunt and Scharner (what a buy he is) might be mentioned in the same breath as the heroes I watched as a lad with my dad on the SE.
Here is to the greatest set of fans in these parts and the return to the big time that we all hope this season heralds.
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Hear hear to the orange comment. As the monicker suggests i’m originally from Smethwick too and feel the same about the Vile as yourself. Regards the playing side,we have a fantastic opportunity here to re build those days. COME ON YOU BAGGIES!
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hear hear!! the same as you mate, this squad has the passion, belief and a certain swagger similiar to our heroes of yesteryear. no huge ego’s, just a realisation that they can play a bit. that is what is so brilliant about our club, from fans to staff, west bromwich albion have dignity, respect for the opposition, knowledge of the game (not blinkered) and humour and humility. difficult capabilities to achieve nowadays, but like true black country, the club and its fans are steeped in tradition. long may it continue.
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Jarrod.
You’ve brilliantly summed up a season that has been almost indescribable. Despair, hope, expectation, despair etc, etc and so it went on.
I’ll remember more than anything the goals. Not that we’ve been short of those in the last few years but I can’t remember so many spectacular ones. I will also remember PO’s goals, not because they are particularly spectacular but because he is a real craftsman. He doesn’t let the CH’s have a minute’s relaxation but the main thing is he makes scoring them look so easy. I think it was one against Arsenal where he robbed their keeper and CH and threaded the ball in from outside the corner of the penalty area. The MOTD commentator called it ‘a simple tap in.’ Not entirely his fault as PO made it look so easy.
The other thing that stands out is the resilience of this set of players. I don’t think we’ve had so much fight since GM’s promotion side. But it’s now tied in with a team that can pass the ball with the best of them.
I ended one of my recent posts saying I’m waiting for the Football Gods to step in during the close season and ruin everything for us. I can only add that there is no one I’d trust more to fend off all the vultures, jackals and low life agents that will try to derail our club than JP. To all the Doubting Thomas’s I can only repeat, he’s the most important man at the club.
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Well summed up. After the opening day hammering (how do we always manage to get a top team or even the champions from the previous season to ease us in is beyond me!) but, I thought de ja vue, its going to be another season of broken dreams in the top flight.
The turning point for me was the Arsenal result, followed by Fulham, and even the most sceptical Baggie must have been thinking “hello, something different in the air this time”
Although he lost his way towards the end, I think the shock most of us felt when RDM left was palpable, and it was indeed, a brave, brave, man who made that decision. He has bigger kahunas then I (and I would wager most of us have) that’s for sure. But we must never forget what RDM did achieve and the part he played in getting us where we are now, for that RDM, I salute you.
As for players leaving, talk, hype, spin, call it what you will, was always going to happen, that’s how newspapers create business, unlike actual stories where the facts (usually) have to have a modicum of truth, transfer stories can be pure fantasy and conjecture with no come back for the instigator, relying has most Red Tops do on “a spokesman said” or ” a source close too”, absolute poppycock!
Finally, has some of you have pointed out, a figure of £1.4 mill is derisory for Mulumbu, but the Wolves fans who think that this would still be good business, they are quite correct. It would represent 8 x’s return on what we paid for him, and, you can take any of the so called “targets” mentioned, and more or less guarantee we would be looking at at least, at the very least, a eight fold return. Even so, you know given past experiences, if they were to leave, it would be for a lot more than 8 x’s. When was the last time Wolves achieved that? I mean, can you see anyone seriously offering £56 mill for Fletcher? I think not!
3) Think on this, if Wolves do go down, by a point or two, it will have more to do with the two pints that Vela denied them, then the four points they gained of us! Who knows, its that tight, may even come down to Odems penalty. Now that would be ironic, given the way they crowed after (and since) that game. Ironic indeed!
Boing Boing!
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I don’t think vella denied us two pints old boy, points maybe but I certainly had more than a few pints after both games.
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corrected, pints, points, makes no difference to me at all, could mean a whole heap of trouble for you though my Wulfie chum!
