Beaten Baggies face a grilling
Wednesday 30th September 2009, 11:29AM BST.
Albion’s players are facing a ‘video nasty’ after angry boss Roberto Di Matteo blasted their “terrible” display in defeat to Barnsley.
Di Matteo is planning a detailed post mortem tomorrow into the 3-1 loss at Oakwell that kept the Baggies off top spot in the Championship.
The defeat completed a grim eight days for Albion that have seen them bow out of the Carling Cup and suffer back-to-back League defeats to blow apart their unbeaten record.
Di Matteo said: “The players have given me no explanation but we will have to sit down on Thursday and talk about it and analyse it.
“We need to get the basics right because if we give goals away we are always chasing the game and that’s not good.
“We have to pick ourselves up and start again. It’s a tough league, we knew that at the start and we said it all along and it’s proving to be like that, looking at the other results.”
Last night’s defeat followed just four days after the 1-0 home loss to Crystal Palace which put an end to Di Matteo’s unbeaten League record at the helm.
The Italian was clearly angry as he addressed the media last night and he is planning a re-run of the game when the players return to training tomorrow for what promised to be a lengthy inquest.
“We will watch it again,” said Di Matteo. “You need to look at things, analyse them and try to improve what we did wrong and get better.
“It was terrible. We didn’t do anything that we were supposed to do, especially in the first half. You can’t allow any team all that space, because we saw what happens.
“Was my calmness tested? Yes, very much so. It’s probably the worst game for my team so far.”
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
Totally agree with this approach, players need to be held accountable and learn the lessons.
Unfortunately, I believe at least 5 players in the squad aren’t good enough at this level or higher. One major weakness remains no ‘steel’ in the midfield; or for a McInnes.
Report abuse
They deserve more than a grilling! Martis and Mattock need dropping. They have looked poor all season, esp Martis. Bring in Barnett and Jara for Preston. When Cech is fit, he would be my number one left back.
RDM wants to go back to basics….well a good thing to start with is playing left footed wingers on the left and right footed wingers on the right!
Also, i read yesterday that King Kev is unhappy with the lack of first team football at the Blues. Why dont we bring him back? He would be in double figures by now with the amount of chances we create.
Report abuse
Carson…..Mattock….Olsson…..Jara….Martis….Tex….Mulumba…..Dorrans(Koren)….Zuiverloon(Brunt)…..Bednar…..Cox…(4-4-2)…..simple…..i witnessed Martis play at right back a few seasons ago at Leicester and he played there very well,Jara plays for his national team at centre back and i think would give Olsson the support he needs,this i think is the team we need to field until the injuries/suspensions clear up……..anymore thoughts…….BOING BOING
Report abuse
3- My thoughts are that it doesn’t matter which personnel walk onto the field if you allow teams time and space like we did yesterday.
There’s a lot of scapegoats being named on here today, but if we don’t play with the required energy and tempo, we’ll have a lot more nights like last night whoever’s playing.
Re: Jara, I can see your point about Martis’ vulnerability, but Preston’s centre forward is 6ft 4, 6 inches taller than Jara, who won’t be used to aerial bombardments as a South American. I’m not sure Saturday’s the time to try him at centre-back.
Report abuse
I accept that all teams have to lose,but to lose without even trying is not acceptable.I was at the match and witnessed an Albion team that looked like they was just looking to pick up the substantial wages that they had’nt earned.The whole of the team should hand there wages back to pay the loyal fans back for following the team all over the country.They could donate a month’s wages to Sir Bobby Robson’s charity.
Report abuse
No.2,thats a bit of usefull news,Phillips a bit unhappy.Well what did he expect when he ran off?.But yes ,i agree,he would probably be in double figures by now.Would he come back?,Do we want him back?.He might come back,and yes i’d have him back,but only for our selfish benefit,to win games.
Report abuse
been saying this since the start of the season
we need more strikers otherwise we are in trouble
we cant keep relying on bednar
moore and cox aint delivering
wood is a great future prospect but again we cant depend on him as yet
when will albion realise this a loan signing has to be made asap someone like carlos vela from arsenal would be a great addition to the squad
Report abuse
Does anyone know when Mozza & clemmo will be fit to play, has clemmo & olson would be a formidable pair at the back.
Report abuse
i can’t believe the performance last night but think we may have seen some players true colours, i dont understand why the alleged players were given the day off today and will watch the video nasty tomorrow, they should have been in today doing extra training and putting in some hard work they had last night off, also a word to RDM, MOWBRAY took all of the fans patience last season, i dont think you will be so lucky.
Report abuse
FACT KEV NEVER RAN OFF BRING HIM BACK HE WILL STILL DO A JOB FOR US
Report abuse
Our Director of Football needs to be made accountable for his signings – Cox, Mattock, Reid and Jara – quality these, eh????
