West Bromwich Albion 2 - Newcastle United 2

Steve Fereday:

I strongly suggest either Dynamo or David Copperfield to become manager after that performance, as we do need someone to turn what are on paper, and proven (in some cases), decent players, back into the players they once were, to play with freedom and confidence.

Pulis had to go. That tonite was desperate to watch. I live 120 miles from HQ and the prospect of doing that trip and watching that and then a 2 and half hour drive home South West is no longer on my radar.

Whoever is the new manager, please inject some dynamism back into the players and our club. In the 70's you just could not wait for Saturday's to come around. Please God get those days back in my lifetime.

Brendan Clegg:

Newcastle Misery

Well that was joy to total despair. I can't be the only person thinking that if we can't beat a championship quality Newcastle team when 2-0 up at home then we look a fair bet for relegation.

I personally wouldn't have persisted with the 3-5-2 because defensively we look so vulnerable but you couldn't fault the effort or desire.

We shaded the first half without creating much until a lovely patient build-up just before halftime ended with a piece of quality by Gibbs to take a raking ball in his stride and cross perfectly for HRK who couldn't miss.

It was noticeable that we were pressing higher and Phillips got right up with license to take his man on and cross at ever opportunity. We also left a body up to break with from corners.

In the engine room young Field belied his age with fantastic reading of the game and a refusal to give the ball away cheaply at all costs. And he started the 2nd half with a superb goal on the volley after great hold up play by Rondon and a fantastic cross. The technique he showed made it look easy when it was far from it.

At that point we were cruising and somewhat shell-shocked from 2 great goals in open play. When did that last happen?

Unfortunately we conceded a very poor goal from a corner almost straight away with a free header in our box and, in my eyes, Foster flapping. But we rallied well after that and looked to be doing enough until Megson made a strange decision to sub Gibbs, who'd again been pretty good, for McClean in a wingback position.

Everyone seemed to fear the inevitable from that point and it came quite quickly with the Madman conceding a cheap free kick out wide which seemed to creep in at Foster's front post via a deflection. It looked to me like our keeper should've done much better.

From then on in it was backs to the wall and we held on.

I'm so gutted that Megson made his irrational and unnecessary substitution (unless Gibbs was injured) or that he didn't go 4-2-3-1 sooner when we were 2 up.

It looks a long road for us from here but there is still plenty of time and points to play for although it really is shaping up to be the toughest league in years. There are no sides who are really poor and there aren't really any bad coaches.

I'm also gutted for the players who put so much in again tonight as they did against Spurs. They really deserve more than the 2 points they've got. Somehow we have to lift it for Saturday in what will be another massive game that have to win and daren't lose.

• Foster - 5 Carries some blame for both goals.
• Nyom - 6 brilliant at times and pace an asset but gives you jitters on the ball.
• Hegazi - 7 Pretty good again. Fought so hard.
• Evans - 7 gave me kittens with his desire to dribble and pass but quality was excellent throughout.
• Phillips - 7 looked a different player. Got up there, was brave enough to keep taking players on and lose it if necessary. Would prefer him with a fullback behind.
• Barry - 6 decent but leggy and they did get behind him a few times.
• Livermore - 6 got about and wasn't as bad as some make out but faded badly.
• Field - 8 Can't fault him. Passed it, kept it, tackled, scored a goal but it's his positional sense and touch that stand him out. Understands what's going on. A real positive over 2 games and will be difficult to leave out on this.
• Gibbs - 7 solid, wonderful play for the goal, can't understand why he went off.
• HRK - 6 Thought he was ineffective first half until the goal but his hold up play gave us something and his scoring record for us is decent.
• Rondon - 7 I thought he was excellent again but all his best work was in the channels or outside the box. Looked a much better player than under Pulis.

• McClean - 5 Poor in a role he isn't good enough for. A wasted sub that left us in trouble when Phillips pulled up.
• Yacob - 6 Did ok, we know what he can do.
• Greg - 4 Not on long but very disappointing.