Title: Spyin' Kop - Liverpool v West Brom - 29/08/10
Post by: SalisburyRed on August 28, 2010, 01:23:31 am
| I envy West Brom in some ways. True, they don’t have our history, they don’t have regular forays into Europe, and they don’t have players of the calibre of Gerrard, Torres and Reina. But they have fewer worries. While we’ve been fretting about whether our best players will still be at the club come September 1, Baggies fans have been thinking about adding players to their squad. While we’ve been worrying about the ownership, finances and direction of our club, West Brom have been careful to avoid going into debt at all (which appears to be causing something of a debate within the fanbase). While we’re stumbling into the Europa League proper, those who make their way to the Hawthorns every other Saturday are, at this stage of the campaign at least, hopeful and optimistic once more. Perhaps this will be the season that they can look back on in 10 years as the start of a prolonged residence in the top flight. Despite an opening day drubbing at the hands of champions Chelsea, the Baggies recorded their first points of the season last Saturday. New signing Peter Odemwingie may be central to their chances, both against us and throughout the season. After beginning his career at the Hawthorns with the winner against Sunderland, his Champions League experience may be just what the team needs to keep a steady point-winning pace in the league. History suggests West Brom are in for a tough afternoon at Anfield. Their last victory there came in 1967, and they have not scored in this fixture since 1985, when Garth Crooks scored in a 4-1 defeat. Further good news for Reds lies in the fact that Liverpool have kept 17 clean sheets in their last 20 matches at home to newly-promoted teams in the league. Victory would be Liverpool's 2,000th in 4,223 league games. Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion Premier League Sunday, August 29 Anfield, Liverpool Kick-off: 3pm   West Bromwich Albion F.C. honours Football League First Division (first tier) champions – 1919/20 Football League Second Division, Championship (both second tier) champions – 1901/02, 1910/11, 2007/08 Football League Division Two (third tier) play-off winners – 1992/93 FA Cup winners – 1888, 1891/92, 1930/31, 1954, 1967/68 Football League Cup winners – 1966 FA Charity Shield winners – 1920, 1954 (shared with Wolves) West Brom have also won a host of minor competitions in their history, some of which are now defunct or given little attention. Full details on Wikipedia. This week, Spyin’ Kop spoke to the good folk at Baggies Banter.They were a friendly lot, although I daresay if Luke Moore ever decides to start posting there, he’ll receive a slightly more hostile welcome. I’ve included a handful of responses below; the full set can be found here. 1. So, we're two games into the season and West Brom have their first points on the board. How are you feeling about this season? tomkya - A couple more signings 'NGOG Available?' and we have a chance of staying up. bsond - At the moment I believe we have a decent chance of satying up. However 3 more good signings (centre half, Defensive Midfielder & a striker) & I feel we have a good chance of staying up. boinger219 - I'm feeling great about the season, nice to see us get a win and a few signings with a few more we could just survive. garryowensneck - Same as always. We won't go into debt ( unlike most other premier clubs ) so we'll struggle again. 2. West Brom are often referred to as the yo-yo club. What do you need to do differently this season to ensure you don't go down again? tomkya - We hopefully will make life a bit tougher for teams to soft in the past. bsond - We are still a team who tries to play the right way. Under our last manager we had a soft underbelly which had to be seen to be believed, however Roberto is trying to add some steel to go with the good football. There is great divide with our supporters regarding our Chairman/Owner Jeremy Peace. We refuse to pay premiership wages which explains why we always get relegated. Some fans think this is very prudent considering the amount of clubs in debt. Others think we should be able to push the boat out a little more. boinger219 - Where meant to be spending abit more money on wages but it's not really working because other teams are just coming in to steal them, also we have got a few more in our defence and a decent striker in Odemwingie. garryowensneck - Get more points than 3 other clubs. 3. Who are your most important players? tomkya - Hard to say but our midfield need to click Morrison Brunt Dorrans etc then we can give most teams a game. bsond - I personally think James Morrison is our best player but the most eye catching is Graham Dorrans. It will be interesting to see how he gets on this season in the premier league as he had an outstanding season last year. boinger219 - Brunt Dorrans Odemwingie Olsson Carson and Jara. garryowensneck - Mulumbu, Dorrans, Brunt. 4. And who really shouldn't be anywhere near the first team? tomkya - Only one winner Moore the vile git. bsond - Luke Moore. He really shouldn't be anywhere near anybody's first team. His goal ratio of 5 goals in 60 plus appearances says it all. ps - 3 of them goals against peterboro!! boinger219 - LUKE MOORE WOULDN'T TOUCH HIM WITH 100 FOOT BARGE POLE 1 BECAUSE I MIGHT CATCH SOME FISH DISEASE AND 2 BECAUSE HE CAN'T PLAY FOOTBALL! garryowensneck - Luke Moore ( actually shouldn't be anywhere near a football club ). 