I see from the main page Wolves are pleading with Man U not to field a weakened team against Blackpool, like Wolves did against Man U last season, quite right too, they should get a £25,000 fine, suspended, just like Wolves did, but faced with a Champions League final on the horizon, and a fine you never have to pay, seems a bit of a bargain to me!
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If Man U get a £25,000 fine, I’m sure Blackpool will be more than willing to pay it!!!
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mboy, reading the universal pages up and down the net, I think there would be a few neutrals willing to chip in too! The general consensus seems to be Fergie should play best team for him (obviously) as the Champions League Final is the big game whilst for Utd the Blackpool game is absolutely meaningless. Surprising (or not as the case may be) how much good will there is out there for Blackpool from the neutrals.
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Great blog and cheers for all of your articles and associated comments throughout the season. Being a bit of a Luddite i am relatively new to the internet,but i can honestly say these blogs have helped to illuminate an already sparkling season. With regards the transfer speculation,the fees being touted around are an absolute joke.Long may those jokes continue,as i really don’t want us to lose any of those mentioned. However,for the great job that J.P has done this season,we all know that he is a business man first and foremost. If the prices continue to rise,he WILL sell. All fingers crossed that he and Dan Ashworth can keep ‘pulling rabbits out of hats’. I seem to recall a rumour that Mr.Ashworth was being monitored by Arsenal earlier this season. Interesting. Anyway,COME ON YOU BAGGIES. BOING BOING!
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Thank you for your kind words, and welcome to the forum.
Although the season is coming to an end i do tend to chip in with a few blogs throughout the summer.
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Hurrah.
We need everything we can to help us through the football drought months.
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Just noticed on the transfer rumours we are tracking Jelle Vossen, I wonder if Wolves will nip in to “nick the Jelly” again. How is Van Damme these days?
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Jarrod
When you analyze the season it makes you wonder where we would had finished had it not been for that eleven game spell where we collected hardly any points . Injuries were a key factor but I think there was more to it than that.
One final thought despite their fans having visions of grandeur which demonstrates their delusion I hope the Wolves survive on Sunday so our rivalry can be continued in the Premier League. Perhaps they will reflect that had it not been for the four points they got from us they would already have been relegated. I don’t think we will be so generous next season.
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Simon Cox’s goal won goal of the month on MOTD and is in for goal of the season, which we know will be given to Rooney’s bicycle kick.
I was in Tesco’s car park in Sheffield (taking my baggie mad daughter to university) and listening to the Arsenal match on five live. When we missed the penalty I knew we had lost and went to find the wife and daughter. By the time I got back in the car we were winning again and I was flabbergated. There were at least two dilerious baggies in Sheffield that afternoon.
I also believe that the turning point for us was Blackpool. I don’t usually play the what if game, but if we hadn’t had the players sent off and the penalty would we have crashed and burned so specatularly?
To continue the what if theme… If Scharner was available for the Wolves match would we have lost.
I have often said that my era is late sixties and early seventies and I have fond memories of our team from then. To my untutored eye – Dorrens and Bomber, Thomas and our Willie, Odemwingie and the great Jeff, Olsson and Wile, Brunt and maybe Hope, Miete and Kaye. A few comparisons which people may not agree with and I know I’ve left out players like Ossie, Talbot Statham and Kyswickie (or how you spell it), but I was proud of the team back then and I’m proud of the current team.
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I always buy The Sun on Thursday. The puzzles page is superb. The football pages are interesting, though not serious reading and Mackenzie’s take on life always makes me chuckle. Agents are a modern annoyance and I’d bet £10 (No, no, I don’t mean it), that Davies wished he hadn’t been so stupid. He could end up in The Championship for his arrogance. And who’ll want him now? Our medical team could have put his bits back in the right place better than anyone.
Isn’t it great to see so many new posters on here? I was hoping we’d get a ‘last blog of the season’ after the Newcastle match. Ta, Jarrod. Lastly, a big compliment to Martin Swain on his recent article on Baggies and the way forward. Quite magnificent! Tarra a bit an’ thank yer fer ‘avin’ we.
