Express & Star

Analysis - Baptism of fire spoils the party for West Brom

It started out as a raucous welcoming party, but ended up as a baptism of fire.

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Harvey Barnes provided a positive moment on a frustrating day. (AMA)

If anyone was under any illusions beforehand how difficult this league will be, opening day defeat at home to a team who have dealt with a tumultuous summer after staying up by the skin of their teeth last season hammered home the message.

Welcome to the Championship, this screamed, where the tables have turned, and it’s Albion who are now expected to break down the opposition rather than the other way around.

The Baggies ‘enjoyed’ nearly 75 per cent of possession in this game, and backed by a full stadium and Premier League quality, they should have won.

But they found it difficult to break down an obdurate Bolton Wanderers side who did to Albion exactly what Albion have done to many teams over the past few years, particularly under Tony Pulis.

As Darren Moore himself admitted afterwards, the Baggies need to evolve their style, and quickly, if they are to start this campaign strongly.

Bolton stuck 10 men behind the ball and broke at speed while Josh Magennis played the lone front man role perfectly, even getting himself a goal that Ahmed Hegazi will not like to see again, and it was the visitors’ threat from simple balls into the box that will worry Moore most.

Despite having two towering centre-halves who should be able to repel any aerial salvo, the Baggies looked vulnerable whenever a cross was sent in, and in this league, that needs to be fixed quickly.

It took a wonderstrike from the bright and breezy Harvey Barnes to get the hosts back into the game on the stroke of half-time, but they won’t be able to rely on such rare moments of beauty every week.

Barnes and fellow winger Matt Phillips were Albion’s biggest threats, and while the Leicester loanee provided the memorable piece of brilliance, there was more consistent pressure down the other flank.

But Albion lacked an attacking central creative spark, where there was a huge gap inadequately filled by either Jake Livermore, Jay Rodriguez or Hal Robson-Kanu.

At 1-1 the game was crying out for James Morrison, and the home fans were crying out for him too, but somewhat bafflingly after handing him a new contract, Moore left him unused.

Instead it was Oliver Burke who was the chosen one off the bench, and the only one at that, but his direct running failed to add the new ingredient that Morrison’s wily old ways may have.

Considering Albion were on top, perhaps Moore was happy with how the game was panning out, but it still felt odd to see so little activity from the touchline.

Albion’s new boss is only seven competitive games into his managerial career, and that needs to be remembered.

Not only does he deserve time to grow into the role, but like any new manager entering a new season, he deserves time to find the right solution to the squad at his disposal.

The squad is also subject to change, and could look markedly different come the end of this week.

More creativity and firepower up front would be welcome, but the head coach may need to adapt his approach to get the best out of his players.

Perhaps understandably, he stuck with the 4-4-2 formation that served him so well last season, but the Championship provides a different test and this system lacked the unpredictability needed to pick the lock.

Some things, however, felt sickeningly familiar, like the late winner conceded.

By that point, Albion had nine players on the pitch who had lived through the hell of last season.

They may have played well under Moore during his spell as caretaker, but perhaps this group are too used to losing on this pitch, perhaps there are too many psychological scars still haunting them.

Hopefully the newer environs of the City Ground will provide a safer haven tomorrow, an opportunity for more than just the wingers to express themselves.

Anyway, Albion’s squad will hopefully have a few more fresh faces for the next home game.

Swapping Salomon Rondon for Dwight Gayle, a striker who scored more than 20 goals in this division two years ago, would appear to be healthy business.

If Nacer Chadli stays, he’s another who can fill that gap behind the striker. If he goes, Albion must use the funds to buy a replacement.

It’s dangerous to read too much into the first fixture.

Not only could it be an incredibly busy few days in the transfer market, with futures of several big-name players up in the air, but in four of Albion’s last five seasons in the second tier, the club has gone on to win promotion after failing to win on the opening day.

At this point of last season, the Baggies had three points on the board and everything was rosy. Just look how that turned out.

On top of that, Moore’s number two, Graeme Jones, only arrived mid-way through last week.

Expecting the finished article from this Albion team in the opening game is unfair for a number of reasons, and the joy of this season could be watching this team develop under a developing head coach.

Although there were a few unnecessary boos that greeted the full-time whistle, it sounded like a small and impatient minority who were probably still stinging from last season and forgetting that this was just Moore’s second ever defeat.

Had Hegazi’s injury-time header been a couple of inches lower, they would not have vented their frustration.

But that doesn’t mean the alarm bells from this first game should be ignored, both the team and Moore have to learn from every set-back this season if they are to succeed.

Not that they’ve got much time to do that, because tomorrow it’s Nottingham Forest away.

The wheels are turning, and they’re turning quick already. Welcome to the Championship.