New boys shine in opening day 2-2 draw

new signing Sebastien Pocognoli shone in the 2014-5 opener

Albion showed new promise and old weaknesses in their opening game of the season against Sunderland at The Hawthorns.

New boys Pocognoli, Wisdom and Gardener all produced notable moments as Albion clawed 2-1 ahead, only to surrender for a draw with 5 minutes left.

Pocognoli looked particularly impressive with his bursting pace down the wings and some reliable crossing.  Wisdom too looked solid and confident on the ball.  In midfield Craig Gardener linked up well with the front men and produced a dipping shot before half-time.  It was his cross that set up Berahino for a second goal and the promise of a first day win.

But defensive weaknesses resurfaced with tired legs perhaps leading to some ball gazing that let Sunderland's Larrson craftily side foot home before the end.

Despite this, Albion looked sharp and moved the ball well for much of the game.  Clearly, Irvine's training ground work is having effects.  They looked much better organised than last term, especially going forwards with Gardener and Dorrans combining well. 

Brown Ideye was not brought on - Irvine chose to bring on Sessignon, Baird and Yacob - a change that almost immediately led to the visitors scoring.  Lack of concentration again the problem - something Albion were most culpable of last season in the (in)famous 3-3 draw against Cardiff.

But overall, the performance was a good one and with more signings likely to come before the transfer window closes, there are reasons for optimism this season.  Albion need to start well and get some points on the board to avoid putting pressure on themselves as well as keep the fans onside.  Staying out of the relegation dog fight will be Irvine's chief target this year.

So next week let's hope for 3 points with Berahino and Ideye on the score sheet and our defence standing firm. 

Albion break the 10 million pound mark!

Brown Ideye: 10 million man & new Albion no.9

So, step forward Albion's new number nine and Nigerian hitman Brown Ideye - 10 million quids' worth of raw power and goal threat by most accounts.

His currrent scoring record, nationality and even his agent draw strong parallels with that Peter Odemwingie (who remarkably cost us only 2.5 million).   With 33 goals in 74 games Ideye averages a goal every 2.24 games.

Albion claim he was at the top of their A-list of targets and is not a response to losing out on Rivere.  From youtube clips he looks pacy, strong, excellent in the air and a strong finisher.  He will definitely be an exciting addition and can hopefully link up well with our midfield - especially Sessignon who has some similar attributes.

At last Jeremy Peace has finally loosened the purse strings to keep us alongside the likes of Swansea (Bony cost 12 million) and Norwich (Ricky Van Wolfwinkel cost 8.5) - and although money does not guarantee success it at least shows he has some ambition.

Also landed on loan is the Liverpool defender Andre Wisdom - an up and coming player who Brendan Rogers seems to rate highly.  Unfortunately, one more player lost - 12 in total since last year now - is George Thorn who has finally been bought by Derby County for an undisclosed fee.  But with add-ons a figure in the region of 2 million pounds is believed to have been negotiated.  Clearly a good bit of business for a young and untested player at the highest level - but it leaves Albion still at minus 7 in regards to filling the squad gaps.

With pre-season training now underway it seems once again that Albion are leaving things a bit late.  However, the arrival of Ideye should keep players and fans satisfied for now and convinced the club are moving in the right direction. 

But we should expect at least one more big signing to come - possibly two.  Boing Boing!!

Lack of big transfers so far....

Prejuce Nakoulma - new signing?

We all know Albion are in a bit of mess - 11 players down from last year and only 2 in so far.  Plenty of time still, but Joleon Lescott aside, there are a number of names being linked with Albion that further suggest the club's lack of ambition.  The name Prejuce Nakoulma has cropped up - a frontman playing in Poland who has a reputation as a pacy winger, albeit an average scoring record.  Once again, Albion are looking towards the untested and untried over established quality.  We have also been looking at Championship names, such as Aaron Cresswell (now signed by West Ham) and the Royal's winger Mclearly.

Now the World Cup is almost done we will hopefully see a lot more activity in the transfer market.  Maybe some of the tournament's lesser stars may become targets for us.  But no one is expecting too much.

One signing I hope goes through is the Norwich defender Martin Olson from Norwich.  He has always looked comfortable on the ball and solid in defence when I have seen him.  He could also form a good partnership with his international teammate Jonas.

Victor Moses was another name thrown out...hard to see us getting him but an exciting attacker is something the club desperately needs because last year only Sessignon carried attacking threat at times and a willingness to go past people.

