Player Match Ratings: We’ll meet again!

[John]

A game saving goalkeeping performance by Emi Martinez kept us in last night’s game and a timely first Premier League goal for Keinan Davis, gave us a late point and pulled the relegation trap door wide open for the Baggies.

An early well taken Anwar El Ghazi penalty put us ahead within the first ten minutes last night and we really should have been able to kick on from there, to put the result beyond any doubt. That was not to be though and half-way through the first half, another soft penalty, this time for the visitors left the game all square. Having let our opponents back into the game, we were then second best for a quarter of an hour, during either side of the half time interval. Albion pressed us and clearly wanted it more than we did, during that period. An own goal put them ahead shortly after half time and the prospect of a second successive home defeat from a winning position, began to loom increasingly large.

Fortunately, going a goal behind eventually got a reaction from us. We became increasingly dominant, although had it not been for Emi, we could have easily gone further behind before Keinan’s stoppage time equalizer, broke many a Black Country heart and all but snuffed out any lingering slender survival hopes that they may have had.

It is a pity that we failed to play like we did in the last half hour or so, during the first hour last night. For too long we were setting up our deck chairs and rolling out our towels, when we should have been showing some of the passion that our opponents were. Clearly, they had more to play for than us. Our present poor run of one win from our last eight league games, has left us becalmed in mid-table. Nevertheless, we should not have so readily let this season drift away from us, following such a promising start to it. Had we shown what we did in the last half hour last night, during the whole match, we would have run out clear winners, with or without Jack.                     

My player ratings from a game that a late goal, gave us some reward for a prolonged period of pressure are:

Emiliano Martinez – 8 – MOTM – Guessed the right way when Pereira took his 23rd minute penalty, but the ball was hit above his dive. Blocked a 40th minute Pereira shot from the edge of the box and 2 minutes later had a coat of paint to thank, when the same player’s free-kick from the right-edge of the box struck the crossbar, with him a spectator. Cut out a 52nd minute Robinson cross from the edge of the box. Made a terrific 73rd minute save to divert the ball over the bar after it had bounced off the left post and was otherwise heading towards two Albion players who were waiting to score their third near the goal line. Made another fingertip save moments later to keep out a Bartley near post header. Pushed a 76th minute Pereira shot wide of the left-hand post.             

Ahmed Elmohamady – 5 – Filled in well enough in the enforced absence of Cash. Nodded a good Targett free kick wide, from level with the 6-yard box. Hit a 61st minute volley sweetly from just outside of the box, that Johnstone saved well to his right.  

Ezri Konsa – 5 – Gave the referee a decision to make when Maitland-Nyles felt the slightest touch from him on his heel and predictably tumbled to the ground to claim a penalty. Any touch however slight in the box, automatically seems to result in a penalty this season and that was again, the case on this occasion. Slipped when trying to deal with a 47th minute ball played into our half by Johnstone and the ball fell to Diagne, who ran into the box before hitting a shot that was going wide, until Mings diverted it past Emi. Emi later prevented Ezri getting an assist for a third Albion goal, by touching the ball over the crossbar on 73 minutes, after it had bounced off the post towards two waiting opponents. The ball striking that post had prevented him scoring a second own goal for the visitors with a header.     

Tyrone Mings – 5 – His 47th minute own goal (see above) inadvertently gave the visitors a slender lifeline to survival, that Davis cut in half during stoppage time.

Matt Targett – 7 – Solid at the back and some good forward runs.

Anwar El Ghazi – 7 – Sent Johnstone the wrong way from the spot on 7 minutes, striking the ball confidently into the left-hand corner of the net, to give him his third goal and his second penalty against WBA this season. I bet he wished that we could play them every week! Hit a 29th minute shot from just outside of the box that Johnstone saved to his left.    

Douglas Luiz – 5 – Had a decent first half.

John McGinn – 5 – Screwed an 81st minute shot wide of the post from 30 yards and had a 94th minute 30-yard shot palmed away by Johnstone.  

Ross Barclay - 5 – Went down inside the box after 7 minutes following contact from Ajayi and was awarded the penalty, that El Ghazi converted. Hit a 33rd minute shot that took a deflection off a defender, which made it into a comfortable save for Johnstone. Found by Watkins on the edge of the box, found space for a 58th minute shot cleverly, but it was deflected just wide of the right-hand post off a defender. An improvement last night.    

Bertrand Traore – 6 – Mishit a shot from a nice 31st minute Targett cross, which went across the edge of the 6-yard box, rather than towards goal. Ran inside the box and hit a 62nd minute near post shot that hit the angle of the woodwork. Moved inside the box again 4 minutes later, but his shot went wide of the left-hand post.                                        

Ollie Watkins – 5 – El Ghazi pulled the ball back to him near the line, but Ollie was unable to get enough pace on his 44th minute header to trouble the keeper. Was well found by McGinn after 70 minutes and ran into the box before hitting a rasping shot, that was unfortunately hit straight at Johnstone.

Substitutes:

Jacob Ramsey - Replaced Douglas on 78 minutes. Not on long enough to gather a rating.

Keinan Davis – 8 - Replaced Barclay on 82 minutes. Made a significant difference up front. Found inside the box by Traore, made a nice run but his 83rd minute shot was hit straight at Johnstone. Hit the left-hand post with a good 86th minute shot from just outside the left of the 6-yard box. Watkins headed a McGinn ball back across goal, where Bartley chested it down and Keinan reacted quickly as the ball was in between the defender and Johnstone, to prod it home for the equalizer.    

Wesley – Made a very welcome return to first team action on 91 minutes when he came on for Traore, following over a year’s absence through injury. Produced a 93rd minute save from a header from Johnstone, that spoilt what would have been a fairy tale finale. Not on long enough to get a rating.   

Up the Villa!

John Lewis