Manish’s Verdict on the Baggies – Wolves (A)

A Sweet Double for the Baggies.

For young and old West Bromwich Albion fans, Sunday 11th February 2012 will be remembered for many years to come. Winning 5-1 against your fiercest rivals: it doesn’t get any better than that.

To do the double over Wolves is always sweet. But to give your rivals a hammering in their own backyard is even sweeter.

The Black Country derby certainly lived up to its billing from start to finish with many talking points. There have been a lot of comments about how poor Wolves were on the day and about the sacking of Mick McCarthy. But give credit where it is due.

From the back line to the front line, The Baggies were solid in every department and overall it was a superb team effort. It was by far the best all round performance from Albion this season and what a place to do it.

Praise and Dominance

Albion may have the joint worst-home record in the Premier League. However away from The Hawthorns, West Brom have been terrific recording six wins on the road.

I believe The Baggies have the third best away record in the division behind both Manchester clubs. That is pretty impressive although Albion are yet to go to Anfield, The Etihad Stadium and Old Trafford.

It makes me think if they can play so well away, why can’t they replicate that at home? And although Roy Hodgson does like to play 4-4-2, is 4-5-1 the formation that makes Albion tick? It will be interesting to see whether Hodgson sticks with the same team and formation against Sunderland.

Based on what we saw throughout the 90 minutes on Sunday, Albion without question deserved the win and to be quite frank it could have been more. Wayne Hennessey pulled off a number of fine saves in the first half to deny Albion going into half-time with a comfortable lead. The Welsh goalkeeper has probably been one of the positives of the season for Wolves so far.

West Brom could have taken the lead as early as the first minute with Hennessey making a fine save from Jerome Thomas’s close range effort.

Peter Odemwingie gave Albion the lead with a deflected shot and it was no more than The Baggies deserved. Roy Hodgson’s side were creating numerous chances and when Steven Fletcher equalised out of nowhere for Wolves, you might have been thinking those missed chances in the first-half could come back to haunt Albion.

Wolves had started the second-half brightly and Fletcher’s early deflected shot just missed the left post by inches.

However once Albion took the lead through Jonas Olsson, the result was never in doubt. Wolves failed to deal with a corner and the Swedish defender was able to strike the ball home on the half-volley although Hennessey could and should have done better.

Ben Foster did not really have anything to do in the game although he was forced to pull off a great save to deny Fletcher. The resulting corner saw Roger Johnson’s header headed onto the underside of his own bar by Youssouf Mulumbu. Had that gone in, it could so easily have been a different game.

From that point onwards it was all Albion and once The Baggies scored their third goal it was game set and match. Liam Ridgewell had a solid debut for Albion and he was able to head the ball across the box, Olsson back heeled the ball towards goal and Odemwingie was able to apply the killer touch for Albion’s third goal.

To rub salt into the wounds for the home side, former Wolves player Keith Andrews made it 4-1 with a deflected effort from 20 yards out. No doubt the Albion fans will love him after that.

Peter Odemwingie completed his hat-trick and finished from close-range to make it 5-1 in the latter stages of the game. It was Odemwingie’s first hat-trick in the Premier League and to do it against Wolves is something he will fondly remember.

The Odemwingie we saw against Wolves at Molineux is the Odemwingie we saw last season and hopefully his hat-trick will rejuvenate him and his season.

We all slated him for missing a sitter against Swansea but scoring a hat-trick in the next game was the perfect way to silence his critics. Peter was simply brilliant on Sunday. However he was not the only one who had a fine game.

Ben Foster was assured and did what he had to without any problems. Once again Gareth McAuley and Jonas Olsson were commanding at the back along with Steven Reid and Liam Ridgewell. McAuley has been one of the unsung heroes for Albion this season.

The Albion midfield were able to dominate the Wolves midfield. Jerome Thomas’s pace caused the Wolves defence problems and it was great to see him taking on players and running at defenders.

Youssouf Mulumbu, Paul Scharner and James Morrison more than played their part in Albion’s thumping win. But the one player who stood out for me was Marc Antoine-Fortune.

He might not have scored on the day, but his hold up play was superb and his link up play was decent as well. Fortune did exactly what a lone-striker should do and I have been very impressed with the way he has performed ever since he has come back into the first-team. Perhaps his loan spell at Doncaster did him the world of good.

And if Fortune continues to play as well as he has done, maybe Shane Long does have a fight on his hands to regain his first-team starting place.

Sunderland

With the away form absolutely fine, it is now time for West Brom to improve their form at home. The Baggies fans have not had much to cheer about at home and Albion have only achieved two league wins this season at The Hawthorns.

Next up at home for Albion are Sunderland. Martin O’Neill has already adapted to life at Sunderland very well and his side are not doing too badly either. The Black Cats are one of the form teams in the division and there is no denying Sunderland will be a tough game.

Stephane Sessegnon has come on leaps and bounds and for me he has been one of standout players of the season. Olsson and Co will need to be wary of Sessegnon for sure.

James McClean will also need to be stopped if Albion are to get anything from the game. The first time I saw McClean in action was against Peterborough in the FA Cup. I was thoroughly impressed with McClean’s all-round game and the Irishman can be a real threat going forward.

If the result against Wolves does not give Albion confidence going into the Sunderland game, I don’t know what will. It is vital now that West Brom build on their excellent win at Molineux and start delivering results for The Hawthorns faithful at home.

Time for Albion to start looking up the Premier League table rather than down the bottom. They are capable of finishing mid-table: the question is can they finish in the Top-10? The higher you finish up the table, the more money the club get. No pressure then.

Manish’s Verdict on The Baggies – Norwich City (H)

Albion’s Home Woes Continue

It’s now seven defeats in eleven home games for West Bromwich Albion with the latest loss coming at the hands of Norwich City. And to be quite frank, Albion’s home form this season is simply not good enough.

From being comfortable in mid-table a couple of weeks ago, West Brom now find themselves looking over their shoulder. With Blackburn beating Fulham and Wolves gaining a point at Spurs, it was not the best of Saturday’s for Roy Hodgson’s side.

