West Bromwich Albion 0 - Rotherham United 1

Dave Watkin:

TEAM NEWS

There were two changes, surprisingly Russell Hoult was declared fit and replaced Joe Murphy, while Paul Robinson returned from suspension instead of Alassane N'Dour.

WE THOUGHT WE HAD SCORED...

Albion made a positive start and the keeper was twice called upon to make saves from Jason Koumas, before Lee Hughes came very close to scoring. He shot on the turn from just inside the box and the ball seemed to have snuck in at the foot of the post. However, the fans' celebrations were cut short when it became clear that the ball had hit the side netting rather than the back of the net.

The Baggies were dominating the game at this stage and when Lee Hughes ran onto a Horsfield flick he appeared to be brought down on the edge of the area, only for the referee to wave play on. On the quarter-hour the best attempt so far came from a Jason Koumas left wing cross and a back header by Geoff Horsfield that the keeper only kept out by flinging himself to his left and pushing the ball round the post. The early pressure continued when Horsfield pulled the ball back from the right by-line to Hughes, who shot tamely wide of the far upright.

Whether an enforced substitution by the away side made a difference is unclear, but certainly for the rest of the half Albion were subdued and the Millers came more into the match without seriously threatening a goal.

SLUGGISH START

Albion were first out on the pitch after the break, but it was the Millers who made the liveliest start, forcing Russell Hoult into a brave save.

Ten minutes into the half Albion made a triple substitution, bringing on Joost Volmer, Sean Gregan and Delroy Facey for Robinson, Kinsella and Hughes and switching from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2 in a move that mirrored the successful change in tactics at Sheffield.

Today however there was no visible improvement and with the home side too predictable, the visitors seemed to sense that perhaps they could earn more than a point. The goal, in the 73rd minute, was controversial. A collision between Darren Moore and an attacker left both players stretched out in the penalty box. Nine times out of ten a referee would halt play in this situation, but Rotherham were allowed to continue and SEDGWICK ran unchallenged at the defence to fire a low shot into the bottom corner. He could have added a second moments later, when spotting Hoult off his line he tried an audacious lob which had the Baggies keeper back pedalling as it dipped just over the bar.

Big Dave resumed after treatment, but whether because of the injury or purely as a tactical measure, he went up front in a desperate 4-3-3 formation.

Albion pressured the away defence but their attempts were all scrambled clear, except for a Sean Gregan pile-driver that felled Andy Johnson! The referee awarded a late free kick just outside the area which Jason Koumas curled over the wall, but the keeper was able to tip the ball onto the underside of the bar. In added time Darren Moore was foiled when the keeper blocked his close range shot.

ALBION FORMRATE : POOR

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH : DARREN MOORE

OPINION

Albion played some of the best passing football of the season as they outclassed lowly Rotherham in the opening twenty minutes. What we didn't know was that the Horsfield header in that period, which was saved at full stretch, would be the highlight of the game.

The Baggies allowed the tempo to drop for the rest of the half and United, who probably couldn't believe they were still in the game, suddenly realised they could grab all three points. The goal was unusual to say the least. These days referees stop play at the slightest excuse so with two players down in the area you don't expect to see players skipping round prone bodies to score. I thought Darren Moore was our most impressive player today, so obviously with him out of the action we were struggling. An assist for the official?

I wouldn't quibble too much with the starting eleven, although I would have kept Joe Murphy in goal and saved Russell Hoult for Norwich. I'm critical of the line-up in midfield, with Clement wide right and Koumas left. Admittedly this allows them to cut inside and get in a shot, but it leaves us lacking width. I would like to see Koumas in an influential role in the middle of the park just behind the front men, with Kinsella in the holding role, Johnson wide right and Clement left. The substitutions worked last week but not today and of course meant that we couldn't introduce the pace and guile of Lloyd Dyer.

All in all a wasted opportunity and after the opening spell a very, very disappointing performance.

TABLES

The results could hardly have been worse. From the top ten, SIX won, Wigan, Ipswich, Millwall, West Ham, Reading and Crystal Palace, TWO, Norwich and Sunderland, didn't play and only ONE, Sheffield United, lost.

Consequently, the BAGGIES are still THREE points behind the Canaries, having played one more game and are only THREE points ahead of Wigan who lead the rest of the pack by a further FOUR points.