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Well summed up Bomber. For so long I’ve disliked Premier League football. Maybe that’s down to our inability to stay up in the past but I think it’s because in the past the league has been so predictable as apose to the Championship. Litterally any team can get promoted or go down and bottom quite often beat the top in that league.
That never used to happen in the Prem. Usually the one team in the bottom 4 who got a couple of results at the end of thier poor season would survive and the other three would go down. But this season most of the bottom teams have been taking points off the middle and the top.
For me Blackpool, Newcastle and ourselves are responsible for this. We have moved the relegation battle up the table this season which has brought other more ‘established’ clubs to their knees. I can see the same thing happening next season as well because Norwich, QPR and Reading (I hope it’s Swansea though) are going to be tough cookies.
COME ON YOU BAGGIES
BOING BOING
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That is a very good point you make about us, Newcastle, and Blackpool, and I eluded to pretty much the same thing a while back on here. Makes you reliase what a strong Championship it was last season, and the reason I have been willing Blackpool to beat the drop for some time.
I am also a fan of The Championship for the reason that you give, anyone can beat anyone on their day makes for an exciting league (although QPR have spoilt that a bit this season) But if the future Prem’s are going to be more like that model, bring it on.
Question? Since the start of the Premiership, has there every been a season where the three promoted clubs have stayed up? I would like to know but I am too lazy to go back and check them all. If anyone knows of the top of their head, it would be very much appreciated.
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Hi, Unsure of the other two teams but it was the year that Fulham stormed the Championship and then stayed up in the prem. All three promoted teams stayed up, only time this has happened yet.
The one I cannot find out which may well be now held by Albion is the highest placed side with the worst goal difference.
JT
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Further to the unwanted but unsurprising attention toward Mulumbu. IF the Albion do cash in, the only figure that would remotely placate me would be in excess of £30 million.
I am serious when i say that this guy is BETTER than the much lauded Makalele in his Chelsea pomp.
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in the words of John McEnroe – You cannot be serious?!
I believe he can become as good as Makalele and maybe even better but is he at that level currently – not for me Bomber. There is no doubt he has unreal potential and even now is such a class act – ability wise I’d rate him more as a Lassana Diarra at Real Madrid. The improvement Mulumbu has made in the past two seasons is incredible and should he continue this trend then he will be better than Diarra and Makalele as he has something in the locker that those two don’t/ didn’t have………goals
If Diarra was worth £20m when going to Real Madrid then I have to agree with Bombers valuation of £30m+
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beevower
I am absolutely serious mate.
I am aware that it is a huge claim, but one i believe to be true.
Makalele and Diarra operated/operate with an abundance of world class players around to further compliment their input, Mulumbu dominates the midfield with, dare i say, less globaly esteemed team mates.
And i would also add that Mulumbu`s range of passing is far superior to Makalele`s.
Finaly…….I aint Bomber!!!
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Wbaforever – firstly, complete apologies for the identity mix up. I clearly have Bomber on the brain…..very worrying!!
I hear your point and it’s certainly valid. However, for me Mulumbu is not world class yet – that doesn’t mean I underestimate his value to us nor does it mean I don’t believe he can become world class but in my opinion he has a couple of areas that he needs to improve in order to be considered at the same level of a Makalele. For me at times he still concedes possession too easily in our own half as well as committing unnecessary fouls around our penalty box. Most will see this as a harsh criticism but we are talking world class here. I actually believe that as a team we have been guilty of this all too often throughout the season and it’s ended in goals be conceded which I believe could have been prevented relatively easily. Dorrans – Villa away gave the ball away too easily for Downings goal. Scharner away at West Ham for Parker’s goal, Mulumbu – away at Fulham for Davies goal (helped by Carson’s howler admittedly) etc.
As I say I certainly don’t underestimate his worth to the team and if his improvement continues along the same lines as it has the past couple of years we have one hell of a player on our hands.
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I would agree with that, there was an interview the other day when he was saying how much he has learnt and how much he still has to learn.