5. How will you line up on Sunday? How attacking will Di Matteo set the team up to be? tomkya - Probably five across the middle with a protecter in front of the back four. bsond - so far this season we have set up 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-4-1. Some might say it's a posh version of 4-5-1  boinger219 - I think he will put two holding players in the middle of the park to try and stop players like Gerrad and Cole playing, and put no nonsence Olsson on Torres. he will attack though no point sitting back really. garryowensneck - 4141. We rely on the pace of Dorrans Barnes/Thomas and Odemwingle to break quickly. 6. Do you have any particularly good memories of past clashes between Liverpool and West Brom? tomkya - Have to go back a long way F A Cup qtr in 68 and beating you 2-0 in the 70's with the first for Robson a backheel through Clemance legs . Also proud of our fans who sang their hearts out when 5-0 down!! bsond - I am only 33 and we spent 16 years outside the top flight from 1986-2002 so I am too young to remember any. boinger219 - Last year at our place when we got Relagated we actually played better than you and silly mistakes cost us, also when Hypia started playing keepy upy with Roberts. garryowensneck - Precious few though Tony Brown's early strike on Boxing Day 1971 ( won 1-0 ) and the Bryan Robson backheel in 1981 ( won 2-0 ) stand out. 7. What are the most popular songs/chants we might hear on Sunday? tomkya - I hope you here The Lords My Shepherd in full voice. bsond -We don't have too many to be honest. "when the stripes go marching in" "The lord's my sheppard" If we score which on recent history is very doubtful you will see us "boinging" boinger219 - The Lords My Shepard, probaly won't hear it but it would be goodHe came on the thursday night he signed on the friday night he scored on his debut and the fans fell in looooooove west brom is his hooooome west brom is his hoooooome FEWCK OFF Lokamotiv West Brom is his home ohh ohhh ohhh. garryowensneck - The Lord's my Shepherd. 8. What do you think about Liverpool? How well/badly have we done swapping Benitez for Hodgson? Where will we finish this season? tomkya - I thought Benitez was a disaster you now have a better manager. Sixth a lot to do after Benitez. bsond -Liverpool are a great club & is a great city. My second club really as I supported Liverpool as a kid until I started going to the Hawthorns with my school mates aged 14. Rafa Benitez pulled off the impossible in 2005 & I supose Liverpool fans will be eternally grateful to him for that achievment. His later years weren't great really & he always set up very negatively instead of going out to win games. I also got the impression he seemed to concentrate more on European Football instead of thinking about winning the Championship which is what all Liverpool fans want. it will take time with Hodgson & it may be next season before you see any real progress boinger219 - I think you ditched Benitez well he hates English players and with the homegrown rule he would hate being in English football, Hodgson will get you better maybe 4th but i think 5th. garryowensneck - I hate you with a venom ever since me and my mates were ambushed on the way back to Lime Street in 1979. You're headin one way and that's down so you'll finish about 6th/7th. 9. Give us a score prediction for Sunday. tomkya - 2-0 Liverpool bsond - Considering the agg score since we first got back into the top flight is about 24-0 from 8 games we don't hold much hope! a goal would be nice, a point would be great & anything more is simply too much to comprehend!! Prediction 3-0 to Liverpool.boinger219 - concidering you've scored about 23 goals against us and we have scored none back i will go for a 2-0 win to you guys. garryowensneck - 4-0 to you. 10. Finally, in light of the fiasco that was England's World Cup and the subsequent debate about Capello, does West Brom or England come first for you? Why? tomkya - West Brom I personally have had enough of those prima donnas but have always liked Gerrard just feel he as mostly been wasted by England we all know where he should play and it aint on the wing. bsond - Never really understood this club v country debate. I support my club with passion & pride. If they aren't playing then I follow England games with just as much Pride & Passion. England were a massive let down in the World Cup and until the media/ press & public realise our players simply aren;t good enough technically or mentally we will never progress. boinger219 - BAGGIES ALL THE WAY, club before country your club is like your family i love going down the Albion and seeing the great players play and feel the pride, then you watch England a bunch of overpaid idiots half of them that can't play on the biggest stage when they need to. garryowensneck - West Brom all the way, whilst I'm proud to be English the vast majority of overpaid prima-donnas in the football team embarrass themselves and I take more interest in the cricket/rugby at international level. |
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