West Brom (away) Sunday 16 May 16.30

[Falconhoof]

Might as well start a match thread. 

Mane back in for this one, has a point to prove. What else might happen ?

[Earl Hafler]

Something mad will happen....probably Mané being hacked down in the box and the ref waving play on as he laughs inside

[Hightown Phil]

Wonder how they approach it. Zero reason for them to sit back and try and get a point after all. Would ordinarily go with the front four here but would possibly consider Jones for Wijnaldum and Mane for Jota and go from there.

[D.Boon]

10 minutes ago, Earl Hafler said:

Something mad will happen....probably Mané being hacked down in the box and the ref waving play on as he laughs inside

An Apache attack helicopter will do a series of strikes raining lazer guided missiles down on Sadio. Only his quick wits will save him from certain death but the sheer force of the explosions will force him off his feet.

The ref will give him a yellow card for simulation.

[Stanley Leisure]

11 minutes ago, Hightown Phil said:

Wonder how they approach it. Zero reason for them to sit back and try and get a point after all. Would ordinarily go with the front four here but would possibly consider Jones for Wijnaldum and Mane for Jota and go from there.

He will be desperate to f*ck us over in any way he can. I expect a parked bus and time-wasting agogo. 

I would love to smash them and thus end his career as a top flight manager, the gravy-swilling crook. 

[Falconhoof]

5 minutes ago, Stanley Leisure said:

gravy-swilling crook. 

does he use up all the gravy on his dinner before anyone else can, or does he drink it straight out of the gravy boat 

[psl]

Feels to me like West Brom is where it all started to go wrong. That save from Bobby.

I hope we crush them.

[The_Adder]

Start the front 4, Wijinaldum to the bench, no f***ing about.

[PaulMcC186]

These look all right going forward when they're allowed to attack. I think Allardyce has a weird thing for us so he'll not let them be open. He'll want to frustrate us.

[Doyler3000]

49 minutes ago, Falconhoof said:

Might as well start a match thread. 

Mane back in for this one, has a point to prove. What else might happen ?

Mane's been s*** for so long though. It'd be annoying if being dropped was all it took for him to get his act together! 

Mane still on the bench for me. 

[psl]

6 minutes ago, Doyler3000 said:

Mane's been s*** for so long though. It'd be annoying if being dropped was all it took for him to get his act together! 

Mane still on the bench for me. 

Scored against Leeds and Southampton though. Showing signs of recovery.

[Cobs]

Don’t think Mané starts after the handshake thing. It’s not a big deal but it doesn’t send a great message if he gets straight back into the team.

I’d start the same team as played v Man Utd

 

 

Fat Sam will be desperate to f*** us over, btw. Not sure where his players will be at but us scoring first should knock some of the fight out of them

[Rory Fitzgerald]

1 hour ago, Hightown Phil said:

Wonder how they approach it. Zero reason for them to sit back and try and get a point after all. Would ordinarily go with the front four here but would possibly consider Jones for Wijnaldum and Mane for Jota and go from there.

I’d say the first thing to look for is their formation. Sam has generally gone with a back 4 and 1 striker which have been variations of 451/4231 depending on how attacking his wide selections are. 
 

However on a few occasions (less than 5), he’s gone with 3 CBs like he did away at Chelsea when they win 2-5. They got a big help with Thiago Silva being sent off but still quite an achievement. 
 

If he goes 3 at the back then O’Shea plays and I think Conor Gallagher replaces Matt Phillips in the team below. 
 

If it’s a back 4 O’Shea drops out and then I think it’s a toss up between Phillips and Robinson for a wide slot. 
 

Another thing to look out for in their line up is if Pereira is starting behind Diagne or out left. If he’s behind and Robinson’s on the left then it’s another clue on his mindset. 
 

Personally I think he’ll go with a back 3. The 2 full backs are pretty fast and so Ajayai. 

Yokuslu CM with AMNiles and Gallagher either side and Pereira behind Diagne

[Barnesy_10]

It would be typical to put in a performance like we did against United, only to put in a s***e one against relegation fodder a few days later. Hopefully this isn't the case and we go out looking to t*** teams in all the remaining games 

[Hightown Phil]

4 minutes ago, Rory Fitzgerald said:

I’d say the first thing to look for is their formation. Sam has generally gone with a back 4 and 1 striker which have been variations of 451/4231 depending on how attacking his wide selections are. 
 