Anc:

Well let's hope thats a lesson learned, the game turned out pretty much as I expected, predictable I suppose is the word of the day, for some reason Albion can't raise the game against the poorer sides in this division, the word Wimbledon has been used too much while walking back along the Birmingham Road by fans, Rotherham did not employ the tactics Wimbledon used at all, they came at us, I'm not saying they dominated the game, we did that, but you can't suggest they sat back, the blond haired guy Monkhouse gave us plenty of trouble down the flanks and their keeper Pollit was in fine form.

Albion today gave a performance that will have the tacticians wondering how the hell we are where we are, I wouldn't class myself in that bracket but others I know will have plenty of questions to ask on a day we could have set ourselves up nicely for Norwich away.

Ladbrokes didn't see it coming but Anc did.

Jules:

Crap, utter crap. I just knew this morning that we'd either win 3 or 4-0 or lose 1-0, but it could never be the more favourable could it!

I hate criticising but why take off Hughes, the only player who looked capable of scoring when Horsfield, i'm sorry to say, was just making it a full XI? Have we sung the praises of Lloyd so much that he doesn't get the chance in a situation that was crying out for him?? What is the method behind aimlessly heading the ball and hoping it might get headed again by a guy in blue and white stripes? And where the f**k is Sakiri these days?

Play like this Tuesday night and the people of Norwich will come to Carrow Road just to laugh at us.

We haven't been outside the top 2 since 14th October, how come? It's not been on the strength of home games thats for sure!

COME ON ALBION, WAKE UP, THAT GOES FOR MANAGEMENT & PLAYERS! You know we should be miles ahead if it weren't for p***ing points away like this.

thecads:

I remember saying to my wife after about 15 minutes - " playing really well today, best we've passed it around for ages...."

Honestly, it was superb if you weren't there. Why didn't I keep my gob shut?

However, the wheels then came off as rotherham got more in the game and players began to hide.

We stopped tackling, tracking, passing & moving.

Rotherham were poor. They had no players that made you worry. They seemed no threat - we gave them the game. We became overconfident after the first 15 mins and we all thought (players and fans) we'd walk it. And the players did. They walked.

Megson should be applauded for trying to change things but in my opinion he chose the worng players totally to bring off. Kinsella was one of the few players who were effective - I'd happily have seen koumas, AJ or Clem go off at that stage. Why Hughesie went off I just didn't undertsand - Geoff, apart from the first 15 mins, was anonymous. Ok Gregan looked good when he came on. Ok Robinson was shocking, but Kinsella and Hughes looked two of only 4 players at the races at this stage.

I also thought it was a risk making 3 subs when Hoult had only just returned. Indeed when he keeled over backpeddling after a Rotherham chip late on, he was hobbling and looked like he'd knackered his back again.

Player marks

• Hoult - 5 - his poor kick caused their goal
• Haas - 3 - incredibly poor, looks shot
• Moore - 6 - sh*t passing but won headers
• Tommy - 7 - did all expected
• Robbo - 2 - terrible
• Clem - 5 - played on wrong side - weak tackles with weak foot
• Koumas - 3 - did nothing, 2 runs but didn't pass
• Kinsella - 8 - looked good - tackled, passed - why did he go off?
• AJ - 4 - game bypassed him by - needs a rest
• Hughes - 6 - looked sharp, but didn't hit target
• Horsfield - 5 - game passed him by after 15 mins
• Megson - 4 - tried to change things - but made mistakes with clem on right and with players he took off
• Gregan - 7 - good passing and tackles, cared
• Facey - 5 - nothing much, some effort
• Volmer - 5 - did ok, not noticed much

Our chance has gone i fear, 3 points today would have kept the pack away. now the pack can all sense blood and naarwich is now a massive game.

I don't think the players have the bottle - i hope i'm wrong.

Bryn Jones:

While Our Leader may have many virtues, a capacity for recognising the obvious seems not to be one of them. On Radio WM he attributed the result to lack of commitment, application and effort.

Beside the point Gary. The performance was awful because almost the only attacking option was back to Route 1 balls for the strikers. Plenty of crosses were whipped in but the quality was so poor they made little impact.

The three substitutions on 60 minutes were ineffective because the resulting 3-5-2 became the old 5-3-2 (a few runs by Clem apart) and Robberham took over the midfield.

The midfield-attack was built around a non-performer, Koumas, who repeatedly gave the ball away and should have been subbed. Having to play him on his favourite left side meant having Clem on the right till the subs happened. And Clem was woefully out-of-position and out-of-sorts in that position.

