Another poor result and rather meek surrender away from home. The ‘Hodgson way’ with our pretty but enforcerless midfield is quite comprehensively not working on the road: that’s now three defeats in as many trips, all at grounds where we should be hoping to pick up points. What’s more, it’s increasingly difficult to claim that we’re gaining creativity as a pay-off for that lack of steel in the middle when those three matches – four if you count Burnley – have yielded just a solitary goal.
The season is still young, but things already seemed depressingly familiar here. Just as at Blackburn, Roy Hodgson can claim that on another day things might have been different – especially if Zoltan Gera’s early side-footed effort had found its way an inch inside the post rather than wide of it. But there was a sense of urgency and (dare one say it) ‘passion’ missing from this performance, and we were only shaken from our complacency once we conceded. Although we did control possession nicely for periods of the first half, we did so as if we were 2-0 up and comfortable rather than being level at 0-0 with a game to fight for.
Indeed for the opening hour, there was something stagnant and complacent about our play befitting a group who had previously played 180 minutes of Premiership football without a single substitution to shake things up; the manager proclaiming himself ‘reasonably satisfied’ with the previous two performances despite their lack of success. It was perhaps unsurprising that Clint Dempsey, the only (enforced) change to the line up, was our most lively player, and that Seol provided a similar injection of energy when he came on for the last twenty minutes. Both players have their faults, but both looked as if they wanted to be out there to prove their worth. By contrast, Jimmy Bullard was often quite woeful – ponderous and careless in possession – the performance of a man who does not fear for his place.
West Brom’s goal came in their best and only real period of pressure at the beginning of the second half, and was a mess. After Danny Murphy had desperately headed off the line, the resulting corner was not properly cleared and amidst the goalmouth scramble, Roman Bednar poked the ball under Schwarzer’s body. Thereafter – aided by Seol’s introduction – we woke up somewhat and at least threatened an equaliser. Danny Murphy came close with a deflected effort after Bullard’s cleverly disguised free-kick; Dempsey should have done much better with a free header; Seol curled a shot just wide. But then time ran out. Bednar had been closer to making it 2-0 when his pile-driver surprised Schwarzer and grazed the crossbar.
The fans, bored and frustrated by what they saw on the pitch, attempted to entertain themselves with a continuous and amusing rendition of ‘Seol!’ to the tune of Spandau Ballet’s ‘Gold’. I heard many an angry voice unhappy with Bullard’s performance and there was unrest when Hodgson brought on Stoor and Andreasen near the end, rather than adding a third striker in Nevland. The sheen gained by Hodgson during the great escape is quickly wearing off amongst the supporters – understandably so. If we continue without any away form to speak of, another relegation battle surely looms.
