West Bromwich Albion 1 - Liverpool 1

Date: Sunday 2nd February 2014 Live on Sky Sports
Competition: Barclays Premier League
WBA:
6.9
(4-2-1-3) Foster 7.5, Jones 7.0, McAuley 7.4, Olsson 6.7 (Lugano, 41 5.8), Ridgewell 5.8, Yacob 7.5, Mulumbu 7.2, Gera 6.6, Berahino 5.4 (Anichebe, 64 7.3), Vydra 5.2 (Dorrans, 76 6.1), Brunt 7.0
Unused subs: Myhill, Reid, Sinclair, Amalfitano
Manager: Pepe Mel 7.3
Liverpool:
6.1
(4-1-3-2) Mignolet, Flanagan (Kelly, 74), ?krtel, Toure, Cissokho, Gerrard, Sterling, Henderson, Coutinho (Allen, 74), Su?rez, Sturridge
Unused subs: Jones, Alberto, Aspas, Moses, Ibe
Scorers: Anichebe (67); Sturridge (24)
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire) 4.0
Attendance: 26,132   Home Fans 6.4   Away Fans 5.4

oshawabaggie:

This was a huge result (I almost said 'win'). Not so much for the point itself (as nearly all the results went against us), but for the confidence this should give the team. Like the majority of fans, I thought we were in for a real pasting today so, even against a somewhat subdued Liverpool, a draw should be seen as an achievement. We turned in a determined, fighting performance in the second half. OK, we were gifted a goal, but Anichebe took it well and we deserved at least a point.

The Villa game(s) excluded, I'm not sure why we can't start games like we finish them. Maybe it's nerves. If it's tactics we need to change them. We still seem very tentative in the first half. Having to come back from a goal or two down must be as draining for the players as it is for the fans.

I thought Mel selected the best team available. I wasn't sure about Gera, but he ended up having a good game. Thankfully Mel brought back McAuley and Jones. Let's hope the injuries to Olsson and Jones are not too serious. The introduction of Anichebe made a big difference. It is clear that Vydra and Berahino are not robust enough to hold the ball up, but I would have liked to see Berahino kept on with Anichebe to feed of him. Nice to see Dorrans get a run, though he didn't do much.

It's going to be a hell of a struggle to stay up, but if we can keep our core defenders healthy I think we will just about hang on. Those lost points against Chelsea, Stoke, Villa etc etc are starting to look bigger every week.

Footnote: Getting rid of Garlick now would do nothing to improve our chances of staying up, but based on his contribution since Ashworth left, I think he is lucky to still be with the Albion.

Didcot Baggie:

I'm not sure there were many Baggies expecting to get a point from this game so it must be viewed as a positive bonus. Not only that but Pepe Mel went with a staring line up that many fans have been asking for - Jones and McAuley restored at the back and the pace of Vydra and Berahino up front. Worryingly that didn't work out as many of us hoped. Vydra seemed to replicate Rosenberg and Saido never really seemed effective in a somewhat withdrawn role.

Others can report on the game in detail, but I feared the worst when Olsson had to be withdrawn through injury to be replaced by "Loony" Lugano. Up till then Olsson had been his usual self - excellent in defence, terrible in distribution. No Albion player rated more than 6 in my book - Brunt and Gera had poor games. Yacob was foolish to get booked in the first 15 minutes. Having said all that Liverpool were not as great as expected and were helped by a number of refereeing decisions. Gerrard was very lucky not to have received two yellows and been off.

So can we survive? We need another 15 - 18 points. Those points are available - but there can be no error in games against the likes of Fulham, West Ham and Stoke at home and we need to beat the likes of Palace at their place next weekend. I still think it will come down to the Stoke game on the last day. Its not going to be a comfy ride.

Kev Buckley:

Watched it delayed live with a Liverpool supporting friend who lectures in Spanish Litereature, over a breakfast of Merino and Thyme sausages, fried egg, and toast.

