Ratings and Reactions: West Brom 2-2 Villa

[Morpheus]

A draw wasn't a bad result today. West Brom have been good at home this season and with our defending you'd think it'd be an easy home win.

Our problem this season has been against the teams around us. We need to start beating them, starting with Newcastle.

In the context of the game it was a bad result but that wasn't the original point.

[KHV]

a fair few on my twitter feed seem to be moaning about our subs, there was one sub that changed that game and that was thomas coming on for them, everyone knew that was our weakness, bit of width, stretch our defence

also not getting the nzogbia wankfest, skinned his man plenty of times, did something with it how many times? probably once maybe twice? far too often wasnt happen until he'd taken on the 6th man and lost it, classic nzogbia down blind alley play

thought gabby was pretty good all game the rest were brilliant 1st half shit 2nd, benteke didnt get a sniff 2nd half after smashing everything in his path in the 1st, we needed the lichaj chance or the gabby one to wrap up the game, the neutrals i was with at half time were straight on the phones for a draw, 5/1 odds, not even a surprise

nzogbia who set up both goals and set up the chance for lichaj? he was by far our biggest threat. Its no coincidence that we didn't have another effort on goal after he went off. we created ten while he was on.

[briny_ear]

Yawn!!! change the record.

A well-reasoned contribution to the debate.

[flamingsombrero]

When is the extra time and penalties scheduled? Surely the Baggie Boilers must have a winner in their cup final.

It's pretty tragic when even the noses find it funny how bad they wish they were Small Heath.

[Ponky]

Also noticed Baggies fans throwing snowballs at one of our players, maybe Lichaj, at throw ins.

[kurtsimonw]

We desperately need a win for confidence. First half our passing was very good, we kept the ball for long periods, attacked well and limited them to hitting it from 30 yards. It's almost as if the players don't know what to do with a lead! 2nd half they stopped playing, stopped doing what was working, just defended and hoped. We needed to kill the 2nd half for 10/15 minutes, so to concede right away like that was a big blow and I don't think there was any doubt they'd score in the remaining time.

I'm happy for us to continue with a formation with 3/5 at the back, especially if Dunne is returning and remaining at the club. It'll help us with set peices and also give that bit of experience. He and Vlaar either side of Clark would be nice, it'd also mean 3 actual CBs, pain in the arse than when 1 gets fit, another gets injured and we end up with Lowton back there.

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

Also noticed Baggies fans throwing snowballs at one of our players, maybe Lichaj, at throw ins.

Was Bennett. Typical boggy fan, missed from 2 yards

[il_serpente]

It wasn't the defense that turned sour in the 2nd half so much as everything else.

• Don't know if it was positioning, laziness or what, but every loose ball, clearance, miskicked ball ended up wth a WBA player;
  
• For about 20 minutes after their first goal our only touches consisted of either:
  

a. wild clearances to no one in particular (which means to Baggies- see above bullet)

b. goal kicks from Guzan where the ball was given away after at most 1 touch (usually a flick from Benteke to Gabby, who took a heavy first touch and lost it. How many times in a row did this happen??)

c. someone miraculously found themselves with the ball and hoofed it even when the forwards were in no position to get on the end of it, or tried to open the defense with one pass and bypassed the midfield entirely.

d. Villa throw-in directly to a WBA player.

I wasn't that upset by the Holman substitution, as it was obvious we weren't going to have any more attacks for N'Zogbia to participate in if we couldn't put Baggies under some pressure and make them give the ball up. Unfortunately, the Holman who harrassed opponents into mistakes earlier in the season stayed home and sent his evil twin in his place.

Although Bannan certainly didn't impress, the blame for that is not all his. It's hard to run the show when your team doesn't have the ball and, when your teammates get it they decide to hoof it or give it to an opponent instead of you. Poor lad, must have strained his neck watching the ball fly over him off his teammates boots.

I was screaming at the TV for the boys to slow it down and keep possession. Sure, Baggies had more energy and passed it about a lot better in the 2nd half, but that's because we gave them so many chances to practice until they got it right.

Edited January 20, 2013 by il_serpente

[8pints]

The last two substitutions took all our snap crackle and pop out of the performance but to be fair Delph looked a bit limpy and N'zogbia seems to be unable to last a game, although I felt he could have gone on a bit longer.

But I wouldn't have brought Bannan (Although he cleared the ball off the line) and Holman on.

