West Bromwich Albion 2 - Leicester City 3

Mark Koppel:

I said last week's defeat showed 2 things and today proved it again.

So let's recap once more just in case someone didn't get it:

1. We aren't safe yet.
2. If we do survive yet again we need a major investment in new players. And this time we don't just need quantity, we need quality.

I also said last week that only 3 players (Morrison, Berahino, and Fletcher) are good enough at this level. Today proved that again, although even Fletcher faded badly in the second half.

Also what on earth did Pulis say to them at half time because in the second half we were completely outplayed, and not by Man City or Chelsea, but by bottom of the league Leicester!

When I saw how yet again how Peace tried to do recruitment on the cheap last summer, and using a model totally broken after Dan Ashworth left, I feared we would struggle. I am not proud or enjoying the fact I was right. It may all back fire for our greedy Chairman anyway because today is likely to put off a future Investor, especially if we get relegated.

• Myhill - 5 Probably not his fault we didn't defend well today but he is clearly inferior to Foster at his best.
• Dawson - 1 His performance today made Bernt Haas look good. Ran ragged by Schlupp, gave the ball away with a dreadful cross for the winning goal, and made a complete Horlicks of trying to hook the ball away with the outside of his right foot for the second goal. I think he was also at fault for their first goal. Today showed he will never be a Right Back as long as he has a hole in his bum.
• McAuley - 1 Please, please retire at the end of the season as you are going backwards and looking a total embarrassment. Still trying to play long balls which never find a West Brom player and made a massive mistake for Leicester's winner.
• Lescot - 1 All over the place today, and like McAuley too slow and over the top.
• Brunt- 1 As much a Left Back as Dawson is a Right Back.
• Mozza - 7 Easily our best player, and Pulis takes him off??
• Fletcher - 5 Good first half but got completely over run after the break.
• Gardner - 4 Journey Man.
• Berahino - 6 Strong on the ball, used his body well but limited to shots outside the box.
• Ideye - 2 Really weak today, gave away countless stupid fouls, and back to his pre-Burnley Away Form.
• Yacob - 3 Over run in Midfield and won the prize for 'Worst Shot of the Season' in injury time. Like lots of other players we have, far too slow for the Premier League.

Subs:

• Stefan 'Powder Puff' Sessegnon - 2 Fell over and got a couple of dubious fouls. £6million for someone who has scored one goal all season???
• Olsson 4 - Didn't really help the defence when brought on but like McAuley, Brunt, Lescott, and Yacob needs to be told thanks but we need move onto better players now.
• Sick Vic 6 - Not the same impact as against QPR.

oshawabaggie:

Up 2 - 1 at the interval we allowed ourselves to be totally dominated by the swarming blue shirts of Chelsea. What's that? It was Leicester, you say? We got exactly what we deserved from that performance, which was nothing.

The tactics in the second half were appalling. It looked like players were told, 'just hang on to what we've got lads'.

The Pulis bubble has burst. We are looking and playing like a strong relegation candidate and it's hard to see where any more points are going to come from. A team with four plodding centre halves just doesn't cut it in this league. Leicester (for Christs sake) took us apart with their speed. The wins over Swansea, West ham, Southampton and Stoke seem like a million miles away. Does Pulis ever watch the tapes I wonder?

One thing is clear, we will not win another game sitting back. When teams come at us we are just way too slow. We have now been well beaten at home by the bottom two teams in the league. In a word, Uggghhhh!

JP has picked an awful time to reiterate his desire to sell. How much is a Championship team worth anyway?

Sick.

Virginia Baggie:

What a horrible performance on such an important day. I'm sure some of these so called prospective buyers we present today and certainly the fans and WBA staff made sure The Hawthorns was outfitted for the day - However the team lost the plot. In a fairly even 1st half we were lucky to up 2-1 and one got the feeling that our "so called" defense was suspect. In midfield passes went array and up front the first touches were poor - both goals were the results of "scambles". In the 2nd half it got worse. Every City pass would find a colleague even if covered by 2 or 3 Baggies and they started to totally dominate. Albion on the other hand couldn't put 2 passes together or tackle a powder puff. More tactical changes bought about the inevitable as in the end even with all those centre halves on the field the winning goal could not be stopped and we were incapable of holding the ball, passing the ball or tackling anyone with the ball.

Many fans left early - Boo's from those who stayed.

So depressed forget the ratings - no one had better than 5 anyway!

Hopefully as these so called owners are supposed to only be from the right ilk - ie - Interested in a long term community based top tier team for the next decade or so - and look past the result - still it wasn't the best way to see us AND WE COULD STILL GET RELEGATED! I place that in capitals because outside of next week at Palace (and any result there would need a huge improvement from today)) I don't see any chances of picking up any more points!

Tony - I know we don't have the players - today made that obvious - but please try to find a way to keep us up. I'm really worried.

Talyllyn Baggie:

Sluggish, sloppy, shambles. The best team won - and they are bottom of the league!

