zolton

West Brom fans pretty complimentary of Pardew, I don't think Pardew ignored our midfield he singled out Jones as a weakness or at least that flank. However most of the problem was the midfield allowing their players to waltz through us without putting a challenge in. The last goal was awful and highlighted this perfectly. Three players surround Thomas he inevitably loses possession due to no outlet and then our entire midfield and Ridgwell miss tackles until they score. Wtf we couldn't just have hacked their players down and took a booking gawd only knows! I was swearing my rollocks off at the time saying so. Pardew said post game that he purposely didn't want to use the middle of the park as he felt Mulumbu was a very strong player there at breaking up play, therefore it was their intention to attack from out wide. Have to say, you did exactly what I hoped you would'nt, pressed us high, never let us settle really, excellent attacking play first half.

Fwiw, i thought your team played like a team winding down their season while ours was on it with the goal of Europe. Yes I agree, we looked to casual even in the tunnel, got safe too soon, oh well, just the beach to look forward to!

Cheers Zolton. In some respects you were very unlucky, especially playing on with ten men when you were trying to get back in it. Good footballing side. Good luck. I don't think we were unlucky, sometimes you just get beaten by the better side on the day, accept it and move.

Well played Newcastle, very good in the first half particularly, pressed us and made us pass poorly, clinical finishing, not our best day, but I think you out played us on the day, good luck for the run in, hope you finish top five, see you next season!

I know, after all they have won 4 games at home and lost twice as many. True, but we have won the last two home games, Sunderland and Chelsea. Forget Tchoyi, we have new secret weapon for the last few games, Fortuné, he will run and run around your central defenders. He has been brilliant. Fortune actually has played well of late, but he is one of the worst strikers in the division, so I am sure this will stop. He was rubbish in France, and has been rubbish for 95% of his four years with WBA. There has never been a player that scared me less than Fortune. Have you heard, they are getting rid of cheap booze! lol Honestly mate, wor strikeforce puts Dobie & Killer Hughes to shame. I agree, great forwards you have, best outside the top 4, will they deliver, will they get the service? Time will tell, doubt there will be more than a goal in it though. What is this "top 4"? Are Liverpool included? No way! They are on the slide, King Kenny is about to lose his crown! You stuffed them up when you sent agent Carroll to rob them.

Have you heard, they are getting rid of cheap booze! lol Honestly mate, wor strikeforce puts Dobie & Killer Hughes to shame. I agree, great forwards you have, best outside the top 4, will they deliver, will they get the service? Time will tell, doubt there will be more than a goal in it though.

Have you heard, they are getting rid of cheap booze! lol

Is Krul fit?

To be honest, this game could go either way depending on which team is up for it, I have predicted a 2-2 draw, but I will not be surprised by a win either way.

I know, after all they have won 4 games at home and lost twice as many. True, but we have won the last two home games, Sunderland and Chelsea. Forget Tchoyi, we have new secret weapon for the last few games, Fortuné, he will run and run around your central defenders. He has been brilliant.

Should be a lovely day for a beer outside, enjoy, at least untill 4 o'clock!

