West Bromwich Albion 0 - Southampton 0

Date: Saturday 12th September 2015 
Competition: Barclays Premier League
WBA:
5.1
Myhill 5.9, Brunt 5.9, Evans 7.1 (Olsson, 85 5.6), McAuley 6.4, Dawson 5.9, Gardner 5.3, Yacob 6.3, Fletcher 6.1, McManaman 6.0 (McClean, 61 4.9), Lambert 4.5 (Berahino, 55 5.8), Rondón 5.5
Unused subs: Lindegaard, Chester, Morrison, Gnabry
Manager: Tony Pulis 4.6
Southampton:
5.6
Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire) 5.6
Attendance: 24,265   Home Fans 5.9   Away Fans 5.6

Summary:

Plus points:

  • We didn't concede
  • Berahino wasn't booed by everyone when he came on as sub
  • Jonny Evans looked calm and composed before going off injured near the end.

That's about it though. Albion argued that they should have had a penalty when Callum McManaman was tripped by Matt Target but Tony Pulis conceded later that the winger had begun diving before contact was made.

Some have argued that Rickie Lambert looked much better than Salomon Rondon, while others wondered what game they must have been watching to think that.

The point lifted Albion to 13th place with five points from five games.

oshawabaggie:

In a word, Uggghhhh! Anyone hoping to see some entertaining football this afternoon would have been sorely disappointed. Defensively we were solid as usual and a clean sheet is never a bad thing, but our solidity at the back comes at the expense of any real attacking threat.

There is a big hole between our back eight and our front two. There is no 'out ball' for Myhill, so he hoofs it forward, our front two have nobody to lay it off to and it comes straight back.

The one forward who could hold the ball and take their defenders on, was Macca, who had his best game in a Baggies shirt, I thought, but inexplicably he was taken off. Our passing in general was awful. Is that because we are so focussed on defending we can't get players into open forward positions? We have no creative midfield general. Brunt and Morrison are about as close as we come to someone in that role, but Brunt looks like he's destined to be our resident left back and Mozza was on the bench.

The officials didn't help the game, missing clear calls all over the pitch, the worst being the nailed on penalty on Macca. If the defender clipped the ball first then at the very least it should have been a corner. If he didn't then it was a penalty. He gave a goal kick.

Evans looked solid enough at the back. Rondon reminded me of Brown Ideye, with his poor first touches, but to be fair, he didn't have much support around him. Nevertheless, I thought he would go off, not Lambert. Berahino did ok in the circumstances and I still think he is our best goal scoring threat by a mile, his toxic attitude notwithstanding.

Mark Koppel:

Main achievement today was that Berahino was not booed and is now back in the Team. This shows how West Brom fans can accept his faults for what they are and they have the common sense to see we need him with his goals. We haven't exactly been scoring freely during his absence and a partnership with a rested Rondon looks our best option. In return Saido did his best despite receiving pretty dreadful service in the second half.

The biggest failure today, as others have already said, was taking McManaman off just when he started to threaten Southampton. After this very strange substitution we lost momentum and had to hang on for a draw somewhat.

Player ratings:

  • Myhill 6 - Only just stretched a little more than the Saints Keeper. Some mindless hoofs to Saido's head second half look very League 1.
  • Dawson 7 - Gradually looking better at right back. Up against a good winger second half but not taken to the cleaners like Leicester game last season.
  • McAuley 7 - Some great headed clearances first half. Back to inaccurate lumps forward to some degree second half.
  • Evans 8 - Class act and the most accurate passer in the back 5.
  • Brunt 5 - Lack of pace getting to the ball looked an issue today.
  • Fletcher 7 - His best game this season so far by some distance.
  • Yacob 5 - Saw the best of him first half when he broke down play a couple of times. But because of his inability to pass the ball forward to a West Brom player , we lose a lot of momentum in the centre of the park.
  • Mac 7 - Started both halves slowly but once he had the ball he was the one player that worried them. After two runs in the second half, that led to a shot and a corner, he was mysteriously taken off. This turned the game, but not in our favour.
  • Gardner 6 - Tries, works hard, but is also symbolic of our lack of pace in midfield.
  • Lambert 5 - Looked like a Hippo. Never looked like to score in a million years.
  • Rondon 7 - Assuming he is jet lagged, this was a good effort. Missed a great chance second half that was Brown Ideye in standard. Lets hope this was due to fatigue.