Finally, Micah Richards is someone who if Lescott has his way could become a baggie.  I will believe it when I see it and anyway, it is hard to know how good Richards is as a player when he spends so much time on the bench or reserves.  But his name alone would do a lot to entice fans to call up Albion's season ticket hotline.

So, we wait to find out what Alan Irvine's much lauded reputation and contacts in the game will bring in.  I think all fans will be judging our season's potential and that of Irvine on the basis of the club's signings. If the board don't back Irvine, as they have not backed a few of our managers, then we could be in for a fairly torrid time.

Alan Irvine...let's look on the bright side!

New Albion boss, Alan Irvine

I have been trying hard to find it in my heart to accept Alan Irvine, who has done nothing wrong in taking the Albion job - though he must surely have expected some disappointment from fans.  So, in the spirit of peace (not Peace)  and harmony  I have outlined below the reasons why his appointment may not be all that bad after all.  So, [deep breath] here goes:

• from all reports he is a good man on the training ground
• he will bring on our young academy players in the same way he helped bring through Everton's young talent
• talented fringe players like George Thorne may get more of a chance under Irvine and be more content at the club
• he is a British manager - a rare species in the PL these days
• it is clear that Albion is not a stepping stone to bigger and better things for Irvine, whereas if we had employed Sherwood and he had proved successful he would have upsticks and moved on taking our best players with him (remember what Big Ron did when he left for Utd)
• He is cheap...well relatively and on a 12 month rolling contract so if things go bad the club can change course fairly easily
• he seems like a fairly decent guy with a good attitude and someone who fits the club well
• he has already helped to attract the potential signature of Joleon Lescott, a quality centre back             

So there we go.  Seven great reasons to help us accept Alan Irvine to our club and help us get over our disappointment at the club's apparent lack of real ambition. Let's hope the new season starts well.

Jeremy Peace's biggest gamble yet!

Is Jeremy Peace taking a risky gamble on Alan Irvine?

Albion's communication officers have been working hard to sound upbeat about the arrival of Alan Irvine, as they must.  From the comments I have read they have been stressing his coaching ability and making it clear that the criteria for appointing Mr Irvine are the same principles behind the hiring of Misters Di Matteo, Clark and Hodgson.  In other words, the club is hiring a Head Coach and NOT a manager.  In this respect Irvine's appointment is similar to that of Clarke - both number twos to successful PL managers in Moyes (Everton) and Mourinho (Chelsea) respectively.  A convenient line has been drawn under Irvine's own forays into management - with his roles at Preston NE and Sheffield Wednesday apparently unmentioned and seemingly irrelevant.

Of course, it is the fans who have less selective ways of assessing their new manager.  They look at the full CV and not those highlights that are being used to justify his selection.  And it is this very reason that makes Jeremy Peace's decision to hire Alan Irvine one that may come back to bite - and bite hard!  In the past  fans have gone along with Peace's decisions because they believed they were being made in the interests of the club and based on sound principles.  This time that is not the case.  If Irvine fails, then Peace's chairmanship will also be seen to have failed in providing responsible and rational stewardship. It could mean that come Xmas Albion will be seeking both a new coach/manager and a new boardroom chief.

Fans really want to know why Jeremy Peace has made this decision.  It is truly confusing.  He knew Albion had to get back on track after a terrible season and he promised lessons had been learned.  Fans accepted that this was true.  But now many of us are scratching our heads wondering whether he has suffered recent amnesia or is in denial about the weaknesses behind the 2013-4 season.  Most fans feel Peace is trying to run the club too cheaply.   But again, why would he risk PL status just to save on hiring extra backroom staff or a manager with a proven record?

What is truly perplexing is that the fans have not been properly respected and the decision making progress not one that makes them feel their club is being treated the way it should be.  Time will tell if Peace is right or wrong in choosing Alan Irvine but he stands to lose heavily if Albion suffer an early run of defeats next season or demonstrate poor organisation on the pitch - expect major fan unrest.

So spin that wheel Mr Peace!

  

Alan Irvine - shock appointment!!

New WBA manager, Alan Irvine

So Albion have plumped for a young up and coming British manager, have they?  Er, not!  With Tim Sherwood seemingly wanting a larger slice of cake than the Albion board wanted to dish out, they have lurched for Alan Irvine.  It is a decision that leaves fans wondering whether Mr Peace and co. really have lost touch.  We know why they have opted for Mr Irvine, don't we?  He has been placed on a 12 month rolling contract and will not upset the existing structure that keeps Keith Downing and Dean Kiely securely in their places.  In other words, Irvine is cheap and can be got rid off without fuss if results do not go to play in 2014-15.