The limited potential in the formation and selections of the last three games was shown up by a workman-like side who were able to exploit the limitations.

We weren't outfought. We were out-played and out-thought by a better team on the day. You got it wrong today Garry. We need an alternative to the long ball game we need an alternative to the give-it-to-Koumas ploy.

Drop Koumas till he?s properly fit and sharp again. Bring back Sakiri to provide some constructive passing. Abandon 3-5-2 if it can only be played as a 5-3-2.

Coffee smells fresher when one is conscious.

Sarky Parky:

I won't level criticism at Megson's tactics today. For most of the first half we were by far the better team and played good football with Koumas and Kinsella running the show. How a previous report only gave Jason 3 points is beyond me. Were we at the same match? However, as Rotherham got more into the game we lost our earlier control.

The second-half substitutions were strange and this is where Megson must hold his hand up. Taking off Robinson was understandable - he should never be in GM's best starting eleven - but why Kinsella was taken off was beyond all the people in my vicinity. And Hughes was looking dangerous and getting into scoring positions. Okay, he was missing his chances but he was the better of the two strikers. Megson made more or less the same substitutions as he did at Bramall Lane but I felt a different approach was called for here. Why is he still reluctant to use Dyer? After seeing so exhilaratingly what he can do, surely GM should realise he's one of the few players we have whose pace can unlock defences.

So after two wins on the bounce we revert to the bad old ways. Perhaps, as Dichio intimated, we're not as good as we think we are. Whether this is the players' fault or the manager's fault I leave others to judge. What is certain in this roller-coaster division 1 season, particularly with Millwall, Wigan and Ipswich winning, is that the promotion spots and play off places look like going to the wire. There is not an outstanding team and whoever gets promoted is likely to struggle big time come September unless major changes are made in the summer.

Norwich is now a massive game. If we lose, they'll be six points clear with a game in hand and the pack may well be close on our heels. And we still have Wigan to come to the Hawthorns.

Driftwood:

The signs have been there all season and at the risk of being blasted for being negative or anti-Megson, this is the best we can expect from a Gary Megson side so either put up with it or make that stand. The truth of the matter is if it takes blood, sweet and tears we always have a chance against any side at this level but when it takes footballing know-how or tactics forget it as anyone can beat us, as Wimbledon and Rotherham have proved.

Why at this time in the season don't we have - a settled team, a settled formation or even some sight of a formula for success, apart from letting teams come at us till they run out of ideas? League game 33 saw us start 442, our once first choice left back playing right midfield, Hoult perhaps needed longer, this perhaps shows just how little faith the manager has in Murphy. Big Dave is a liability if we don't have people around him who can mop up the loose balls the leaves - Siggy used to do that a lot and McIness used to clear from the edge of the box. Haas gets worse as the season goes on. What's this bloke got to do to be dropped? And if Clement is so good at covering while Haas goes forward why not play Clement at "Right" back and drop Haas? The switch at 55 mins to 352 with the introduction of two centre backs did nothing to create better chances.

Megson won't change a winning team but all too often that win has been away where we have stood strong, whereas at home we need to get forward and create while the other team sits back. To do this we need creative players and today we had only one on the pitch who, like so often lately, plays on his own. Keeping the ball long enough for our full backs to move out of position then losing it and watching them struggle to get back. Both Dyer and Sakiri should have started in my opinion.

The question marks just mount up for Megson at this level don't they but I think the simple truth is the job is just too big for him now. He'll get us up again, almost sure of that, but I'm much more sure that he'll bring us back down the season after.

Here's to Norwich on Tuesday and expecting a good result simply because it's our type of game, backs against the wall and all that stuff. Introducing Mr Gregan's arse....

AJ-B:

Elementary, or so should have been a home win against lowly Rotherham, can someone please explain what on earth went on today? Another poor side who made us a laughing stock, as have Preston, Wimbledon, Derby, Reading, Crewe and Coventry, not forgetting Walsall on the opening day. It is quite extraordinary how we are still second in this league for we are also becoming a poor side.

Yet as the game began we displayed some really good football with every move centred round Kinsella who was outstanding, controlling the central midfield and never wasting a pass. It was he who began all of our attacking moves that created gilt edge chances for Koumas, Hughes and Horsefield, sadly we are back in a familiar position of playing strikers who just cannot score goals, in recent games it has been defenders - especially Thomas Gaardsoe who have been scoring. For the first 20 minutes we looked as though we would create a hatful of goals, completely outplaying the Millers, but then we stopped playing, AJ, Koumas, Robinson all guilty of avoiding a simple ball to Kinsella who created oceans of space, and opting for dribbling or the impossible long crossfield punt, our shape and play deteriorated into mediocraty. Half time the score still stalemate at 0-0.