With league games coming up against Stoke, Swansea, Fulham, Sunderland and Wolves, the Baggies need to start picking up points otherwise they will for sure be dragged into a relegation dogfight. Not exactly what the Baggies faithful want.

Counter-Attack

West Brom were simply undone by two counter attacks on Saturday. But at the same time the Baggies were not clinical in their finishing and failed to take their chances when they came.

Fail to take your chances and the opposition will punish you. That’s exactly what Norwich did to West Brom. Both of Norwich’s goals were preventable and Albion have proven to be the architects of their own downfall in the home defeats against Norwich and Everton.

For the first Norwich goal who was closing down Andrew Surman? Why were the Canaries able to take the ball from deep in their own half and go up the other end and score?

Youssouf Mulumbu was responsible for Norwich’s second goal as his mis-kick enabled the Canaries to counter attack. Steven Morison coolly headed in at the back post to secure three points for Paul Lambert’s team.

Individual errors have cost West Brom dearly in recent times and the Baggies must improve their home form starting with a win against Swansea in their next home league game.

Only time will tell whether Norwich can continue their fine form but there is no denying Paul Lambert has done a terrific job at Carrow Road. With 28 points already on the board, 12 more points for Norwich and for me they are safe.

West Brom’s home form this season has not been great and I cannot understand why? Albion’s home form last season was pretty good and it was probably down to that along with Peter Odemwingie’s goals that kept West Brom up. Why are Albion performing poorly at home this season whereas they have picked up four wins on the road? As I have already said, the Baggies have to buck up their ideas and drastically improve at home.

Transfer Window and Stoke

Injuries have taken their toll on West Brom within the last month and I’m sure Roy Hodgson will be looking to bring in two/three players.

Scott Allan has already joined Albion this month having signed from Dundee United. Will he be the first of many arrivals at The Hawthorns this month? West Brom could do with another defender and the likes of Nedum Onuoha and Liam Ridgewell have been linked with moves to Albion. Onuoha has also been linked with QPR, Everton and Wolves.

Would Onuoha be a good addition for the Baggies? I don’t see why not and he has already proven he can cut in the top flight after a successful loan spell with Sunderland last season.

Birmingham City have done remarkably well in the Championship considering their financial problems. But I would not be surprised if Albion did put a bid in for Ridgewell. The former Villa defender has played in the top flight and knows what the Premier League is all about. I personally think he would be a shrewd acquisition. Blues winger Jean Beausejour has also been linked with a move to The Hawthorns.

Do West Brom need another striker? I think they could do with bringing one in whether that would be a permanent deal or on loan. Peter Odemwingie has not really delivered so far this season but I have every faith the Nigerian will re-discover his sparkling form from last season.

Shane Long has done extremely well and he straight away made an impact on the Norwich game. We have already seen signs that the Long – Odemwingie partnership can work.

Simon Cox is a natural finisher and knows where the back of the net is as he proved against Cardiff in the FA Cup Third Round. Cox does need a run in the side but when Odemwingie and Long are fit, it is difficult to see how Cox can get into the starting XI.

Stoke City are next up for Albion and it promises to be another difficult game for the Baggies. West Brom will end their hoodoo against The Potters at some point but on current form, Albion will not be doing that on Saturday.

Peter Crouch, Jon Walters and Matthew Etherington will need to be kept quiet if Albion are to get anything from the Britannia. And of course not forgetting Rory Delap’s long throw-ins will need to be dealt with.

Every team have a bad spell and West Brom are having one of those spells where nothing is going for them. We have seen this season whenever Albion have had a bad spell, they have bounced back. And despite suffering three straight defeats, I am still confident Albion will stay up and get back to winning ways soon.

All the Albion players need to step up to the plate and cut out the individual errors. No doubt they will need to show their battling qualities when they go up against Tony Pulis and Stoke on Saturday.

Let’s Get Behind The Albion! Up The Baggies!

Manish’s Verdict On The Baggies – Swansea City (Away)

Architects Of Their Own Downfall.

Just when you thought West Brom were starting to get over their defensive problems, they go and concede three soft goals against Swansea.

The Swans totally deserved their win and for sure there will be one or two alarm bells ringing at The Hawthorns. Albion were simply not good enough on Saturday and those performances will see the Baggies dragged into a relegation battle.

Again questions were raised about West Brom’s 4-4-2 formation after the full-time whistle. I still maintain that Albion’s best formation is 4-5-1 and I personally feel Roy Hodgson should consider going back to 4-5-1.

West Brom should have enough to survive in the Premier League this season but the performance against Swansea has to be a one-off.

Defensive Mistakes

Paul Scharner’s clumsy tackle on Joe Allen in the penalty area which led to the penalty was just the start of things to come.

Allen was going away from goal and there was no need for Scharner to slide in. Had the Austrian stayed on his feet, no penalty would have been awarded. Scott Sinclair dispatched the penalty well and the Swans went one-nil up.

Shane Long had a golden opportunity to equalise for Albion whilst the score was one-nil. Neil Taylor’s back pass was intercepted by Long and the Irishman was in on goal. However Long snatched at the opportunity and blazed the ball high and wide.

Sinclair was at it again and he played a major part in Swansea’s second goal. A well worked corner picked out Sinclair in acres of space in the 18-yard box. Sinclair was then able to head the ball towards goal and Leroy Lita had the final touch to put Swansea two goals to the good.

The marking from the corner was really poor and West Brom only had themselves to blame. Nobody picked up Sinclair and Albion should have done better to prevent that goal.

It was game set and match for Swansea early in the second half as Nathan Dyer made it three-nil. A long punt up front saw Sinclair climb above Jonas Olsson and flick the ball onto Dyer.

Dyer made no mistake with the finish and Swansea were home and dry. Olsson never really competed with Sinclair and had the Swede got above the Swansea striker, the score will have remained two-nil.

Albion were creating chances after Swansea scored their third goal. But by then it was all little too late.

Fulham

You would have hoped the result against Norwich will have got the Albion players fired up for the game against Brendan Rodgers’ side. But West Brom did not turn up and they failed to get out of the blocks quickly.