In fact, it is very possible that Mr Irvine will serve as a provisional choice.  I would be very surprised if Albion didn't continue their manager hunt behind the scenes just in case things don't go well next season. But it also begs the question, why get rid of Pepe Mel only to replace him with a manager whose credentials are inferior? (At least Pepe had led a side into the Europa league, was well respected in Spain and could have attracted decent Spanish talent to The Hawthorns!)

Another question: where does all this leave us?  With little ambition clearly.  So Alan Irvine is going to help WBA attract the names and the talent we need to compete in the PL?  Somehow I doubt it.  He doesn't even have direct PL experience as a manager as far as I know, but is a Championship man who has enjoyed only mixed success with Preston NE and Sheffield Wednesday. To say I was shocked at his appointment is not to overstate it.

I think Jeremy Peace is walking a rather thin line with fans now.  He cannot argue that he wants the best for the club with this appointment.  Nor can he tell us he is backing a man, as with Mowbray and Di Matteo, who deserves a chance to shine.  Irvine offers us no surprises outside of his actual appointment to the Head Coach job.

So sorry, but I am one Albion fan who is already preparing himself to write off the coming season.

Why are we waiting?

Pre-season countdown is on!

Once again we Albion fans find ourselves waiting around for news and updates on new personnel.  It was difficult enough last season with even Steve Clarke complaining at the lack of transfer activity.  But this year makes last year seem like a positively hectic period.  Not only do we have no manager appointed well into June, but we have 11 players out and only one in.  Meanwhile the clock is ticking and pre-season planning is on hold as we wait to find out who the Albion board will select to lead us into the 2014-5 season.

So far a whole host of names have been put forward, only for the bookies odds to lengthen and finally for the front runners to drop out completely.  We've had Laudrup, Moyes, Lennon, Hughton, Jones and Round to name just a few - not to mention Hoddle and Jol!  Are we really so bereft of direction as a club that we have no clear strong favourite in mind?  What's for sure is without a sense of leadership the quality of our signings will not be strong.  Clarke stuck his head above the parapit last year and having publically stated his dissatisfaction with the club's transfer ambition got Anichebe (unfortunately, in my view) and Sessignon (a bit better) signed up but for heavily inflated fees.  However, who is going to join us until they know a bit about where the club is coming from and where it is heading?

So, the clock keeps ticking and no doubt a new manager will be announced soon.  But I have a strong suspicion that whoever is named will not satisfy the fans.  And that means that our future signings may also be expedient ones too - players on free transfers, the odd loan here and there and former big names but now looking to earn a few final paycheques before retiring...sound familiar? 

So here's to the summer and all that it holds for WBA...I really hope I am wrong and that the board comes up with the goods this year.  After the season gone, the fans really deserve more!

And the new manager of WBA is...(drum roll, please)

Could Michael Laudrup be the new head coach for WBA?

So we continue to wait the outcome of Mr Peace's negotiations and interviews.  But one name bandied about this week has been that of Michael Laudrup.  Certainly, a figure like that could be one that fits the bill for Albion.  Firstly, he is currently out of contract after being sacked by Swansea, so there would be no costly compensation issues.  Second, he is a name that senior and younger players would look up to and respect - which was not the case with Pepe Mel from all reports.  Next up, he did well at Swansea and kept them playing attractive and attacking football.  In fact, a bit like with Steve Clark, his sacking was something of a surprise and slightly premature given that Swansea still had a lot to play for.  For my money, I think Laudrup would be a good fit - a foreign coach who will bring a bit of panache to The Hawthorns, but one who speaks great English and has Premier League experience!

If Laudrup's strengths are compared with British managers currently available he stands up well.  How many have Europa league experience, for example?  How many play genuinely attacking football?  None, I can think of.  But would Laudrup be interested in Albion? Let's face it, he is probably aiming for a bigger club than ours.  The lure of the PL is a strong one though.  Maybe he will feel there is unfinished business between him and the English game too. His personality might well fit with Jeremy Peace too - a mild mannered guy who is unlikely to court controversy.  So the final question is whether Laudrup could remain within the current club structure - particularly when it comes to transfer budgets.  Well, why not?