The second period began even more painfully than where the first half ended. Substitution of at least one position should have been made at the break, this was a game we really ought to win, as the Sunderland v Norwich game was postponed, 3 points here would have put us on level points at the top, and with the visit to Norwich on Tuesday next, a chance to recover our position at the top, sadly though as this game progressed we looked even less likely of creating chances - let alone scoring. Koumas took a free kick some 20 yards out, the resulting punt would have done justice to Johnny Wilkinson, as it ballooned high over the bar.

Gary Megson then made a squanderous waste in substitutions, with the score still 0-0 he brings on THREE players in one swoop - exactly the same trio he used last week against the Blades. I complimented him last week, but Megson displayed naivety in assuming that as this worked before it would work again, Sheffield are a different team, the situation was different, to make the same substitutions again was a crass mistake, and to use all 3 subs together - very poor management. He once again took off Hughes when Horsefield should have gone, he also took off our best player - Kinsella, it just did not make sense, it proves again that the manager does not have a 'plan B' when things are not going well.

We then had the stake driven through the heart as Rotherham scored an opportunist goal, yes perhaps the referee should have halted play as Darren Moore and a Rotherham player were both grounded in the Albion penalty area. However Russell Hoult did a little dribble to retrieve the ball (this is when the ref should have halted play) instead of Hoult kicking the ball into touch to let the players recieve treatment, he made a bad clearance upfield that Neil Clement was unable to control, Chris Sedgwick seized his chance and, unchallenged by defenders who just stopped, calmly put the ball in the net. A calamity!

Albion asserted pressure in the closing period but to no avail. Koumas had another free kick from the edge of the box, this time a perfectly placed shot that was tipped onto and over the bar by the agile Michael Pollitt, so our last chance of a salvage operation well and truly scuppered.

If we now lose to Norwich and Wigan win their match, they will move above us into 2nd place.

I do not usually give points out of ten for players in my reports, I do this in the chart at the top of this page, but here is my marking:

• Hoult - 5 - responsible for not kicking into touch and for giving the chance to the visitors for the goal.
• Haas - 2 - Another dreadful display, he should be rested.
• Robinson - 3 - Very poor, wild distribution, not needed here.
• Gaardsoe - 8 - Another solid game from the best captain we have had in ages.
• Moore - 7 - Another good game-passing suspect.
• Johnson - 2 - Terrible, looked like Worzel Gummidge stuck in the middle of the field, did not scare off the crows!
• Koumas - 4 - What is wrong with him? not had a good game since Forest away. Is a passenger these days.
• Kinsella - 8 - Excellent, the only player that looked anything like, why was he taken off???
• Clement - 6 - A model professional, put out of position yet again, but adapted well and performed better than most.
• Hughes - 6 - Really does try but cannot score goals, more missed chances today but should not have been taken off.
• Horsfield - 4 - Another poor performance,only 3 good gamessince he came here, does not have the quality. He should have been replaced.

Subs:

• Facey - 7 - Industrious with pace, did OK.
• Gregan - 5 - Had thunderous shot blocked by AJ! did OK
• Volmer - 7 - Much more solid than Robinson, did very well
• Gary Megson - 2 - I have never had great faith since he came here, still a lot to prove, must stop continually blaming everyone but himself, tactics today were hopeless.

Summary: We now have an abundance of strikers with Dobie back to fitness, perhaps it is time to either recall Rob Hulse and Scott Dobie (who have scored most of our goals between them) or give Morten Skoubo his chance, Horsfield and Hughes have had enough chances and have not been scoring, we must use our resources better and put players in natural positions instead of cobbling together bizzare formations.

Heathens:

This is the most depressed I've been all season.

Everything had happened to make this a routine game to win. And before anyone says it no I'm not a subscriber to 'We're Big so we should win' theory, Rotherham wanted to win as well.

