This one started about 1pm when the weather decided to play its part and snow and stick. This never bodes well for the Baggies. Whenever it’s freezing we never win – Nottingham Forest and Ipswich come to mind.
The line ups were in and I thought it was a weird one. Shorey and Reid at full back when you have Ridgewell and Jones on the bench. The Swans have pace but it didn’t look like we were going to match them; Dorrans again on the wing with Thomas on the other and Mulumbu and Morrison anchoring. Odemwingie and Fortune were up top with no Long in sight. The new boys both made the bench.
First half
In a cold stadium – we have reason to moan being how high up the ground is – we cheered on the lads. In all honesty we started well. We gave them more of the ball, but that’s the game they play and sometimes you have to let them come forward. After all, we play so much counter attacking football it probably helped us.
Chances were few and far between. As usual we got the ball out wide but when we had the chance to cross Thomas and Dorrans looked backwards and went into the full backs, who then went backwards further to the CB who then either went back to them or passed aimlessly long in an attempt to get Fortune and Odemwingie turning into Usain Bolt.
Still, we pressed well and often sent them back to Vorm and on the surface anything could happen.
The first real chance fell to the Swans though with Sigurdsson (i didn’t look that up) taking a free kick going just wide of Ben Foster’s post, although it did hit the back of net sending Swans into delight until they heard the Brummie cheering with them!
Our best chances were coming in the air. Balls in, normally corners as the wingers weren’t crossing, resulted in us having a penalty shout when Ashley Williams handled a ball behind from a corner. The referee Jonathon Moss said no. We carried on with the corners and had a Fortune header off the line, a shot blocked and cleared. The luck wasn’t with us.
Towards the end of the half, Dorrans put a ball in Stoke-esque, Olsson got a foot to it and flicked it towards goal but it was just too close to Vorm who gladly clutched the ball.
Second half
We did, as expected, go for it a little more. But when we do that we always seem short at the back. But with credit we pressed well and again used corners to try and get goals and when one fell at the back post to Fortune he had time to touch and finish which he did with ease. Great finish by MAF and the corner process works, but still the wingers refused to cross.
While the Brummie was in full voice gearing up for the Lord’s my Sheppard, the ball went out wide to Neil Taylor who simply put the ball across to Gylfi Sigurdsson to slot home, no marking, no composure, not good enough! You’ve just taken the lead and you leave yourself that open. I’m beginning to wonder if our home games are sponsored by Lurpack, they always seem to slip away!
I said at the time it’s back to square one. Let’s push on and see what we can do, maybe get the lead back, then the ball broke to Sigurdsson who ran 20 yards to meet it, while Shorey watched and look confused over what to do, he ended up putting the ball in and Graham got in front of McAuley, stuck a foot out and hit the corner of the net. Another newly promoted team that just works off our defensive errors.
We tried to get the draw at the least but, as usual, I expected nothing. I always expected something under RDM and Mowbray but now we have little creation and attack and it annoys me a lot. Even when the ball broke to Odemwingie six yards out after a deflected shot, he can take a touch but showed no composure and blasts over the bar! Fortune then had a volley just over the bar – I don’t think he realised how close it was!
Even at the end Morrison receives the ball bouncing to him 18 yards out. He has 10 yards of space around him, take a touch, no, not Morrison! He runs into the ball and seemed to shin it well over the bar. The decision making and composure is not there, anyone with half a brain can see that yet it’s not eradicated by Roy?! Or Terry Burton for that matter.
Then right at the end the ball fell to Fortune from an Ashley Williams miss swipe. He was one on one and had a decent shot just go under Vorm and roll no more than a centimetre wide. That was it, our luck was out. We pushed again with a Fortune header falling just wide to end the game, and a lot of boos left the Hawthorns and they weren’t for the returning Luke Moore.
On reflection
It was awful. Let’s make no bones about it. It’s the same problem that keeps coming back. We can’t blame refs or luck if it’s the same issue. It’s a bigger problem and one you can control, so step forward Hodgson, now is the time for you to show your metal.
Dorrans’ decision making was appalling, along with Thomas. They turned the wrong way every time, even when they had 20 yards of space ahead of them they decide to go the other way. To play on the counter you have to run with pace and make the right decisions. If you can’t do that you can’t counter, and we can’t!
Hodgson, a manager who is well known for defensive strengths and home wins, has a side that does nothing at home and can’t defend. There were too many errors made. We have missed Jones and need a back four that plays consistently.
I’ll end this with a thought: some people paid over 500 quid and travel expenses to see 2 wins, 8 losses and 9 goals. That is nowhere near good enough and JP doesn’t do refunds!
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