West Bromwich Albion 0 - Cardiff City 0

Baggyjon:

Not able to go to-night due to Covid. However comprehensive coverage from WM radio and my son.

Once again the club stands at the crossroads. This team does not have a cat in hells chance of making the top six unless Bruce's Favouritism for Grant, Furlong, Phillips and Livermore changes. A decent progessive manager would have seen these long gone.

I was waiting to see whether Bruce fits his billing as a Dinasaour and the signs are not good for an alternative.

The lack of funds especially those purloined by Lai are proving crucial to our progression. I hope Dike does not prove to be another Zohore but the signs are not good. Without any new funds from a cash strapped Lai the signs are bleak even after 4 games. Another few games like tonight and I will seriously not renew next season especially if we are in Division 1.

Reyes Cleary and Taylor-Hickman have to step up to the plate but Bruce won't risk it.

Brendan Clegg:

Another game without a striker when we desperately need to sign a couple. I was slightly concerned by Bruce’s comments that Dike’s injury changed things for us. It really shouldn’t have as Zohore was and is never going to be an option… we always needed at least 1 striker, so what’s happening? It’s going to be the difference between us challenging or not so it’s mind boggling that we haven’t already got one in.

Like most people I was happy to see Yokuslu come in but playing him alongside Livermore at home led to what you’d expect… a lack of a balance of qualities in the centre which ultimately impacted our creativity and we just weren’t as good as in other games this season. We lacked cohesion and couldn’t move it quick enough.

Cardiff matched us up, came for the point, wasted time, were organised, bought fouls and threatened occasionally on the break.

I thought we shaded it but didn’t deserve to win. It was a tired performance that lacked invention.

Bruce changed it at half time, possibly because Livermore was on a booking, but it was Mulumby who came in when I’d have tried TGH for a bit more invention.

But then I thought the withdrawal of Wallace for Phillips weakened us for the final push - possibly a game to far and he’d been quiet but he’s always capable of getting the ball in the box.

The other subs came on and tried to influence things, and Robinson did create a bit more than Swift but we didn’t really look like scoring. A draw was fair.

When you don’t win, even when you’ve bossed games, eventually confidence does drop away and that’s the danger for us. We need a Striker by Saturday and even if we don’t I’d be tempted to try Robinson up top just for a change.

• Button - 6 Adequate and kicking stayed on the park.
• Furlong- 6 Ho-hum. The throws don’t work. Can we give it up now?
• Ajayi - 7 Pretty solid and powerful. In decent form.
• O’Shea - 6 A few poor moments on the ball but got better.
• Townsend - 6 Tried despite some ropey passing. Some big challenges though.
• Livermore- 4 A half to forget.
• Yokuslu- 6 Showed glimpses of real quality but forced it too much sometimes.
• Wallace - 6 They marked him tightly but still worked hard.
• Swift - 5 A bit too anonymous
• Diagana - 7 Our bright spark. Worked like a maniac and caused problems.
• Grant - 3 I’m not going to single him out but he’s miles off being a good player. No link up play at all.

• Mulumby- 6 Bit of energy. Daft booking.
• Robinson- 6 Made things happen.
• Phillips- 5 had a go but not the threat he was