It all started so brightly in the first 15-20 minutes, with us passing the ball around and Rotherham chasing shadows. It was only a matter of time surely????? Chances came and went for Johnson and Horsefield, but slowly and surely Rotherham started cutting out the chances, and stated to push forward a little themselves. Trying to prove that lightening does strike twice, after the success at Sheffield, early in the second half Megson made a triple substitution, Volmer, Gregan, and Facey, for Robinson, Hughes and Kinsella. At least we tried to change the game. We created further chances for Horsefield and a great free-kick from Koumas late on, unfortunately in the 73 minute following chaos in the Albion rear-guard and with Moore lying on the ground Sedgewick scored beating Hoult to his right, from the edge of the area, following a Barker flick on. We could argue for hours as to if the play should have been stopped, but we should have the resources to score a least two against anyone. It wasn't to be.

Our efforts got more and more frantic, but other than the Koumas free kick late on what did we really create? Rotherham worked hard, and the triple substitution actually helped them as Monkhouse and Sedgewick started to find gaps that previously didn't exist.

It's all about opinions but I wouldn't have bought back Hoult today, as what had Murphy done wrong?, however the Gary Megson argument would probably be along the lines of 'It is my responsibility to pick the best available 11 players to take the field, and Hoult is a better Goalkeeper than Murphy', however what must Murphy be thinking???

In the great scheme of things this may not matter, however we now have a massive week coming up, with a trip to 10 day fresh Norwich on Tuesday and a decisively tricky game at home to The Sky Blues on Saturday.

Make life interesting don't they the Baggies!

Players

US

• Hoult-Not much to do, one good save.
• Haas-disappointing
• Moore-on floor for goal
• Gaardsoe-average performance
• Robinson-not at his best
• Koumas-very quite
• Kinsella-played some good passes unlucky to be subbed
• Johnson-not very effective
• Clement-looked out of position on the right
• Hughes-quieter
• Horsefield-worked hard
• Subs:
• Gregan-did well
• Volmer-OK
• Facey-not much impact

Them

• Pollitt-Outstanding game,
• Sedgwick, Monkhouse- Stars of the Rotherham team, both worked tirelessly and had a touch of menace!

Ref-Fair

Glad to see that the Manager is upset with the performance. So are 23000 Baggies fans.

Points average 1.82, if we would have had my requirement from early on ie 2, we would be Top and looking very good. The crunch is coming, if not quite here yet.

It's all so frustrating!

Jon Want:

After a performance and result that warmed the heart at Bramall Lane, this one sent a shiver down the spine and raised doubts as to Albion's strength of character. Maybe if Norwich had played and lost in the early kick-off, it may have been different, but the fact is the team should be approaching every game as their most important to date, and against Rotherham it was plainly not the case.

It was frustrating to see an Albion side seemingly devoid of passion, drive and ideas after the previous week's performance had promised so much. This game will not cost us promotion, it remains well within our grasp. But we cannot afford any more performances like this if an automatic spot is to be secured.

Marks

• Hoult - 7 - Great to have him back.
• Haas - 6 - Did OK but lacked any real penetration.
• Gaardsoe - 7 - Fairly solid but not the rock we expect.
• Moore - 8 - MOM. Looking to be back to his best with a sterling performance.
• Robinson - 7 - Did well defensively and protected Koumas.
• Koumas - 5 - Did OK for the first 20 minutes, but then became anonymous; he needs to take control of games like this.
• Johnson - 6 - Didn't do much, right or wrong.
• Kinsella - 7 - Another good performance, unlucky to be taken off.
• Clement - 6 - Started well but faded badly.
• Horsfield - 7 - Did OK with little service.
• Hughes - 7 - Looked excellent in the first 20 minutes; unlucky to be taken off.
• Gregan - 6 - Changed nothing.
• Volmer - 5 - After a great impact last week, he looked a different player. Disappointing.
• Facey - 6 - With 35 minutes, this was his big chance - he failed.
• The Manager - 6 - Ronnie Moore's substitution seemed to change the game, Megson's did not. Obviously the players didn't perform, but by making all three subs at once so early, he left himself with no option to change it further.

For a full report and comments, visit www.jonwant.com/albion.html

Pete Cottrell:

Before the game the message came out from the manager that we mustn't underestimate Rotherham, they are a good, committed team etc. etc. We've heard the same crap about Derby, Bradford, Forest and God knows who else - but if they are so good, why are they all languishing at the bottom of the table? What Megson should be saying is "Look lads, these are rubbish - go out and attack them for 90 minutes and improve our goal difference." The fact of the matter is that we are 7 goals worse off than Norwich, and if results go as expected on Tuesday, we will be worse off than both Wigan and West Ham. By the way, I am not knocking the individual players in these clubs: they are highly paid professionals and the worst player in the division could run rings round me, and probably most of the readers of this website; given an opportunity they can pass straight and will score. Collectively, though, it is a different matter - we should be playing them off the park.

