West Bromwich Albion 2 - Chelsea 3

Date:	Sunday 23rd August 2015
Competition:	Barclays Premier League
WBA: 6.4	Myhill 4.8, Dawson 5.1, McAuley 5.7, Olsson 4.9, Brunt 6.4, McManaman 7.8 (Gnabry, 77 5.6), Fletcher 5.6, Yacob 5.9, McClean 5.6 (Lambert, 60 4.9), Morrison 7.5 (Gardner, 88 4.6), Rondón 7.0 Unused subs: Rose, Chester, Lescott, Anichebe Manager: Tony Pulis 6.2
Chelsea: 6.7
Scorers:	Morrison (35, 59)
Referee:	Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear) 6.4
Attendance:	23,256 Home Fans 6.5 Away Fans 6.1

Summary:

Premier League champions Chelsea arrived at the Hawthorns having failed to get a win from their first two games, and Albion fielded an attacking lineup with Callum McManaman and James McClean on the wings and Salomon Rondon up front. Saido Berahino was omitted from the squad for reasons that depend on who you listen to - either he asked not to play because the transfer talk was unsettling him or Tony Pulis took the decision to drop him.

Albion had the better of the play for the first ten minutes and were rewarded with a spot kick after Nemanja Matic tripped McManaman - but James Morrison shot down the middle and Thibaut Courtois managed to save it with his leg. In response, Chelsea upped their game and took the lead through new signing Pedro seven minutes later, Diego Costa doubling the lead ten minutes after that. Albion didn't give up, however, and Rondon cut back McClean's cross for Morrison to rifle a shot from the edge of the box to pull one back - but sloppy play a few minutes before half time led to Chelsea restoring their two goal lead when Cesar Azpilicueta tucked Costa's chest-down into the corner of the net.

The game took a more interesting turn when John Terry fouled Rondon in the eighth minute of the second half and referee Mark Clattenburg adjudged him to be the last defender and pulled out the red card, Terry reluctantly heading off down the tunnel with Gary Cahill coming off the bench wearing a protective mask. Morrison scored his second five minutes later with a looping header from McManaman's cross. Despite numerous substitutions from both sides with Lambert and Gnabry brought into action, Albion failed to get an equaliser despite plenty of effort and some entertaining play.

Brendan Clegg:

Well that was much more like it - how nice it is to be entertained.

We were much better with the 5 in midfield and on a different day may have got a better result. Personnel wise I was quite happy - I'd have Lescott in the team but otherwise with the way Pulis plays this was as good as it gets. Saido was the obvious omission although I'm not sure where he'd have played anyway. He's a great talent but Rondon suits the Pulis approach better and he'll probably develop better at a different club. If we get 25 million, good luck to him. I've no doubt he'd have put the penalty away.

I thought defensively we struggled, not on the first ball but on our reaction to 2nd balls and speedy breaks. The reason is pretty obviously our lack of pace in the back line and in Fletcher and Yacob in front of them. Fletcher especially was again the weak link. I've loads of respect for the guy for what he's achieved and come back from but the legs are gone. This is where we need to spend money. He simply couldn't keep up with the play even in a 5. Yacob did better - he lacks pace too but his natural game has never changed. I think we can carry one of these pair not both and yacob is better in my opinion.

Mozza was brilliant back in his best role. I'd never have him on pens but his all round game was excellent. Mcmanaman had his best game for us, doing what he does best. He has to play in this system - we need his pace. McLean did much better in a 5 and although I think after Fletcher this is the position we need to replace with Antonio or Philips (I've given up on Sess being given 20 minutes), McLean stayed wide and is a solid athlete and uncomplicated footballer. Better option than Gardner.

Up front I thought Rondon did really well for his first start. Strong, deceptively quick, good awareness and he absolutely worked his nuts off. He looked very fit.

Downsides for me were all Pulis related. When we scored the 2nd he went 442 way too early. We were bang in the game causing them loads of problems with 30 to go having just scored after sustained pressure. Leave it for 10 surely?

Lambert weakened us because we lost the width and pace McLean provided and it halted our momentum. What use are 2 target men without width? It also pushed Mozza wide which was a waste. Lambert is a worry for me - he needs to play every game to get fit enough for his best level but he's not as good as Rondon and we surely have to play with 1 up front? Dare I say that off the bench he is less effective than big Vic? I think he might be.

The other 2 subs, McManaman and Morrison being hooked, were utterly bizarre. Our two best players, neither looked tired, it looked as though Pulis wanted to tighten things up and keep it at 3-2. With 10 to go a goal behind surely Fletcher or Yacob should have be the ones sacrificed? The mind boggles with Pulis.

Myhill - 6 neither commanding nor terrible.
Daws - 6 did ok given his oppo, a few loose passes. Forgiveable.
McAuley - 6 keeps going but creaking. Worryingly still our best option.
Olsson - 5 defensively ok but gave the ball away cheaply (often when in fairness no option was on). Lescott should be playing but the boo boys are a bit harsh - he's still better than Chester here, worryingly.
Brunt - 6 didn't do too badly, some decent balls and some wasteful ones.
Yacob - 6 did ok.
Fletcher - 4 laboured quite badly, better when we had the extra man but we can't rely on that.
McLean - 6 worked hard, physical and got up and down.
Mcmanaman - 8 tormented them and always delivered an end product of sorts.
Mozza - 8 2 goals, 100% pass rate, quick and creative. Tried to press high and support Rondon
Rondon - 7 promising start, showed full range of his attributes. Looks built for the premier league.
Lambert - 5 looked overweight, unfit and played too deep.
Gnabry - 5 was a threat but too wild and erratic. Promising though needs minutes.
Gardner - I'm sure he was as baffled as the rest of us at that stage in the game. It looked that way.

Mark Koppel:

WBA v Nasty Chelsea

In this clamour to off load our best player and striker I would like to give some reasons not to sell him.

Yesterday he would have scored the penalty, put us one up, and changed the game in our favour.
Without his vital goals last year we would have been relegated so he is worth £60 million not £20.
Teams like Palace and Stoke don't sell their best players so why should we despite being in the PL longer.
The money for Saido will not be reinvested in a like-for like striker.
Rondon is not Saido's replacement. He could fail like Ideye and surely should be the replacement for Anichebe or Ideye, not Berahino if we want to progress
We have only had just over one season of Saido in the first team so it's very early to cash in now.
The best return you can get from a striker is on the pitch in goals not cash for Jeremy Peace and his ambition to sell our club.
The Villa biased Birmingham Mail want us to sell Saido, say no more.
We don't need to recoup a huge transfer fee for him as he was developed through youth system.

Yesterday was better but not as good as we were last year, or would have been, without England's best young striker.

I fear again a lack of ambition will hold us back this season.