That’s four defeats in a row. Three of them close games away from home, one odd game at home, but nothing to show for any of them. And now two weeks to stew on it all.
I think we’d all hoped for a better season, and while the night is still young, the points are not yet on the board. As we know only too well, if you start a season badly it can be hard to make up ground later on. Put another way, we need to start winning soon.
Which we may well do. Andy Johnson was missing here, and is expected to be one of our more influential players this season. When he returns and hits his stride things could be different. Let’s hope so.
Today the whites replayed previous frustrations, solid enough at the back, neat in the middle, slightly ragged up front. At times it made us look the better team, particularly in the first half, but again we have finished a game without unduly troubling the opposing goalkeeper. This lack of spark up front is worrying, a team built as we are built ought to be able to fashion chances.
There were some opportunities today: Dempsey hit three or four 20 yard drives that could have been dangerous; the same player headed over when well placed in the second half; Gera had a half-chance that he narrowly missed; Bullard had a couple of free-kicks. All chances from which goals could come, but nothing clear, nothing dangerous. I expect more from this midfield.
The defence was again reasonable. The goal, coming in the second half when Albion were rampant, was a messy concession, a corner not cleared, bodies everywhere, stabbed finish. But they all count don’t they? West Brom’s greater purpose in the second half, their greater passion, it all added up and they probably deserved to sneak the points.
So another day, another away defeat. There is a fine line between pragmatic adherence to sound principles and stubborn clinging to methods that aren’t quite working; Roy will doubtlessly be having a good think about this over the next two weeks.
(Jamie’s at the ground and will be checking in at some point over the weekend. He suggested “so far, so Blackburn” at one point, and was proved correct)