If not Laudrup, then I would like to see Keith Downing get a second try.  Maybe his appointment would be less good when it comes to attracting new players to the club but he was a hit with the squad last year.  

Anyway, this week we should find out who the new man will be. 

Bye bye Pepe and co.!

Viva Pepe! Adios! Muchas gracias amigo! These are the sentiments of most fans at the parting of the ways between WBA and Pepe Mel.  Sad that a decent club like Albion should have brought in such a nice bloke, only to treat him so cursorily and unjustly.  But it is a decision that is understandable too.  A line had to be drawn under the 2013-4 debacle of a season and this meant letting go all those associated with Albion's misfortunes.  Along with Pepe we have lost Misters Ridgewell, Popov, Allan, Amilfatano, Reid, Gera, Thiemy, Jones, Vdry, Sinclair and Lugano.  One or two of these I think deserved to stay on but the changing room has been well and truly swept out so plenty of room for new signings and a new start.

So where to next?  Craig Gardner is in...a fairly low key signing of a solid, if unspectacular performer.  Obviously, the fact he was a free signing makes him a bonus for Albion.  A local lad too so hopefully he will know what the club means to the fans.  That is maybe a sign of things to come too...less imports and loans stars in exchange for players who owe something to the club and want to fight for the cause.  

For this reason I would be happy if Keith Downing stepped up to the plate and took on the manager's mantle.  Don't expect he will though.  After all, being assistant coach at WBA is a fairly safe number.  You work hard and support the head coach, who gets the plaudits when the team does well and the sack when it doesn't.  Meanwhile Keith continues unnoticed in the background...there is wisdom in such a low profile strategy.  But I think if Keith is too prudent to take the job then someone who knows what the club is all about must come in.  No foreign experiments please.  No short term appointments either or people who will move on as soon as Albion string two half-decent seasons together. I think David Moyes would fit this category.  Also, no bosses who offer nothing significantly better than what we have had before - yes Mr Hughton, that means you.  So, who is left?  Well, we know the names trotted out by the media - Misters Jol, McDermott and, most recently, Slade. Whoever it is is someone who needs to take back the dressing room and get a good buzz around The Hawthorns...oh, yes and speak intelligible English too.  Perhaps the return of Michael Appleton is on the cards?

West Brom in Pinstripes? Pah!

classic pinstripe...will Albions's new shirt be based on a similar look?

West Bromwich Albion's Jeremy Peace has decided, it seems, to go with a pinstripe design for next season's shirts.  If the media images can be relied on (and the official Adidas strip is yet to be publically unveiled) Albion will be playing predominantly in white shirts in 2014-15.  This decision to change our traditional (and famous) block stripe shirt, is not something I would have expected from Peace - a lifelong fan too from all reports.

If West Brom had just been taken over by some foreign conglomerate, say in the Far East or Saudi Arabia, it would have come as less of a surprise.  A financial Johnny Come Lately cannot be expected to understand a club's roots or the fan's love for traditions.  Look at Cardiff as an example of a club that has been changed to the point that fans hold aloft scarves of different colours from the ones their side now play in.  This is something no fans should have to endure!

The pay off for clubs like Southampton, who also ditched their block stripes quite recently, has been the improvements that foreign investment has made to their playing staff.  A small price to pay for onfield success?  That depends who you talk to.  But I think Albion fans are prouder of their tradition than that.  The players who wear our stripes are stars no matter how much they might be worth on the football market...the same attitude that makes us hard on those players who show disregard for the shirt too.  At the end of the day being a fan of WBA is about having an identity - and the shirt's integrity is core to that!

I for one was really annoyed when Jeremy Peace overrode many fans by getting rid of the iconic yellow/green striped away shirt.  Anyone who can recall the likes of Regis, Cantello, Wile and co. flying these colours on their away days will know what I mean.  But the chairman decided, for some reason, that Albion were less effective in this colour and since then I think it is fair to say most of our away shirt colours have been fairly forgettable.  The current red and black is okay, I suppose, but hardly gives us an iconic away day identity which we once had.

As a final word, I must say I am not here to have a go at Jeremy Peace.  This season has been something of a nightmare but prior to this one his planning has served us well.  Indeed, it is hard to know where we would be right now without his astuteness.  But Jeremy please, please don't turn us into some bland looking corporate outfit.  Yes, I know pinstripes may go better with a pair of jeans than block stripes but pinstripes are not for matchday!

More from Albion Attitudes soon!