Posts: 4,339
Threads: 455
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation:
23
Well, we got over one hurdle: after a club record streak of consecutive draws, two goals and a lot of tenacious defending were enough to break the cycle in our favour at Hull a fortnight ago. But now comes the hard part: doing it all over again at home.
The records have really been tumbling for Albion in the last couple of months, and not in the best of ways. The seven matches played at the Hawthorns so far this campaign have yielded a total of just three goals for or against; in the entire 136-year history of the Football League, no venue in the country has ever seen fewer across the opening seven fixtures. And since all three of those goals came by 1st October, we also stand on the verge of equalling another record: only three teams in the Football League (Wrexham in 1978, Bristol City in 2000 and some orange mob in 2016) have ever produced four no-score draws on the bounce on home soil. In terms of end product, we make George Graham's Arsenal look like total football. There are *Italians* who'd find our matches uneventful. So it's a golden opportunity to break the seven-week duck as Norwich visit on Saturday afternoon.
The Canaries are struggling themselves, with three defeats on the spin going into this one; moreover, they've lost their last two league games at the Hawthorns, and could make it three in three visits for the first time since the 1990s if we can only find the net. But they carry their own threat in the form of Spanish winger Borja Sainz, whose eleven goals so far mark him out as the biggest concern for our injury-ravaged defence. Even if Hull marked a resurrection in our own form on the road, we can't expect too much from our trip to table-topping Sunderland on Tuesday night, so Saturday has to be the target for a result this week; but with the way things have been recently, we might end up having to be patient a little while longer.
talkSAFT and Blue Baggie like this post
"I would rather spend a holiday in Tuscany than in the Black Country, but if I were compelled to choose between living in West Bromwich or Florence, I should make straight for West Bromwich." - J.B. Priestley
Posts: 3,742
Threads: 80
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation:
5
How's the weather in W.Midlands? Full house today??
Start every day off with a smile and get it over with
Posts: 3,742
Threads: 80
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation:
5
Start every day off with a smile and get it over with
Posts: 436
Threads: 4
Joined: Dec 2014
Reputation:
3
Well let’s hope those substitutions don’t come back to bite us the arse!!!! Can not believe he’s taken Fellows off.
Posts: 2,315
Threads: 62
Joined: Feb 2018
Reputation:
3
Tbh we deserved to win this game.
Another draw just about keeps us top 6. Jed came on and looked as though he's done I'm afraid
2020 the year the bubble burst 
Posts: 2,315
Threads: 62
Joined: Feb 2018
Reputation:
3
Credit where it's due, Maja's goal was a great piece of skill and the cross was worthy of a mention.
2020 the year the bubble burst
Posts: 3,742
Threads: 80
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation:
5
0-0 with Mackems. Shouldn't moan - that's a good point.
Start every day off with a smile and get it over with
Posts: 1,093
Threads: 1
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation:
6
Would've taken a point pre game, but that performance was pathetic. It was like watching paint dry.
I can accept us setting up defensively, but I expect us to at least try to counter attack and score...
We looked scared out of our wits to pass the ball forward. And even when simple forward passes were on, we chose to pass around the back in dangerous areas.
You would think we were playing Real Madrid with that mentality, not a bang average Sunderland side.
If we're happy watching stuff like that, at least we know that Tony Pulis is available if Leicester take Corberan. I'm sure he could replicate that performance.
On paper, a point on the road would be a decent result if we could start winning at home. But I just can't get on board with football like that. It's not what the game is about, especially when we should be good enough to compete with anyone in this league.
Posts: 2,641
Threads: 84
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation:
4
Can we be relegated on 56 points, 38 draws, a positive goal difference and the best defensive record in the league. Just asking, I can’t see us losing another game but can’t see us winning one either.
We have a decent squad, our first six games prove that, five wins and a draw, why has it gone so stale, why can we not put a performance in, score a goal or hold on to a lead.
Provided there’s a decent option, I would not be overly disappointed if Carlos left for Leicester at this moment in time. He has been a good manager but not a great manager, where’s the entertainment, the attacking flair, the excitement.
Hopefully King Carlos can get us firing on all cylinders, but his reputation is one of defensive stability not edge of the seat, heart stopping, thrill a moment football.
I hope he sorts it but I won’t hold my breath.
Slick_Footwork likes this post
Posts: 1,229
Threads: 26
Joined: Oct 2015
Reputation:
1
Agree with what’s been said. On the face of it, a good point at the SoL but in the context of our continuing failure to win matches, it’s very frustrating. Agree with Slick that the football is unbelievably negative at times, with an apparent unwillingness to be even mildly adventurous.
Our midfield is desperately pedestrian and lacking any pace. I like Mowatt and Mulumby as a pairing and how they largely control possession but they are not creating anything of note. In the absence of having a driving midfield player, does anyone think it might be worth playing Johnston in the midfield? He has pace, he has good control, he’s willing to run at defences and he can shoot; it may not be his preferred position but we have no-one in midfield prepared to run with the ball in a way that, for example, Bellingham did tonight
Just a thought
The light at the end of the tunnel is the light of an oncoming train
|
![[Image: Design-25-3.png]](https://i.ibb.co/bN6xz5B/Design-25-3.png)
