[Archived] Baggies 1 - 1 Rovers

[modes98]

Having watched the second half we were alot better than the first. Savage playing the bet he has done for rovers so far, lucas having a superb game and stead looking very good just needs some luck.

Only negative thing to say is how bad steve bennet was!

[LeChuck]

Cracking effort by Reid at the end, I thought that had gone in.

Would have liked to have seen us go 4-4-2 earlier, we looked as though we were going to nick it had the game gone on for a little while longer.

[Eddie]

Well the second half...could we have asked for a better performance?

A team fighting for their lives and we barely let them have an attack. We were amazingly solid at the back, never had a sniff apart from one free kick, a corner and when Gera tried to head back across goal and it looped back on top of the cross bar. Clement's chance from a corner was an excellent one to put them two up, however, if you take a look there is a clear push on Mokoena as he makes his run which is why he finds himself unmarked at the far post, luckily he didn't take the chance.

The goal was a good one, for once the attacking runs found an end product, the low ball avoided everyone and made its way through to Emerton who took a touch before cooly putting it in the top corner. Savage then went close and really we should have scored and taken all three points. The game opened up as Albion pushed and we got forward well though were never able to find the back of the net, thought we had done it at the end when Reid shot from outside of the area and saw it fly into the side netting, looked for a second as if it had gone in.

All in all a good performance in difficult conditions. Had it not been for one great free kick we would have had a comfortable win, shame we couldn't get the second but not the end of the world.

[brfcshabba]

Steve Bennett bad? Just like the Bolton home game then

[Radagast]

Not a bad point considering we should be safe and WBA are fighting for their lives. And I only find out there was a live feed after the game finished. Crud.

[stuwilky]

Steve Bennett bad? Just like the Bolton home game then

I actually thought he was reasonable. Not the bestm but certainly not the worst, that reward is Barry Knight - weve got him on Saturday.

[Lathund]

You can't really get much closer than Stead's effort in the first half. When you hit the inside of the post and the ball goes out for a goal kick on the other side of goal.. well, that's close Reid had an excellent effort late on too.

Good display from the entire team really, I don't really have any complains except that it took some time for Pedersen and Neill to develop an understanding after MGP and Emerton had switched wings.

I haven't seen much of him for some time, but today I really got a reminder of what an amazing player Tugay really is. Some excellent through balls, although a couple of them were intercepted. I don't think he gave away the ball even once, excluding the aforementioned intercepted through balls or other difficult attacking passes. I honestly don't think there's any player with a better combination of passing, vision, awareness and technique in the league. It's too bad he's not the quickest or strongest player any more. Truly an artist... All this praise isn't based on tonights performance though, it just reminded me of what he CAN do.

Also a brilliant freekick by Richardson, nothing Friedel could do about it.

[eddiewac]

I listened on 909 AM and for once the commentators were actually pretty fair! They said a draw was the right result and that Stead should never have been booked and then I read this report from skysports - http://skysports.planetfootball.com/list.a...nel=Premiership

and they say that West Brom missed a lot of chances and they edged it! I missed the first half because I was playing footy but it sounded like we were the better team in the 2nd half and them in the first! They must never look at the stats because according to the stats on the same webpage, we had more chances!

West Bromwich Albion Blackburn Rovers

Possession % 52% 48%

Shots on target 3 3

Shots off target 5 7

Blocked shots 1 4

Edited April 26, 2005 by eddiewac

[Lathund]

Thought we were the slightly better team overall, although we didn't create too much. WBA had some dangerous set pieces which gave Clement (twice) and someone else a couple of decent chances to score, but other than that they didn't really have anything. Stead hit the post, Reid had a long range effort sail inches wide and Hoult produced an excellent save to deny Savage.

The main difference was how we contained them in the second half while they desperately needed an equaliser. Even after Mokoena went off we completely controlled midfield.

[herbergeehh]

Richardson was at times very lively.. perhaps a player we could talk to in the summer, a backup for MGP would be useful to push him further IMO..

[philipl]

Got home from watching both games.

AC were no way two goals better than PSV but PSV froze in front of goal and that certainly went for the guy with the complicated name we are supposed to be watching.

At The Hawthorns, I thought the ref was a disgusting homer. Many of the pro-West Brom decisions were dubious and MGP certainly pulled out of the collision with Hoult for which he and Lucas both got booked.

Rovers controlled the game, were clearly the better side but are so utterly toothless going forwards it is embarassing. Eventually, something was going to break and Stead was so unlucky with his shot, Emo took his chance well and yet again Reid had a great chance in injury time which he flashed wide.

The problem is not Stead, it is the play of Emo and MGP. Emo seems incapable of selecting the right ball and MGP's thought processes are simply not fast enough for the Premiership yet.

[Alex Rover]

...and MGP's thought processes are simply not fast enough for the Premiership yet.