The Albion fans will be hoping the performance against Swansea is a one-off and that the Baggies can pick up three points against Fulham. However Fulham will be heading to The Hawthorns on the back of a creditable 2-2 draw against Manchester City.

And with Andy Johnson, Bobby Zamora and Brede Hangeland in Fulham’s ranks, West Brom will need to be at their best to keep Zamora and Co quiet.

There have been glimpses where we have seen West Brom being dangerous going forward. But defensively there have been occasions where Albion have been at sixes and sevens at the back.

The Baggies will start the Fulham game at the bottom of the Barclays Premier League table. But I have every faith in Hodgson that he will turn the season around and with only five games gone, there is still time for Albion to get their season back on track.

This would be my starting XI for the game against Fulham: (4-5-1) Foster, Shorey, Dawson, Olsson, Reid, Scharner, Mulumbu, Thomas (R), Dorrans, Brunt (L), Odemwingie. Subs: Fulop. McAuley, Morrison, Long, Tchoyi, Gera (providing he is match fit) and Jara.

Keep The Faith and Lets Get Behind The Albion! Up The Baggies!

Manish’s Verdict on The Baggies – Norwich City (Away)

Albion Finally Off The Mark.

It might not have been the prettiest game to watch but West Bromwich Albion picked up their first points and win of the season away at Norwich City.

There were controversial moments and Albion were not entirely at their best but the Baggies got the three points and that’s what counts.

How many times have we seen Manchester United play poorly and yet they are still able to pick up three points. The season opener against Roy Hodgson’s side is a classic example.

From a Baggies perspective, hopefully the win against Norwich will be the result that kick-starts West Bromwich Albion’s season.

Long and Odemwingie

The game against the Canaries saw Albion field Shane Long upfront alongside Peter Odemwingie for the first time this season.

Both strikers will be a threat for any opposition and it was great to see Odemwingie back in action. The Nigerian may have missed a penalty in the second half but he certainly put himself about and gave the Norwich defence something to think about throughout the game.

Long has adapted to life in the Premier League very well and I have been very impressed with the way the former Reading striker has performed so far in an Albion shirt. If he continues his fine form, the Irishman may well turn out to be one of the signings of the season.

A lot has been said about what the best formation for the Baggies is. 4-5-1 was the main formation West Brom stuck with last season but this season has seen Roy Hodgson field a 4-4-2 formation.

Selecting 4-4-2 has seen Somen Tchoyi partner Shane Long in attack this season. Would Albion be better off going 4-5-1? Personally I feel 4-5-1 is the best formation for Albion but at the same time I do want to see more of the Odemwingie-Long partnership.

With 4-5-1, Albion can at least allow the likes of Chris Brunt, James Morrison, Graham Dorrans and Co to bomb on with Paul Scharner and Youssouf Mulumbu sitting in front of the back four. But then again both Scharner and Mulumbu like to get forward as well.

Resilience

Without question, luck was with Albion on Sunday and there were a couple of things the Baggies got away with. Steven Reid was lucky to get away with only a yellow card after committing a ‘rugby’ tackle on Steven Morison in the second half.

And then of course Gabriel Tamas elbowed Norwich striker James Vaughan in the dying minutes of the game. Had referee Mark Halsey seen that, a penalty would probably have been given.

The Romanian has been charged with violent conduct and will probably miss the next three games. It will be interesting to see who will take Tamas’ place. Will Scharner move to centre-back or will Craig Dawson be given a chance against Swansea on Saturday?

Keeping a clean sheet against Norwich will please Roy Hodgson but there is still room for improvement. West Brom did show a lot of resilience on Sunday and they will need plenty of that for the remainder of the season. But like I have said, Albion can still improve.

Football is a results business and it was vital the Baggies got three points at Carrow Road. No matter how you play, getting the three points is all that matters.

Also a mention for Graham Dorrans as well. We saw on Sunday glimpses of the Dorrans we saw in the 2009/2010 Championship season. The Scotsman had a fine game and was unlucky not to score in the first half after hitting the post with a long range effort from 25 yards out.

Swansea next and the Swans will certainly provide a stern test for Albion. Brendan Rodgers’ side may be goalless in the Premier League but the likes of Scott Sinclair and Nathan Dyer will be a threat for Swansea.

Swansea were unlucky not to get a result at Arsenal and had Danny Graham had his shooting boots on, the Welsh side might have got a draw. West Brom will need to be at their very best to keep Sinclair and Dyer quiet but there is no reason why Albion cannot go to the Liberty Stadium and beat Swansea.

I would also like to send my condolences to Brendan Rodgers and his family after Brendan’s father sadly passed away on Saturday.

Manish’s Verdict On The Baggies – Stoke City (Home)

3 Games and 3 Defeats. Not What The Doctor Ordered.

Heartbroken, shocked and dejected. Three words you can use to describe how Albion fans will have been feeling after the defeat at home against Stoke.

When are West Bromwich Albion going to end their hoodoo against Stoke? The Baggies yet again conceded in the last ten minutes and the manner of the goal conceded was appalling.

There are bound to be West Brom fans out there who are starting to get a little bit worried and I wonder whether Roy Hodgson will consider bringing in a defender before the transfer window closes on Wednesday.

But there is still a long way to go and Albion are capable of having another good season in the Barclays Premier League. All is not lost.

Possession

West Bromwich Albion should have picked up at least a point and got their season running on Sunday. Stoke did have chances but Albion for me dominated the game and were more than a match for Tony Pulis’ side.

West Brom had plenty of possession throughout the game but were unable to make it count and were made to pay for their missed chances.

The link up play at times from the Baggies was pleasing on the eye. And I know its easier said then done but when you get chances you’ve got to take them. Look at what Manchester United did on Sunday.

Yes United are a better side than Albion but when the chances came to score against Arsenal, United took them and put eight past their opponents. Plus United were ruthless in front of goal. Something West Brom should take note of.

Shane Long’s header in the first half was brilliantly saved by Asmir Begovic and that was Albion’s best chance of the match. Somen Tchoyi played well again and he’s probably been one positive for the Baggies so far this season.

