Southampton 2 West Brom 0 - Report and pictures
Albion’s search for their first win since returning to the Premier League goes on after they were beaten 2-0 at Southampton.
In what was a comfortable victory for the hosts, Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side dominated the first-half and were twice denied by brilliant stops from Sam Johnstone before Moussa Djenepo finally opened the scoring in the 41st minute.
The Baggies did improve after the re-started but created very little apart from a few dangerous deliveries from Matheus Pereira free-kicks.
And Southampton wrapped up what was a deserved win with 20 minutes remaining when Oriol Romeu fired in a spectacular volley.
Report
In Albion’s opening three Premier League matches, Slaven Bilic opted to line-up his side in a 3-4-3 formation that became a 5-4-1 without the ball.
But with more personnel at his disposal, it was no surprise to see the boss switch to a flat back four at St Mary’s.
Opting for a 4-2-3-1 system, Dara O’Shea shifted to right-back with Conor Townsend on the left and Kyle Bartley partnering Semi Ajayi at the heart of the defence.
Jake Livermore and Romaine Sawyers were the midfield two with Matheus Pereira in the number 10 role and Grady Diangana and Kyle Edwards on the wings.
Callum Robinson, fresh from his two goal heroics against Chelsea, led the line.
Southampton, under the guidance of Austrian Hasenhüttl, lined up in a 4-4-2 formation.
Ex-Blues striker Che Adams partnered Danny Ings up front with England international James Ward-Prowse pulling the strings in central midfield.
In what was an opening half hour dominated by the hosts, Albion had Sam Johnstone to thank for keeping them on terms with the keeper making two outstanding stops.
The first was a spectacular double save and arrived after the lively Kyle Walker-Peters got the better of Conor Townsend before sending in a cross.
That looked to be met by Ings but Semi Ajayi instead diverted the ball towards his own goal - with Johonstone making a fantastic reaction stop to keep it out.
Incredibly, the goalkeeper - despite being on the floor - then managed to stick out a boot and block a low Adams strike after the forward had pounced on the loose ball.
Hasenhüttl’s men were dominating the ball and they came close again when Ward-Prowse’s free-kick was met by Ings.
The striker’s glancing header looked destined to nestle into the corner but - at full-stretch - Johnstone produced a brilliant fingertip save to push the ball away.
Albion were trying to soak up pressure and hit Southampton the counter-attack.
But they couldn’t get near Southampton with the half continuing to be one-way traffic.
Adams drilled a strike narrowly wide from the edge of the box.
But in the 41st minute, the hosts got the goal they deserved.
After Diangana lost possession in the middle of the park, Ings drove towards goal. He then fed Armstrong whose cross deflected into the path of Djenepo.
And the Mali international then turned away from Jake Livermore with his right-foot before firing in a low drive with his left.
With his team having struggled to get to a grip on the midfield, Bilic made a change at the break with Sam Field replacing Edward - allowing Albion to switch to a 4-3-3 system.
And immediately the Baggies looked brighter.
A Pereira free-kick hit the arm of Bertrand on the hand with Albion’s players screaming for a penalty - something they probably would have got last week before a rule change.
Alex McCarthy then made a smart stop with his leg after Walker-Peters diverted a Diangana cross towards his own goal.
In their new formation, Albion looked much more threatening with the game suddenly a lot more even.
Bilic then switched Hal Robson-Kanu for Robinson and Filip Krovinvoic for Sawyers.
With 20 minutes to go, though, Southampton put the game to bed.
After getting to the byline, Armstrong stood up what was a hopeful cross.
And running towards goal, that delivery was spectacularly volleyed home by Romeu - with the Spaniard showing outstanding technique to hold off Diangana and slam the ball home.
That goal took the wind out of Albion’s sails with Southampton again going on to control proceedings from that point.
And while they didn’t get a third goal, they did see the game out comfortably to secure a deserved win.
Teams
Southampton (4-4-2): McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Bertrand, Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Djenepo (Redmond 55), Ings, Adams (Long 84).
Subs not used: Forster, Stephens, Valery, Smallbone, Obafemi.
Albion (4-2-3-1): Johnstone, O'Shea, Bartley, Ajayi, Townsend Livermore, Sawyers (Krovinovic 64), Edwards (Field 46), Pereira, Diangana, Robinson (Robson-Kanu 60).
Subs not used: Button, Furlong, Ivanovic, Harper.