Was 50/50 on renewing season tickets for next season, but the scales have tipped somewhat this season.

The security of the Hodgson era seems a long time ago.

Brendan Clegg:

You can blame the players, performances and 'schoolboy errors' all you want but for me this was tactically as bad as I can recall for a long time.

You are playing bottom of the league at home - if you can't go with one of McManaman or Sess against these, when can you? Sess has his critics but without him we'd be where Leicester or Burnley are for sure. If he isn't good enough replace him in the Summer with someone better. McManaman has looked nowhere near as good as him in his limited displays but whatever. If he wasn't fit enough to get on to today don't waste a space on the bench; have Gamboa purely as a pacey right wing outlet.

Because today was a game criminally crying out for pace in wide areas. Leicester came having to win and basically played 4-1-5 with Cambiasso the only holding player. Everyone else bombed on and had we had any pace on the counter we'd have put them to the sword.

Look at our back 4 and midfield. Look at our forwards even. The only player today who has real pace was Mozza. Berahino is quick upstairs and in terms of movement but doesn't get away from people. Ideye is slow upstairs and average in a foot race. Every other player (including Myhill) is leggy. We must be the slowest team in the league.

Dawson, Brunt, Morrison and Gardner all playing out of position.

Even when the game was stretched and we were still winning - the decision to bring on Olsson and go 5 at the back just invited pressure when Leicester were there for the taking on the break with pace. I cannot understand why Pulis did this. He came on TV afterwards and said we had to keep the ball better but we reduced the number of midfielders we had. Totally stupid. It cost us not just the victory but the point too.

He also came on TV and criticised Saido for one pass at 2-1. Yes, he should have played Gardner in but it was his decisions and tactics that put enormous pressure on every forward pass or decision to be 100% correct, rather than address the major issue of us being dominated for the whole half.

And when he finally brings a winger on he takes Mozza off - our best player again by a mile. Clueless.

We need 2 or 3 points from somewhere and if we try the same crap next week Bolasie and Zaha will destroy us out wide.

I reiterate - do we really want Pulis to be given ultimate responsibility for signings in the summer? Our recruitment policy hasn't been great but only Blanco and Samaras didn't contribute. Others have looked decent but criminally under-used to prove a point.

I think most teams have sussed our style under Pulis - loads of players out of position and no pace so pressure them with pace and they'll buckle or give you the ball.

• Myhill - 6 Not at fault but not inspiring.
• Dawson - 4 Looked like a championship centre back playing out of position in the Premier league. Pace-wise and positionally taken to the cleaners.
• McAuley - 3 Huge dip in form, but do you think anyone else would do better. Looks uncomfortable.
• Lescott - 3 Almost identical collapse to McAuley ever since he was moved to left back.
• Brunt - 6 Pick of the back 4 which says everything.
• Gardner - 3 His worst game for us. Does anyone still think he's better than Graham Dorrans? Marginally quicker, harder working and stronger in the tackle but nowhere near as good a footballer. Especially on the wing.
• Yacob - 4 Couldn't handle the direct pace of the Leicester front line and not strong enough.
• Fletcher - 5 As always was tidy on the ball but so leggy that Cambiasso blazed him at times. You have to say over 38 games are we better with him at his age than a fit and regularly playing Mulumbu? Mulumbu every day for me.
• Morrison - 7 As usual our only player who can carry the ball up the pitch or quick enough to support. Always tried to use the ball sensibly. Missed his energy in the centre enormously.
• Ideye - 2 Looked like a park footballer again. I'd have Sess or Mozza in his position playing in a 5 man midfield behind Saido. Like playing with 10 men. Passing, touch, awareness all awful.
• Saido - 5 The touch and strength are there, miles better than anyone else, but falling into the trap of greediness again.

Subs - All ineffective and pointless.

I'm sure Pulis will blame the players, the club, the transfer policy, the occasion, social media and possibly the romans. He needs to look in the mirror.

rm19:

This is only the second time I have posted a comment.....

How many of the players that put in an appearance today truly appreciated what this occasion meant to the fans - and especially the Astle family?

Sitting back tonight in my local reminiscing on today's 'performance' saw me questioning the modern game; the money; the ambition; the attitude. Clearly, we the fans, expect too much. It is a business and nothing more.

The 'occasion' meant pretty much nothing to most of those players - most were already on the beach contemplating next year's millions and certainly not worrying about their or their families long-term future.

There is so much I feel and care and yet cannot put into adequate words. I feel gutted, let down - very very disappointed.

As to the game itself - only three players IMO made an impression - Morrison, Fletcher and Brunt - Berahino put in a token effort......

Disillusionment? Can't be a....d? Me - or the players?

I felt bad after the Vile games - but this is even worse.

Cardiff Baggie:

The game today left me puzzled.

We started brightly and when we went in 2-1 up at half-time, I thought we would close the game out.

