Five talking points from Leicester 1 West Brom 1

Nacer Chadli stakes his claim

He may not work as hard as James McClean, but he is one of the most gifted players in the squad and capable of producing brilliant moments like his long-range free-kick that lit up Albion’s performance.

Tony Pulis needs to find a way of keeping him in his team, keeping him happy, and putting him in more dangerous positions in the final third where he can make a difference. Chadli was actually poor in possession, but it was his first league start of the season and there is huge potential there.

Good things come to those who wait

It took more than two years for Pulis to buy an actual left-back, but boy was Kieran Gibbs worth the wait. He’s as comfortable on the ball as Jonny Evans, defensively sound, and also provides an attacking threat. Incredibly, he was Albion’s most dangerous player in the first half.

Gareth Southgate was at the game and is reportedly considering recalling Jay Rodriguez, but based on the season so far, Gibbs should also be in his sights. At £5m, he is turning into the bargain of the summer. Keep this up, and he could be going to Russia.

Rodriguez deserves a settled position

Up front on his own, up front in a two, wide left, wide right, and in behind the striker – Jay Rodriguez has played in five different roles already this season and we’re only 10 games into it. Pulis praised his versatility when signing him, but he’s being shuffled around too much.

He made his name with Southampton as a left-sided forward who drifted inside, but on Monday he was too wide and too deep to pose an attacking threat. Get him nearer the goal and keep him there, because he can finish.

Too many draws make it difficult to judge progress

On one hand, Albion are winless in seven, on the other hand, they’re in the top half and have lost fewer league games than Chelsea and Arsenal. Conceding late goals is worrying, but at least the team is attempting to play the ball on the floor and is getting into winning positions.

Pulis may have struggled to control games he should be controlling with the players at his disposal, but it does feel like a win and performance is just round the corner. But whether this season will be a success or not is still not yet clear.

But it seems the fans are sticking with him for now

The majority of fans in the 1,300-strong away end at Leicester were singing Tony Pulis’s name during the match, and there was a similar show of support from the Smethwick End when Albion were 2-0 up against Watford during the last home game.

For all the chuntering on social media, there seems to be much less pressure on Pulis from the stands. Last season earned him some breathing space, he is being given time to gel this new and exciting squad together.