Reply With QuoteWest Brom – Really poor first 20-25 minute and deservedly behind. They have a wealth of talent but this did not show first half and we could have maybe got a few more goals with a bit more quality. They looked poor at the back and very square and you sensed as well they were not up for it. A decent goal changed everything and Moore must have got into them at the half. They then took over. They tweaked things second half and played higher up the field; pushed the wing backs on and Barry just sat in front of the defence and controlled the game. They played through the lines and looked dangerous every time they attacked 2nd half. They could have had another goal before they scored and after the winner; they saw out the game really easily with only one chance for Sharp. They deserved the win on reflection as they had more of the ball, more shots on and off goal and I felt had the better players – this is after a poor half hour but over the game 1-2 was about right really.
They have so much pace, talent and power. The players at the top of the field are in a different league to ours and have others in reserve that would walk into our team. They of course have a ridiculously higher wage bill and resources but that is what we are up against and there will always be teams coming down. If we want to challenge, we have to get somewhere near these teams in terms of outlay of resources. If we can’t do that/won’t it will be the same this season as last and next season.
I expect them to finish top two at the end of the season. I think them, Villa and Stoke have the best squads in the division and these three should occupy 3/6 places at the top (I expect Stoke to come strong). This means with Leeds, Boro who I expect to be up there; and with Norwich the pacesetters; you sense how hard it is for us to get in the top 6 and that is not even thinking about Derby, Forest etc. That is why my 10-11th prediction is not as outlandish as I feel some may say.
Opponent man of the match – Gareth Barry won Man of the Match. After Norwood had played well, he controlled things after the half hour mark and dictated the game second half. The front lads caused one or two problems with their running and pace – with Barnes and Phillips in particular.
Weak link – The defence could be got at and have some slow and clumsy players in Dawson and Hegazi. Adarabioyo was really poor and made a number of mistakes though and I felt he was the weaklink for them. Gayle was quiet-ish last night.
Henderson 7/10 – Not too much to do but he made a great save from the one on one from Barnes. H made a few other more routine saves. His kicking was ok with only one into touch considering we kept putting him under pressure again. Had bounced back well from that mistake. He was left badly exposed second half after having little to do in the first half.
Baldock 5/10 – I am not sure he has impressed me that much since he came back into the team. It was the right move with Freeman’s drop-in form but he has not made the shirt his own and not been like he was for much of last season. He looks a bit timid in tackling and his play and when he gets it does not have the drive or attacking thrust, he did show last season. His crossing is appalling. He has no confidence when he gets down the right that he will put the ball into a good area and he seems to lack the strength to put over a cross with pace and they often dribble to no one.
Stevens 7/10 – Think he played reasonably well. He has been one of our better players this season despite the usual unfair criticism. Stuck to his defensive task and was really far forward first half and involved in lots of good moves. Second half he had to defend more and they stretched us all over the field. Not sure he made any big errors or got caught out individually though. His crossing when he gets forward is not great and he really needs to work on this as he gets into good areas but pulls back these soft and weak crosses so often.
Egan 4/10 – Had a bit of a nightmare I felt last night. Made a number of mistakes or was slow to react to things. He had made a few errors even before the big ones second half. He mistimed a ball and handled it and got booked and they should have scored with this one but then he lost a race with Phillips but failed to either foul him or knock it out and he got away and they scored. Made a few silly back passes again too. They let him have the ball and he struggled to use it very well at all. Also, Gayle outjumped him on a few headers which was odd.
O’Connell 6/10 – Mixed really. He did some good things with a few headers and tackles and he also got forward first half on a couple of occasions. One cross that was deflected just wide was a beauty. He struggled at times with the pace and running second half but felt that the midfield in front did not help as we let them have so much of the ball and time to make the forward passes through the gaps.
Basham 7.5/10 – Maybe our best player again – rivalling Duffy I suppose. He was all action and athletic again. Made tackles, blocks and got up and down. First half he was excellent and helped us carry the ball forward so many times. Maybe could have done a bit better to stop the cross in the first half on the goal. Second half he was put under more pressure and had to defend more and I felt Baldock did not help him much meaning he had almost defended two players at times. Might be our player of the season so far in terms of consistency.
Fleck 4/10 – I think he had had 4 or 5 decent games this season but overall, I think he had had a poor season. He rarely makes those driving runs, is not assisting for goals and looks a mile off the player of the last few seasons. Looks sluggish and also is not involved in games. When he does his passing is incredibly sloppy and he did that numerous times last night. He is just not playing very well at all and it was right he was taken off. A lot of talk about whether Norwood playing supresses him but I don’t buy that. He had to contribute more and get on the ball more. He seems to be hiding at times and not available for passes. May need taking out for a spell but then he normally is rubbish after breaks/suspensions but at the moment he has been one of our poorer players.
Norwood 6/10 – Superb to open the game with lots of pinging passes, clever touches and controlled the game. He was at the heart of everything we did. Then he knocked a few passes too long, gave the ball away on the goal and then became sloppy and his passing went awry. Second half he was largely anonymous. It is a worry how much he fades in games and the second half performances he puts in or often night and day from how he starts games.
Duffy 7.5/10 – First half our best player and was a real threat. He got on the ball, found himself in some great areas and was all over the field. It was one of those nights when he just looked bang up for it. They struggled with his running and movement. He set up the goal and involved in the other good attacks we had. As per normal he faded second half but that is because we did not have the ball and they were the aggressor. I would have still left him on as he was the only one who looked like creating something.
Sharp 5/10 – Never in the game. Got outmuscled off it much of the evening and looked quite leggy. Had one chance and blazed over badly when he should have at least made the keeper work. He had one of those nights where he was anonymous. I can see the reason why Wilder left him on as he can get a goal but felt Washington may have stretched some slow and leggy centre backs.
McGoldrick 7/10 – Some neat and tidy touches and link up play early on and felt he was good in that first period of the game. Had one chance he blazed over and another effort blocked but did score with a cool finish and at long last some composure. He did not see much of the ball at all in the second half and was defending/chasing as they had the ball so much more.
Subs –
Coutts 5/10 – I felt he may help us get more of the ball but he joined in with the rest in that he was really poor. He gave it away a few times and when he did keep it; it was only through the odd square and backwards ball. Cannot remember much he did positively really and got outpaced and shoved off it a few times. Looks badly off the pace and looks so slow. People may talk about what he was before and what he may be when he plays more games but I can only judge him on what I see at the moment. Sadly, that is someone who looks weak, slow and is not influencing games. He had a fair spell on the field today too.
Washington – Played for 15 minutes but cannot recall him touching the ball much as we did not really threaten or have any sustained possession or pressure.
Johnson – Brought on at the end but too late to really do much of anything.