However on a few occasions (less than 5), he’s gone with 3 CBs like he did away at Chelsea when they win 2-5. They got a big help with Thiago Silva being sent off but still quite an achievement. 
 

If he goes 3 at the back then O’Shea plays and I think Conor Gallagher replaces Matt Phillips in the team below. 
 

If it’s a back 4 O’Shea drops out and then I think it’s a toss up between Phillips and Robinson for a wide slot. 
 

Another thing to look out for in their line up is if Pereira is starting behind Diagne or out left. If he’s behind and Robinson’s on the left then it’s another clue on his mindset. 
 

Personally I think he’ll go with a back 3. The 2 full backs are pretty fast and so Ajayai. 

Yokuslu CM with AMNiles and Gallagher either side and Pereira behind Diagne

They were trying to avoid relegation then though. Imagine if you were a player and being drilled in to trying to get a point today, you just wouldn’t bother taking it seriously.

[Gethin]

1 hour ago, Falconhoof said:

does he use up all the gravy on his dinner before anyone else can, or does he drink it straight out of the gravy boat 

Out of a pint glass, surely?

[Rory Fitzgerald]

40 minutes ago, Hightown Phil said:

They were trying to avoid relegation then though. Imagine if you were a player and being drilled in to trying to get a point today, you just wouldn’t bother taking it seriously.

That's a fair point. We were not too hot in the opening 10-20mins the other night and we did give a few chances to Southampton and Leeds. Its not like his back line is devoid of any pace so they could come out and try burst into us like Fulham did at Craven Cottage and play a bit higher like on our goal kicks or when we have the ball deep, see if Alisson has another poor pass in him or if Phillips/Williams have a mistake, or if Gallagher/AMN can snap at the heels of our midfielders when they get the ball. I think that's the kind of intensity that will reflect their mindset. If we are working through them, they can pick a different/deeper point on the pitch to engage us.

But even if they need to go back, it will be interesting to see who their "get out" ball is.

Diagne should naturally target himself to their right and his 6'2 frame against Williams and try bully him (wouldn't make sense to pick Phillips) whilst working through their left with Gallagher and Pereira down Phillips side on our right. 

As you say, do they come out and be more aggressive on how they engage us or do they accept we have the ball and draw us on to create more space behind our centre backs. I think - and I think you think (?) - they might come out and take a few swings at us and see how we respond and take it from there.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 16, 2021 by Rory Fitzgerald

[D.Boon]

I reckon when no one's looking Sam likes to dunk a bourbon biscuit in his gravy.

The filthy herbert.

[Gethin]

3 minutes ago, D.Boon said:

Sam likes to dunk a bourbon biscuit in his gravy

That's got to be a euphemism

[Hightown Phil]

10 minutes ago, D.Boon said:

I reckon when no one's looking Sam likes to dunk a bourbon biscuit in his gravy.

The filthy herbert.

I like Bourbon biscuits and I like gravy, so maybe we need to consider it might work.

[Jonesy]

1 minute ago, Hightown Phil said:

I like Bourbon biscuits and I like gravy, so maybe we need to consider it might work.

You consider it and let us know how you get on. 

[psl]

22 minutes ago, D.Boon said:

I reckon when no one's looking Sam likes to dunk a bourbon biscuit in his gravy.

The filthy herbert.

Given how brazenly he takes dodgy money, I'm not sure Allardyce feels the need to do anything secretly.

[Hightown Phil]

11 minutes ago, Jonesy said:

You consider it and let us know how you get on. 

Would do it in a bit, but alas, no bourbons.

[Stevie H]

Of all the things to dislike Allardyce for, and there are many, I don't really see adding a bit of meat sauce to your chocolate biscuit being one of them. It might be the most innovative moment of his whole life. 

[NeilJ]

34 minutes ago, Stevie H said:

Of all the things to dislike Allardyce for, and there are many, I don't really see adding a bit of meat sauce to your chocolate biscuit being one of them. It might be the most innovative moment of his whole life. 

If he were European, people would be praising him for his adventurous combination of flavours and textures.