Express & Star

West Brom vs Chelsea: Tensions high at The Hawthorns

The last game at The Hawthorns was a free hit for Tony Pulis, when apathy rather than anger filled the stands.

Published
Last updated
Tony Pulis (AMA)

But even though the opposition is almost as strong, and Chelsea come to The Hawthorns as champions, Albion’s head coach is unlikely to be afforded as much grace from the fans this time.

There is far more riding on this match than the Manchester City fixture – the limp defeat away at 10-man Huddersfield in between saw to that.

What’s more, owner Guochuan Lai will be in attendance this time and even if he was always planning to come, what he witnesses first hand tomorrow could be significant.

With no win in 10 games and a fanbase becoming increasingly vocal in their calls for Pulis to go, the atmosphere at The Hawthorns will be charged at kick-off.

The away fans turned on Pulis at the John Smith’s Stadium last time out. Get it wrong again and there’s a danger the home fans will too.

Even though the board are reluctant to act too soon, Pulis is fighting for his job over the next few weeks, that much is clear.

There are those who think his relationship with the supporters has reached the point of no return.

That is probably not the case – it’s amazing what a run of wins can do – but it is certainly at its lowest ever ebb with more and more now unconvinced the wins that are needed will ever come.

Just as important as the result on Saturday, though, is the performance.

Fans can stomach losing to the champions and their team of assorted superstars with their superstar manager, what they can’t stomach is rolling over without throwing a punch.

And that’s been the case too often this season, against all levels of opposition.

However, there was some fight shown in the game against City and a gutsy defeat is probably the odds-on favourite in this game too.

Whether that will be enough to placate the crowd depends on a number of variables.

Pulis could help his cause by throwing off the shackles.

Nacer Chadli’s performances for Albion this season perhaps don’t warrant a starting place, but he made some telling impacts during two games for Belgium over the international break and his inclusion would be welcome by most as a sign of ambition.

Oliver Burke, Matt Phillips, Chris Brunt and James McClean are others who may as well be tried now we know the current midfield dynamic isn’t working.

But the overall approach will count for more than the personnel.

It’s been two weeks since that dark day in Huddersfield, when Albion failed to lay a glove on the Terriers.

Fan fury has been left to fester for a fortnight, and The Hawthorns will be a tinderbox tomorrow. It is not a must-win, but Pulis certainly needs a rousing performance from his team to keep the wolf from the door.