Subs:

  • Berahino 7 - Nearly all said above. Just imagine of he scores the winner against Villa next week!!
  • McClean 5 - A couple of nice runs, but crosses were dreadful for a so called winger.
  • Olly 6 - Not on for long but improved the standard of passing from defence although thatb is not saying much.

Pete Cottrell:

"Snore Draw" says it all really. Nothing to talk about. If the whole of the season were to be covered in Match of the Day, this would be the last one shown.

  • Myhill: 5. No saves to make but indifferent distribution. Bring on Lindegaard.
  • Brunt: 5. Some good flashes but generally mediocre.
  • Evans: 6. Good start. Looks a little too relaxed at times. Flagged towards the end.
  • McAuley: 6. Typical steady game.
  • Dawson: 5. Had difficulties handling Tadic, but then he isn't a natural full-back.
  • McManaman: 6. Lively, but reluctant to take the defender on.
  • Yacob: 6. Excellent tackling. Some dodgy positioning but still my MoM
  • Fletcher: 5. No more than competent
  • Gardner: 5. Weakish link, but didn't really deserve the constant criticism from the fans.
  • Lambert: 3. Completely useless: can't run, can't head and can't trap the ball.
  • Rondón: 5. Better than Baa-Lamb, but I'd rather have had Anichebe.

Subs:

  • McLean: 5. Why? Worse than the other Mac whom he replaced.
  • Berahino: 6. Showed more ability in 35 mins than the other two strikers between them.

Overall: Ability 5, Tactics 4.

Cannock Steve:

Boring game, atmosphere wasn't the best pre game and the game did nothing to inspire the terraces. Southampton took control of the match, which apart from 10 minutes at start of second half when we had our best spell and could've scored they controlled the rest.

The left side of our team is a problem, admirable as it is the job Brunt is doing for the team. We need at least a left sided midfielder/winger in front of Brunt to give us balance. I don't like Gardner never have, just an inferior version of Mulumbu or Dorrans to me.

Lambert looked like an older Craig Beattie, couldn't move, couldn't trap the ball, looked unfit and lethargic. I like Rondon, he works hard but was given nothing to work with today, aimless punts upfield from defence or goalie with little or no support anywhere near him.

There is zero creativity from middle of the park, midfield only seem to be involved in our play when opposition have the ball - they are bypassed when we are attacking with the hoofs. Midfield was crying out for Morrison and Gnabry who if fit, and you can only assume he is if on the bench, should be given a run out to show us what he can do and show us why we have agreed to pay his wages for the season. if they want to pay a bench warmer and are prepared to pay 30K a week I'm available (no notice at my current job required).

Can't understand the substation of McManaman, who was playing well, assume either injured or still struggling for fitness, which surely can't be an issue after a full pre-season.

Positives for me were 1 point gained when on the balance of play/chances we deserved none, McManaman taking on and beating his man, McCauley (point saving tackle mid first half) and Johnny Evans who was calmness pasonified, never looked under pressure even when he was. The reception for Berahino was mixed, but thankfully boos drowned out by undeserved applause, please Saido don't do an Odemwingie and cross us again with a second stupid tweet. Quite how he will get the goals to get him in the Euro2016 squad playing in this side I don't know.

Cannot remember a single shot on target from our entire team and only 1 chance of note which was snatched at by Rondon and blazed over, cant seriously expect to win football matches when that is all you create in 90 minutes. Arsenal had 29 chances yesterday against stoke and a dozen on target, for a home match yesterday simply wasn't good enough don't think either keeper dirtied their gloves yesterday. Didn't boo the team at the end of the match, still giving Pulis time but 'concerned' is a fair assessment of current performances.

