Express & Star

Blog: West Brom need to impose themselves to get back on track

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Much has happened since I last penned one of these and since around half-time in the Villa game, most of it has been bad! One point from a possible nine and suddenly Albion's plight looks a little more feverish than it did before,

writes Albion blogger Warren Stephens.

Last week's derby against Aston Villa was typically anti-climactic; we never seem to really excel in that fixture. Some might argue that we've not lost to them in six games, but they've fallen over a period in which Albion have established a superiority in terms of league position, a superiority we've not really reflected in matches against them: one win came against 10 men, another with a late goal in a topsy-turvy end-of-season encounter and the rest were draws.

I don't know whether it's a psychological issue with Villa being a so-called bigger rival, but even at 2-0 and seemingly in total control of the game, an element of tension filled the Hawthorns air. I remarked at half-time to a friend that it's the first time in my conscious lifetime that we've been two goals ahead of Aston Villa, yet even then there was an inevitability about the second-half turnaround.

Obviously there were also more practical elements that contributed to Albion surrendering that lead and I personally felt, much with the Newcastle game five days later, that Albion sat too deep and became reliant on counter-attacking football instead of seizing the initiative.

In Steve Clarke's defence, we've just emerged from a cluster of games against Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City, where a lot of training drills will have perhaps placed an emphasis on sitting compact and deep, pressing in the right areas and breaking quickly and efficiently. However, there are games during that period – notably Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Newcastle – where we've surrendered more territory to our opponents than they arguably merit.

Shane Long's return to prominence has provided a welcome boost and his two efforts against Villa exhibited wonderful class and technique. I do worry, however, that there is a tendency for Albion to rely on Long's pace behind the opposition as an 'out-ball' a little too often sometimes, a tactic that invariably leads to us conceding possession more often than is desirable at this level.

Additionally, Stephane Sessegnon's form has suffered a little in the last few weeks and it's become apparent how vital that role is for Albion in terms of the transition of play from back to front.

I personally found the Newcastle game particularly galling, I'm struggling to recall Boaz Myhill making a save, yet we lost the game courtesy of a set-piece and a 25-yarder where Moussa Sissoko was arguably afforded way too much space in a dangerous area. Did Tim Krul make many saves? No, but it certainly had the feel of a wasted game that was there for the taking.

We now find ourselves eight points adrift of Newcastle, who I was particularly unimpressed by and as Steve Clarke says, we have to start registering more points on the board, particularly in games where our performance has warranted it.

Wednesday's defeat to Manchester City was less concerning, you could make a case for us starting poorly, being a little stretched, standing off them a little and for the ease with which they opened us up down each flank, but ultimately we played a team that cost 14 times what ours did, before you get into comparative wages; if they 'turn up' so to speak, they'll win the game 9 times out of 10.

Manchester City is the one game of the season I really struggle to muster any enthusiasm for whatsoever, such are the unsavoury riches they have at their disposal. I think they're the only ones who can stop themselves winning the Premier League and even if/when they do, I can't see that it can be deemed too outstanding or rewarding an achievement when you've forked out over £1bn for it.

To Albion's credit, we didn't buckle at 2-0 down when many a side would have done, that has to be testament to our team spirit, which will hopefully hold us in good stead for, on paper, what looks to be a clear run of winnable fixtures leading up to and over the Christmas period.

The first of those games is on Saturday against Norwich, where Albion are without the suspended Jonas Olsson. Neither of his likely replacements, Diego Lugano or Craig Dawson, are particularly blessed with pace, which makes it difficult for Albion to play too high a line, but it would be nice to see us impose ourselves a little more than we did against Newcastle or Villa and hopefully get back on track. Come on you Baggies!!