I hope all those who are going on Sunday will be able to join in a minutes applause for an Albion great, Ray Barlow, who passed from this world last week, many thanks! ALBION are saddened to hear of the death last night of club legend Ray Barlow, a member of the 1954 FA Cup winning side. Born in Swindon on August 17, 1926, Barlow signed as a professional for the Baggies in the dog days of World War Two, just after his 18th birthday in 1944. The great Barlow stands at the pinnacle of the club's story, one of a handful of truly world class footballers that Albion have produced over 130 years and more of existence. A tall, elegant, powerful figure, Barlow made his debut in a Wartime League Cup game as Albion were beaten 2-0 at The Hawthorns by Walsall in February 1945. His league debut came as the game got back underway for the 1946/47 season, scoring in a 7-2 away win over Newport County in the Second Division. He scored twice more that season - both coming in a 6-1 win over Fulham - as he tried to force his way into the side at inside-left. He played there, at inside-right and, on occasion over the next couple of seasons, even having the odd game as centre-forward, but it was when he settled into a role at left-half in 1950 that the true greatness of Barlow began to emerge. A reader of the game, steeped in its lore, understanding it at some primeval level deep within his soul, Barlow, like all the true greats, dictated a game, bending it to his will, shaping it to his whim. There have been few passers of the ball to rank with him, not just at The Hawthorns, but in the game of football. No less a judge than Bobby Robson called him one of the best players he ever worked with, and that was no empty compliment for Barlow lived up to the accolade time and again in his 482 games for the club. The pinnacle came in 1953/54 when Barlow was the heartbeat of 'The Team Of The Century' that missed becoming the first team to do the league and cup double in the 20th century by a whisker, coming second in the First Division. Compensation came by virtue of an FA Cup Final win on May 1, 1954, in the days when that golden day at Wembley was the crowning moment of the football season. Pitted against Preston, Barlow had a dual role that day, helping Len Millard snuff out the threat of Tom Finney, but also prompting and probing when Albion had the ball. As the team trailed 2-1 in the second half, it was Barlow who urged the side forward, breaking into the penalty area only to be chopped down by Tommy Docherty. Albion had a penalty, then an equaliser and, moments before the end, the Baggies had a winner too, bringing a fourth FA Cup triumph. Barlow continued to be central to Albion's fortunes through the 1950s, taking over the club captaincy from Millard, leading the club out on a groundbreaking tour of the Soviet Union. As the decade ended, injuries began to take their toll and eventually, he moved on to Birmingham City, but played only a handful of games for Blues before retiring from the professional game. A quiet, retiring figure, Barlow shunned the limelight, perhaps accounting for the fact that he made just one England appearance, a scandalous statistic for a player of his incandescent brilliance. But England's loss was Albion's gain. Ray Barlow will forever be a cornerstone of the football club, one of its true legends, one of the foundations upon which Albion are built. We will never see his like again. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Rest in peace Ray

Yes the Vine is very good, fine for away fans for a bit of banter a pint or five and great Indian food. http://www.thevine.co.uk/

Context? Baggies fans? Aye, taken from a West Brom forum. I've always found you guys to be sound chaps! Like most football forums, some good opinions, some not so good! Newcastle and Albion are all square in their head-to-head record with each side having 40 wins each with 31 draws, something has to give!

Having read some of your posts it seems you hope that we will come out and attack you so you can counter and break with Cisse and Ba. Our recent improved home form has been with us pressing further up the pitch in a 4-5-1 or 4-3-3, denying the opposition time and space, worked a treat v Sunderland (4-0), seems that may play right into your hands. Earlier games where we lost quite a few, we were playing a more defensive 4-4-2, so to be honest, I'm not sure which way we will go, as the home team, the emphasis is on us to attack, so I suspect you may well get some joy at the Hawthorns, much as I hope you don't!

We must have a game coming up against the pork scratching crunchers. You know you love them!

What is the latest on the Chelsea speculation regarding Tioté, will he be leaving you do you think?

Playing for a contract I suspect.

We have changed quite a lot during the season, we now defend set pieces a lot better and pose quite a threat from them ourselves, I think we are near the top for the division for scoring from set pieces. Assuming that Odemwingie is fit, he will play wide right, with Thomas wide left, both quite pacy, Fortuné has been excellent for the last few games, holding up the ball for the midfield to join. Andrews from Blackburn has beefed up the midfield, Morrison and Mulumbu will probably make up the midfield. Olsson and Mcauley (free from Ipswich) have become a very decent centre back pairing, Jones and Ridgewell the full backs. Foster is having a very good season in goal. If we play to our best, we should win, big IF though. That´s mostly from direct freekicks though, or am I mistaken? Last game you killed us with pace and direct play. We should have a deeper line and faster defenders to avoid same mistakes this time, which is why I´d prefer Perch at CB. Williamson needs a fortnight just to do a 180 in a light sprint, milk turns faster etc etc. No corners as well (we have struggled both ends at set pieces for years), scored v Wigan from a corner. I expect us to set up 4-5-1, if we can press you back and get the midfield to support Fortuné, we will have a good chance of a win, if you close us down, we will start to look quite poor.