Mistakes

Just when you thought Albion had learnt from their mistakes against Chelsea and Manchester United, they go and concede in the last minute of the game. You need to be switched on right from the word go until the end of the game.

Ben Foster and Gabriel Tamas were at fault for the Stoke goal and you cannot afford to be making mistakes week in week out otherwise the opposition will punish you. Stoke did just that.

Foster for me should have come for the ball and not waited for Tamas to deal with it. Problem = Communication. If Foster had come out and made the call that the ball was his, Stoke would not have scored. Simple as. Had Gabriel Tamas headed the ball out of play, Stoke would not have scored.

Did Ryan Shotton win the ball off Foster with a high foot? I’m not sure. But that should not have happened in the first place anyway.

However you have to give credit to Stoke and Tony Pulis. Pulis has always made Stoke difficult to beat and for sure his side are a benchmark to the likes of Norwich, Swansea and QPR in establishing themselves as a Premier League side.

Defensive mistakes in the last ten minutes have cost West Brom in the first three games of the season. This has to stop now and the next two games against Norwich and Swansea are must-win.

I can imagine Roy Hodgson will have gone ballistic with his players at full-time and rightly so. Apart from Wayne Rooney’s goal in the opening game, Albion have conceded soft goals. United’s second goal, both of Chelsea’s goals and Stoke’s winning goal were preventable.

The International break has come at a good time in my view for Albion. At least in that time they can regroup and do more work on the training ground ahead of the next fixture.

Regarding signings, I am very surprised Albion have not gone in for Scott Dann. Dann would be a terrific centre-back partner for Jonas Olsson and the former Walsall defender has already proved he can cut it in the top flight.

Owen Hargreaves as I have said would be a decent signing. I still think Albion could do with another striker but Hodgson has already said he does not expect to see West Brom sign any more players before the transfer window.

Still lets see what happens before the transfer window closes. Up The Baggies and Keep The Faith.

Manish’s Verdict On The Baggies – Chelsea (Away).

2 Defeats – But 2 Undeserved Defeats

Manchester United at home and then Chelsea away. West Bromwich Albion could not have asked for a tougher start.

It was always going to be difficult for the Baggies to get anything from the first two fixtures of the season. But reflecting back on both games, Albion could so easily have got two draws.

Losing games and playing well is something Roy Hodgson will want to put right as soon as possible. But lets not forget, Albion’s opening two fixtures were against superior opposition and you could argue the season starts on Sunday at home to Stoke.

West Brom can take a lot of positives from the opening two fixtures. But now the pressure is on to get results against Stoke, Norwich and Swansea and start picking up points.

Fun whilst it lasted

Before Nicolas Anelka equalised for the hosts, I’m sure most Albion fans were in dreamland. 1-0 to Albion at half-time and it was fully deserved.

The Baggies got off to a fantastic start with Shane Long scoring his second goal in Albion colours. The former Reading striker pounced on Alex’s dallying near the centre circle and was then able to race towards the goal before slotting the ball calmly past Hilario.

West Brom then had a golden opportunity to make it 2-0. Chris Brunt’s long ball caught out the Chelsea defence and Long was in on goal. The Irishman once he got into the penalty area had Somen Tchoyi in support and all Long had to do was square it to the Cameroon international who would have had a tap in.

But Long’s pass into Tchoyi had too much pace on it and the chance was gone. Having said that, Long himself could have had a shot. A missed chance and a missed opportunity to go 2-0 up.

Chelsea did not create any clear cut chances in the first half although Ben Foster did well to keep out Ashley Cole’s long range effort.

Harsh

Chelsea did improve after half-time and Anelka’s equaliser went in off the unfortunate Jonas Olsson and it was 1-1.

West Brom never gave up even after Florent Malouda put Chelsea 2-1 ahead with seven minutes to go. Perhaps Albion’s defence could have done better to prevent Jose Bosingwa putting in the cross that led to Malouda scoring Chelsea’s second goal.

Peter Odemwingie who signed a new contract much to the relief of Albion fans had a chance to make it 2-2 late on. But his volley went straight into the arms of Hilario and the Baggies were left to rue another missed opportunity to get a result against the big boys.

The final scoreline was harsh on Albion and I felt Roy Hodgson’s side deserved at least a point. There is a fine line between winning and losing games.

Conceding goals in the last ten minutes against Manchester United and Chelsea will have been a bitter blow for Albion after battling so hard. This needs to stop and this is an issue I’m sure Hodgson will address to his players.

The Hawthorns outfit unfortunately were unable to add to Long’s early goal but still there were positives to come out of the game.

We saw West Brom give Man. Utd and Chelsea a run for their money and if they can do that for the rest of season and get results, the Baggies will stay up comfortably. I have got every confidence Albion will survive.

Stoke, Norwich and Swansea coming up for the Baggies and its vital Albion start picking up some points. And I’m sure West Brom will want to put one over Stoke and end their hoodoo.

Also a great win for the Baggies against Bournemouth in the Second Round of the Carling Cup. It was also great to see Marc-Antoine Fortune back in amongst the goals. That will do his confidence the world of good.

Manish’s Verdict On The Baggies – Manchester United (Home) 15.08.11

A new season and a fresh start. And yet again, West Bromwich Albion kicked off their campaign against the reigning Barclays Premier League Champions. But this time it was a much closer affair.

This time last year the Baggies were on the end of a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Chelsea. Forward a year later, Manchester United for sure were made to work hard for their 2-1 win on Sunday by Albion.

Plenty of positives to come out of the game and for me this season is all about West Brom consolidating their place in the Premier League. And from what I saw against Manchester United, I can see the Baggies doing just that.

Difference

It was always going to be difficult for Albion to get something out of the game. But apart from the goals United scored, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side didn’t create many clear cut chances and Ben Foster didn’t have much to do.

For the first 20 minutes of the game, I just felt Albion gave Man. Utd too much respect but United’s first goal was a great team goal. The link up play for the goal was exquisite and Wayne Rooney finished well to put United in front.

Nani could have and should have put the Red Devils 2-0 up after Foster punched the ball from a corner straight into the Portuguese winger’s path. However Nani blazed his effort over the bar and the chance was gone.

