With a resident West Bromwich Albion fan on the team here at TEB, I took the chance to sit down with Dan Watts from Baggies Facts to have a chat about both our teams this season and to share our thoughts on the game this weekend.
JC: Has the season so far been what you expected for West Bromwich Albion?
DW: In all honesty, in terms of league position I was expecting us to be about where we are now, maybe a couple of places higher. With the appointment of Tony Pulis a number of our supporters took up a position of non-support towards him from the very beginning. Due to his past with Stoke City and the negative football they played, against us too, over many years, a lot of fans could not come to terms with his appointment. With that in mind, those fans are now in a position where they are able to say ‘we told you so’ as many supporters now hold a similar stance.
There was an idea at the start of this season that with the signings we made, the team would play a slightly more entertaining brand of football. This has not come to pass really at any point, despite many feeling we have the players to do so. So the answer is that in terms of league position, yes, we are fine, but in terms of how we have got there, let’s just say attendances definitely will drop next season should there be no change in terms of the head coach.
DW: What has been the reason behind Palace’s recent dip in form?
JC: After such a great start it has been a disappointing period but if you said to any Palace fan before the season we would be four points off the top ten and in the last eight of the FA Cup, there is no doubting they would have taken it. I think we have been a victim of our early season form. A fully fit first eleven showed what they are capable of. Then came the injuries. We kind of stumbled to the end of 2015 in a way and seeing out the year on over thirty-one points was a great achievement. To have added just one more since then has been terrible. I certainly do not like to make excuses but the season has been decimated with injuries, I cannot recall a season that has been quite so bad. Combine that with a run of poor form by other players has seen us not win a game in 2016. Thankfully, we have saved some form for the cup and with the squad heading back to just a couple of players missing, I am confident we can make up for this poor period with a strong finish.
JC: It seems to have been a season of unrest what with Saido Berahino’s antics and now suggestions Pulis is considering his position?
DW: Saido Berahino is a petulant, irritating, ungrateful young man. Yes, he hs worked hard to get in to this position, and is very clear he has lots of talent, but his behaviour over the course of the last two seasons has been appalling. Back page headlines, twitter outbursts at fans, fights with teammates, a refusal at one point to play for the club, which he reversed, and what would appear to many a lack of professionalism. The sooner he is gone, the better, regardless of how many goals he might or might not score. With Pulis, as I say above, many are not happy currently.
My personal point of view is that a change of head coach at this point in the season would be the wrong thing to do in terms of the stability for staying up. However, a review of how we want to progress should be something the club looks at in the summer. To put it bluntly, the atmosphere that surrounds the club at the minute is poisonous to say the least.
DW: Which player has made the biggest impact this season?
JC: It is difficult to single out one player actually but there has been no doubting the quality of Yohan Cabaye has improved the starting eleven no end. Scott Dann has been excellent at centre back and it is a real mystery how he has not been contacted by the England set up, he has been in such great form this season. While Wilfried Zaha has continued to improve, an injury lay off for Yannick Bolasie recently has really shown what we have been missing. He is unpredictable, quick, strong and explosive. He provides us with a real attaching outlet that scares defenders and I am not alone in looking forward to seeing him return to starting line up.
JC: Perhaps you could share your thoughts on the cup defeat at Reading and the unsavoury events afterwards?
DW: Well, the game itself was one of disappointment. Having needed replays against Bristol City and Peterborough United, Baggies fans wanted us to go to Reading and try and take the game to them. However, it was another match where we have been completely dominated possession wise, and fans are absolutely fed up of the lack of attacking intent against teams of a similar or more limited ability than ourselves. As many have said, we do not mind defeat, in fact we expect it, we know our place, but sometimes we seem to have no plan B once the backs to the wall plan A fails.
With all that in mind, there is absolutely no excusing the reaction of some of the fans abusing long serving player Chris Brunt at the end of the game, let alone the actions of one throwing a coin at him. The condemnation from the wider Albion fan base along with banners being made for the game against Palace and a collection for a charity of Chris Brunt’s choice show the real spirit of what being a Baggies fan is all about. Unfortunately, a lot of the damage has already been done and the name of our club has been dragged through the mud with this story hitting national headlines.
With an arrest made, hopefully the fan in question will be charged with the offence and further to that the club have already said they will issue a life ban to the so-called supporter. Whatever club it is, whoever you are playing, these kind of actions are deplorable and do not go hand in hand with the game of football.
DW: Long term are you happy with Alan Pardew?
JC: Contrary to the recent poor run of form and ‘told you so’ comments from Newcastle United fans, I am happy with what Pardew has done since he returned to Selhurst Park. It is certainly a work in progress but a deep run in the FA Cup and a shot at a better finish than last season remains the target. If the latter is achieved, then that is progress but I think getting to the cup final and a finish of around twelfth place finish would certainly be a worth exchange. The mindset of fans certainly changed last summer from a club that was striving to survive to one that was pushing to improve of the previous season. That is a big thing for a club like Palace and we are not alone in trying to do that. I am keen for the club to achieve stability and that starts with a settled management team and ownership. Many were hoping for a long term appointment a couple of years ago and we finally got that in Pardew so I am excited to see where he can take us.
JC: What are your thoughts on Palace this season?
DW: Palace’s form has really dropped off in the last couple of months, and it is the great start to the season that is saving them a potential relegation battle. Having key players missing is something that has no doubt played a part, as well as the overall strength of the Premier League. Nobody can take any opponent for granted. On the back of the FA Cup win at Spurs though, that could now be the catalyst for a stronger end to the season and a top ten finish is not out of the question. Let’s just hope that run starts next week rather than this week though!
DW: What did you as a fan of a different team make of the events at Reading? Is there now an attitude of the Baggies being an undesirable club?
JC: There have been examples of coin throwing in the last couple of seasons, we have witnessed it at Selhurst on a couple of occasions. We have seen it in a couple of games since your cup defeat at Reading too which is a real shame. I just do not know how someone thinks in a split second to grab a coin from a pocket and throw it at a player, any player, whether it is the opposition or your own. It is a despicable action but to do it to one of your own players is really something else. Every club has a minority of fans that would do such a thing so I do not believe for one second that it is representative of the club or fan-base as a whole.
JC: Name a player from each side that will be a threat to the opposition in this match up.
DW: The threat I am concerned about from a Baggies point of view is Yohan Cabaye. With our midfield looking particularly weak in recent weeks with the injury to James Morrison and the lack of form from other players, I am concerned this is an area where you could have the upper hand on Saturday. Cabaye is great from dead ball situations and has the ability to split a defence with a through ball. Beware, Albion!
The player who you need to be wary of, dare I say it, is Chris Brunt. There is going to be an outpour of support for him this weekend on the back of last week’s events and that could spur him on in this one.
DW: What do you think the score will be in this one? I am going for a 1-1 draw.
JC: I have a real feeling that the win at Spurs will give us the impetus to turn the corner after a dreadful year in the league so far so I am going for a 2-1 win to get us back on track.
DW: Come on you Baggies!
JC: EAGLES!!!!
