Jarrod – I think you’re spot on with the team for Saturday and I share your concerns about the lack of genuine wide men. Man for man, I would say Teixira and Koren are better players than Brunt, Thomas or Cech (not that they are bad players)but, as you say, the team has been much more effective this year with two wide men in it. I’ve still got a nagging doubt about a striker to play alongside Bednar but for the moment we don’t really have a lot to complain about.

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I totally agree with your team selection Jarrod. I would like to see Jara play alongside Olsson when either Mattock or Cech are fit to take their position as Martis can be unsure at times. I definitely think we will miss Brunt, Mattock, Cech and Thomas as they’re quality players. Jerome was just starting to show how good he can be and we are very short of out and out wingers. However, Koren is 100% committed and always gives his all for the team and Teixiera can beat players on his day. Dorrans and Mulumbu have been nothing short of brilliant this season. And it’s weird how we spent less than half a million on these players and then we had Borja Valero costing us nearly 5 million who was very poor most of the time. I still believe we can win the game tomorrow as we have enough quality. Good luck Lads <3

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Where have all the comments gone?

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Maybe with a lack of options out wide we could go 4-3-1-2??

I’d consider playing Tex behind Moore (possibly Wood though) and Bednar.

Play Mulumbu as the holding midfielder with Koren and Dorrans being a bit more advanced, so effectively like a diamond.

Just a thought??

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I`d probably go 4-3-3 due to lack of midfeild
options with Chris Wood playing just behind
Moore and Bednar.
You cant really go into a match with no midfeilder
on the bench.

Possible Albion Team:

Carson
Zuiverloon Martis Olsson Jara
Teixeria Mulumbu Dorrans
Moore Wood Bednar
Kiely,Barnett,Meite,Koren,Reid,Cox,Elford-Alliyu.

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With our injuries how about loaning Reo Coker from Villa?
I doubt whether he will get a game at the moment!!

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Nedball, Dorrans

I hate to disagree but isn’t 4-3-1-2/4-3-3 playing right into Palace’s hands?

Palace and our friend Mr Warnock will undoubtedly come and compress the game, sit narrow, four banks close together and make it difficult to play through. By playing that formation aren’t we conceding before a ball’s been kicked that we’re gonna try and play through the middle of a crowded area?

Whilst it’s obvious that neither Koren or Teixeira is gonna charge to the byline, at least holding a wide position stretches Palace out a little bit and gives Dorrans, Mulumbu, Moore and Bednar a bit more space?

Bomber- Fair point on Reuben Reid, but being the only senior player in that 16 to be blessed with any sort of pace, may he hold the key out wide tomorrow if it’s 0-0 after 70 mins?

Hopefully it doesn’t come to that!! Come on you Baggies!!

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14 – I don’t necessarily think it’s playing into Palace’s hands. I know that they have 2 men mountains at the back in Leon Cort and Clint Hill, who will win the majority of long balls and crosses into the box, and I think that we’ve seen Tex and Koren play wide enough times to realise that they are both much more effective when playing more centrally.

I’d much rather we played to our own strengths and use Koren; Tex; Mulumbu and Dorrans in areas where they can hurt the opposition instead of trying to stick with a formation and go for the ‘square pegs in round holes’ that we have mentioned on these blogs before.

Like I said though, it’s just an idea I had and I respect your point of view too mate.

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Warren (Albion)
I cant see Warnock coming to the Hawthorns just
to sit narrow and defend,he`ll be up for this
one and will want to win in style,Palace have
some decent players.
Throstlehead
Yeah! Stupid idea that one!

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Dorrans

I hope Palace come to try and out-football us tomorrow!! I just think they’ll sit but I agree with you that Warnock will be up for it!!

Bomber

What would Reo-Coker bring? He’s a sitting midfielder by trade, I certainly wouldn’t swap him for Mulumbu!! Think it’s pace/directness and someone to open the game up that we’re lacking without Thomas/Morrison or someone who can create/score a goal from anywhere in Brunt.

Besides, and I don’t know if anyone else agrees with me on this, one of the first things I ever learned as a child Albion supporter from my Grandad was “we’ve never had anything of any use from Aston Villa”!!!

I’m not as old as some of the posters on here (where’s Cyrille when you need him?) but the likes of Ron Saunders and Andy Townsend seem to back this theory up in more recent times. I hope Carson and Moore go on to break with tradition. Anyone got any more examples?

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before you label me as a supporter of some other club,i would like to remind you of exeter away. in the 90,s-2-0 down and won 3-2.hartlepool away same period(nov 5th) yes bonfire night with our fans shouting abuse at bobby gould and tony ford.
o.k so we know i,m a baggie.just want to say that ,yes, i hope we win 3 or 4 tomorrow but i,m sure that since the battle of brammal lane,like you ive come to warm to neil warnock.just read his autobiography.family man,doesnt talk footie jargon,just tells it like it is.(excuse me arsene(i didnt see it).warnock is a fan just like us ,who happens to manage a fooball club.difference is -he doesnt take us all for fools. he says it like it is.now i hope we beat the palace tomorrow ,but would you like a pint with warnock or simon jordan ? forgive and forget i say.warnock was cheated out of a prem place by tevez and the FA.baggies to win 2 or 3 but wanock is just a fan like us so lets treat him like one.(c mon u baggies)

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