Crystal Palace 3 - West Bromwich Albion 1

Summary:

"Every day that I've been here, Keith has helped me get to know West Brom and the Premier League better" said Pepe Mel earlier this week, and on today's evidence he's certainly helped him to continue Albion's tradition of playing poorly in the first half and improving after the break.

Craig Dawson was given a rare Premiership start instead of Diego Lugano in place of the injured Jonas Olsson, and James Morrison returned to action in place of Saido Berahino. On the bench was new signing Thievy Bifouma, whose hair appears to have drawn more attention in the runup to the game than his footballing ability.

Albion found themselves two goals down before half time thanks to a neat chip from Thomas Ince and a free header from a corner for Joe Ledley, but Mel made two changes at the break and Thievy marked his debut by pulling a goal back for Albion in the first minute after Victor Anichebe pulled the ball back for him to smash into the net.

However, Albion's hoped of getting anything out of the game were dashed by another contentious refereeing decision, Chris Foy deciding that Ben Foster had failed to make contact with the ball when he felled Marouane Chamakh and pointed to the spot - from where Chamakh scored to make it 3-1. Perhaps Albion will receive another apology?

Sadly, results elsewhere meant that the defeat moved Albion into 18th place with Mel still searching for his first win since taking over.

Brendan Clegg:

It was... Mowbray-esque.

We were the better team for long periods and had a huge amount of possession but we were just not good enough in either box.

Like the year we went down under Tony, when in the end we were only a few points short.

Defensively we again let in a couple of poor goals - when was the last time we won a game without G-Mac and Ollie at centre back?

Also, are our players suited to the high-line pressing even if it is the long term way to go? Lugano and Dawson (who did OK) look no better than mad Tamas.

In the final 3rd we were guilt of a lack of patience, selfishness and a lack of quality.

A lack of patience in that we would pour forward and then take silly risks rather than keeping on working the ball - leading to our vulnerability on the break. Pretty much the whole forward line did this.

Selfishness, especially in the 2nd half, in players getting into the box or out wide and making criminally stupid decisions to go for goal when other players were well placed, especially in the second half. Berahino shot from the touchline. Billy Jones had the option to square to the back post for a tap-in and instead cut inside to shoot on his left foot through a crowd - on what planet has he ever done that? Morrison was the same.

A lack of quality - Anichibe, Dawson, Sinclair all missed or had sitters saved that you have to finish at this level. Final ball - too often awful. You could pick on many of them but Gera, Brunt and Jones (as with every game he looks a terrific player until he gets to the edge of their box and then hits the first man with a precision and regularity that's pretty phenomenal).

With Mel at least the tempo, effort and intent are there - it's the quality we are lacking. It's sad to see an aging Gera give the ball away as often as he does. For all Brunt's running and effort apart from the odd pass or great hit for a goal, he isn't good enough over 90 minutes week-in, week-out. Our best performances and wins this year have been without him. Morrison appears to have regressed to the pre Hodgson nearly man.

Difficult not to blame the board - summer signings were over-priced late last minute panic buys. The saga to employ first choice Mel wasted weeks when he could have been doing the learning he is now and the pissing about with his assistants shows an unbelievable lack of respect or faith in the man.

It also gave him less time to address our problems in a winter transfer window where we sold our striker most suited to our current style of play even though he still had effectively 18 months on his contract. And replaced him with a rookie who might come good.

Can't see where the 5 or 6 wins to stay up are coming from to stay up, and we've also had rotten luck with decisions this year that genuinely have not evened themselves out. Foy's today was another example although he was awful all game. Did anyone else spot the foul he gave just before the penalty - when Anichibe received the ball to feet with his back to goal and their defender ran through the back of him, bounced off and fell over. He gave the foul against Anichibe who at worst was guilty only of standing his ground.

Final rant - Morgan not in the squad? He can be frustrating as hell but he does have an end product in the final third, especially on free kicks and crosses and in the only 4 games we've won this season he's played/scored/got an assist or done a decent job at right back for a large proportion of the game. When you need to win, you need match-winners.

The gallows are being prepared - we need a serious turn around now.

• Fozzy - 7 No chance with the goals, decent.
• Jones - 6 Effort and running there, not good enough on the ball for this style of play. We knew this last year and did nothing.
• McAuley - 6 Was fine for long periods but goals against says it all.
• Dawson - 6 As above, probably better than Lugano.
• Ridgewell - 6 Limited like Jones - slightly better on the ball but not quick enough. We knew this last year and did nothing.
• Yacob - 7 Tigerish, rarely gave the ball away, has been our best player under Mel.
• Mulumbu - 6 Huffed and puffed but couldn't create anything and gave the ball away cheaply in the final third.
• Morrison - 6 Same as Mulumbu.
• Brunt - 5 First class effort and spirit but you can throw as many statistics about assists around as you like - the number of corners and free-kicks he takes the ration is actually pretty poor. If Sinclair showed any character he'd surely be in the side but he seems sadly lacking.
• Gera - 5 Surely a last 20 minutes man now? One of the reasons we were so poor in the first half was him giving the ball away so cheaply. The leap is also not what it was, nor is the goal threat.
• Anichibe - 6 Sometimes his touch was so heavy it had to be seen to be believed, other times he was a real menace but often the final decision was wrong. Linked well with Chevvy for the goal.

