And the origin of torque and torc (twisted metal necklace) . Love an interesting fact in the morning.
Friday, 16th February 2024 Sky Bet Championship. West Bromwich Albion v Southampton (20:00) Referee:- SAM ALLISON Assistants:- Craig Taylor and Andrew Fox Fourth Official :- Anthony Backhouse
Another morning fact (but totally irrelevant, but it's my thread and I can do this). On ships, cannon balls were placed on a brass thing called a monkey. In the cold they contracted and the cannon balls fell off. Hence the expression "Freezing the balls off a brass monkey"
I was concerned last night about how long Downes would be absent for, but thinking about it we were still 0-0 when Charles went off despite him seeming slightly rusty. So maybe the bigger issue is us trying to play without an out and out DM? All 6 goals conceded in the last two games were when we tried to play without one. Either way I’d say start Charles for West Brom, unless Downes is back.
If they both are, I'd give Adarma a rest. Fraser on left, Brooks on right, Che through the middle. Obviously Downes plays if he's able.
I think that the worry for me is that although we didn't concede with Downes on or with Charles on. We have still been waaaaay too open in the past two games even before changing DM during the games. So I'm not sure it's as simple as just having Downes back and we'll be solid again.
Do you mean that @thereisonlyoneno7 is actually good at his job, but the rest of the board are still upset that @......loading...... has gone, so will do everything in their power to unseat TIOON7, even if the results are not too shabby?
I feel the pressure following the best ever thread maker Not606 has known. I will do my best to make the transition seamless and continue the good work done - i will maybe even get to 26 games.
Aside from the obvious (eg putting yesterday behind us, not letting Leeds get away etc), I do think that getting a result on Friday - and indeed vs Hull next week - is important to help show that we're not just a flat track bully. Based on the table as it currently stands, we only have four wins against the top 13 (out of 14 games). Whereas we have 15 wins against the bottom 11 (out of 17 games). That's an incredible record against the lesser sides (just a shame that those late lapses in the 1-1 draws vs Rotherham and Huddersfield have prevented us from having a 100% record). But those games alone won't get anyone automatic promotion. And we only have five more of them left to play. As a standalone result, a draw away to WBA would be fine. Even a defeat would be nothing to be ashamed of. But as a collective, it would be another non-win against the current top 13. Leeds or no Leeds, that is something we need to improve.
West Brom are iffy away from home, but their home form is what has got them so high in the league. Played 16, won 11, drawn 3, lost 2. One of those 2 losses was to Leicester (the other Huddersfield is a bit of anomaly). and they lost both 1-2. They've beaten Leeds and Ipswich at home. If anyone was in any doubt about how tough it will be to get a win here. Might well require the performance of the season so far and a bit of luck, which considering we are going into this off the back of our first loss since September, 6 goals conceeded in two poor performances in a row, looking wide open defensively and quite a few players having picked up knocks or looked leggy and tired and our last game only a few days ago, would be quite the turnaround.
I'd take a draw now, but if we won it would be massive for our season. If we could bounce back after a poor showing at Bristol and go to high flying West Brom and win, I actually believe that the confidence would carry us over the line. It would also be massive for my career as a thread starter, and maybe we would be saying "...loading... who?"
This is where Russ really needs to show his mettle. After Bristol I wouldn’t be happy with a draw, although with downes out it would be a good result.
