Roy Hodgson targets more ‘derby day’ efforts
Wednesday 23rd February 2011, 11:29AM GMT.
Roy Hodgson today challenged Albion to conjure up 11 more ‘derby day’ performances as they battle to save their Premier League status.
Head coach Hodgson wants the Baggies to replicate their spirited effort, shown in Sunday’s draw with Wolves, for the rest of the season.
And the new boss believes the players’ attitude must carry them through as he attempts to make the tactical changes he wants from his squad.
“The fans are really good and get behind the team and we have to make sure we give them something to really get behind,” said Hodgson.
“We’ve got to give another 11 performances at least on a par with what we produced on Sunday and I would like to think that the fair-minded fans amongst them would say ‘they are doing their very best, they’re not playing badly and they’re giving it a good go’.
“That’s all we can really promise the fans at this stage. The players have been excellent and we will be very quickly into that ‘grey zone’ — and coaches will understand what I’m talking about — where we are half organised in terms of what I would like to see. A lot of what we did on Sunday was quite a good transfer from the work we’ve been trying to do.”
“But still you fall down on the details and the little things and that takes time.
“We are playing catch-up a little bit but I can’t for one minute find fault with the players in terms of their determination and if we continue to show that resilience and fighting spirit we will give ourselves a chance of staying up.”
The Baggies face tough away trips for their next two games against Stoke and Birmingham.
But their remaining home matches are no less inviting with Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea among their final five Hawthorns opponents.
And Hodgson believes the Baggies’ home fans have a big role to play.
“The atmospheres have been fantastic,” he said.
“I have seen an unbelievably spectacular 3-3 with lots of goal chances on either side, and I have seen a game I can identify with a bit more, where the goal chances for the opposition are much more limited.
“But the atmosphere again was quite outstanding. The feeling of joy and relief will live with me for quite a while and with those kind of fans behind us we’ve got a chance of the getting the points we need to stay in the league.”
UK Sport
Latest Blog — Same again for West Brom
What a strange two weeks it has been since our last game. I haven’t looked over my neighbour’s fence with as much interest since Pamela Anderson moved in next door and regularly used her trampoline, writes Albion blogger Jarrod Hill.
Albion Blog
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
Roy I like to think I’m a loyal fan and will support my beloved Albion come what may, I’ve done this for over 60 years and will continue.
I also think your rallying calls are necessary and I support you all the way, but I’m not quite sure all the players are giving their all. I just dont see the desire to get back to help out the defence, I dont see players diving in to block shots…..what I do see is players loosing the ball and just accepting it and players not receiving a pass just trotting back and I dont see players desparate to get into the box when we are attacking, its this lack of desire what so annoys us (me). Lets hope you can change that mentallity.
Report abuse
Just read Jonas article about the Stoke game.
When we played them this season, although they beat us, they had 2 dodgy penalties and a goal right at the end when we were chasing it – I thought we coped really well with their aerial threat and matched them in the the middle.
Remember we went months and months without conceeding a headed goal – and if Roy can find that again we will give them a real go.
Need the forwards to take the chances that come along – but we can do this…. BRING IT ON !!!!
Report abuse
I agree with 2 happy thats right they did get
two debateable penalties theyre awful to play
against and same to watch I never ever watch
them on tv unless against us. line up 2 holding players + Dorrans Brunt Peter n Vela
thro the middle we need to get more bodies in
the box think Vela could be the poacher weve
needed maybe its our turn for a penalty??
Does anyone know whats happened to Hurst?
I see Chris Woods scoring regularly Miller
taken off last night ineffective better bet than MAF though.
Report abuse
Just thought shocked at Blackpool result most
had them strong candidates for the drop not so
sure they could easily have beaten Villa and us few weeks ago could suprise Wolves though
theyre without Charlie Adam.
Report abuse
Keep the progression going. Up tempo and track back. Get bodies in the box, when raiding. Then we can do it.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
Report abuse
4. 1954.
It came as a bit of a shock as I had them as strong candidates to be in the three that would keep us up.
I think it’s a sign of the times though that anyone in this league can beat anyone else if they go for it. If Roy can get our players confidence back PDQ then we have a great chance. They showed earlier in the season that they can play, they just need to remember that themselves.
Don’t know what would be a good result for us between Wolves and Blackpool. A draw I suppose.
Report abuse
1954 – there is no way that Miller is a better alternative than MAF. I’m not really a fan of Fortune but I seem to be one of the minority in the stands that isn’t anti him. He is something different to what we have. I appreciate his end product and decision making on Sunday was woeful but he did cause problems and concerns to the wolves back four. Start to deliver an end product and he can help us in our bid to stay up.
