Since this feature began at the start of pre-season it’s proved to be particularly popular. However let’s make one thing clear: this is NOT going to prove to be happy reading for Albion fans!
Roberto Di Matteo made two changes to the team which took to the field against Derby with Roman Bednar and Youssouf Mulumbu recalled to the starting XI. My personal choice before the game would’ve put Tex out-wide and kept the reliable central midfield partnership of Dorrans and Jara together however Roberto Di Matteo thought differently. I like both Jara and Mulumbu but I feel the two just can’t play together when paired in the centre. The two are too similar. Both like getting stuck in, winning the ball then giving it to a more creative partner. However whenever the ball was won in the early stages the two looked clueless as what to do with it!
Kick Off
Following on from Derby’s last minute equaliser at Pride Park I always worried about how much of our confidence had been dented. It clearly looked like it had taken its toll as the Baggies started sluggishly. Despite Graham Dorrans testing David Marshall from 25 yards after two minutes Albion started poor with little tempo or creativity. With little forward movement through the centre of midfield, Brunt and Dorrans unwilling to take on the full-back to reach the byline and static forwards, the long-ball was Albion’s preferred method of attack.
After Cardiff’s Chris Burke had gone close with a drive, Roman Bednar should’ve done better after finding himself one-on-one with Marshall. However a heavy touch following a long ball from Dorrans sent the forward wide of the goal with Marshall smoothing Bednar’s weak shot at the second opportunity.
The visitors were looking threatening in attack and Carson had to be at full length to tip over a well controlled volley from Gavin Rae following a corner Albion failed to clear. In all truth Cardiff were by far the more threatening going forward and it was little surprise they took the lead.
Marek Cech, who was at fault for Derby’s late equaliser, again showed he’s not a defender by initially giving Burke a chance to run at him instead of closing his man down before completely leaving him to run clear across Albion’s box – something defenders on Sunday wouldn’t do. With Meite tracking the run of Chopra and Olsson nowhere to be seen Burke was free to stroke a left footed shot home past Scott Carson to give the visitors the lead.
A shell-shocked Albion side again looked void of any ideas or fluency as they pushed for an immediate equaliser. However it was Cardiff who nearly doubled their advantage as Carson inexplicably decided to leave a right-wing cross then had to tip Peter Whittington’s close range header around the post.
The recalled Youssouf Mulumbu was substituted due to an injury in the 36th minute with the ineffective Dorrans reverting back to the centre and Felipe Teixeira coming on to play wide left. The change almost worked immediately with Dorrans feeding Cech in the left-hand channel with the Slovakian only inches away with a swerving drive from 25 yards.
After the break
The Baggies started the brighter of the two teams after half-time with Roman Bednar having a great opportunity to level the scores. Simon Cox fed his fellow forward with a superb defence cutting pass and, after Bednar had done well to control the ball, he was unable to lift his effort over the on-rushing Marshall who made a smart block.
Albion were playing slightly better and having plenty of the ball in the early part of the second-half. Graham Dorrans probably should’ve done better after the ball found its way to his feet but the Scottish international pulled his left-foot effort wide when he should’ve tested Marshall. You could already tell it wasn’t to be Albion’s night. Cardiff had come with a game-plan of getting plenty of men behind the ball and to frustrate us – unfortunately it was working perfectly.
With little way through the middle or down the flanks the Baggies again reverted back to route one football hoping to pick up scraps on the edge of Cardiff’s box. The tactic almost worked when Chris Brunt picked up the ball and hit a ferocious right foot shot which seemed to be aiming towards the bottom corner. With fans in the Birmingham Road ready to celebrate an Albion goal the ball passed agonisingly wide for three quarters of The Hawthorns.
Despite having free-kicks in dangerous areas Brunt wasted the opportunity to put the ball into the box instead firing it high and wide into the Birmingham Road – in fact I think one went closer to the corner flag than the goal! Brunt wasn’t the only Albion player however who wasted good opportunities. Jara and Cech both fired horribly over when a cross was needed. The usually reliable Graham Dorrans also should’ve fed Brunt down the left when the break was on. Instead Cardiff’s tall centre-backs easily headed poor crosses away. This was Swansea revisited all over again.
Bednar had another good chance to get Albion back in the game but headed Gianni Zuiverloon’s right wing cross yards wide. Unfortunately this was to be the home side’s last real chance on goal.
The night was to go from bad to worse for the hosts when Scott Carson, Albion’s captain and supposed leader, was shown a red card for violent conduct. I didn’t actually see the incident for myself but it was clear something had happened when Chopra dramatically fell to the floor. Carson was clearly guilty and walking off before the referee had reached for his card. The game was all but over for Albion with Dean Kiely given the task of saving a penalty after replacing Marek Cech.
Kiely superbly saved Whittington’s spot-kick but saw the midfielder calmly tap in the rebound. There seemed to be some confusion between the Albion players with the linesman raising his flag however I think this has more to do with Deano’s whereabouts when the kick was taken.
On reflection
Let’s make no mistake about it Albion were poor. Shockingly poor! Once again at home we lacked creativity and seem to struggle if we don’t score early first. We missed the direct running, trickery and precise crosses of Jerome Thomas. The much maligned Luke Moore was also missed. Albion’s long-ball tactic is no use without pace up front to stretch the opposition’s defence. Too many of Albion’s ‘big’ players also had nightmares. I’ve never seen Gonzalo Jara give the ball away so much or miss so many tackles; Graham Dorrans went missing throughout the whole 90 minutes; Chris Brunt failed to make one quality cross throughout the whole game – even when switched to the left and Roman Bednar didn’t look match fit and should’ve scored at least one. As for Scott Carson...what an idiot. That’s not how captain’s behave. Might be time for RDM to consider his surprise choice of skipper. Only Abdoulaye Meite and Simon Cox played near their potential.
There was a thread on the board earlier this week asking how good we were? On this performance the answer is shocking! Still lots of hard work ahead if we’re to be promoted...