That does seem to be the case but does anyone, like I, think he could make a good alternative striker playing in a 4-4-2 (in other words playing up front with an on form striker).

[philipl]

No

Speed of thought not quick enough out wide so no way can he be relied upon to lead the line.

[americanrover]

i guess im hapy with a draw looking at how we played. still a point is not bad.

[youandwhosearmy]

MGP's thought processes are simply not fast enough for the Premiership yet.

Good God!

You pick on other stupid comments fast enough. But that is easily one of the most idiotic quotes I have ever seen on this site, without a doubt.

I really think you should go away and hang your head in shame.

What does he have to do? Bosh 15 goals a season and set up a further 20+, like all other Premiershipeft wingers? (sarcasm)

Edited April 26, 2005 by youandwhosearmy

[Brownie]

Was a game we should have won.

Pedrson's booking was the worst in history, Neill was booked for showing his his sheer disbelief at the decision.

Stead is the unluckiest player I have ever known

[greggyk]

A decent performance from the Rovers. We were the better team and maybe we could have won it in the end.

Looking forward to the Brum game now. I'll be booking 3 tickets tomorrow, surley we wont sell out 1500, will we?

edit: Well played BBC (for once) with a fair match report here

bbc

Edited April 26, 2005 by greggyk

[leon]

Anyone got any stats on how many times Stead has hit the post or the bar this season?

Whenever I watch him, I think he's pretty good, but he always seems to be just missing this season...last, everything went in. Let's hope he finds that big gap between the posts a lot more next season

[chris]

well hitting the post is still a miss, we don't see Henry hitting the post and then moaning about luck, he still manages 20-25 goals.

Maybe Stead will get it right next season, but he's been very good at missing this season, infact some of his chances its been harder to hit the post then score.

[Steptoe]

Richardson was at times very lively.. perhaps a player we could talk to in the summer, a backup for MGP would be useful to push him further IMO..

The Baggies only have Richardson on loan from ManUre.

Perhaps John Williams could do a Kenyon and invite him to lunch.

[cn174]

Well I've just got back and I'm quite pleased with a point from the Hawthornes.

I thought we played ok in the first half despite going in a goal down. Excellent free kick by Richardson. I think we was all waiting for Gera to take it then Richardson stepped up.

How Stead missed that chance I dont know. Some lad watched it again on his phone and told us that the shot actually went it, then come back out again. I cant see how that can happen though really.

The second half the Rovers fans were a bit subdued, but then something at the back of the stand broke and then there was a river running down the aisle at the back (was a bit puzzled at first as to why my feet were getting wet) and everyone started singing again. Then shortly after we scored Was a bit worried when the ball run to Emerton, but good finish from the lad.

Savage and Pedersen then both came close and Hoult saved well from Gally towards the end. And that was about it!

- Thought Todd and Nelsen dealt well with the physical presence of Horsfield and Campbell, although Nelsen did give that free kick away.

- Savage looked better. Looks like he's getting his fitness back, I bet he cant wait for the Brum game.

- Pedersen, Ried and Mokoena all looked tired. Ried wasn't up to the standards of the previous weeks, but was ok in the main.

- Stead! Worked hard all game, but when is he gonna bloody score!!

They played the Great Escape several times over the tannoy. They are the team I want to stay up, I'm not sure they will though.

[roversWASmylife]

Just got back.

Decent performance, was never going to be easy. WBA are a team fighting for every point they can get.

Great free kick by Richardson, Friedel had no chance. Other than that Rovers didn't do a lot in the first half, apart from Stead, how on earth that didn't go in I'll never know.

Once WBA had got their goal, they always looked nervous. The home crowd were urging them on but WBA never looked like getting a second.

Emerton scored a nice little finish, thought he was going to have it saved as it seemed to be at his feet for ages.

Savage probably should have scored, from a cross on the volley but Hoult made a decent save.

Reid was also unlucky not to score from a good effort.

And my back is soaking, how did rain manage to get through that roof?

[cn174]

And my back is soaking, how did rain manage to get through that roof?

"Sh!t ground, sh!t roof"

[M-K]

MGP's thought processes are simply not fast enough for the Premiership yet.

How can you tell?

[Duff's Minder]

all criticism of MGP is just insane. No he's not Pires or Robben but he is on course to finish the season as our top-scorer having played only half the season and all of that on the left-wing. And that doesn't take into acount how many of his crosses and corners have created goals for us (like last night).

That aside I was a bit disapointed that Sparky didn't have more of a go at them last night, I really feel for Stead playing on his own but I guess he wanted to give WBA the same obstacle the others have had after all the talk of the 'old boys club' with Robbo.

Sounds like Toogs played well though which is heartening, I now he hasn't been at his best this season but that doesn't always mean a player is finished, I think he might still have a future for us.