Albion blog: To Hull and back
Friday 30th January 2009, 8:55AM GMT.
Albion blogger Jarrod Hill has finally stopped fuming after ‘Robgate’ and looks ahead to a trip to Hull and back.
I have just about calmed down after the ‘Robgate’ debacle of Tuesday night and the letter of complaint I have sent to referee’s chief Keith Hackett has acted as yet more internal therapy.
Anyway onwards and hopefully upwards, as I look at the league table that’s exactly how I feel.
We are so close to getting out of the bottom three and now is the time to find some form on our travels.
With only one away win so far this season, it is not hard to figure out where our troubles lie. But we travel to Hull full of hope as they themselves are suffering from a lack of confidence and form.
Our hopes have been further enhanced by the news that defender Paul Robinson’s red card has been rescinded – surprise surprise. Better than Robbo being available is the return of a number of injured players to boost our options.
James Morrison for me has been our best player this season and his return gives us that little bit extra going forward.
I hope we play as well at Hull, as we did for the first half against Manchester United. The returning Morrison and Gianni Zuiverloon will give Baggies boss Tony Mowbray a headache when coming to team selections.
When we played Hull at home they basically won the game with their outstanding work rate. We defended poorly against Marlon King (but we haven’t got to worry about him now) and, although the 0-3 score line flattered them, they deserved the three points.
Yet in recent weeks i have been impressed by the teams work rate and closing down of opposing players. Hull are a team where you need to match them for battle, before you can allow your football to come through.
Talking of battle, it looks like we have signed a player who is described as a tough tackling midfielder – with Youssuf Mulumbu on the way from Paris Saint-Germain.
He has been described as a very good future prospect and PSG had been introducing him slowly into their first team (he played 13 games for the first team this season).
A player who has come in for criticism lately is young goalkeeper Scott Carson, his recent mistakes have cost us goals and some fans are asking whether it is time for him to be dropped.
My opinion on Scotty is that he infuriates me, I watch in awe as he makes a number of breath taking saves, then watch in horror as he commits a basic error that costs us a goal.
Part of me thinks a break to re-focus might do him some good, but overall I still believe he is the best goalkeeper at the club and at 22-years-old he needs our support.
Anyway here as usual is my team for the game: -
Albion: Carson, Robbo, Pele, Donk, Zuiverloon, Brunt, Koren, Valero, Morrison, Fortune, Simpson.
Fingers crossed we out of the bottom three by the next blog!
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ergh pele and valero!!!
cmon lads 3 points please:D
then the real revival starts:)
anyone agree that we should start playing the great escape theme tune when the players come out the tunnel at the home games like the previous attempt?
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pele and donk together are a bit of a nightmare waiting to happen. what about dropping the hoff in alongside one of them and dropping the other? i am a fan who thinks cech should be given his chance, especially as there are several mistakes that spring to immediate memory from a certain mr robinson. if we can get out of the hull game with at least a point, get meite back for the newcastle game for 3 points i would take that!
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Brunt and not Tex?
I suppose when you’re playing a Championship quality side you should play Championship quality players.
Fortune and Simpson pick themselves at present so I agree with you there (I’m loving having Jay Simpson at the Hawthorns – especially as he’s a midfielder on the Premier League Fantasy Football and so I have 4 forwards in my team!!).
My rose tinted glasses are predicting an away win – but realistically I can see us leading and them getting a late equaliser – 2-2 – a la Burnley.
But, like you say, onwards and upwards…!!
Boing Boing!
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i am glad we are signing a tough tackling midfielder, but considering we apparently have no transfer funds, and require loan’s…why are we spending (although a small amount) on a player that probably wont feature this season?
we need a tough tackling midfielder for now!
My team for hull:
Carson, Zuiverloon, Hoefkins, Donk, Robbo, Morrison, Koren, Valero, Cech, Fortune, Simpson
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Hoff at centre half is a nightmare waiting to happen.
I actually think Pele has done reasonably well since he’s come in (exc Tues) but Hull are no Man Utd and I’m damn sure we won’t get Mr Styles any time soon.
Valero looked impressive Tuesday to in spells.
My only change would be putting Cech on the left in place of Brunt.
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Men! Grab your shields and spears.
For TONIGHT, We dine in HULL!!!
Let’s do em!!!
COME ON.
*you don’t know this but I’m shouting at my screen as I write this yelling COME ONNNN, people are looking at me funny, I’ll stop now*
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SuperMaths
spot on mate, I have him in the team too, once he gets on goal he’ll notch a few more.
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I agree that we have loked much more resilient in recent games & I’m hopeful for tomorrow against a Hull side that I thought were the poorest quality visitors to the Hawthorns this season (despite the 3-0 win).
Would love to see Cech feature but I’d be very surprised…..and whilst we’re on the subject, I’ll hold my hand up and accept I got it wrong with a couple of posts in the week when I said that I thought the sending off was a correct decision.. I wonder if our friend Rob will similarly apologise ?