But West Brom appeared to have got a lift after Paul Scharner’s long range effort and from there the Baggies were on the front foot.

Shane Long may well prove to be one of the shining lights of the Premier League this season and scoring on his West Brom debut will do his confidence the world of good. You could argue David De Gea should have kept out Long’s effort and the media will no doubt point out the Spanish goalkeeper made another howler.

But the former Reading striker certainly put in a shift and if Sunday’s performance is anything to go by, Long and Peter Odemwingie could be a potent strike force.

There are still questions about Odemwingie’s future but if I’m honest with you, the Nigerian would be better off staying at The Hawthorns. Peter has a contract at Albion and he should respect that.

Albion’s second half performance was an improvement on the first half and apart from conceding goal; the Baggies did not put a foot wrong.

Ashley Young is one player who can give any defence the run around and his low cross went in off the unlucky Steven Reid. United hung on to the three points and the Baggies were unfortunate not to take at least a point from the game.

On paper when you looked at the team sheets, you would have expected Man. Utd to win the game comfortably. But West Brom gave it everything and I actually thought they defended well. Albion also limited the number of chances United had on the West Brom goal.

Reflecting on the game, there was not much difference between the sides and Albion could so easily have got a draw. However despite the defeat, there is cause for optimism for West Brom and their fans.

More Signings?

Owen Hargreaves has already held talks with West Brom and the former Bayern Munich midfielder would be great signing in my opinion. Yes he has had his injury problems but he would be a fine addition to the squad.

With Ishmael Miller on his way to Nottingham Forest, I reckon the Baggies could do with another striker. But who? Daniel Sturridge on loan perhaps? Or possibly bring Carlos Vela back.

Liam Ridgewell has been linked with a move to The Hawthorns and for me the former Villa defender would be a decent acquisition for the Baggies. Ridgewell has experience and he knows what the Premier League is all about.

I was listening to what the fans had to say after Sunday’s game and the one area that was a concern for them was the right back area. We have yet to see Billy Jones in action so lets see what the ex-Preston man can do.

So Albion travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday to take on Chelsea. West Brom could not have asked for two tougher games to start the season with but Sunday’s performance from the Baggies was encouraging.

I am optimistic West Brom will stay out of trouble and its vital the players and fans don’t get carried away after last season. But with Roy Hodgson in charge, the Baggies will for sure be no pushovers as we saw on Sunday.

There are three worse sides than Albion and I will be very surprised if West Brom were to get relegated come the end of the season. The only way is up and under Hodgson; I can see the future being bright for Albion.

Up The Baggies!

Target Achieved For The Baggies

You often hear about sporting teams having a rollercoaster of a season and enduring many highs and lows. Well that certainly proved to be the case for West Bromwich Albion in the 2010-2011 season.

The ultimate aim for Albion was to survive and in the end the Baggies avoided relegation comfortably. Any West Brom fan after the season opener at Chelsea will have snatched your hand off if you said to them they would finish 11th in the league come the end of the season.

But Baggies fans can no doubt be proud of what their side achieved last season and under Roy Hodgson who knows how far West Brom can go.

And even though he was sacked in February, Roberto di Matteo played a part in Albion surviving so we cannot forget that.

The Baggies recorded some famous wins last season and fans of West Bromwich Albion will be hoping the club can now consolidate itself as a Premier League club.

Rosy

Until West Brom went in freefall, di Matteo was doing a fine job and Albion were at one stage fourth. The Baggies had managed to get a point at Old Trafford and beat Arsenal in their own backyard.

Losing 6-0 on the opening day of the season was not how Albion wanted to start the season. West Brom however were playing Chelsea and not many teams will go to Stamford Bridge and beat them.

It was a crushing defeat and it will have been hard to take but it was only one game and plus Albion were up against the reigning Premier League Champions.

Along with Javier Hernandez, Peter Odemwingie was another bargain of the 2010/2011 season and the Nigerian played a huge role in Albion surviving. Odemwingie could not have got his West Brom career off to a better start as he scored the winner against Sunderland on his debut.

From the Sunderland home game up until the away game at Blackpool, things were looking good for the Baggies. Wins against the likes of Fulham, Birmingham City and draws against Spurs, Bolton and Manchester United proved Albion were capable of giving teams a run for their money.

And of course not forgetting West Brom’s famous 3-2 away win at Arsenal. All the pressure was on Arsene Wenger’s side and Albion had nothing to lose going to the Emirates Stadium.
In the first 45, Arsenal did have their chances but so did Albion and had Chris Brunt converted a penalty late in the first half, the Baggies will have gone into the dressing room at half-time one goal to the good.

Heads could so easily have dropped after Brunt missed a first-half penalty. Did that happen? No chance. Peter Odemwingie put Albion in front, Gonzalo Jara added a second and then Jerome Thomas sent the Baggies fans into delirium as he scored the third. 3-0 up and Albion were on course to secure a famous win. Arsenal did score twice but the Gunners failed to deny West Brom a deserved win.

If that result was sweet for Albion fans then there was more to come. Similarly to the Arsenal game at the Emirates, West Brom went to Manchester United with no pressure knowing that United were expected to win comfortably.

2-0 to United at half-time and the game did appear to be over. But as we saw time and time again last season, West Brom never gave up and yet again they were able to get a result after falling behind.

West Brom managed to pull it back to 2-2 and even though the Red Devils were pushing for the winner so were Albion. A draw at Old Trafford was a terrific result and no doubt morale was high after that result.

Taking a turn for the worse

But the result that triggered Albion’s downfall was the away fixture at Blackpool. Pablo Ibanez was controversially sent off in the early stages of the game and then Jara lost his cool and went in two footed on Luke Varney.

Down to nine men and asking West Brom to get a result was always going to be a tall order. In the end West Brom lost 2-1 and this result appeared to have taken the stuffing out of Albion.

West Brom did record victories over Everton and Newcastle after the loss at Blackpool. But with Albion just hovering above the relegation zone in February and results not going Albion’s way, that was enough for Jeremy Peace to decide that a new manager needed to be drafted in.