What he has is immense natural ability. We usually think of this in an attacking player that uses skill to beat people and score goals or a defender with pace and positiobal nous. Youssuf has an unusual capacity to win the ball without tackling and retaining it when he looks to have lost it. Team this with his superhuman stamina and you have a very, very special player.
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Bully
Positiobal? ……Struggled with this for a while, then I looked down at the keyboard and saw the B next to the N. Soon realised that you probably meant positional and guess what; I completely agree with you again.
This is getting scary!
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On a day when we are enjoyoing a stress free blogg, it may be somewhat churlish to highlight once again the ramblings of our chief jester laughingwolf, but had to bring this one over from the darkside from the matt jarvis thread… enjoy….
“Well done Matty Jarvis, a quality player who wants to stay at Wolves as we have to have one of the brightest futures in the Prem”.
I feel no further explanation is necessary…
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I liked the Sunderland thread where virtually everyone was in raptures about winning two games and being safe from relegation. I meerly pointed out that Sunderland had ten first team players injured including nearly all of the strikers and that we had three key players out and our defence was on holiday and that Blackburn would be playing like ones posessed. It really will be an interesting Sunday.
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Happy.
I’m a great fan of your work and therefore it’s unlike me to criticise you BUT…
The real quality part of that post is the bit that follows.
‘We are the ONLY CLUB with no debt in the Premier League and and we have the second lowest wage budget after Blackpool.’
Can this be the same Laughing Wolf that berated us for having a Chairman too tight to invest any money and mocked us for not paying PL wages onder TM?????
Only joking but the man is a legend isn’t he and it’s little wonder that you, me, Warren, WONOH etc worship at his alter of greatness. BRW had better up his game if he wants to keep up.
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Happy,
How do you manage to take the rise out of wolves, and get your posts passed the Mods. All week, I’ve done it on both sites and failed to show. I think the Mods are cheesed off with me, or, It’s ban Jack from sniping wolves week.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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Jack – if i had a £ for every post that never saw the light of day….. I definately think there is ONE baggie fan moderator who slips them all through when the all the ding mods are at lunch !!!
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Happy,
Same gut feeling, I have.
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Villa are YOUR main rivals anyway ?
DING DONG THE WICKED WITCH IS DEAD.
Three cheers for the mods. Hip hip hip,,
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Banned HaHa.
So they are, but have you seen their (Villa)site. It’s like a ghost town. I can understand the Mods banning me for your jitter-week. Maybe they’ll save them for afters, IF you stay up. All the best, Blackpool.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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I saw it, but thought it was below contempt, even by the usual standards!
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Hmmm the rumour mill really has started! Someone just mentioned to me that we are looking at getting in Warnock and L.Young from the Vile if Houllier and McAllister stay on. Also see the rumours about A.Johnson which would be a good shout as our medical team seem to be able to work wonders where others have failed. At CB I’ve seen a piece of obvious lazy journalism in that Roy wants Hangeland, Upson or Tomkins. Hangeland would surely be out of our reach and I’m not sure on the lad Tomkins. Upson? If he played like he has this season no thanks but if he could capture his form from a couple of years ago he could be the best free transfer out there.
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beevower
Let`s just say we agree albeit to different levels.
I do however STONGLY disagree about your view that Mulumbu gave the ball away for Fulham`s first, when he lost possession i thought he was virtually assulted.
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Jarrod
We’ve had the odd disagreement this season, but overall I’ve both agreed and enjoyed your blog. I wrote a short 5 minute radio drama based on the Great Escape called, “On The Last Day” – broadcasted by BBC Radio WM – however I would struggle to write a full length play that captured all the twists and turns that unfolded this season!
As for highlights – too many, but I love the quote from Mulumbu about not being as good as Kaka, but he’s working on it! I’m 100% with Wbaforever on the foul that led to Fulham’s first. Yes, there are still rough edges with Mulumbu, but I know quality when I see it and I voted him MOTS without a flicker of doubt.
