We ask what lessons must be learnt from West Bromwich Albion’s defeat to Liverpool.
West Bromwich Albion’s defeat to Liverpool was a microcosm of their season so far. It evoked a blend of infuriation, frustration and – almost tauntingly – a glimmer of optimism. Above all else, it was a game that made Albion’s shortcomings so clear that Tony Pulis must begin to compromise.
The inadequacies of Tony Pulis’s current system were on full display in the first half. Albion’s defensive midfield partnership’s inability, not only to retain possession, but to transition into counter attack continues to limit the team.
Claudio Yacob and Darren Fletcher put their teammates under unnecessary pressure, as their slow and indecisive use of the ball played into the hands of Liverpool’s high energy midfield.
On this occasion, it led directly to Liverpool’s second goal. Fletcher’s baffling back pass to Ben Foster gifted the ball to Liverpool, who swiftly punished the Baggies naivety. Between Yacob and Fletcher there simply isn’t enough quality on the ball for West Brom to play the way they do. The midfield duo invite just as much pressure than they extinguish.
In the second half, the introduction of Chris Brunt and James Morrison helped ease Albion’s possession problems. The team looked sharper, moving the ball quicker and finally asking some questions of Liverpool’s frail defence. It also helped to relieve the pressure on their own back-line, who were no longer subject to wave after wave of unbroken Liverpool attacks.
With Yacob suspended for the visit of Manchester City, Pulis will be forced to name a different central midfield pair for the first time this season. Morrison’s second half performance should be enough to claim to claim his spot; while Brunt will be pushing for Matt Phillips’ place in the team.
There will also be questions over Albion’s struggling full-backs. The out-of-position Allan Nyom and Craig Dawson are easy targets for teams of Liverpool’s quality. Nyom was at fault for the opener and Pulis will be ill-advised to persist with the Cameroonian at left-back for the City game.
He coped well against an out-of-form Stoke and a miserable Sunderland but has been exposed up against higher calibre players. Brunt may be ushered back into the role to prove West Brom’s summer recruitment inadequate.
Amazingly, Pulis’s men could have nicked a point off an impressive Liverpool side. But too often this season Albion have been the‘nearly men, with draws that should have been wins (Tottenham, Sunderland, Stoke) and defeats that could have been draws (Middlesbrough, Bournemouth, Everton).
The Liverpool game showed Pulis exactly what he needs to change. He must not ignore it this time.
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