The Baggies were in freefall but when I heard the Italian had been given ‘gardening leave’ I was literally shell shocked as I’m sure most Albion fans were.

Sacking di Matteo in February after the transfer window closed, I honestly thought Peace made a mistake. But then again, Albion could not have appointed a better successor to di Matteo in Roy Hodgson.

The former Fulham manager did not have the best of times at Liverpool and was inevitably sacked after results were not going in Liverpool’s favour. But West Bromwich Albion immediately offered Hodgson an immediate return to management.

Although I was disappointed to see di Matteo go, I was absolutely delighted with the appointment of Hodgson and believed West Brom would stay up. Had West Ham sacked Avram Grant in January/February and not after the away game at Wigan, the Hammers would probably have survived.

Roy will have been tearing his hair out at the end of the home game against West Ham after the Baggies let a 3-0 lead slip away and West Ham came back to salvage a draw. Straight away Hodgson knew he had a job on his hands and the Albion fans will have been hoping he was the man to turn the club’s fortunes around.

Revival

One turning point in West Brom’s season will have been the 1-1 draw against Wolves. With four minutes of injury time added to the 90, Albion were trailing and it looked as if Wolves would take the derby honours.

But up stepped Carlos Vela to spoil the Wolves party and send the Baggies fans barmy. Vela also scored the equaliser in the away game at Stoke and the Mexican did have chances to win that game for the Baggies.

Whether Vela will be at Albion next season does seem unlikely although personally I would like to see him back at The Hawthorns.

Since Hodgson took over, West Brom were only defeated twice by Chelsea and bitter rivals Wolves. Losing to Wolves will have been hard to take for Albion fans but by the time both sides faced each other at Molineux, the Baggies were already guaranteed survival.

Many hoodoos were broken in the 2010/2011 season for the Baggies and no doubt beating Liverpool and Aston Villa will have been sweet victories to saviour for the fans.

Hodgson immediately was able to sort the defence out who were conceding goals left right and centre in. But Roy also made Albion a difficult team to break down with Youssouf Mulumbu and Paul Scharner sitting in front of the back four.

Yes Albion were still letting in goals but they were certainly a more tougher nut to crack under Hodgson. The one thing I was impressed with was the amount of fight and resilience shown by the players throughout the season.

There were so many occasions where Albion came back from losing positions to pick up draws and wins. Newcastle away on the final day of the season was a prime example. 3-0 down and it looked as if the Baggies were on their way to defeat.

But West Brom as they have done so often came back to get a result thanks to a hat-trick from an unlikely source in Somen Tchoyi. The home games against Liverpool and Villa saw Albion trail by one goal and yet the Baggies once again came back from behind and on both occasions won.

Finishing 11th was a fine achievement for the Baggies and I suppose the only disappointment was not finishing in the top half. But any West Brom fan will have taken a safe mid-table finish at the start of the season.

Billy Jones and Gareth McAuley have already joined Albion on free transfers. Both were named as ‘Player of the Season’ for their previous clubs but there may be one or two fans that may question those signings.

Jones and McAuley signed for the Baggies from Championship teams and with Albion trying to strengthen their squad, should they really be signing players from the Championship? Only time will tell whether Jones and McAuley are decent acquisitions for the Baggies.

Peter Odemwingie was a simply a revelation for West Brom last season and without his goals, Albion probably will have been relegated. Keeping hold of Odemwingie will be crucial for West Brom and the sooner he signs a new deal at The Hawthorns the better.

Now is the time for Albion to establish themselves as a Premier League club and under Roy Hodgson, Baggies fans will be optimistic they can have a decent 2011/2012 season.

But media pundits will probably come up with the ‘second season syndrome’ phrase and state that Albion will struggle. It will be a tough 2011/2012 season but last season proved West Brom can cut it in the top-flight and can be a match for anybody on any given day.

Survival Sunday – The Fight To Stay In The Barclays Premier League

The battle to survive in the Barclays Premier League has just been as intriguing as the title chase and any two of five teams can still be relegated on the final day of the season.

For the fans of Wigan Athletic, Blackpool, Birmingham City, Wolves and Blackburn Rovers, it promises to be a nail-biting day for those fans. I am probably not the only one who cannot call which two teams will join West Ham in the nPower Championship next season.

A couple of weeks ago, we had people writing off Wigan and Wolves. Yet Wigan find themselves in the relegation zone only on goal difference and Wolves have won their last two games which has seen them move out of the bottom three.

Birmingham appeared to be safe with three/four weeks of the season to go. But this years Carling Cup winners are only above 18th placed Blackpool on goal difference with one game of the season left.

Before I go onto preview Survival Sunday, I want to put forward my views on what proved to be a disastrous season for West Ham United.

The 3-2 defeat at the DW sent the Hammers down despite being 2-0 up at half-time. Two goals from Demba Ba in the first 45 put West Ham in cruise control.

But West Ham were the architects of their own downfall and their sloppiness in the second half cost them dearly. For me the Hammers only have themselves to blame for the way their season panned out. Avram Grant also has to take full responsibility for West Ham’s relegation to the second tier of English football.

It seemed Grant was set to be sacked after West Ham lost at home to Arsenal and we also saw him throw his scarf into the crowd at the end of the game. But for some reason, the Israeli remained manager until the Hammers relegation to the Championship was confirmed after the away game at Wigan.

You look at what West Bromwich Albion did in February. Roberto di Matteo was relieved of his duties after the club was in freefall. This decision shocked many people including myself. Roy Hodgson then came in and look at where West Brom are now.

Had West Ham sacked Grant in January/February, I reckon West Ham could have survived. And to be honest I do not see why Grant was sacked just after the Wigan game when he should have been sacked earlier in the season.

There will no doubt be a player exodus at Upton Park and the likes of Scott Parker, Robert Green and Carlton Cole will probably leave the club. You look at West Ham’s squad and on paper they should not have been anywhere near the relegation zone.

But at the end of the day, the players did not perform well enough on the pitch and West Ham were not able to close out enough games when they were in winning positions. Without Parker, the Hammers will have been relegated three/four weeks ago.