Baggies left gaps all the way through, could've been game for Ireland and Bent but never thee mind

We're out of the relegation zone once more after only being down there for a week once more, so we're still just about teetering on the right side of the line.

Two awful bits of defending for their goals though.

Need a bit of quality, composure and authority in that midfield though.

Respect to the bloke who chanted "Savo!" when Odemwingie spooned the chance he knocked past Guzan, taking it old school

[Woodytom]

Thought the first half was excellent. As well as Ive seen us play for a very long time.

The 2nd half however, (regardless of the subs as they were made somewhat after the 2nd half ko) we resorted back to being unable to perform the most basic of football principles. Simple as that. GEt the basics right we are a half decent team.

[Woodytom]

Nzogbia who are thought was very good btw - was taken off for a player who was willing at least to defend.

[Richard]

Perhaps, just perhaps, the difference in the second half was that the boggies upd their game a bit, came out with more purpose and put us under pressure from the off, got their early goal and that changed the game, rather than anything we did?

[Brumstopdogs]

why do people still care? when will our fans realise that no one other us will ever care about the 19th minute applause

Not true - at Anfield the Liverpool fans joined in.

[Rugeley Villa]

Can't believe how exciting we looked and how much we tore them apart first half then second half we got completely bullied and looked like little school boys, second half the baggies really upped their game but part of that was down to us letting them, can't believe nzog got taken off and at end of day this draw feels like a defeat, their was some positives in first half, points lost again and with the teams around us starting to find a bit of form,

[Archie]

I remained positively surprised for the verve that we displayed in the 1st half.

Then we showed the same problems:

- the lack of physical presence in the midfield and in the defence (ridiculous the way we conceded their goals, as if we were predestined victims);

- and the lack of experience. We miss some experienced players (Parker and Lescott?) who can encourage and tell the others what to do when we are under pression. In this situation we immediately panic, we keep throwing long balls and the opponents'goal it's only a question of time.

We also suffered when Delph came out as he was playing strangely well, one of the best performances with the claret and blue shirt for Fabian.

Being a fan of P.L. I am surprised and obviously disappointed for the total lack of any form of defensive organization.

And it's quite clear that our midfield is too weak for the Premier League standards, even if in the 1st half this was hided for the (strangely) fine performance of Zog in the hole.

Even if we can score as we have quality upfront, we can't keep the result.

If we want to avoid relegation I thnk we need two experienced midfielders and one defender at least.

[Robbie09]

Everyone is slagging off PL's subs, but firstly Lichaj for Baker was enforced, Bannan for Delph was again enforced and putting on Holman for Zog was probably the right move, for Holman's so called work rate (even though I can't see why). Think about it who else would you of brought on instead, Ireland or Bent and risk getting beaten and not having any points at all. Just proves the squad needs strengthening this month; but looking unlikely though.

Was at the game and we dominated the yam yams for the first 45 minutes, could of been more than 2-0 up, but yet again typical Villa imploded and we conceded two. Defence looked solid with the return of Vlaar organising things, Westwood and Delph played well in midfield and the three prong attack of Gabby, Zog and Benteke (my MOTM, unplayable at times) were lethal until Zog came off.

Think every Villa fan knows we looked weaker when Bannan and Holman came on for Delph and Zog, proving we need better squad players than the ones that came on.

Also a note on the Baggies fans deciding not to join in with the 19th minute applause for Petrov, instead hurling abuse at our end, even though we joined in with their minute applause at the start of the match, disgraceful Tesco bag loving yam yams

Good post. I can understand Holman coming on because he should've helped tighten the midfield yet he seemed to jog around, neither closing down the opposition or keeping the shape in midfield. He is very poor, but as we know our options are very limited.

Had Herd been available he would've been a better replacement for Delph and maybe we wouldn't've conceded the first goal so early in the second half.

Despite throwing away a 2 goal lead i think it'll prove to be a big point at the end of the season as i believe we have enough to stay up-just.

Edited January 20, 2013 by Robbie09

[SeanO]

I would have taken a point before kick off so I'm not going to complain.

That's 5 points in the last 3 games dropped, Swansea and WBA were our own fault but Southampton was due to a cheat.

[Xela]

As soon as we are subjected to pressure we crumble. Worst defence assembled at the club in the 25 years I've been watching.

[Wainy316]

Obsessed with Villa, we know what you are!

Did we actually sing that? Because we really should.

[CI]

Did we actually sing that? Because we really should.

Yes we did