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I think Hull’s bubble has well and truely burst and I think they’re there for the taking. West Ham slaughtered them wed night! I agree with your team selection Jarrod and as soon as Meite’s fit’ drop Pele for him. 3pts 2moro and another 3 against Newcastle and the tables gonna look a hell of a lot better! Lets just hope Rob Styles has nothing to do with any of our games for the rest of the season! Boing Boing
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Apology accepted Hoff your mistake did not cost us another 4 goals, whereas if Mr styles offered one I’d tell him where to shove it.
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I thought Meite was fit for the Hull game…. have I missed an update on that ?? If he is fit he has to go straight in along side of either Donk or pele.
Carson is still very young for a GK and will make mistakes – but he is streets better than David James was at the same age. Only TM knows how he would react to being rested – some players confidence may shatter.
I would have Cech on the left side of centre MF with Koren on the right and rest valero – who can always come on and make an inpact.
My team would be
Carson, Robbo, Pele, Meite, Zuiverloon, Brunt, Koren, Cech, Morrison, Fortune, Simpson
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Hoff
Dont hold your breath!!
I would also like to see Cech get a chance either at LB or LM. The reason i left him out is Mowbrays reluctance to use him. I also agree with the shout out for Tex, i went for Brunt as i thought he was excellent against Middlesbrough and Tex would be a greaat impact player for the last 20 mins.
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9.
Re: Hulls Bubble Bursting
I backed Hull after 15 games to go down – 40/1 with a very FAIR betting company.
Come on the Baggie Boys!!! (And I just shouted that out too because I have my earphones in listening to last weeks Fighting Talk in the middle of my office. People looked at me too!)
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I know Robbo always gives 110% but he has made some mistakes of late ,Why TM will you not give Cech a chance if only to alternate with Robbo ,He is a exellent player and lots of fans now feel he deserves a chance we certainly can”t afford to lose him . Good luck for sat Up the Baggies
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cech must play some part this boy is quality we need him now,this is a chance for us to climb the table with last nights results going our way,,west ham murdered hull with there pace we need to do the same.so it has to be simpson and fortune up front hull cant cope with pace so our boys should do well,,id be dissapointed if we dont get a result at hull,,id still like cech in tho he is a class player,come on mow give him a chance..STAYIN IN THE PREM THE MOWBRAY WAY,,OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH YES
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Good blod jarrod and although im finding it hard we must put tues behind us.Ireally like brunt and he has one of the best left feet ive seen but i think his inclusion depends on the front 2. If we start with fortune/simpson (which i believe we should) then i feela better option for that style of play has to be cech in left mid. His ability to thread balls through and find the channels would suit both fotune and simpson.If we start with bednar then brunts ability to find searching crosses would suit bednar. Maybe beds and brunt on the bench to change the game if needed. Back to tues has anyone had a reply or acknowledgement from keith hackett
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Given that Greening is out and Robinson now has the captain’s armband, I think the chance of Cech playing at left back are somewhere close to zero.
His best chance is probably in midfield but if your face doesn’t fit then you haven’t got much hope. If he can’t get a game when we have a dozen or so injuries then he won’t get one when players are coming back. As much as I don’t want it to happen, it wouldn’t surprise me if Cech goes out before the transfer window closes as as way of generating funds for a signing in another position e.g. central midfield.
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Please TM I will say it again with all our injuries forget your differences get Cech in, the fans are all shouting for it
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Just saw us linked with Giles barnes on a loan deal. If true that would be excellent imo. Agree Cech should play left mid. Pitty Robbo’s red was recinded, would have been good to see Cech in at LB.
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agree with the cech suggestions.. but think TM will more likely put him in at home against Newcastle as he needs warriors against Hull.. I think it will be a battle and I agree that we seem more up for the fight in recent games… just what’s needed, altho the vulnerabilities are still evident defensively… anyone seen TM’s comments on BBC? very interesting… Frank this, Frank that… very funny
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Why cant TM see what 99% of the fans can ie that Chec is a far better player than Robinson? Simpson is doing well but he needs to learn when to release the ball. I agree about Hull’s performance on Wednesday had the hammers taken all their chances it could have been 6 or 7. We need the points and I think we will win 2-0
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not sure wether to go with fortune or bednar think maybe the latter for his expierence in a game we really need to get somthing from,also bednar took hull apart last season at the kc,COME ON ME BABBIESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS AYE BOING BOING DONK
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21 Wakey.
Can’t argue with your 99% of the fans as I haven’t questioned them all as you obviously have but I’d ask you, do 99% of the fans no more about picking and setting up a football team than the man who has got us into the play offs, won us the CCC, and despite being up against clubs that have massive budgets compared to ours is doing a good job at trying to keep us up? I would suggest not.
I’d like to see Cech on the left side of our midfield, I think he’d probably make the position his own. From what I’ve seen he’s excellent going forward and would offer more help to his full back.
