Albion blog: Questions and answers

Albion 1 Blackburn 1" class="imageframe imgalignright" height="116" src="http://www.expressandstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/wd3124879albion-1-sl-01.thumbnail.jpg" title="Albion 1 Blackburn 1" width="175"/>Guest Albion blogger Pete 'Hilltop Baggie' Danckert tries to answer the questions arising from two points dropped against Blackburn and mulls over a tough-double header next up.

Saturday's game against Blackburn at the Hawthorns certainly posed more questions for the Baggies faithful.

As early as the 11th minute, when Albion defender Ryan Donk felt the need to get to grips with ex-Albion striker Jason Roberts' shirt, the referee awarded a penalty.

I personally have no problem with the decision, provided (and I already know the answer) all referee's are consistent with this decision. Donk will have to ask himself why he made the tug, it appeared totally unnecessary, giving the team the worst possible start.

Equally I have no problem with the two yellow cards that led to the sending off, but once again referee's are going to have to be consistent.

Then we move onto the game, in particular the second half performance. It was the Albion at their best, albeit against ten men. It was fluent, direct and thoroughly entertaining, with Ishamel Miller's goal being the perfect end to what was probably his best Premier League game.

I'm sure that we will begin to see 'Big Ish' become a very promising top flight striker. But here's the bit that really baffled me. At 2–1, we looked like we were going to win by three or four goals, so who decided to slow it down and back us up deeper into our own half?

It was almost an immediate reaction. As a downhearted Blackburn kicked off again, we let them back into the game. Call me a pessimist if you like but I could see the equaliser coming.

Now I can't believe that Albion boss Tony Mowbray tells the team to let up with 20 minutes to go, with the noise level from the crowd certainly giving them all the encouragement they would need. Puzzling for sure, frustrating without a doubt, costly, I am not sure.

One look at the table shows us how tight this season's Premier League table is.

Tottenham and Newcastle seem to have enough at the moment to dig themselves out, while shock results like Stoke and Hull beating Arsenal, coupled with the ability for a lot of teams to upset the odds this year are making for a very open league.

In fact, at the time of writing, three points would have us in joint eighth. This is the worry, those three points could and should have come from Newcastle (point) and Blackburn (two points.

We are now going into two very tough fixtures and being a realist two points would be a fantastic achievement.

We can not afford to find ourselves drifting away from the pack, although I'm far from panicking and there's a very long way to go, so there's a comfort from being in amongst the middle table that we are letting slip away.

To sum up, we do look good. I think if Abdoulaye Meite is fit he will get his place back, 'Big Ish' is getting better and Borja Valero is starting to look a class act.

We need to get the points from these games. We need to remember that in this league, you can let opponents back into a game that should be dead and buried.

Finally, a word of thanks to regular blogger Jarrod 'Bomber' Hill for the chance to air my views again and many congratulations on your sponsored row.