Fantastic now we move on for a great opportunity at the Hawthorns

[smooth 114]

Great result, with three strikers scoring giving Lambert options. There is no reason why now our players do not go into this potential 3 pointer at the Hawthorns feeling very positive and that with a good week of preparation that we cannot get the 3 points.

 

We saw WBA at the start of the season, they were weak against us at Carrow Road. Olsson had a bad game and we know there centre halves looked shaky. Yes time has moved on since then but we know we can rattle them. Their two strikers have had a mixed year, they will see this home game as a good game for them up against a team in Norwich who will give them a real challenge it will not be a walk over. But if we can prepare appropriately then we can work the ball against this team and create chances. I rate Carson but I believe we have a strike force who can cause problems and hopefully test him throughout.

 

This game we have an opportunity to make that statement to the league, by getting to 28 points before our game with Chelsea would be perfect. We have made a statements about our style of play, our ruthless nature and our team ethic. But back to back away wins against rivals will certainly make a statement.

 

I believe with their misfiring strike force and the fact that with Chris Brunt and Jerome Thomas being there next best players that we have, on paper, players of a similar ilk in their positions means that we have a very able side who can win this game. I have a very good feelnig and believe our team matches up very well against this WBA team.

[Gibbo 131]

Brunt is injured

[kick it off 1,948]

They are decimated by injury too. (Copy/paste from WBA official website - dated yesterday)

Injuries:

Youssouf Mulumbu will miss his third successive game against Cardiff due to a groin strain. A scan has shown no serious damage but Roy Hodgson is refusing to put a timeframe on his return.

Paul Scharner will miss tomorrow''s FA Cup clash with Cardiff due to an Achilles problem.

Shane Long needed an injection in his back to get through the Everton game and will miss his second successive match against Cardiff due to the same injury.

Chris Brunt has been ruled out for between eight and ten weeks after fracturing his right ankle when landing awkwardly in stoppage time of the Everton game at The Hawthorns.

Jonas Olsson will miss his third successive game against Cardiff due to a calf strain.

Jerome Thomas limped out of the Spurs game in the 27th minute due to a groin strain and will miss the Cardiff game.

Steven Reid has been sidelined for around a month after twisting his ankle in the 3-2 win at Newcastle and undergoing a successful minor operation on his left knee.

Zoltan Gera will miss the rest of the season after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the 3-1 defeat by Tottenham on November 26.

I thought they were bloody crap against us at FCR - very negative and played constant longball. We never deserved to lose that game. They''ve only managed 7 goals at home all season - as many as Grant Holt has managed on his own (home and away).

They are there for the taking, and although they are tight defensively I think we have enough to get a goal or two. I don''t expect us to win, but I think we have a decent enough chance.

P.S I hope Tamas gets his legs snapped for what he did to Vaughany. To$$er. I want to see some crunching challenges go in on him.

[crabbycanary 2]

I really feel we owe them one, and would ''love it'' if we can stick one on

a/ WBA ''cos they have beaten us this season

b/ Olsson ''cos he is a d*** and can dish it out but cannot take it

c/Roy Hodgson ''cos I lost all respect after his interview against us, over the Vaughan ''accident''

BTW Brunt is out for weeks injured I believe

Bring it on!!

[smooth 114]

Well absolutely brilliant then. Key man out.

 

This game can be such a key game when we look back at the end of the season. It could be this little run with the result against QPR and WBA that gave us that little stretch on the clubs below us (in the bottom 3) that can lead to us moving forward and them not being able to make up the points. The sooner we get above 30 now the better and then the sooner we get to 35 and so on and on.

 

Psychologically it could be a massive little win over our rivals who see us as moving away, then as long as we don''t drop points against those rivals in the bottom 3-4 then we can look for a very happy summer.

[......and Smith must score. 1,336]

[quote user="Gibbo"]Brunt is injured[/quote]I think the OP meant that both Brunt and Thomas are injured and won''t be playing against us.

[GJP 79]

[quote user="smooth"]

 I rate Carson but I believe we have a strike force who can cause problems and hopefully test him throughout.

 

 

[/quote]

I can''t see us causing Carson any problems at all.

[Mister Chops 7]

I hope Holt and Morison are given free reign to elbow Tamas in the mouth.

[kick it off 1,948]

Nope I cant see us giving Carson any problems either... I don''t rate him at all, think he is a bit of a TURKEY...