But back to this "attacking for 90 minutes"; the fact is that we don't. We might counter attack (West Ham, Sheff Utd), but if we don't score in the first 20 minutes then instead of continuing for the next 20 minutes, and the next, and the next, panic seems to set in. We revert to ridiculous long ball tactics, the opposition realise what is going on and suddenly they come alive and take the game to us (Derby, Forest in the cup, and now Rotherham). If we do score, there is a tendency to sit back, consider the job done and simply protect the lead (Norwich and, disastrously, Crewe). Perhaps we should take a leaf from Hereford United's book: on Friday, 6-0 up with five minutes left, instead of patting themselves on the back and playing out time, they really twisted the knife and scored 3 more in the last 5 minutes.

As to the match... was this the worst game that AJ has played for the club? His timing was execrable (he was either too early or too late at meeting the ball) his control woeful (why does he need to do a 360 degree turn when he receives the ball, for all the world like a dog settling down to sleep) and his passing dire. Mind you, in this last feature he was not the only one. Does no one ever point out that the best pass is on that is marginally in front of the player, not at him (so that he has to stop) or, for heaven's sake, behind him when the recipient has to turn round to get it. AJ, Robinson, Haas, Koumas were all guilty of this time after time. Are they thick? incapable? uninterested? poorly advised? Just what is the reason, then?

Secondly, what was the purpose of this nonsense about playing Koumas on the left and Clement - as one footed as Long John Silver - on the right. We tried it against Walsall with Our Tim on the right and it was a miserable failure then, and Sakiri can actually use his right foot. This departure from what had seemed a perfectly good system against Cardiff and Sheffield upset the whole rhythm of the mid-field and probably dictated the course of the match, and for what? Some crappy training ground whim, I suppose. Clem therefore had a shocker, but I'm not convinced that it was all his fault. For a start, the ball was routinely delivered behind him (see comments on AJ above), and then he had to manoeuvre himself so as not to be forced on to his right foot - which gave the defender plenty of time and probably a good laugh into the bargain. When he did play wide left later in the game his confidence was shot and every one of his crosses went straight into the arms of the grateful Rotherham keeper. What would we not have given for Sakiri or Dyer to be putting those across?

Talking of which, we were in no position to use Dyer owing to the manager's stupidity in making three substitutions at once. OK, he may (prematurely) have decided to change the system, hence Volmer on for the dreadful Robinson. But what was wrong with leaving Kinsella on? What was Gregan supposed to add? Plus the like-for-like Facey for Hughes. The Roofer may have missed a couple of sitters, but I would rather he had been on the field for the frantic last 15 minutes than Horsfield, who was no more than a poor man's Daniele Dichio. And Facey was worse.

Finally... no I've vented my spleen now, I shan't waste energy on wondering why and how we suddenly decided that a passing game which produced eight goal attempts in the first 20 minutes should be dispensed with for a puerile long ball game which produced the cube root of bugger all. so, straight to the ratings:

• Hoult: 6. Shouldn't have been playing in my book, but apart from a shared responsibility for the goal did little wrong
• Haas: 3. The lowest mark I have ever given (yet). He was Premiership class six months ago. What have we done to him???
• Gaardsoe: 6. Just about. Stopped playing the ball on the ground after half an hour in favour of the hoof.
• Moore: 6. Good first half except that his headers (and he won every one) were consistently misdirected. Poor second half.
• Robinson: 3. Woeful. Let's give N'Dour another chance.
• Koumas: 4. Lazy sod who plays when he wants to. If Megson can't get through to him why not ask Mark Hughes to have a word. He won't be picked for wales in a hurry.
• Johnson: 2. See above. Could hardly have played worse had it been deliberate.
• Kinsella: 6. Wasn't setting the Hawthorns on fire, but was doing nothing wrong so why take him off?
• Clement: 3. See above. For God's sake play to his strengths, don't emphasise his weaknesses.
• Horsfield: 3. All he did in the second half was ensure that we lost possession because he insisted on pushing and pulling the defender at every opportunity.
• Hughes: 5. The most likely to score had we continued with a passing game, but missed an easy chance after 20 minutes.
• Gregan: 5. Worse than Kinsella, so why bother?
• Volmer: 6. Had little impact, positive or negative.
• Facey: 3. Fast, but then so was Shergar and he couldn't play football either.
• Megson: 3. I don't usually give the manager a mark, but this was mismanagement on such a large scale that I couldn't resist it.