Report abuse
No.4 Warren,
Would agree about the height issue with Jara at CB, but this would apply to 90% of games this season (or any season). With Mulumbo now a serious doubt, i would expect Jara to be a ready-made replacement for the holding role, as we were led to believe this is one of the positions he can play. As for CB, anybody but Martis…even Meitie?!!!
Report abuse
HAS THE BUBBLE BURST MY BAGGIE BOTTLERS. ITS NOT EASY STAYING AT THE TOP OF THE LEAGUE ALL SEASON. SUPER WOLVES MANAGED IT THOUGH
Report abuse
I was listening to WM tonight and lots
of Albion fans reckon we will start to play
better once RDM stops putting square pegs in
round holes.
Ive come up with 5 different Albion teams ready
for the weekend game at Preston,also thinking
of the injury problems with Mulumbu and Cech.
1st Choice:4-4-1-1
CARSON
ZUIVERLOON MEITE OLSSON JARA
DORRANS KOREN MULUMBU BRUNT
TEIXEIRA
BEDNAR.
2nd Choice:4-4-1-1
CARSON
ZUIVERLOON MEITE OLSSON JARA
DORRANS KOREN CECH BRUNT
TEIXIERA
BEDNAR.
3rd Choice:4-4-1-1
CARSON
JARA ZUIVERLOON OLSSON CECH
BRUNT MULUMBU KOREN DORRANS
TEIXIERA
BEDNAR.
4th Choice:4-4-1-1
CARSON
ZUIVERLOON MEITE OLSSON MATTOCK
BRUNT KOREN JARA DORRANS
TEIXIERA
BEDNAR.
5th Choice:4-4-2
CARSON
ZUIVERLOON MEITE OLSSON MATTOCK
BRUNT KOREN JARA DORRANS
COX BEDNAR.
Please take note Mr RDM!
Report abuse
8. Clem is finished mate, stop going on about him, he will never be fully fit again and play more than 3-4 games without being out for 6 months, he is being paid for doing nothing.
Mattock, Cox and Reid all from lower league clubs who clearly were not outstanding at that level so why would they be in the championship? I cant ever remember the championship being this poor. We have now lost 3 games on the bounce and we need to put it right at preston but if there is not a great improvement from Barnsley we will get a hammering.
Phillips will not come back, he left to join our local rivals,.he is now on premiership money and we are in the championship, wont be long before he begins to start for them.
Report abuse
morning all,are we in better mood this morning,we will go to preston on saturday and win,then things will be back to normal,aye boing boing
Report abuse
baggie boys and girls,,come on why all the doom and gloom,,we are still where we want to be position wise in the table,roberto needs to get the boys back to basics and quickly and things will pick back up,cech coming back is a blessing,weem still capable of winning this league,but we have to get back to basics…keep the faith…GOING UP THE DI MATTEO WAY,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH YES..
Report abuse
I know I’ll get slagged off and it would be much easier for me to come on here and join the call to hang, draw and quarter the lot of them BUT. Just like we weren’t world beaters when we beat Boro,’ neither are we no hopers now.
I saw Ian Hulme interviewed yesterday, unprompted he said he thought the Albion were tired in the first half. I’ll pause here for the chorus of ‘tired on what they get paid.’ Tiredness at this level isn’t about what’s in the legs, it’s about mental tiredness, the brain working a fraction of a second slower which can make a player look lazy. We’ve played four games in eleven days, including chasing Arsenal’s youngsters with ten men. Again I’m not saying this is the only reason for Tuesday’s lack of performance but it has a bearing.
As for signing experienced players. All of the ones mentioned were signed when we were in the PL. You haven’t a hope of getting this quality of player to sign in the CCC. Jara plays international football at a high level and should prove an excellent buy if he settles. He is in a country where he doesn’t speak the language, the style of football is different and he has none of the comforts of home. He’s been here a couple of weeks and due to injuries played out of position. For God’s sake give the lad a chance. Reid and Cox are on a hard learning curve and I’ve seen no lack of effort on their part.
Players out of position. Brunt was playing wide right at the end of last season, scoring goals and being hailed as a quality player. Lot’s of teams now play wingers on their ‘wrong’ side to increase their goal potential. Koren is filling in wide, not ideal but until our injured players are back it’s the best option we’ve got.
It’s easy saying we should try this or that when you don’t have to put it into practice and live with the consequences.
I’ll sit back now and luxuriate in the abuse that is probably coming my way.
Report abuse
18. TRBH,
No abuse coming from the sensible/realist corner mate. Excellent post and i’ll just add to it by pointing out that when you play 4 games in 11 days you need to utilise your squad (it is after all what having a squad is all about)but with all the injuries/suspension RDM didn’t have that luxury. Paying players £XX a week doesn’t make them become superhuman – fatigue will affect ALL players – thats why Champions League teams rotate their squads.
Report abuse