West Bromwich Albion 0 - Cardiff City 0

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Ratings submitted so far: 10

Brendan Clegg:

This was another really poor one. I thought Cardiff were dreadful and didn't defend especially well but we just showed a real lack of desire and risk, and when they did gift us chances there was just no killer extinct.

Carlos changed it up again and you have to say so far this season it's not helped us - our best spell coming when the team didn't change.

There should've been enough out there but it was a bit football in a straightjacket.

Losing McNair so quickly probably didn't help us and I'm sure there were tired legs and tired minds out there, but we've got to do more.

First half we had three or four opportunities but failed to convert or even force their keeper into a meaningful save. The worst one of these for me fell to Swift after we'd robe the ball with their keeper in no mans land. You've just got to hit those quickly and if it gets blocked on the line so but he waited an age, got blocked anyway and then Racic put the rebound over the bar.

Second half was enormously frustrating in that I have no idea why Corberan waited so long. Apart from our own errors, Cardiff didn't get out of our half but we were totally toothless. He could've got Fellows on from minute 50, Grant 10 minutes later and then gone for Cole in the last 15 with 2 up top maybe. Instead we took too long, didn't give players chance to really impact and it was all very samey.

For all our dominance we had a shot from Grady and a header from Maja to show for around 50 minutes of playing mostly on the attack.

It's quite marginal... we're generally in control of games, not conceding unless we sit back, and had we nicked 2 or 3 more goals in the last 5 games we could be 6-9 points better off.

But we're not. Dike is not going to be available any time soon and you really do have to question us selling BTA to ostensibly fund the signing of Johnston and Styles (my maths might be wrong, but that's how it looks to me). BTA had his limitations but I'm absolutely certain he'd have scored a couple - and it's more the point that in selling him a replacement striker the head coach is willing to trust had to be a priority.

We can't fix this until January so I thin Carlos has got to back to playing what he feels is our strongest 11 in every game, and he's got to find a way of getting 2 strikers on the pitch when we need to score goals, either because we're chasing a win or trying to equalise.

• Palmer - 6 Very little to do
• Furlong - 7 Another solid game
• Ajayi - 6 Didn't have a great game and the boo boys were out again. Another clean sheet though and I fear we'll see how much he'll be missed if this is a long injury. I really don't think it's his fault we're asking so much of him on the ball when we know he can't do it.
• Heggem - 6 Wont mark McNair. Looked a bit erratic and uncomfortable. Didn't head the ball cleanly or straight many times. I think he'll need a period of adjustment to play CB, and we'll have to expect to concede a few until he beds in.
• Styles - 5 Difficult to come into. Okay on the ball sometimes but crossing was woeful and looked very shakey defensively in the air and 1 v1.
• Mowatt - 6 Passed it well but feel like we need him to be braver and receive it 10 yards further forward on the turn instead of level with the CBs.
• Racic - 6 Again looked more comfortable but not sure what he is. Doesn't look a threat. Doesn't dominate 2nd balls.
• Grady - 5 Cannot play on the right. We've seen this for 3 years. We'd actually be better off playing Wallace there. Overcooked too many passes and too lightweight.
• Swift - 5 Just bored me to death.
• Johnston - 5 Can't recall a moment where he got the ball fast enough to run at anyone.
• Maja - 5 Just no service and 3rd game up top alone in a week is too big an ask. Felt he at least got on the end of the one decent cross we put it, which shows you we might do better to just sling it in there sometimes.

• Grant and Fellows - 5 Don't think they had the time to do much, and Cardiff had dug in by the time they arrived.
• Holgate - 5 He looks very lightweight for a CB and hit a couple of hopeless long passes.

Ancient Baggie:

Another frustrating day, I didn't have a clear view of the first half chances but it looked like Furlong missed a header from 6yds and Swift took an age to get a shot away with just the keeper to beat. From there on we huffed and puffed but didn't really threaten other than a decent strike from Diangana (about his only contribution) and a couple of crosses from the right after Fellows came on, one of which should really have been buried by Maja.

Cardiff were poor and we really need to be beating sides like this if we're going to challenge for a playoff place. Injuries to McNair and Ajayi will be a problem with Bartley already out but Heggem looked a natural fit when he went to centre back.

The lack of goals or a plan B is starting to affect the crowd, the atmosphere was definitely lacking as the game went on. Carlos has some work to do but I'm not sure what his options are with the current squad. Maja looked leggy second half and we need an attacking alternative.

Looking for positives, Heggem, Racic, both had solid games and Mowatt was tidy again but for me playing far too deep to affect the game. Fingers crossed for an improvement next week (a goal would be nice). COYB