Think Gerrad summed it up best, in the post match interview, when he said that he just couldn't see Albion getting anything unless it came from a mistake by them.

That said, it was an excellent finish by Anichbe to capitalise on Toure's mistake but the lack of creativity in behnd Vydra, who had so little to work on that there was no evidence of a player who had scored 20-odd for Watford, throughout most of the game is very worrying, given that we will surely need to create if we are going to win game as opposed to draw our way to safety.

My Liverpool supporting friend considers Toure to be a disaster in waiting, although the keeper hardly did him any favours by giving him the ball there in the first place.

On the back of Brunt's wonder strike in the previous game, it made for some lighter moments, in the midst of an otherwise forgettable game to point out to my mate, "The Wand" blazing a number of shots and dead balls high and wide, right after the commentary team had given him the usual build up (I'm sure they compared him to Chris Waddle at one point, although that comparison was lost on me, as I can't recall Brunt dribbling past anyone in ages). I believe he even sent one shot, albeit off his "weaker" side, out for a throw-in?

At least he got take the free-kicks though, because without them, he'd have looked as ineffective as Gera and Berahino, and whilst the latter has not been around long enough to have become known for defence splitting passes, he didn't exactly get up much speed either and, as with Gera, was usually crowded out.

It would appear that any differences in Castillian and South American Spanish between Mel and Lugano have been ironed out, as the latter, when seemingly about to to done for pace, did the professional thing and, by virtue of being right up the arse of the attacker instead of standing off, was able to "take one for the team" a long way away from the penalty box.

It should be pointed out that Lugano did gallop away down the left flank at one point in the second half, at a pace that seemed close to matching the best of that of the players nominally deployed out there, and that he even completed the simulation by stopping and looking to come back inside, at which point he was, as is often the case, disposessed, and so the attack, as is often the case, fizzled out.

Joking aside, the point is extremely welcome, as will be any knock-on effects of the "success" in getting back into a game that, whilst not up there with say, Man City away a few seasons ago, we were really pretty poor in.

Mark Koppel:

Was worried about our first half performance, and the fact it looked like we were not playing with any strikers, or giving Liverpool's defence anything at all to worry about.

Was very worried when Olsson went off and Loony Lugano came on.

But what a change, just like the Everton game, once Anichebe was introduced and the formation changed.

Well done Pepe for noticing what was required and in time.

  • Foster 7 - Came off his line to make 2 crucial saves in the second half.
  • Jones 7 - Has improved a lot since last season and adds necessary pace required in our otherwise slow back four.
  • Ridgewell 5 - Tries but his lack of pace once again causes us issues.
  • Olsson 7 - Lets hope the injury is very minor, especially as the replacement is Loony.
  • McAuley 7 - So glad he is back.Strong in defence and nearly scored with a great header.
  • Yacob 7 - Silly fouls led to booking but became more controlled thereafter and is so much more forward looking these days with his passes.
  • Brunt 6 - Tried hard again and no one should blame him for trying to score. But it is now over 2 years since he scored with one of his free kicks.
  • Vydra 4 - Flapped about but never got into the danger area once. Perhaps he is one for off the bench.
  • Gera 6 - Started quietly and grew into the game. Has re-found the knack of looking first before he passes.
  • Berahino 5 - We asked for him to start but looked pretty ineffective. Maybe he should be allowed to play through the middle.
  • Mulumbu 6 - Another one that grew into the game once the formation was changed.

Subs:

  • Loony 3 - Oh my goodness, let's hope he doesn't have to play many games. Took one for the team I suppose when he completely mistimed his challenge.
  • Anichebe 8 - Unless the new striker turns out to be our saviour, Big Vic looks our best option up front. Gives defenders a lot more to think about and I think with Berahino up along side him is the best combination we have.
  • Dorrans 4 - Wasn't he due to be offloaded on Friday? Surprise choice but if he can get back to his best (which wasn't today) then could still be a valuable asset.