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Bomber as usual, a great blog, and i for one would like to say a huge thankyou for your unpaid work. A look back at the season will also remind you of how busy you have been at work, Christmas being but one example, and yet through it all you have entertained, enlightened and may i say at times even depressed us, but, you have been there week in, week out and i think that you deserve a medal.
Sir Terry, i have laughed at your wit all season, but even by your very high standards of humour you have surpassed yourself today, class.
With regard to transfers, i can honestly say im very relaxed, not because i dont think we will have players touted and talked about, but from what i see this squad has a direction, and only very big clubs, of which we can do little about other than make them pay well over the odds, will tempt this group of players to split. There seems a real family atmosphere among them, and i believe they are looking forward to furthering them selves at our great club next season.
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Great report..and well written.Now all we have to do is convince the arrogant supporters of some of the so called “bigger” teams that we should be taken seriously….and not receive comments such as “You can tell how bad the Everton squad is when a team like Albion do the double on you”….A few good seasons should do the trick.
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Slightly off topic but why are Ding supporters allowed to post on Albion threads when I make a perfectly valid, unabusive observation on one of their threads, the mods veto it?
All I wanted to point out regarding them having no debt, was the fact that £70m was wiped out when Morgan bought the club for a tenner from Sir Jack Hayward.
Fair point in my opinion in the context of the debate
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BIE.
I think some of the moderators work on the basis that it’s like a kindergarten and if you tell them their pet hamster has gone to play with Jesus they’ll get upset and start to misbehave.
Usually posts about Wolves put up on our site get published and the grown up Wulfies that you can have a debate with will reply to them on here (as well as the odd precocious 3 year old.)
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I’ve just re-read that and it doesn’t make a lot of sense.
What I was getting at is that if you’re making a well argued point that is to the detriment of Wolves then it won’t get through. Some mods seem very protective of the club.
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Hear Hear!
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Will you lot shaddup re Mulumbu or whatever his name is. Stop bigging him up, you know he should be on the bench, has a lot to learn, can’t shoot or tackle, injury prone and worth less than £1.4million. Kids terday! Leaving The Crown Jewels out in the back garden for anybody to nick. Thank God we have an Alsation
called Jaypee.
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Nice to be able to read this review of a premiership season that hasn’t ended in heartbreak. And as a bonus to be able to read it a game before it is officially over. Without having the nailbiting last day relagatoin battle madness! Lets be honest how many people thought Newcastle away on the last day would be huge & decisive to our survival.
But who cares now as this really has been a season to remember. We have had the highs and a few lows, we have seen club records broken, hoodoos ended, we have had derby day joy and derby day misery. We’ve seen our run as one teams bogey side come to an end resulting in RDM’s sacking a day later, and we have seen our run of constant misery against our own bogey team quite possibly come to an end with a last gasp equaliser. And not forgetting some memorable epic away day results. So much has happened this season it really has had everything! Its interesting to hear how people have said how all emotions have featured in this season.
But I think thats what makes it Albion, we dont do boaring. We are always on an up & down rollercoaster ride. But now we have achieved our goal of the season and now we have the players and manager to take the club forward I hope the ‘up & down’ emotions in the sense of relegation and promotion have finally come to an end. I dont think anyone can be more proud of our club this season. It has felt so different and exciting, even when we were losing its hard to explain or put into words. I am already looking forward to next seaso!
As far as one last ‘Boing for the Baggies’ goes. I am looking forward to an open, relaxed game where 2 teams with similar achievments this season can celebrate without worrying or looking at the table or at latest scores elsewhere. But lets go out, make a statement & get revenge after (through more favourable treatment, media hype & convenient timing of fixtures) was pipped to the championship last season. But more importantly finish highest midlands team and in the top 10. Now that would be the perfect exclamation point to our season.
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Great post Danno.
I feel more optimistic than I have for ages and I’m always fairly positive.
1. We have a sensible plan to increase the capacity slightly. I think the plans are ideal and leave the option of increasing the Smethwick End at a later date.
2. We have some good young players emerging from our youth policy. Probably the first time we’ve been able to say this for forty years.