Brendan Clegg:

Well what an absolute dross-fest against the worst Southampton team we have faced in years. Poor selection, shocking tactics, awful substitutions. No blame can be placed upon the players - if you keep 'coaching' them to play like this then how do you expect them to improve their passing, touch, movement etc?

Personally I would rather get a new coach in now and take my chances with relegation than put up with this. This is Bobby Gould football. Could we tempt Rowett, working miracles at Blues? There are others out there.

Our repeated years in the top flight put us at an enormous advantage to other clubs coming up or yo-yoing. We don't need a genius, we just need a sensible coach who plays our best players in the best system - and actually has a brand and identity that wins matches by being the better team, not by being the team that makes the fewest mistakes. Gary Monk is not a genius - he just does all of the above. No need to be clever with Irvines or Mels. Just a decent football coach with some sort of record of success.

4-4-2 is dead at this level. All our best performances come when we play 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1, whatever you want to call it. We simply do not have the midfielders good enough to play Rondon and Saido up front together unless we are chasing the game badly or are against the poorest sides in the division.

Tell me Pocognoli is as bad as not even being given a chance? Tell me Sessegnon, Gnabry, McLean are not better options than Craig Gardner on the left wing - as hardworking as he is. We are at home.

In a game crying out for pace and creativity tell me how taking Mcmanaman off was the substitution to make?

Why is it that Fletcher cannot get in the Scotland team yet Morrison is dropped or moved to accommodate him in ours? Morrison, irrespective of travel and games, is our fittest player and would have been twice as effective as Lambert today.

Genuinely I think Peace didn't think he would still be here now - how else do you explain letting Dorrans and Mulumbu go without signing a single replacement body, let alone a better player?

I have never been so disinterested in watching us. Games have never felt so long. I am pretty much finished with away games, I can't justify the money or boredom.

How long must this go on?

  • Myhill - 6 Nothing to do really.
  • Brunt - 6 A couple of slip ups but did OK based upon instructions.
  • GMac - 7 Pretty good as per.
  • Evans - 7.5 Very impressive debut. Showed great qualities and it really helped having GMac international partnership.
  • Daws - 6 Continues to do his best at right back and doesnt let us down.
  • Yacob - 6 Solid tackling but was often our playmaker and he was rubbish at that.
  • Fletcher - 6 His best game of the season in which he was still pedestrian, laboured and very average.
  • McManaman - 7 Our biggest threat. Ridiculous substitution and I agree with our opposition coach more than our own. It was a penalty, a reckless challenge that could have caused serious injury had he not dived out of the way.
  • Gardner - 5 Did he best. The boo boys are unfair, he's an understudy centre midfielder not a winger.
  • Rondon - 7 given the travel etc he ran his legs off and is a threat, far more so than Ideye but he's gonna miss his fair share too. We have a serious player if we use him right.
  • Lambert - 4 Our worst player who looked nowhere near fit yet 2 or 3 times showed our best quality. Genuinely i think Anichibe poses more of a threat, certainly from the bench.
  • Saido - 6 Came on and immediately was our best player in terms of touch, awareness etc. but there was no supply.
  • McLean - 5 A good substitution - had we been 2 goals up.
  • Olsson - 6 usual reliability.

Any time I criticise Pulis I get asked the question - What more do you want? I want more than this, whatever the consequences.

north bayite:

ive watched 3 of the 4 games live on tv here in canada and im sorry we look void of any creativity, yes were solid in the back, very defensive in midfield with fletcher and yacob both playing in front of the back 4, our wingers/outside midfielders dont get up quick enough to support our forward. so no outlet for who ever is upfront. i feel sorry for lambert and rondon. were to slow and predictable.

i can see us getting lots draws, but were going to be down the bottom struggling against relegation if what weve seen up to now continues. our next 3 games villa away tie maybe, norwich away cant see us winning, everton at home im thinking a loss.

what happened to the exciting players pullis was going to bring in? He had money, jp backed him, its his team his players this year, as for rondon hes an ideye brown our big money buys are always letdowns sorry, if he doesnt get support or creativity hes going to look bad.

boing boing saying that lets beat the villa