I can’t see Miller helping us much – the QPR fans in my office were very pleased to see him join but having seen him up close they really arent impressed – and that’s at Championship level
I appreciate that we all have to be upbeat, positive and believe we can get points from all 11 remaining games and avoid the drop but I find it harder and harder each year to believe I’ll see us win at Stoke – you just know whats going to happen. I’ve been to the Victoria Ground/ Britannia so many times I’ve lost count and I’ve never seen anything bar a defeat. I still have nightmares about Mr Stein! I would be delighted with Wolves and Blackpool drawing and us picking up a point.
Report abuse
SC Baggie,
I echo your comments entirely. This current bunch of players are? Too good for the Championship, but not quite good enough for the Premiership. This coupled with a lack of desire to win, does not bode well for the future. There is no excuses. 1954 Baggie, It’s time the players took a leaf out of Blackpools book, and see what can be acheived with hard work and a will to win.
God knows they get paid enough, for doing something we’d love to do, for half the pay.
Kick some ar**s Roy, or we are doomed along with Wolves and West Ham.
Report abuse
i think the sulking in the dressing room will be over by now, that last minute goal was a booster and hopefully a confident one for the players and hodgson to, afterall he did bring on vela and he scored, so if hodgson can raleigh the dressing room and get to shake off the hoodoos and get 3 points at stoke, which is very very possible and instill the belief of the few games at start of season, we can easily pull away from the mire, theres worse teams out there than us, come on u BAGGIES
Report abuse
The fact we are playing the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool will sort out the true desire of our squad.
We all heard last season how key players were desperate for promotion, because they wanted to play the big clubs.
Our coach now needs to remind the squad that we have almost one third of the season left. It’s time to stop talking and dreaming and promising. Start playing, battling and delivering.
Imagine we are back in the Championship. Or that we have just come up and these are our first eleven matches.
These are the big occasions, with full grounds, some class teams and high expectations that our players are supposed to relish, judging from previous interviews over the last 12 months or so.
It is easier to stay up this season than deal with the grind of 46 league games again next season, if we go down. Let’s just get on with it.
I have doubts, just like number 1. I don’t see enough genuine desire and passion, but plenty of skilled players who are fragile when the going gets tough. Too many stooped shoulders and chins on chests. Take a lesson from Mulumbu. He’s making most of you look like under-achievers with his sheer desire and effort.
Stop the big talk and show us you can walk the walk.
Report abuse
10 view from the ‘sixties-
I agree with a lot of what you say.I don’t want to bang on about it,but there is still a problem with some players,and fans,wallowing in self pity,and dwelling on the negative.
I remember seeing one post that said ‘we needed to beat wolves,and as we haven’t,that’s it,we’re going down’.
When I read that,like yourself,I thought ‘hang on-11 more games is nearly a third of the season! And some people have given up already!’.
What’s interesting is that in our recent games,and I’m thinking Wigan,West Ham,Wolves,and even Man. City,we spent part of each game looking lost and beaten,and in the other part of these games,we put a lot of pressure on the opposition,and had them pushed back in their own penalty area.
Apparently,Roy has got this technic of ‘positive brainwashing’,he doesn’t even want to be associated with any negative stuff.
Hopefully,he will say to the players ‘look,you’ve been attacking the other teams for half a game,now we’re gonna get you thinking and acting the same way for the full 90 minutes’.
One more thing-I don’t like picking out individual players for criticism,but Chris Brunt accepted the offer to be Captain,so Roy should say to him ‘I saw the West Ham game,and apparently Scott Parker gave his players a rousing speech at half-time,then he came out and inspired them by charging fearlessly through midfield until the final whistle,with everyone in the team following his example-now go and study the video of that game,come back here,and do the same thing yourself!!’.
Report abuse
10. VFTS.
I don’t know about the players but I feel like invading Poland after reading your blog.
If Roy wants to adopt the old Bobby Gould tactic of letting a fan in the dressing room to give the players the fans point of view, my vote goes to you.
Report abuse
12TRBH Does the ‘H’ now stand for ‘Hitler’. We should be told. Picture required immediately. Any signs of a small, square moustache, a flat, parted, forward hairstyle, unsmiling face and a true song about lacking one orb located in a Southerly direction, I’m off these boards like a shot from an invader’s rifle!
Report abuse
Relax Cyril, I just thought it was a very good post.
I’m supposed to attack anyone who is critical but I thought this summed up a lot about the position we’re in without condemning individuals.
Report abuse