[crabbycanary 2]

He can only be beaten from ''distance'', so we might have to alter our game plan to start shooting from WAY out

[Gingerpele 0]

I think its a game were perfectly capable of winning. The only reason WBA are doing as ''well'' as they are, is because Hodgson is a pretty good manager (at least when he''s not at a ''big'' club like Liverpool).

I''m hoping Lambert tries Holt and Morison upfront together again, as much as I like Jackson, and he''s done pretty well as of late, he is probably best used coming off the bench. If we can really push WBA from the off, we have a great chance of winning I think.

[smooth 114]

In regard to Carson actually I agree that he has weaknesses, but I also think we can score against any keeper in this league if we put quality in the box and Morison, Holt and Jackson attack the cross.

 

So again the key for me is the quality from wide areas, not neat little touches around the box it is to have the ball with the wide men, so I am hoping Pilky gets to shine once more. I certainly don''t expect us to win. I am never complacent. But I do expect us to see this as a huge opportunity and hence prepare correctly, if we prepare correctly for certain games, and this is one of them, then we can get the three points. I would be disappointed if we fell short and not put in the performance as it would be an opportunity lost.

 

In regard to the cup draw, I will see who we have but again I have no particular interest. I just hope we do  not have a premiership team. If we beat any premiership team this year it has to be in the league, 3 points is more valuable than going through to the next round if we were to play Wigan in the cup and then lose to them at Carrow Road.

 

But the game at WBA is where my full attention is and I hope the players, coaching staff and us fans. Three points there and possibly a clean sheet could really set us up for February/ March to pick up those relevant points in key games. Hodgson is a great manager, but with the injuries that are listed above and if they still are accuarate for our game it would mean that we will go into that game with a fully fit team that is quite refreshed over Xmas, with our squad rotation and a winning mentality.

[Guest]

Shall I just say it? We won''t be causing Scott Carson any problems because he plays for Bursaspor in Turkey. Ben Foster on the other hand...Regarding Tamas, it appears he hasn''t featured for them at all in the Premier League since the elbow incident. He did come off the bench yesterday though, replacing Gareth ''own goals'' McAuley.

[Unhinged Canary 375]

WOOOOOOSHHHHH! [:D]

[Graham Humphrey 13]

Tell you what though, we need to be wary of that Cyrille Regis up front.

[lake district canary 0]

Note of reality guys.   West Brom are not going to be a push over.    They will be set up solid and determined - and there are no easy matches in the premiership.   We can go in with confidence but not expectation.     As soon as you expect something in this league is where you will come a cropper - note WB and Blackburn earlier this season.  

 

It is going to be as tough a match as we have had all season - lets not kid ourselves.   They are all going to be difficult as the stakes rise towards the end of the season.  We can win but it will be tough!

 

 

[kick it off 1,948]

I agree with LDC, it will be tough but I honestly don''t think WBA are a good side, they just defend well. They don''t score many at home. I hope we get a result as Im travelling to and from the game with my WBA season ticket holding mate and I''ve a bet with him we finish above them come May.

[Bryangunnshairline 0]

Is lee Hughes playing or is he still banged up? I heard he rooms with Carson...

[Muddy funster 0]

And his strike partner Lee Hughes!

[smooth 114]

Ah Benny Foster, forgot all that shimmy-ing around in the summer.

 

LDC, I think I have made it clear I do not ''expect a win'' in any match, what I do expect is our players to be prepared on our opposition and to be able to utilise the tactics that we have practised for the week.

 

This game if we a prepared for we can win and it is a very important game that can give us the psychological advantage and the league advantage. I was very disappointed with the blackburn game and fulham game as they were opportunities where we could have really made a statement of intent. You have to beat teams when they are on the down, for whatever reason (Newcastle) and you have to win the odd game which is in the balance and hence shows your intent. I feel this is one of those games where we can really test an outfit that was pretty poor at carrow road, who have injury issues.

 

I never expect a win, but I expect proper preparation and execution from professional sportsmen. I do expect us to perform after our last two results and I do expect us to reach the right level of performance unlike the blackburn and fulham game where we were very sluggish. Hence I feel if we are prepared correctly we can have a great opportunity to pick up the three points.

 

There are others games when there are maybe one or two match ups you like etc, but this one there is plenty more positives for us to take the game and to put in a performance that warrants three points. I agree no game is easy, but some games you can work to your advantage, as we have this season prior.