Showing posts with label Billy Jones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Billy Jones. Show all posts

Season Preview - West Bromwich Albion



Quick Reminder, Real Life

The two most important words on any West Brom fan’s lips last season must surely have been: Peter Odemwingie. What a breath of fresh air in the Premier League. Odemwingie arrived at The Hawthorns and was an instant hit. The club dismissed manager Roberto Di Matteo half-way through the year in the thick of a relegation battle, and Roy Hodgson came in, steadied the shape, and guided the Baggies to a mid-table (11th) finish, but it was all Odemwingie all the time. The Nigerian scored 15 goals in 32 league games. Chris Brunt scored twice (both penalties) in the memorable 2-1 win over Liverpool as Roy Hodgson took down his old club in April, and ended the season in form as he supported Odemwingie from wide attacking and central positions. Yussuf Mulumbu was also a consistent newcomer to the Premier League and steadied the ship in midfield throughout the ups and downs while former England international GK Scott Carson (now playing in Turkey) saw a majority of the action between the sticks.

Quick Reminder, Fantasy

Peter Odemwingie was so consistent, racking up 5+ points per game in the Official PL game and giving the likes of Tevez, Bent, RVP, and Rooney a run for their money on a consistent basis as the league’s highest scoring weekly striker. Brunt, Jerome Thomas, and Mulumbu took turns chipping in with reasonable scoring from midfield positions - West Brom were solid last year in the middle of the pitch - and Somen Tchoyi even got in on the scoring fun, managing 6 league goals in just 800+ minutes of action, a superb return. James Morrison scored 4 goals from midfield - a typical return for the Scotland international who is a pacy right winger and productive in ‘real life’ but never seems to have that 5+ or 6+ goal breakthrough from a fantasy perspective to set him apart from his colleagues.

Summer Changes

West Brom Sign Billy Jones



West Brom: Billy Jones backed to step up by Roy Hodgson - West Brom News - West Bromwich Albion - Sport - Birmingham Mail
He has been a mainstay of the North End team ever since and has earned a reputation as a tireless right-back who can play in a variety of positions, including central midfield.

Jones, who is 5ft 11in, is renowned for his ability to read the game and his strong tackling. He likes to get forward too.
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UPDATE:  So, I've learned that Jones scored six goals last season!  Are there any PNE fans who can speak to his play? Does he take free- or penalty-kicks? Gareth Bale scored seven goals this year - he's only a defender for fantasy purposes - and he's the next best player in the world who isn't named Messi. Only two Premier League defenders, Hangeland, Huth, could only match that tally and Baines only got five including PKs.

Billy Jones is quickly approaching prospective +10 status for me.

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Hodgson is wasting no time addressing his team's problem areas. First came the signing of center back Gareth McAuley, and now Jones. At right back, Jara showed that he wasn't up to the defensive side of things in the Premier League and Reid is a converted midfielder with a long injury history. It would seem that the job is Jones' to lose.