[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Jeff Astle scores Albion's opener in the FA Cup quarter-final decider against Liverpool, 18th April 1968

When you're struggling, the Christmas fixture schedule can look pretty unforgiving, and there's no doubt at all after Saturday's defeat that Albion are indeed struggling. The new manager bounce just hasn't materialised, and while Pardew can't be expected to work instant miracles, it's somewhat frustrating to watch winnable matches fall by the wayside while he works through the standard catalogue of elementary mistakes.

If there are any other schoolboy errors to get out of the system, it's probably best done during tomorrow's trip to Anfield, which isn't really down as a winnable match in anyone's book. As a manager prone to winning streaks in previous jobs, the hope is that when he finally hits on the right formula, the points will come in a flood. The concern, however, is that we don't really have all that long for the necessary sea-change to come.

Laurie Cunningham takes Albion's title challenge to Anfield, 3rd February 1979