Peterborough United 1 - West Bromwich Albion 1

WBA Win 4-3 after extra time and penalties

Date:	Wednesday 10th February 2016
Competition:	FA Cup (R4 Replay)
Peterborough: 7.7
WBA: 5.5	(4-4-2) Foster 7.0, Chester 5.9, McAuley 5.3 (Pocognoli, 19 6.0), Olsson 6.6, Gamboa 6.6, Gardner 5.2, Yacob 5.0 (Sessegnon, 62 6.6), Fletcher 6.1, McClean 5.5, Rondón 3.4, Berahino 5.4 Unused subs: Myhill, Anichebe, Ward, Roberts, Leko Manager: Tony Pulis 4.4
Scorers:	Fletcher (71)
Referee:	Mike Jones (Chester) 6.8
Attendance:	10,632 Home Fans 6.5 Away Fans 6.8

Summary:

Albion squeezed through by the skin of their teeth to face Reading in round five of the FA Cup despite fielding pretty much the strongest eleven they could. With Jonny Evans, Chris Brunt and James Morrison all injured, Cristian Gamboa got a rare start at left back with James Chester at right back and three youngsters were given places on the bench.

A lacklustre first half performance ended goalless, the only incident of note being another unwanted injury that saw Gareth McAuley replaced by Sebastien Pocognoli, but Peterborough took the lead through Jon Taylor ten minutes after the break when Chester stood back and the shot took a slight deflection past Ben Foster.

Albion brought on Stephane Sessegnon for Claudio Yacob and started to take more control, culminating in skipper Darren Fletcher levelling the scores with a spectacular volley after good approach play by James McClean. But they were unable to stop the game going to extra time, which saw neither side get the winner they needed.

After well-struck penalties by Pocognoli, Craig Gardner and Saido Berahino, Foster managed a save from Martin Samuelsen with his legs to give Albion the advantage, but Fletcher stroked his shot wide to even things up again. Chester made it four to Albion and Foster won the game with a relatively comfortable save from Lee Angol.

Brendan Clegg:

Another portion of dross. The first 70 minutes of this match were, given the opposition, the worst of the Pulis reign. The mooted 3-5-2 was actually a 5-3-2.

Time and again, for 70 odd minutes, the back 8 (because in reality that is what they were) hammered or volleyed the ball as hard as they could anywhere up the pitch the moment they got it.

There was no support or supply to two isolated strikers playing like strangers.

A young Posh side who always tried to keep the ball and pass it ran absolute rings around us - they won every first and 2nd ball going in midfield.

I can't believe our players were doing this under instinct - they must have been carrying out instructions. Anyway it was absolutely terrible and genuinely on 70 minutes Gardner, Yacob and Fletcher would have been getting ratings of 1 from me. The only players with any credit during the first 70 were Foster, Olsson and to a lesser extent Chester, Gamboa and Poc.

At least when Sess came on and we went 4-4-2 we had a player who could hold the ball and carry it, we got McClean further forward, Gardner and Fletcher actually began to play short passes to each other and others and we actually looked like we'd turned up - but even then it was pretty painful stuff.

I'm not sure how much we improved or how much they tired and our fitness showed but we gradually became the better team and should probably have won it before the pens.

I saw nothing to inspire me for the rest of the season and another game without a win.

Foster - 7 Maybe could have done better for the goal but there was a weird bobble due to the deflection. Otherwise sound.
Gamboa - 6 Grew into the game - got his foot in a few times and his pace was apparent a number of times when he got a foot in. Also got better in the air as the game went on. Crossing from deep was poor but on the rare moments he was allowed to get forward his crossing from the byline was very good. Certainly not a world beater but again, not so bad to justify being totally ignored. Probably more of a right winger than a fullback in this league - certainly a better option than Gardner here due to his pace, both ways.
Chester - 5 Did OK apart from the goal and on the ball. Committed, looks quicker than he has and really threw himself into challenges aerially and on the deck. Great pen.
Olsson - 7 Extra mark because he clearly wasn't fit and yet somehow got through 120 minutes and kept us together.
McAuley - Clearly wasn't fit and wasn't worth the risk - madness from Pulis again to put a player of his age who is so vital to us through this.
Poc - 6 Didn't look comfortable in the 3 of a back 5 although did his job with no fuss. Grew into the game at left back and didn't disgrace himself, especially when allowed to attack. Decent crossing and a great pen. Another player treated appallingly by Pulis.
McClean - 5 All effort but his quality and decision making are woeful, time after time, ad nauseum ad infinitum. Relentless with stupid fouls.
Gardner - 4 Redeemed himself towards the end of the game but prior to that was woeful - the worst midfielder on the pitch. Nearly as many silly fouls as McClean.
Fletcher - 4 Didn't look fit and was as bad as Gardner for most of the game. A fantastic strike aside, can't fault his willingness to play but could not control the midfield.
Yacob - 4 We already had 5 at the back but he would not push up. Was probably our best midfielder on the ball but his lack of pace was also painfully exposed. As many silly fouls as McClean.
Saido - 5 Showed moments of quality when we got the ball near him but was often rusty, selfish and clearly miles off it fitness-wise. Hopefully the game time will do him good as he has to play.
Rondon - 4 Was given nothing for 70 minutes. At least looked a threat from then on in but the quality was really poor. All of the attributes which showed promise in his earlier games have gone. Confidence-sapped - playing the way we do you wonder if it will ever recover.
Sess - 6 Gave us something and created space for others. Really should have started this game.

Ancient Baggie:

Well what was that? I can't understand where Pulis is going with our team. As I've said before on here the team is to old and too slow. A division one side full of kids made us look like an over the hill pub team. We continue to wheel out the old guard and act surprised when they pull up injured. A modern day team needs pace and energy we have none. We have a team full of plodders.

The only positives for me from last night were Berahino (even lacking sharpness is still head and shoulders above any other forward at the club) and Gamboa who showed why he is still a first pick for a World cup quarter finalist. (The fact Pulis doesn't know how to use him tells me everything).

One last point - listening to Pulis screaming orders on the touchline telling players where to kick every ball reminds me of Sunday league down the local park with the pub landlord in charge. Tony please it's embarrassing!