[wba13]

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/albion-secure...-signature

The Snod has signed. Experience yes, the rest hmmmm

Apparently he can play holding midfield... straight in then  

In all seriousness, if we had signed Snodgrass at the start of the season I'd probably be moaning. But things have changed and now I see it as quite a positive move. We're desperately short of both experience and graft and he provides both of them. We need a few players who will leave everything out on the pitch and hopefully we can rely on him for that. The fact he's chipped in with a couple of goals in the cup for West Ham this season means he's probably kept himself fit which is biggest concern when you sign someone at this age.

It would be nice to follow up with full backs, a defensive midfielder and forward...

I saw Newcastle were linked with the Monaco right back Sidebe who was on loan at Everton last year. I'd like us to go in for him and Jetro Williams, the left back who was on loan at Newcastle last year. Both should be available and would be improvements at full back. Danny Rose would be an alternate left back who is probably available on a free. Sakho would work for centre back and then it's just a case of finding an ample defensive midfielder.

We have had some talks with Wiltshire, how far they progressed I don’t know but they say he is fit and ready to play. Could be worth it if fit and well an excellent player.

[theo_luddite]

Slick - nobody said he did that (10 defenders in one team) I only said he'd like to do it. I doubt any club has 10 to put out as first choice anyway, but your 5-5-0 formation at Liverpool for the first half might be a clue as to the way he plays. Ask the boys at Match of the Day for that analysis. The best thing that happened to England in international football was him getting caught prostituting himself.

Chap, if yam wor 'appy with the woy Pulis playered fooertball, yam'll be deloierghted wi' Allardyerce.

If you weren't, expect more of the same with knobs on.

As for the players you cherry picked from previous clubs, fine, what is his legacy at Bolton exactly? I think you'll find them in the bottom half of our 4th Division right now and if you post your comments about him on West Ham and Everton forums and I think you'll find yourself in a very, very small minority when it comes to what they consider to be "attractive" football.

He might keep you up, but he might also put you in queer street staying there with his record. Depends on how much money your owner is willing to part with.

Allardyce spent a fortune of Phil Gartside's brass, which he walked away from (>£100m I believe) at the time when nobody was getting close to that from the TV deals) and they still went bust with only staff and players wages to pay. If your current owner is willing to back him with the silly money he normally spends - then why didn't he back Bilic with the same amount? I fail to see that Allardyce will attract a better calibre of player than Bilic. If Snodgrass is the first example - give me strength.

Look mucka, I very much doubt we've met, and I don't really give a stuff for anyone but Town, but I've a lot of really good Baggies mates down here in Dingle land, so if there's really one more club out of the 92 I want to do well, it's you lot. I don't see Allardyce being the answer to your maidens prayer.

The really good thing about all the other Covid/Brexit/Bodgit shit that's going on right now is, I don't have to listen to how good the Dingles fans think they are, but I miss the banter.

[WBA-Josh]

Jetro Willems is a good suggestion Slick. He hasn't played this season for Eintracht Frankfurt, his contract ends at the end of June and he can also play in the centre of midfield.

[Slick_Footwork]

Slick - nobody said he did that (10 defenders in one team) I only said he'd like to do it. I doubt any club has 10 to put out as first choice anyway, but your 5-5-0 formation at Liverpool for the first half might be a clue as to the way he plays. Ask the boys at Match of the Day for that analysis. The best thing that happened to England in international football was him getting caught prostituting himself.

Chap, if yam wor 'appy with the woy Pulis playered fooertball, yam'll be deloierghted wi' Allardyerce.

If you weren't, expect more of the same with knobs on.

As for the players you cherry picked from previous clubs, fine, what is his legacy at Bolton exactly? I think you'll find them in the bottom half of our 4th Division right now and if you post your comments about him on West Ham and Everton forums and I think you'll find yourself in a very, very small minority when it comes to what they consider to be "attractive" football.

He might keep you up, but he might also put you in queer street staying there with his record. Depends on how much money your owner is willing to part with.

Allardyce spent a fortune of Phil Gartside's brass, which he walked away from (>£100m I believe) at the time when nobody was getting close to that from the TV deals) and they still went bust with only staff and players wages to pay. If your current owner is willing to back him with the silly money he normally spends - then why didn't he back Bilic with the same amount? I fail to see that Allardyce will attract a better calibre of player than Bilic. If Snodgrass is the first example - give me strength.