In the second half, we then proceeded to give the initiative to Leicester by sitting back to protect our lead, rather than trying to score what I think would have been a decisive third goal. After all, Leicester are bottom of the league, even though their determined attacking in the second half, with some good movement wide, meant that they deserved to win the game.

I don't attend every home game as I live in South Wales but the performance today was very different to those against Swansea and Stoke particularly, which I did see, where we showed good organisation and movement, coupled with a pressing style higher up the pitch. So what has changed??

No Albion player really stood out today for me but Morrison, Fletcher and probably Berahino (except when he failed to pass to a player better placed in the second half) were reasonable. Gardner's passing was poor and Ideye often gave the ball away.

We are not safe yet by any means, based on today I would be surprised if we got more than 2 points from the remaining fixtures. If we are lucky enough to do that it would give us 35 points, the same as last season, when we narrowly escaped.

We just have to hope that there are 3 teams that are worse than us?!?!

jen:

Firstly, well done to the club for all of their efforts to make today special. From the magnificent "Astle is King", to the kit, including a goalie in a "proper" top, the half time speeches, the video clips and the music, you did him proud. Thank you.

Now we come to the team. I have watched some poor games, but surely the totally inept display today will take some beating. We had four central defenders on the pitch - and people like John Talbot, Johnny Kaye etc watching. Bob Taylor was watching too - I know who I would have preferred on the pitch. We were slow, devoid of ideas, couldn't pass to anyone in a white shirt, and seemed intent on a ping pong between hoof and high header. Ideyi- sorry, but please put us all out of our misery and just give up. Berahino- you were given the honour of the number 9 shirt today and failed miserably. You are not fit to polish Astle's boots- you let him, and everyone else who watched, down.

I will give credit to some great stops from Myhill, Morrison worked his socks off, Brunt tried although not everything came off, and credit to Yacob who got smacked in the face, and clattered, but didn't retaliate - I would have done!. As for the rest, including Pulis for probably his worst display of management skill - you owe us all an apology.

Well done Leicester, and good luck, hope you stay up.

Kev Buckley:

How fitting it should be, that a player wearing the number 9 should score a fantastic goal to give the team that had been going forwards for the whole of the second half the victory which their manager's half time changes and approach so thoroughly deserved.

But just how unfortunate, just how incredibly unlucky, were the team whose manager tried to hang on to a one goal lead for forty-five minutes, to end up conceding not just once but twice.

But for an unlucky clearance off the goal-line and an unlucky slip by a central defender out on the touchline, the bad luck compounded by it not being one of the central defenders whom the manager normally employs out wide, we might have been celebrating taking a point off the bottom side in the division.

Hard to believe that the bad luck dogging these sorts of tactics, tactics tried, trusted and lauded here before, won't bring us the glorious successes they have in the past, and if any reminder of what our history contains was needed, with thirty minutes to go, Trevor Francis, in commentary, suggested that he heard someone ordering two of our four centre-backs not to go forwards for a set piece, as their natural instincts had had them setting off to do so.

Could it possibly be that this exhortation to "Get back" did not come from Tony Pulis, but from the ghost of the man whose mantle he has so easily donned ? A ghost who now finds a familiar home, once again, in B71?

And finally, talking of donning a mantle, just how unfortunate was it the other player wearing a number 9 shirt on the day, a player who, for some, can do no wrong, should have a day, and this day of all days, when he could not seemingly do a single thing right.

Baggyjon:

I first attended the Hawthorns in the early fifties when my father took me as a 7 year old to the Central League reserve games. I have rarely missed a home game since 1959.

In that time I have been thrilled at the high spots and been despondent at the low times. I was there when we hammered the pre Munich Man Utd 4-3, missed the Cup Final in 54 but celebrated the League Cup triumph against West Ham in 1966, agonised at the defeat at Wembley against QPR in 67 and of course the triumph of 68 and followed by defeat at Wembley in 71.

Could not make the promotion at Oldham but saw every home game during the 78/79 campaign and the subsequent defeat of Valencia. I suffered the defeat against Woking but thrilled to successive promotions and the victories over the custard factory.

I have been privileged to see Allen, Barlow, both Robsons, Kevan, Astle, Brown, Statham, Regis, Cunningham, Cantello, Wile, Robertson, Bob Taylor and many many more.

The Jeff Astle day,(and well done to the Astle family and the club for the magnificent organisation) was for me not only a worthy tribute to a great club man but a culmination of all those past memories.

It was therefore so utterly disappointing to witness a totally clueless insipid and abject performance from a bunch of so called professionals who, including the tactically naive manager, owe everybody a huge apology. This team is not fit to lace the boots of the aforementioned and I am fast coming to the conclusion that if this is the way forward then I would prefer the club to play attractive football with committed youngsters in the Championship or lower.

On Friday night I attended a function at the club hosted by BBC reporter Pat Murphy with Bob Taylor, Richard Sneekes, Ally Robertson and Joe Mayo. Pat commented that in 10 years time how many of the present squad would be committed to promoting the club as the four on the panel were prepared to do.

I wonder.