Subs

• Chevvy - 6 Good goal and pace/two footedness gave us an extra dimension. Encouraging but a lot to pin our hopes on him.
• Berahino - 6 Some good touches, some poor decision making. We're going to get that as he develops.
• Sinclair - 6 Also offered pace but did not demand the ball to get involved enough. We need so much more from him.

Bobby Hope:

The worst performance I can remember witnessing - embarrassing in fact. Tony Pulis works wonders with average players. They wanted it so much more than the Albion posers. Good, honest, never give up endeavour. Well organised and fighting to the end. Albion thinking there are a cut above Palace and their superior skill will see them through - well think again you tossers!

Gera was so bad it was untrue. He made two passes that, even after several Sky replays, I could not genuinely work out who they were meant for!! The first one was made after Foster rolled the ball to him in the right back position and he made a 50 yard cross field pass straight to their unmarked right back who played it up field and Ince scored! The second goal was just awful again. Yacob has Ledley near the edge of the box. He notices that Dikgacoi is lurking unmarked on the edge of the box and calls Jones (who is marking no-one) in to mark Ledley. Jones acknowledges Yacob and has plenty of time to come up to Ledley at which point Yacob goes to Dikgacoi. Jones then literally watches Ledley run onto the cross and power home. Literally watches him!! Doesn't even attempt to make a run with him as if to disown himself from the responsibility - absolutely disgraceful. He then stands there with his head in his hands because he knows only too well what he has done. A perfect example of Pulis managed players wanting it and Albion not having the bottle or the balls to fight it out on a blustery rainy day in Croydon. Lots of possession and did nothing with it. Then it became hoof ball to Anichebe and that didn't work either. No shape, players out of position, just absolutely awful.

I don't know why Mel thinks the second half was better than the first (which it very marginally was) perhaps it was just because we scored a goal and they only got the penalty!

Saying all that Anichebe has to score in the opening exchanges when put through by Brunt with only the goalkeeper to beat (ball bounces up perfectly for him to lob Speroni who has come to the penalty spot nearly) but he waits for it to hit the deck and fluffs it. Then before their penalty Sinclair misses from 7 yards with only Speroni to beat. CP then get the penalty and it's game over.

They can't play like that again.....they just can't. God help them now because they don't appear to be able to help themselves. I am glad that Pepe Mel was fuming... and so he should. He should give them an absolute rocket and get them in for extra training like the good old days. What a bunch of............! I did not see one performance from anyone that I would say was good or better than good. Yacob was about the best of a very bad lot. And I am so sick and tired of Brunt moaning and now doing what he used to do - walk around with his head down after he has lost the ball. A bloody captain???

Eden will have watched that with relish - he may get a double hat trick on Tuesday!!

Lamp Baggie:

So where do we go from here? Another lame first half performance whatever the tactics the players need to take good look at themselves their attitude & application is thoroughly unprofessional.

Unfortunately, Brunt epitomises the team totally inconsistent: brilliant at times & woefully poor at others, apparent lack of leadership & fighting spirit; this guy has now played over 200 times for the baggies but he could never be ranked as 'one of the greats' it's time he was replaced but few candidates stand out Mulumbu, Foster or McCauley somebody who at least cares about the team & shows it as well.

There are many issues but the club has been in decline since 3 months after Clarke took over, he was never the right man, & what about our totally shambolic appointment of Pepe & transfer dealings.

Berahino totally mismanaged since signing his contract he's gone backwards; Odem may be an idiot but he's got got pace & he knows where the back of the net is, poor management again.

Losing Odem & Lukaka probably couldn't be avoided but Long that's another matter; Shane is a top player but he needs decent service & the ball played in front of him; in the second half against both Everton & Liverpool we got decent supply into the box & I'm sure Long would have got on the end of a few them. A big mistake IMO.

Peace will get his wish next year except we won't be over achieving we'll just be also rans in the championship to be fair he's done a great job & to be honest back in the 90s I never thought we would ever get into the greed league but a basic fact of football is you can never stand still you always have to move forwards. There are no easy answers & its amazing how quickly things can change & as ever you need to be careful what you wish for.

Peace appears to have lost focus & took his eye off the ball maybe he's had enough & perhaps he was hoping to sell for a decent profit who knows. The panic buys in the summer & mishandled appointment of Pepe show things are not right.

Now Gomez joins the Baggies despite Peace saying no back room staff for Pepe; just what the feck is going on?

Like Clarke, Pepe seems a decent guy & I wish him well & trust we can survive on our limited resources & our paceless & at times passionless playing squad. Have we got the stomach for a relegation dog fight, I'm not sure.

Anyway bring on the Chelski!