[Albion] Do you think Uncle Tony is happy?

[Flounce]

If he’s happy with what he watched today I will be stunned

Albion were lambs to the slaughter against a side who hadn’t won a game at home for ages, just like a pathetic Leicester managed to score two goals away against a side who seem to f*** up pretty well every time they have an “easy” game.

 

[Justice]

I wondered if he started it.....?

You’re going to get your f***ing head kicked in whilst pointing at the directors box? Or another chant.

 

[Bodian]

You’re going to get your f***ing head kicked in whilst pointing at the directors box? Or another chant.

"Sack the board, sack the board" - was that one of his?

(PS - don't think that was actually sung before anyone gets outraged)

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Think he shouted…”off, off, off” at Joao Pedro…..

 

[Gary1]

I'm expecting a 'mutual' parting of the ways at the end of May.

On that basis ( not saying you’re wrong at all) who do you think would be incoming

 

[Gary1]

It’s the nature of results that are of a concern. Everyone loses matches whether they’re the expected result or not. Just looking at the last 2 games alone the draw against Leicester is not unforgivable nor is today’s defeat but Leicester hadn’t scored in something like 8 games whereas Brentford hadn’t won at home since December. Obviously there are other similarities that have played out this season and as they said on the radio today we have become easy to play against now, we’re soft and concede goals at will. Something isn’t right and hopefully the manager can turn it around quickly as a slide at the back end of a season has a nasty habit of continuing into the start of the next unless a change a made. Sure we’ve had some great results and runs this season but it is the present that will be a concern I feel.

 

[The Fits]

It’s the nature of results that are of a concern. Everyone loses matches whether they’re the expected result or not. Just looking at the last 2 games alone the draw against Leicester is not unforgivable nor is today’s defeat but Leicester hadn’t scored in something like 8 games whereas Brentford hadn’t won at home since December. Obviously there are other similarities that have played out this season and as they said on the radio today we have become easy to play against now, we’re soft and concede goals at will. Something isn’t right and hopefully the manager can turn it around quickly as a slide at the back end of a season has a nasty habit of continuing into the start of the next unless a change a made. Sure we’ve had some great results and runs this season but it is the present that will be a concern I feel.

Hadn’t won at home since December yet scored 4 (Four) goals. After the Leicester game it’s a worry. Injuries aren’t an excuse. I’m not expecting us to win every game, or win any games easily in this league, but it isn’t good enough.

 

[seagull_special]

Obviously, there was a risk with the appointment and with so much money spent, there would be an expectation of a return on the investment however there are mitigating circumstances with the injury list.

There was a lack of investment in the defence and that is the main area for improvement ready for next season hopefully injuries will not be an such an issue and our players will have bedded in.

I don’t think FH has really endeared himself with the fans yet!

 

[London Irish]

I have just heard something that makes me so damn angry...

Apparently, our so-called fans were screaming insults and abuse at Tony Bloom today, shouting: "You don't know what you are doing"
This man has supported this club all of his life, not only putting his personal money into our little club, but also bringing them to the level that they are now playing in the biggest league in the world.

What disgusting little scum they are...!!!

First thing that made me smile today, hope your little satire gets a few bites

 

[birthofanorange]

Obviously, there was a risk with the appointment and with so much money spent, there would be an expectation of a return on the investment however there are mitigating circumstances with the injury list.

Th ere was a lack of investment in the defence and that is the main area for improvement ready for next season hopefully injuries will not be an such an issue and our players will have bedded in.

I don’t think FH has really endeared himself with the fans yet!

This is the thing that confounds me: What are people wanting? A maverick/stroppy/loud manager, just for thrills and spills, or can the detractors not cope with a young, quiet and thoughtful manager in his first season at this level?
If you can honestly say that this season (currently) has been awful, then fair play to you.
Me? It hasn't lived-up to my hopes - not 'expectations' - but I'm more than prepared to give the guy another year, and I fully anticipate that TB will, too.

 

[jcdenton08]

This is the thing that confounds me: What are people wanting? A maverick/stroppy/loud manager, just for thrills and spills, or can the detractors not cope with a young, quiet and thoughtful manager in his first season at this level?
If you can honestly say that this season (currently) has been awful, then fair play to you.
Me? It hasn't lived-up to my hopes - not 'expectations' - but I'm more than prepared to give the guy another year, and I fully anticipate that TB will, too.

They want us to win more games and reach Europe. When we don’t, the scapegoating starts - Wieffer, Verbruggen, Dunk and naturally the manager is a very easy target.

That’s not to say there aren’t valid criticisms to be made of those players and the manager’s tactics - but let’s be honest most football fans are incredibly thick and want PWOPA PASHUN, not an actual dissection of tactics.

Except when Joao Pedro does it to gee up the north stand, then it’s not okay of course.

In short: win and everything is good, lose and everything is bad.

 

[Bodian]

There was a lack of investment in the defence and that is the main area for improvement ready for next season hopefully injuries will not be an such an issue and our players will have bedded in.

This is 95% of the issue I think. We're scoring goals okay really (although it would be nice to score more). Two goals in each of the last two games would normally see more than just a solitary point. All good teams build from a sound defence, and we just haven't got it at the moment.

 

[birthofanorange]

They want us to win more games and reach Europe. When we don’t, the scapegoating starts - Wieffer, Verbruggen, Dunk and naturally the manager is a very easy target.

That’s not to say there aren’t valid criticisms to be made of those players and the manager’s tactics - but let’s be honest most football fans are incredibly thick and want PWOPA PASHUN, not an actual dissection of tactics.

Except when Joao Pedro does it to gee up the north stand, then it’s not okay of course.

In short: win and everything is good, lose and everything is bad.

