Our verdict on what went wrong today in the defeat at Bristol City.
Discipline
West Brom failed to keep their discipline today; they grew edgy as soon as the game started to turn against them. They lost focus and gave away too many free kicks which meant yet more bookings and much time wasted.
Substitutions
Taking off defenders and replacing them with strikers is a very naive way of pressing the game. All that happens is the forwards have to come back deep to try and collect the ball because there is no-one able to build the play from the back. It doesn’t work Robbo!
Team play
Characterised by Brunt and Dorrans who often failed to see a better placed team-mate because they are too absorbed in making their own statement on the game.
Man marking
The way to defend set-pieces is not to chase the ball all around the penalty area but to make sure you are covering the attacking runs of the opposition. Tamas and Olsson were guilty of running towards the ball and being left for dust by the quicker Bristol players.
Speed
Mattock’s limitations as a full-back were fully exposed today; he looked even slower than the departed Paul Robinson. At one point he tried to foul Haynes and ended lying on his back as the lightning forward skipped away. Embarrassing.
Nouble
Not a good game for Frank. He looked slow, his touch was heavy, his passing inaccurate and he couldn’t get past people. Why did he start on the right wing?
Free-kicks
If you have a corner or a free-kick stick to what you can do well. Don’t try some fancy move that worked in training because, more often that not, it will go wrong. Keep it simple and play to your strengths. Put pressure on the other team rather than trying to be clever.
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