3. We have a very good solid Manager who gives off an aura of confidence as well as humility. He’s at an age where he will probably carry on as long as he’s enjoying it but unlikely to be poached by another club. Hopefully if Michael Appleton stays he will be groomed for a seamless handover in the future.
4. We have star players on long contracts. Some may be poached but only for the big fees our Chairman will demand. This will enable our excellent scouting dept the funds to find replacements.
5. We have a Chairman we should all be praising although I know some never will.
6. We have fantastic fans. One of my proudest moments wasn’t when we’ve won things or got promotion but at the end of the Liverpool game when we were relegated. Nearly the entire crowd stayed behind and gave the players and staff a standing ovation. It’s easy supporting your team when they’re doing well but loyalty like that in the bad times says it all. It doesn’t matter what happened with Mowbray or some of the players after that game. They come and go, it’s what it said about my fellow supporters.
Proud to be a Baggie.
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What an excellent response. I too remember that game against Liverpool. The Albion just seemed to get louder as each of their goals went in. I know that some couldn’t bare to join in,but it was a celebration of being Albion;just as it had been against Chelsea. You can hit us,but we don’t stay down. Gary Megson also said prior to these displays that he had felt humbled by the reaction of the Albion fans to the eventual play off defeat against Bolton. When he joined Nottingham Forest he also went on to comment that although other fans may be able to match Albion’s,they would never beat us! Too true! Because WE ARE ALBION,SAY WE ARE ALBION! BOING BOING AND COME ON YOU BAGGIES!!!!!!!!!!!
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Jarrod-
As much as I’ve enjoyed the football this season,I mentioned to you at the ‘cocktail party’ that one thing has made me happier than anything else-
and that’s the fact that younger guys such as yourself are experiencing the level of football with the Baggies that some of us witnessed back in the 60′s and 70′s.
I heard Warren say that he began watching Albion during the dark days of the 80′s,and this is something that he and others could only dream about then,so I’m lovin’ the good vibes that they’re all feeling.
And long may it continue!!
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On a serious point Rocket; that is a great post !
Far to many kids new to the game are only interested in what they see now. Cups and trophies being lifted by Man u, chelsea, Arsenal etc, equates to kids walking down black country high streets wearing the above shirts. As true fans of our respective clubs, im sure you will argee with me, its always a pleasure to see 5,6,7,10 year olds wearing their colours with pride.
All that glitters is not gold. (no pun )
With the new rules comming in soon, propa clubs such as ours, should be able to punch our weight in the global game.
Hopefully, with our clubs continued success, should see local kids thoughts of wearing glamour clubs shirts be Slade. :)
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lonely-
I thought you might be interested to hear that I went to see a gig at the ‘Robin’ in Bilston last night,and before it started,I enjoyed a few beers in-wait for it-NODDY’S BAR!
There were pictures of the great man on the wall,but to be honest I can’t see the resemblance.
I don’t know why he’s trying to be like me anyway………..
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Bow-wow, Grrr.
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LonelyWolf. Who did your test for you mate?
The missus probably. If you really have an IQ of 130, then you are of good post grad level, so why the bad spelling and non-too-clever grammar? Ah, I know. You’re a dyslexic mathematician.
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there are certain players that have become legions at the albion in the past,astle,brown,osbourne,johnson etc,i think if mulumbu stays with us a few more seasons,i think the kids will remember him too in years to come,
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thanks to jarrod for the seasons blogs and museings,tiz nice for a chance to go to a game and have both eyes on the game relaxed not one ear to a head phone listenin to that go awfull horn DER DER DER DER DER DEEER ITS A GOOOAL and our hearts missing a beat and the nails,down to ya elbows as smug franksy or regan or hale wm answer to the 3 stooges talk utter rubbish between themselves who think blues n wolves are far better than they are and should not be fighting relegation,..and how it was a fluke albion are where they are the were quick enough to slag the appointment of hodgeson and this that and the other nor not forgeting the unbiase and opinions they give,like franksy tryin to sell dorrans to villa ha ha …well done to all have a good break and lets come back and break more records
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