Express & Star

Analysis: Worrying lack of quality on show for West Brom

Strap yourselves in everybody, it's going to be a long slog of a season.

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Alan Pardew has a big job on his hands. (AMA)

If he wasn't aware of it already, the enormity of the challenge ahead must have struck home for Alan Pardew at the Liberty Stadium.

In a season of lacklustre and lifeless performances, this was down there with the worst.

Swansea had one goal and one point from their previous five games, they were bottom of the table, a club on the brink.

But after yet another promising start for the Baggies, Paul Clement's side outplayed and outpassed Albion for large majorities of the game.

When Wilfried Bony smashed in the winner nine minutes from time, they just about deserved it.

A goalless draw may have been more befitting this limp spectacle that, were it not so bitingly cold, would have sent many watching to sleep.

Two teams lacking any ideas in the final third struggled to create chances of note.

It always felt like a set-piece would win it. Last season, that would have meant Albion came away with the spoils. Not anymore.

Pardew has been trying to instil an air of positivity in the squad, and has given players the freedom to express themselves.

The wingers – Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Field – were pushed up much higher than usual, and Jay Rodriguez joined Salomon Rondon up front.

Jake Livermore and Claudio Yacob were trusted in midfield without a third body.

But the worrying lack of 'new manager bounce' – Pardew has now picked up one point in two games against two teams that started the day bottom of the table – suggests the problems run deeper than anyone thought.

This winless run, which is now hurtling shockingly towards half a season, was supposed to be down to tactics and confidence, issues Albion's new cheerleader-in-chief could fix with a few kind words and a shift in approach.

Now, it looks like there is a potentially fatal lack of quality in the squad, particularly going forward.

Pardew praised his side's effort and endeavour after the game, but workrate only gets you so far in the top tier.

It's all very well being able to bust a gut to get into the box during a breakaway, but if the cross is overhit, as Hal Robson-Kanu's was here, you won't score.

"I had all my attackers on the pitch!" said Pardew afterwards, with an understandable hint of exasperation just two games into his tenure.

On the whole, he remains upbeat. He's an admirer of Rondon, and praised Rodriguez afterwards.

He has faith he can get the best out of this forward line in time, he just reckons they need a goal and a win to get them up and running.

But he did admit that if these forward players continue to struggle, then he might have to delve into the January market.

The summer's recruitment is also coming under increasingly scrutiny.

Pardew needed pace at half-time but he opted for James McClean, a player who has cost the team six points this season, instead of Oliver Burke.

The £15m man was injured for large parts under Pulis, but it's telling that three managers have now restricted him to cameo performances.

Likewise for Grzegorz Krychowiak, who Albion are paying £108,000-a-week to sit on the bench.

The Polish midfielder was meant to be one of the biggest coups in the league, but he's only played six minutes in four games since Pulis left.

There are important players due to come back from injury, of course. Matt Phillips, who could be fit for Liverpool on Wednesday, is the one member of the squad who has both pace and proven quality at this level.

If Alan Pardew can get a tune out of the inconsistent Nacer Chadli, who might be fit for Manchester United on Sunday, then things could change dramatically.

James Morrison is out for longer, but he too, would help this team aching for a creative No.10.

The sooner they come back, the better, because Albion need all their attacking options available if they're going to stay up.

They are smack-bang in a relegation fight now, and on Saturday, they showed few signs of being able to get out of it.