Look mucka, I very much doubt we've met, and I don't really give a stuff for anyone but Town, but I've a lot of really good Baggies mates down here in Dingle land, so if there's really one more club out of the 92 I want to do well, it's you lot. I don't see Allardyce being the answer to your maidens prayer.

The really good thing about all the other Covid/Brexit/Bodgit shit that's going on right now is, I don't have to listen to how good the Dingles fans think they are, but I miss the banter.

I think your attempt at typing Black Country needs some work, I read out "fooertball" and sounded more Scottish than Black Country

Anyway... when someone makes an assumption about what another person would "like to do" it's usually based off some sort of evidence or logic. As far as I can see from his team selections over the years, there doesn't seem to be any logic for saying he would like to pick 10 defenders. That is presuming he picks his own teams and wasn't forced to sign the likes of Okocha and Djorkaef. I respect your opinion, but I fail to see it.

Of course we were super negative against Liverpool, but few teams can go to Anfield and go toe to toe with them and get something. We certainly can't. But that one game doesn't define someone's entire management style. Most teams go to Anfield and go negative, Allardyce isn't alone. I'm sure the Match of the Day pundits were waxing lyrical about that performance actually, not that I think they know anything.

I am aware of Bolton's current position in the football pyramid but I'm not sure at all why that would reflect bad on Allardyce? In my eyes it does the opposite and illustrates how good a job he did there leaving them in 5th place in the Premier League. And while people who want to clutch for blame will say he was the reason they had financial problems later down the line etc, they actually broke their transfer record after Allardyce left. Clearly there was a problem with spending within the club itself. The budget certainly didn't account for relegation, but Sam left years before they were relegated.

I appreciate what you say about the style of football at Everton and West Ham. I don't believe Allardyce's sides produce super exciting football, but I also don't think his sides are as bad as people make out either, which is the point I was getting at. I think he gets a raw deal because he meets various negative football stigmas all rolled into one. I don't see any comparison with Pulis except the fact they are both British. Pulis would never pick the flair players that Allardyce has picked throughout his career. I've seen enough of Pulis to know those players I "cherry picked" wouldn't get close to his side.

In the interest of balance I would also say that he was only at Everton for half a season and tasked with stopping the rot as they were dropping into the relegation mix. I mean we don't really know how the side would've developed - either positively or negatively - if he was given a summer transfer window and full season. Everton fans might be a bit deluded thinking he was going to stop the rot and transform the playing style in one foul swoop, when coming in mid season. West Ham he got promoted and stabilised, but obviously that wasn't enough for their fans. He didn't do any worse than Manuel Pellegrini mind, who was a former Premier League winning manager renowned for attractive football and backed to the hilt at West Ham.

Although, all said and done, the reality is simple - Allardyce has been brought in here to keep us in the league, by any means...

While it would be wonderful to have some young Guardiola type come in who can get us scoring loads of goals and outplaying the likes of Liverpool and Man United, it simply isn't possible with this set of players. We tried and failed to play football under Bilic, so now we're trying something different. I'm sure the minority of fans on here backing Allardyce - myself being one of the few - were under no illusions that if we are going to stay up we're going to have to graft our way to it playing dirty stuff. But frankly, I am very open to it. I'm sick of us being a soft touch, it's embarrassing.

IMO we can adapt to playing good football after we have learn to graft. Villa's survival last season is the blueprint. After lockdown Villa played some scrappy dour stuff and survived by the skin of their teeth, grinding out dirty results. But now, after learning how to graft, they have added a couple of footballers and really look the part, as much as I hate to say it.

Those on the Allardyce is negative bandwagon might be pleased to know that if we do go down, the last time Big Sam managed in the Championship his "negative" West Ham side scored 81 goals. Bilic's "entertainers" last year scored 77. So maybe the football might not be so bad after all. Those 10 defenders sure must've been prolific

Enough ramblings, best wishes to Huddersfield!

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Jetro Willems is a good suggestion Slick. He hasn't played this season for Eintracht Frankfurt, his contract ends at the end of June and he can also play in the centre of midfield.

I knew Williams didn't sound right... but I typed it anyway

I didn't realise that was his contract situation but on that basis, he could be available for almost nothing even permanently. Fitness is obviously a risk but I thought he looked quite decent at Newcastle before his injury. I think they would've been back in for him had they not signed Jamal Lewis, but that could pave the way for us to make a move.