Football is a results business and West Ham were simply not good enough this season and the table does not lie.

So who will join West Ham in the nPower Championship? I really don’t know. The four main fixtures in the weekend will be Wolves v Blackburn, Man. Utd v Blackpool, Spurs v Birmingham and Stoke v Wigan.

All the teams who are involved in the relegation scrap will need to focus on what they have to do on Sunday. But then again at the back of the players minds they will want to know what is happening in the other games that will have an affect on their team.

Wolves

Two wins on the spin and Wolves have dragged themselves outside the bottom three. Mick McCarthy’s side looked dead and buried before the home game against local rivals West Bromwich Albion.

But by beating Albion and Sunderland, Wolves have given themselves a golden opportunity to survive. What a time to secure back to back victories. Wolves’ destiny is in their own hands and if they were to beat Blackburn on Sunday then their survival will be confirmed.

Steven Fletcher has stepped up to the plate in recent weeks and his goals may well be crucial come the end of the season. There is no denying Wolves have had many highs and lows.

The Molineux outfit have been able to beat the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Man. City but have struggled against the teams in and around them. That has been the one frustrating thing for Wolves and their fans.

If Wolves remain in the Barclays Premier League come 5pm on Sunday, then it will be a case of job well done and mission accomplished. But Wolves will then need to kick on and make sure their third season is not another relegation struggle.

The media and the fans have questioned Mick McCarthy’s decisions throughout the season but if McCarthy does keep Wolves up, then the fans will be happy and they cannot complain.

Blackburn

Blackburn are not out of the relegation picture either. They got a decent point at home against Champions Manchester United but Rovers like Wolves are only a point above the bottom three.

I still maintain getting rid of Sam Allardyce was the wrong decision and the Indian owners would rue that come the end of the season if they were to get relegated.

Big Sam’s brand of football is not a favourite with many football fans but Allardyce has had a habit of keeping clubs up. Look at what he did with Bolton.

Steve Kean and his side have struggled this year and fail to beat Wolves on Sunday; it could be Rovers who fall through the Premier League trap door.

Roque Santa Cruz has not set the world alight since his return to Ewood Park and Blackburn’s big players have not stepped up to the plate on most occasions in 2011. The first half of the season went well and Rovers were comfortably in mid-table. But since then things have gone downhill.

Chris Samba was immense against West Ham at Upton Park and all 11 players on Sunday will need to be at their very best if they are to avoid relegation. A point against Wolves could be enough to keep Blackburn up but they do need to try and win the game on Sunday if they can.

Blackpool

Well where do you start with Blackpool. Ian Holloway’s side have been a breath of fresh air to the Premier League and they certainly have entertained us this season. Many neutrals would love to see the Seasiders survive and I am one of them.

Defensively Blackpool have been at sixes and sevens but going forward they are a real threat. The likes of Charlie Adam, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, David Vaughan and DJ Campbell have all played a part in giving the Tangerines a chance of stopping up.

Even if Blackpool go down, the fans and Holloway should be proud of what his side have achieved this year. But if Blackpool were to survive, this would be one of the biggest ever shocks in Premier League history. Day one of the season they were written off and yet with only one game to go, the Tangerines are only in the bottom three on goal difference.

But they have a very tough game on Sunday as they travel to Old Trafford to take on this years Premier League Champions. With United set to name a reserve team for Sunday, this could play in Blackpool’s favour. It will be a tough game for Blackpool make no mistake but don’t underestimate Holloway’s side. They could still yet pull off the impossible.

Birmingham City

The one team I fear for is Birmingham City. I fancied the Blues to get at least one win from their last two home games that would have guaranteed their survival.

About four/five weeks ago we thought Birmingham would have no problems in staying up and they would not be dragged into a relegation dogfight. But Blues are currently 17th in the league and are only above Blackpool and Wigan on goal difference. It could be the case that it comes down to goal difference in deciding who will be relegated and who will survive.

I suspect Blues’ Carling Cup run has had an impact on the Birmingham players but scoring goals has been a major problem for Alex McLeish’s side this season. They have not got someone who can at least bag them 15-20 goals a season.

Losing Scott Dann was a major blow for Birmingham and they have a difficult game against Spurs on Sunday. Spurs themselves still have something to play for and they will be looking to finish 5th ahead of Liverpool.

From a West Midlands perspective, I want to see Birmingham and Wolves survive but at the minute I do fear for Birmingham more than I do for Wolves. Birmingham were simply shocking against Fulham and the performance against Spurs needs to be ten times better. Fate is still in Birmingham’s hands but Blues need to put in battling performance on Sunday and make sure they do not get beat.

Wigan

And finally we come onto Wigan. How big a win was that on 15th May 2011 for Wigan against West Ham? 2-0 down at half-time and it seemed to be curtains for Wigan and their Premier League future.

But they battled hard in the second half and scored three priceless second half goals. You could argue West Ham gifted Wigan all three of their goals and were the architects of their own downfall.

Charles N’Zogbia once again was instrumental and what a time for Connor Sammon to score his first goal for the club. Wigan for sure will head to Stoke with plenty of belief and believe they have a real shot at staying up.

Stoke will be hoping to end their season on a high after the disappointment of the FA Cup Final and of course losing 3-0 to Manchester City in the league on Tuesday. Stoke have had a terrific season and I’m sure they will want to win their final game of the season for the fans.

Going to the Britannia Stadium at any point of the season is a daunting prospect but Wigan will believe they can get a result at Stoke after their spirited second half performance against West Ham.

Two/three weeks ago, Wigan appeared to be dead certs to go down along with Wolves. But both sides have given themselves hope and the Latics like Blackpool are in the bottom three only on goal difference.

It promises to be an intriguing day on Sunday and the fans of those teams involved in the battle to survive will be biting their nails. I cannot call who will go down but come 5pm on Sunday we will. It is going to be a roller coaster of a day.

Any Light At The End Of The Tunnel?

All five West Midlands sides have had contrasting fortunes throughout the 2010/2011 season and there is still plenty to play for.

The West Midlands has certainly proven to be a hotbed for football this season as there are currently four teams from the patch in the Barclays Premier League.

