Another good, convincing win for us as we take firm steps toward the playoff zone. Given when Slav was here this position was unthinkable, it's real credit to Hecky and the chaps for beating a team who comprehensively penised us at their place earlier in the season. Many of us - me included - have to eat humble pie over the appointment of Hecky. It seems last season's makeshift temporary appointment was just a stop gap and there were not real efforts to allow Hecky to bring his own ideas in and optimise the 5-3-2 into some sort of challenging formula. Would we have survived if we had this season's team as of today just as Wilder was sacked? Maybe not. The gulf in class between PL and tonight's opponents was very evident. West Brom, under Steve Bruce still look a typical Bruce side - lumpen and unfluid. They have a long way to go and I would be surprised to see them in the top six by May given tonight's poor showing.
Our lineup was the typical 'one of surprises'. No place for Goode, back comes C3PO, back comes Hourihane and a great comeback for Furious George who must have been eating raw steak on the touchline watching Bogle steal his boots. We started dead cagey, being pressed back into our half and final third at times and unable to break out. Every time it did, West Brom capably mopped things up and came back at us but credit where credit is, we weathered the brief storm. Our first really came from nowhere but it was a typical Billy goal where not even half a chance will do for him to find the net. Fallowfield, pay attention. He did make a bollock of his second chance and was given offside for his disallowed but his acumen as a striker, his experience in making defenders work hard and his eye for a chance is still razor sharp. At the other end Furious pulled off a fucking breathtaking last ditch tackle and then WBA are down to ten after a daft lunge by Livermore which, if Flecky went for a bath for that one he did a couple of seasons ago at BDTBL, then he should go for that. We're not good against ten though are we? Second half it looked like they'd been allowed a player back for the first twenty and we again struggled to stop them coming forward. We simply failed to make 'the hole' on the pitch count and outpass the opposition. If we did string passes together at times the final one was overplayed (Norwood) or ended up in no man's land out wide where WBA just jockeyed us.
Second goal however was borne of some nice play with better passing and we managed to get the ball into an area where MGW was moving to attack and probably score and Billy simply crashed it into the net. Fallowfield take note. After that WBA just tried to pump the ball long to Carroll who'd tried and failed to bully out centrebacks. We managed the game out to a pretty convincing conclusion.
Foderingham 6/10: Not a massive amount for him to do once again but pick low shots off the deck. At times a bit iffy with punches but in those moments they did sent their big fellers up
Baldock 7.5/10: Great return for George even if he was well out of position. Plenty of energy and a brilliant goal saving tackle
Robinson 6/10: Steady game with some key headers and interceptions when we came under pressure and less errors. But he's still not JOC
Egan 7/10: Put himself about against a big strong lad like Carrol and in my humble opinion won most of the battles preventing him from having any effect
Basham 7/10: Sometimes ace, sometimes (rarely) a bit lacking. Was skinned by Grant a couple of times which was unusual
Bogle 6.5/10: Not quite as industrious as of late. Think he was hiding an injury for much of the game. Still works well with players around him but tonight he lacked a bit of sparkle. Picked up a needless yellow
Norwood 6.5/10: Still playing quarterback but now has his Hollywood Ball programming updated so less of that and more movement. A pretty 'okay' game from him
Hourihane 6/10: Sent in a great cross for Billy's disallowed goal but didn't impose much even when they went down to ten men. In that situation, players like him should be free roaming and providing the option to exploit the 'hole'
McGoldrick 6.5/10: Not a vintage Didsy performance. He did link well with all around and calmed the play somewhat but he's losing what vestige of effect he used to have. Hope his injury isn't serious however. He is best 'off the bench' in a match these days
N'Daiye 6.5/10: Has plenty of capability but at times can be wasteful.
Sharp 7.5/10: Got goals from 50% of the clear cut chances he had and that will do. Drops a whole half mark for the one he hit straight at Johnstone
MGW 6.5/10: instantly involved and eager to muscle his way back in. It's nice to see competition in the squad and him involved in it and the creation of goals.
McBurnie 5/10: Was 'okay' but nothing spectacular and with less impact than the last game. But at least we now know he has stopped shithousing
Berge (unmarked) Don't think he touched the ball (quelle surprise)
Great win for us. Three points, now within spitting distance of a decent finish.
Onwards to Hudds on Satdi.
pommpey
yeah i agree he's better than them individually but as a duo with norwood he looks lost, he runs around like a headless chicken