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Carson, cech, meite, donk ,zuiverloon, morrison, dave gilbert, koren valero, fortune cookie, simpson
We need to attack hull and get them to lose the fans quickly, their confidence is low but at some point they will win. They are a team built on hard work and a couple of early goals exploiting they weakness of pace will deflate them.
Supermaths i got 40-1 when hull where in the champions league places and put a ton on.
A blog where the majority of fans are calling for cech instead of robbo. Thats made my friday.
Are you reading cyril randle
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Anyone that reckons that Bednar should play instead of Fortune doesn’t know much about football. (Cue the condescending comments from Terrywalsallbaggie!!!)
By the way, Hull are a virtually totally different side to last year.
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25 – I don’t think it’s as cut and dry as that. Fortune has impressed me so far and I’d just about go for him too at present with Simpson, but Roman Bendar has been our best striker and biggest threat all season.
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Bomber – Carson needs our support.
He has made mistakes, but he’s also made some world class saves for us too.
I just hope we have some defenders fit for tomorrow cos I’ve hread Pele and Donk are struggling too……we’ll still 3 points tomorrow though as we’ll have to go and attack Hull.
3 points, a few pints, and a bag of fish n chips….what a lovely day out!!
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Re the Robbo/Cech debate…. I think Cech could play a role centre left against Hull as a marker for Bullard – but we have so many MF options its hard to pick a combination – I didn’t include Tex in my suggested starting team and I rate that guy SO highly.
I think TM will be picking the 11 feels can best win this individual match – and that means attack and defence wise, but finally we are getting the personnel to change it if it aint going our way.
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Just read that Hull can’t rely on their Cousin for tomorrow (sounds just like East Anglia – lol!).
So no King, no Cousin – I can feel a zero in the goals conceded column coming our way……!
BTW, Lukey – I thought I was being crazy putting 20 on – I’d pass out giving a bookie a ton!!!
Good luck!
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Myself and my father Ronson Bronson Snr will be in the three crowns near the gound if anyone is around for a bit of banter with two wise gents.
3 points, a chardonnay or 2 and a smoked seabass, dauphin potatoes and a reduced red wine jus.
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Supermaths I got 40-1 on paddypower in November and my mate had the same. Hull are a bit like robbo in that Effort can only take you so far when its not accompanied by ability.
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30 – Excellent work! ha ha!!
I’ve heard that one pub to miss is the Silver Cod. We’re either going to the Brickmakers Arms or the Three Crowns too. I might get a pack of Quavers too, that’s living the dream!!!!!
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Nedball my shirt will say Bronson on the back and Ronson Bronson Snr has a greying handlebar mustache and usually wears a suit jacket.
Saw a few people in a pub called the vine on tuesday (tamworth baggie, Nigel99, matt82 and Lukeyboy)and when Ronson Bronson Snr asked for chardonnay a rather attractive young lady gave him blossom hill.
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what mite be a good idea is that we all send a letter to T.M. calling for cech to be given the nod over robbo, it just mite work.
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25mboy,im entitled to my opinion,as i said id go for expierience,you pick your team and i,ll pick mine,aye boing boing bednar
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Yes No.24, still reading but not rising to the bait. I must have touched a tender spot with you daring to disagree with your superb football knowledge. Tony Mowbray is not a spiteful man, so when he ignores the claims for Cech to be in the team, he MUST have a reason. Kamara and Koumas were both excellent footballers but never played for US, only themselves. Why have not Celtic completed their offer for Cech? A bit of background work on a possible personality problem? Would you want Robinho in our team? A man who sods off to Brazil because he can? A nightclubber too. A club like Albion depend enormously on team spirit. You don’t get that with poor timekeeping, poor attitude and no discipline. Whatever you feel about Robbo, he gives it everything and is an example to others.
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33 – RBJ, If we end up in there I’ll have my home top with NED and a #7 on it. I’ll probably have my lucky gloves on too cos the only time I’ve worn them for 90 minutes away was at Boro.
I’ll be sat next to a tubby, ginger Italian and Gollum, whilst supping on the finest vintage Strongbow.
Then I’m off to find Terry in the ground so we can sort out my Octopus suit.
I can’t get my head around how many people on here still go to the Vine. Is it just me that goes in the Hawthorns before a home match?
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Have a great time in Hull, all of you going to the game. Last time I saw the Albion on Humberside it was at Grimsby just after Buckley joined us from them. Can’t remember the score (maybe I’ve blocked it out of my mind) but I clearly remember the angry Grimsby fans having a crappy banner reading “Welcome to Hell Buckley”. Having spent a bit of time in Grimsby before the game, I’ve got to say they got it spot on.
Up the Baggies
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MY ALBION TEAM:
CARSON/
ZUIVERLOON/DONK/MEITE/ROBINSON/
KOREN/VALERO/CECH/MORRISON/
FORTUNE/SIMPSON.
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