I'm old enough to remember our first match in the First Div against Arsenal - we looked like rabbits caught in headlights, just as we did 7 years ago in the Prem.
We've come on in leaps and bounds since then and (rightly, imo) seem to be safely ensconced in the upper echelons of football.
It may last, it may not, but we've enjoyed a European journey since then, beaten teams that (in those early seasons) could only dream of beating, come close to Wembley a few times, and are well-known globally - which is pretty amazing.
I want more...a lot more....I'm as needy as the next fan, but patience is needed.
TB plays the long game, and I've waited well over 50 years to be where we are. I can wait a bit more for greater success.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Bloom will clearly sell up after this fiasco of a season










Not

 

[birthofanorange]

Bloom will clearly sell up after this fiasco of a season










Not

I'm so glad I scrolled down a bit.

 

[Clive Walker]

He didn't look too amused today, slumped back into his seat making notes (edit - he was writing stuff down, I've no idea if he was making notes) after each goal conceded. I'm also pleased to report he went mental at the ref when he had let another few Brentford fouls go before penalising us again. I'd be amazed if he isn't a little concerned.

This intrigued me when I heard about it earlier in the season. TB sat in the directors box and quietly making notes on a scrap of paper tgroughout the game. Notes were just numbers. People close to him say they have no idea what he is doing.

 

[Simster]

This is the thing that confounds me: What are people wanting? A maverick/stroppy/loud manager, just for thrills and spills, or can the detractors not cope with a young, quiet and thoughtful manager in his first season at this level?
If you can honestly say that this season (currently) has been awful, then fair play to you.
Me? It hasn't lived-up to my hopes - not 'expectations' - but I'm more than prepared to give the guy another year, and I fully anticipate that TB will, too.

On balance, this is how I feel. I'm getting quite cynical as I get older and as such am not convinced FH is any more or less talented than Potter or De Zerbi before him. But he does feel like a middle path between the previous two and in terms of planning that might be just what we need.

There is no escaping the fact that this season has been a crushing disappointment, but that is because it fell apart 5 games ago and we've just collapsed. Until then, we'd had one barren spell, a couple of shocking results and the rest of it had been very good really. I've given up on the season now (West Ham will be my last game), I'm not really emotionally invested anymore. If that continues (assuming I am a microcosm of the club's fans) then that would be a problem. But for me, this is where I expect the professionals inside the club to do their job and sort it out - weed out the problem players, make the right recruitment, breath some fresh air into the club so that we hit the ground running in August.

 

[Barham's tash]

At face value we've just returned him 100m of his overall contribution to club coffers with more likely to follow next year, we're on course for our 5th (?!) highest ever finish, we go into the final games of the season with a chance of European qualification and we have an absolute plethora of youthful talent. But....

I expect given his standards, the tools he feels he's delivered (both in terms of players, facilities - medical and training/recovery etc) he feels a tad short changed. Whilst he's not trigger happy I expect he runs his own algorithm of overall performance metrics and knows if Fab has over/under performed incorporating ALL circumstances and will respond accordingly depending on the statistical significance of any under performance v pay off etc.

 

[BadFish]

On balance, this is how I feel. I'm getting quite cynical as I get older and as such am not convinced FH is any more or less talented than Potter or De Zerbi before him. But he does feel like a middle path between the previous two and in terms of planning that might be just what we need.

There is no escaping the fact that this season has been a crushing disappointment, but that is because it fell apart 5 games ago and we've just collapsed. Until then, we'd had one barren spell, a couple of shocking results and the rest of it had been very good really. I've given up on the season now (West Ham will be my last game), I'm not really emotionally invested anymore. If that continues (assuming I am a microcosm of the club's fans) then that would be a problem. But for me, this is where I expect the professionals inside the club to do their job and sort it out - weed out the problem players, make the right recruitment, breathe some fresh air into the club so that we hit the ground running in August.

I feel like the crushing part comes because at points the seasons has been looking like it could be incredible.

Midtable feels like failure from where we have been. If we had done it differently midtable would feel like success, I bet it does to them up the road at the moment.

Importantly though with a few tweaks and a bit of work, as you mention, next season could be a cracker.

I expect that TB and PB see things in a similar manner to this but I do also concede that I may be projecting my own views on to him. Only time will tell on that one.

 

[Brovion]

It’s the nature of results that are of a concern. Everyone loses matches whether they’re the expected result or not. Just looking at the last 2 games alone the draw against Leicester is not unforgivable nor is today’s defeat but Leicester hadn’t scored in something like 8 games whereas Brentford hadn’t won at home since December. Obviously there are other similarities that have played out this season and as they said on the radio today we have become easy to play against now, we’re soft and concede goals at will. Something isn’t right and hopefully the manager can turn it around quickly as a slide at the back end of a season has a nasty habit of continuing into the start of the next unless a change a made. Sure we’ve had some great results and runs this season but it is the present that will be a concern I feel.

Yes, agreed. I'd be less worried and more than happy to accept the undoubtedly-contributary reasons ('Blips', 'transformational season', 'injuries', etc), if it wasn't for the comments of Welbeck and March. Those aren't fans pontificating on a messageboard, or even players talking in what they thought were private conversations - those are first-team regulars saying publicly that all is not right. And no, not even the most Panglossian of our fans can spin that any other way.

Now I'm not saying it's exactly same .... but it is a little like the end of Chris Hughton's last season. He too can claim to have had a good season: he kept us up (confirmed before the last day), we did the double over Palace, and we got a day out at Wembely. At the start of that season we'd all have settled for that, and indeed probably thought that we'd slightly over-achieved. However there was an undoubted tailing-off towards the end, and despite his all his achievements TB was not happy and Hughton was sacked.

Now it's not the same, the biggest difference is this is FH's first season, but no manager is bulletproof. My own guess is that TB is not ecstatically happy, but he'll play a longer game.