Last three home games are Gillingham, Bradford and Forest. By rights we should get nine points and plus nine goals, but no doubt we'll be told that they are good teams whom we shouldn't take for granted; we'll give them too much respect and do as we did against the other three bottom teams: Derby, Wimbledon and Rotherham. That way we would miss the play-offs...

thecads:

I've already discussed the match above, but i wanted to justify my low grade of koumas for which i've been asked if i was at the same game.

Koumas - I awarded a 3. Maybe he's a victim of his higher standards earlier in the season and i'm being over harsh, but the mark of a quality player is someone who does it week in, week out for the majority of the game. Koumas made a few decent cross field passes, showed 2 flashes of beautiful skill but then lost the ball both times by not releasing it. what else did he do?

I don't remember him tackling back, but i do remember him drifting back a few times. There were no killer passes. There were no mazy dribbles in danger areas - no dangerous shots or crosses. I don't really think he worked that hard. His set pieces delivery were generally poor comapred to his normal standard with the exception of the free kick that was palmed onto the bar. his other free kick was closer to circling planes.

I think he does care, you could see he was annoyed at himself. But i do think he was really below par, compared to 2 months ago. I think he was well below his high standards and didn't influence the game like pre xmas - for that reason I would still stand by my 3 - to my mind his performance wasn't half as good as it was a few months ago when i was regularly giving him 8s or 9s. I think some fans give him higher marks than he merits recently because he's a favourite.

Maybe it's Megson's fault for not playing dyer, giving us real width. Maybe koumas isn't fully fit. Don't get me wrong, I think koumas is without doubt the most exciting & gifted player we've had for maybe 25 years. i personally would play him in the middle of a 442 where he would be much more involved and could influence proceedings. But on Saturday I was really disappointed with him. And add to that my wife agrees too - for us to agree re footie is rare. So if u don't agree, argue with her!!

Chris D:

After seeing last weeks heroics I didn't go to the match this Saturday but instead listened to BRMB and Albion World with the expectation of 3 points, a few goals and a cracking team team effort.

It wasn't to be, did they still have paint in their eyes? Or were they all thinking about Tuesdays big match?

Anyway, I would totally agree with Pete Cottrells match comments as being absolutey bang on. Since "about" October Albion pass the ball around for the first 20 minutes and play some nice football and create some good chances, BUT if they don't score then the crowd anxiety is very quickly reflected in our play as we simply go route 1 as we panic to score the first goal.

We cannot afford to let this happen as we rarely win the long ball this season and this gives the other team chance to calm down and get into the match.

Megson has got to ask the team to be patient against the lower teams and in the next few matches at home and away

Boing Boing

Sarky Parky:

To theCads - an addition to my earlier posting. I think you're probably right about judging Koumas by his own high standards and certainly he's not performing anywhere near as well as he did in the early part of the season. But I still maintain he was one of our best players on Saturday and one of the few who looked likely to create something. He is now playing only at the level of a Richard Sneekes say - still good enough for much of the time - and not to the level of a Jasan Koumas. But it doesn't help when he and Clem are played out of position.

I think in this division our defence is generally good enough to cope and I would like Jason being given a more or less free role to do damage as he can. I would play 4-4-2 but with both Clement and Dyer operating on the left. As both have experience of playing either wing-back or full-back, they would be interchangeable, with one quite capable of covering the other when he went forward. I would have Kinsella in a holding role in front of the defence and AJ on the right. The formation would be something like:

                     Hoult
  Haas     Moore                    Gaardsoe    Clement
                      Kinsella
  Johnson                                          Dyer
                                   Koumas
          Any two from our six strikers.
   

I feel Robinson can have no place in our best starting eleven although he may be employed, as might Gregan, when Megson feels a more defensive formation is called for. Both of them together with Sakiri should be useful players to have on the bench. Sadly, I feel we still don't have an outstanding striker - of the kind Hughes was and Roberts promised to become. We do however have people who can score goals in a creative team. Maybe Dobie should be given the chance to resume his partnership with Horsfield. But I agree with you that the position and motivation of Koumas (and I would add the utilisation of Dyer), is vital to our success or failure this season.