Here are my thoughts on the season so far and what the future holds for each of our sides.

Aston Villa

It has not been the best of seasons at Villa Park and fans of Aston Villa will be hoping this season was just a blip. They will also be praying their side end up as the top dogs of the West Midlands this season.

Question marks were raised when Gerard Houllier was appointed as Martin O’ Neill’s successor. Now there are definitely question marks as to whether Houllier will remain manager after the Frenchman was admitted to hospital with chest pains earlier this month.

Health and family are more important than football and if it means Houllier has to stand down due to health issues, then this would be the right call in my view. But who would replace him?

It will no doubt be an interesting summer for Villa both on and off the field. It does seem inevitable Ashley Young will be on his way out of Villa Park but I’m sure he will not be the only one leaving Villa in the summer.

The 2010/2011 season has been a disappointing one for everyone associated with Villa and the team have flirted dangerously with relegation. But results have improved recently despite losing at The Hawthorns against West Brom.

Darren Bent’s goals have been crucial and the likes of Young, Stewart Downing and Nigel Reo Coker have improved as the season has gone on.

Mark Albrighton has been a revelation for Villa this season and he has a bright future ahead of him. I find it hard to believe why he has not been starting games in recent times.

Villa do need to start building a squad around the likes of Bent and Albrighton. If they can bring in at least four/six quality players in the summer, then they may find themselves challenging for a Europa League spot.  

Plenty of work to be done in the summer but there is no doubt Villa have the potential to go onto bigger and better things.

Birmingham City

If you said to any Blues fan at the beginning of the season they would win the Carling Cup and they would be four points above the relegation zone with three games to play, they will have taken it.

Birmingham need at least one more win to guarantee their survival and if they can win either up at Newcastle or at home to Fulham, then Blues will stay up.

The last two seasons have been nothing but remarkable for Alex McLeish and Birmingham. Next season will be a test for Blues since they will be in the Europa League and the Premier League provided they stay in the top flight.

Buying players is a must for the St. Andrews outfit this summer. If they are able to attract quality players, then Birmingham might just have a 2011/2012 season to remember.

Getting a striker is a must. Even though his work rate is superb Cameron Jerome has not scored enough goals, Kevin Phillips is not getting any younger, Matt Derbyshire has not been given enough opportunities and Obafemi Martins has been injury plagued since joining the Blues on-loan from Rubin Kazan.

Ideally Birmingham should go for someone who has had experience of playing in the Premier League and has scored goals on regular basis. But who do you get? Realistically who can Blues go for? I’d be interested to hear from Blues fans.

Scott Dann has been sorely missed and he will be like a new signing once he gets back to full fitness. Four/six good signings in the summer and I can see Birmingham having a decent 2011/2012 season.

West Bromwich Albion

The aim at the start of the season was to survive in the top flight. Three games to go and West Brom find themselves 11^th in the Premier League with 43 points.Mission accomplished.

It has been nothing but a roller coaster of a season for Albion.West Brom have had many highs and lows during the 2010/2011 season but at the end of the day they will be playing Premier League football next season.

At one point,West Bromwere as high as fourth in the league and everything seemed to be rosy at The Hawthorns. But one turning point of the season came at Bloomfield Road as the Baggies lost 2-1. Two men sent off and a defeat. That was the start of Albion being in freefall.

After suffering 13 defeats in 18 games in all competitions since the away game at Blackpool, Roberto di Matteo was sent packing his Baggies. It was a shock decision and I was one of those who thought Jeremy Peace made the wrong decision.

Roberto’s dismissal was a real surprise despite the club being in freefall. However the chairman could not have appointed a better successor to di Matteo in Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson failed to deliver at Liverpool but I was very pleased with the appointment of Hodgson being Albion’s new Head Coach. But no doubt Roywill have been tearing his hair out after the 3-3 home draw against West Ham.

The former Fulham manager nonetheless has turned West Brom into a tough nut to crack and Albion have only lost one game in the last nine.

Defensively, the Baggies have improved considerably and the team effort/spirit is nothing but sensational. A top half finish would be a fine achievement and everyone associated with West Brom will be hoping this is the time Albion can finally establish themselves as a Premier League club.

Peter Odemwingie has to be a contender for bargain of the season. 14 goals in his first season in the Premier League. Not bad at all and he might score more goals before the end of the season.

Wolves

Where do you start with Wolves? They have been able to beat the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United and yet Wolves have struggled to beat the teams in and around them.

Mick McCarthy’s side have struggled with their defence throughout the season and January was a perfect time to strengthen their defence. But it wasn’t to be and their defensive frailties came about again when Michael Mancienne was at fault for Birmingham’s equaliser in the weekend.

Losing Kevin Doyle was a blow and the fans have questioned McCarthy’s team selections in recent weeks. What has happened to Adam Hammill and why is Mancienne in the starting XI.

Wolves could have done with having more Premier League experienced players in their squad. Most of the players in the current squad have plied their trade in the Championship.

McCarthy has done a decent job at Molineux but I just feel he missed a golden opportunity in January to strengthen the squad. This may well come back to haunt him and Wolves come the end of the season.

It is getting to a point now where the games against West Brom, Sunderland and Blackburn are must-win games. If Wolves fail to get a minimum five points then it could be curtains to their Premier League status.

There is still hope but Wolves must start winning games.

Walsall

And finally we come onto Walsall. They may not be in the Premier League but they themselves have had a roller coaster season. But it is not over yet.

With one game to go, either Dagenham and Redbridge,Walsall or Notts County will be relegated to League 2 on Saturday.Walsall have a tough trip as they face Southampton. The Saints will be playing Championship football next season after they were promoted on Monday. So perhaps this could play into Walsall’s hands on Saturday.

The Saddlers seemed destined for League 2 after the sacking of Chris Hutchings in January of this year. But Dean Smith has done terrifically well and Walsall are now above the relegation zone by one point.

Every Walsall fan will have snatched your hand off in January if you said to them, they would be one place and one point above the relegation zone with one game to go.

Walsall can still pull off the Great Escape but they will need to be at their best if they are to get a result at St. Mary’s on Saturday.