Express & Star

Tony Pulis: West Brom's players didn’t give up

Tony Pulis defended his players after what could turn out to be his final game in charge of the Baggies.

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Gareth McAuley stretches to try and stop Alvaro Morata. (AMA)

Albion started brightly at The Hawthorns on Saturday but quickly went 3-0 down to Chelsea in a first half that left them stunned.

Some of the shell-shocked players appeared to be going through the motions after that, although there were a few who refused to give up the fight like substitute Claudio Yacob.

He was brought on at half-time when Pulis dragged Paris Saint-Germain loanee Grzegorz Krychowiak off after his disappointing contribution.

Even though the under-pressure head coach admitted the defending was poor for all four of Chelsea’s goals – he didn’t think his team thrown in the towel.

“I think they worked hard again,” said Pulis. “I know there were boos at the end of the game but in general (they tried).

“I still think they run around. I think we’re second in the Premier League for effort. If we were down the bottom people could throw at you that the players have chucked it in.

“But they haven’t, their energy levels, fitness and output – there’s only one club who do more than these boys.

“I’m disappointed in the way certain individuals have defended, they can do better than that, but I’ll take it on the chin.”

Matt Phillips looked bright in the early stages, and Salomon Rondon scored a disallowed goal five minutes in after straying half a yard offside.

Jake Livermore and Kieran Gibbs played well, while Yacob added some much-needed steel in midfield before James McClean came on and manufactured a one-on-one for himself through sheer will.

But collectively the team looked drained and short of confidence in the second half when faced with an electric Chelsea team and a sparkling Eden Hazard.

He scored two goals and set up another for Alvaro Morata but it was Chelsea’s third, when Marcos Alonso was left unmarked at the back post from a free-kick, that was the most alarming.

“People will say the second goal was a great goal but actually it was a poor goal from us,” said Pulis. “The third goal, that defending, someone doesn’t pick him up. That’s what happens when you’re on a bad run.

“At times I didn’t think we played too badly. But defensively we were poor. Obviously Chelsea are a top, top team. When you play against a top team like Chelsea you have to defend better.

“It’s not just the first one, it’s the second, third and fourth one. They’re all goals we shouldn’t be conceding.

“But I was pleased with the players, I thought their attitude was great.”