[Baggiebob(BBB)]

I approve of Snodgrass (Another Robert ) Joining us, as 1/ he's a left footed winger 2/ appears to be a no nonsense kind of player 3/ good in changing room !

With regards to 2 and 3, if he is, then I'd be thinking of him as a Captain, or maybe Johnstone, even though Philipps made a good fist of it and played better last time out.

Be pleased to see the Polish lad having a chance to prove himself. You can't be a current International if you are crap.

[harrogatebaggie]

I approve of Snodgrass (Another Robert ) Joining us, as 1/ he's a left footed winger 2/ appears to be a no nonsense kind of player 3/ good in changing room !

With regards to 2 and 3, if he is, then I'd be thinking of him as a Captain, or maybe Johnstone, even though Philipps made a good fist of it and played better last time out.

Be pleased to see the Polish lad having a chance to prove himself. You can't be a current International if you are crap.

Think snod is a good signing. Worried about his fitness, and always thought he could lose a couple of pounds to be a better player. But I have seen him in the Albion shirt today and he looks fit, hope he is a lean mean free kick goal scoring machine! 

However don’t really understand the lonergan links. I thought there are higher priorities, but may be Sam doesn’t like Button or Bond!

I said previously I thought there may be 5 signings, but the way it is panning out, this may be on the low side. Looks like Sam is wanting to wheel and deal, despite a restrictive budget. We will see?

[theo_luddite]

Slick - I'll leave it for now - let's see how excited you are by his brand of football by the end of the season. Your opinion might be slightly distorted in the coming weeks by the lack of in-stadium interaction but as an apparent chairman elect of his fan club, your assessment come the end of the season will be interesting. I'll refrain from a game by game assessment, the boys and girls on MOTD can have that pleasure.

[Slick_Footwork]

Slick - I'll leave it for now - let's see how excited you are by his brand of football by the end of the season. Your opinion might be slightly distorted in the coming weeks by the lack of in-stadium interaction but as an apparent chairman elect of his fan club, your assessment come the end of the season will be interesting. I'll refrain from a game by game assessment, the boys and girls on MOTD can have that pleasure.

I realise my previous post was a bit wordy which is why you probably haven't read it. But I made it quite clear in the post that I'm not "excited by his brand of football".

No point having a debate if you can't be arsed to read the posts.

Anyway, best of luck to Huddersfield. Looks like the new manager is doing a decent job and maybe you'll have a run for the playoffs if you spend some of the cash you mugged us for in the summer

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I approve of Snodgrass (Another Robert ) Joining us, as 1/ he's a left footed winger 2/ appears to be a no nonsense kind of player 3/ good in changing room !

With regards to 2 and 3, if he is, then I'd be thinking of him as a Captain, or maybe Johnstone, even though Philipps made a good fist of it and played better last time out.

Be pleased to see the Polish lad having a chance to prove himself. You can't be a current International if you are crap.

Think snod is a good signing. Worried about his fitness, and always thought he could lose a couple of pounds to be a better player. But I have seen him in the Albion shirt today and he looks fit, hope he is a lean mean free kick goal scoring machine! 

However don’t really understand the lonergan links. I thought there are higher priorities, but may be Sam doesn’t like Button or Bond!

I said previously I thought there may be 5 signings, but the way it is panning out, this may be on the low side. Looks like Sam is wanting to wheel and deal, despite a restrictive budget. We will see?

Johnstone could be sold if a big offer is on the table. Especially as he has 18 months on his contract.

Potentially Lonergan could be in as a replacement and the money invested in more vital positions? Or we might sell Button for what we paid and use Lonergan as backup? Raising a few quid. Or it could be as simple as Sam simply doesn't fancy the backup. Time will tell.

My opinion that it would be a good idea to cash in on Johnstone if a £15m+ offer came in didn't go down well on here. However, I personally believe that it doesn't matter who we have in goal at present, with the amount of shots we concede, we're down. I just think we would be better with a stronger spine, even if we replace Johnstone with someone who isn't such a good shot stopper. Although I must admit Lonergan's playing record (or rather, not playing) doesn't strike me as someone who would replace Johnstone, so it probably is just a backup replacement.

[Blue Baggie]

Snodgrass will be a good signing for us, I've always liked his work rate. Another hidden bonus - him and Mozza are best mates.

[harrogatebaggie]

Snodgrass will be a good signing for us, I've always liked his work rate. Another hidden bonus - him and Mozza are best mates.

Does anyone know whether we paid a fee for snodgrass or was he a freebie.