That is debatable. Really hope Tiote comes back for this one. Perch was excellent today, but we set up to play very defensively against a side with one top and were at home. Away match at a side who will attack us is a very different proposition mind. Santon and Tiote in for Guthrie and Perch for me (tough on Perch I know, would keep him in one of the full back positions myself, but that will never happen). I take it you are not happy with the way you are playing. Is Ba still playing well or has he gone off the boil, was great earlier in the season, kept you in the game? We've had a cracking season don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't say we have been the prettiest to watch on many occasions. Oddly enough one of our standout halves football wise came in the 5-2 defeat away at Fulham. We were 1-0 at half-time and everyone most assumed we would go on and win comfortably. 20 minutes later we were all looking at each other in a state of shock! Demba has been excellent. Started off slowly during ramadan, but got a hat-trick against Blackburn and has never looked back. Hasn't scored for 5 games now, however, this isn't particularly worrying. He is a real grafter and the type of striker who is able to fashion out chances for himself out of nothing. Think once he gets one he will go on a nice little run and hopefully finish the season with 20+ to his name. Was impressed by Long and Odemwingie when you played up at our place. Electric pace on the break. Am I right in thinking they haven't both been permanent features for various reasons since new year? Both had injuries at times, Odemwingie had an in out season, revelations for us so far have been Fortuné up front the last few games, Andrews, free from Blackburn, box to box midfielder, and Mcauley, free from Ipswich who has been superb, probably one of the 'buys' of the season, first Premeirship season at 31. Ba got two goals against us earlier in the season from virtually nothing, great signing.

Hope so, he's s****. No, Woy does'nt seem to like him, bit of a free spirit, be gone end of the season, may be a sub though.

We have changed quite a lot during the season, we now defend set pieces a lot better and pose quite a threat from them ourselves, I think we are near the top for the division for scoring from set pieces. Assuming that Odemwingie is fit, he will play wide right, with Thomas wide left, both quite pacy, Fortuné has been excellent for the last few games, holding up the ball for the midfield to join. Andrews from Blackburn has beefed up the midfield, Morrison and Mulumbu will probably make up the midfield. Olsson and Mcauley (free from Ipswich) have become a very decent centre back pairing, Jones and Ridgewell the full backs. Foster is having a very good season in goal. If we play to our best, we should win, big IF though.

That is debatable. Really hope Tiote comes back for this one. Perch was excellent today, but we set up to play very defensively against a side with one top and were at home. Away match at a side who will attack us is a very different proposition mind. Santon and Tiote in for Guthrie and Perch for me (tough on Perch I know, would keep him in one of the full back positions myself, but that will never happen). I take it you are not happy with the way you are playing. Is Ba still playing well or has he gone off the boil, was great earlier in the season, kept you in the game?

Hi Toon fans, well you have had a pretty good season. I see from your posts that you are not too optimistic, to be honest it could go either way, you are due a win, we should be back to near full strength after resting a few for the Wigan game, your favourite defender Jonas Olsson will be back from suspension as well, so no excuses from our end! I expect a good game of football for the TV, obviously I hope we win but it could go either way, you don't get to be top six or seven by playing badly, so hope you enjoy the game, but not too much! Well done for this season.

From West Brom.com what did jonas gutierez do? tried googling what you said but couldnt find anything? i think he may be referring to the reid incident. reid was in possession and went down injured inside our own half, and jonas was free to get the ball and run in behind but put the ball out of play instead. Hodgson came out his area to shake his hand according to the commentators on my stream. good sportsmanship. Sportsmanship at its best, Suarez and Liverpool could learn a thing or two.