HT: West Brom 0 Sunderland 0. Unconvincing stuff


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WBA 1 SAFC0: bad to worse


Update: lost 1-0. How typical that after a brighter spell in the second half, a sloppily conceded free kick – and booking – by Da Silva should lead to an Albion goal, Odemwing making up for his dreadful first half miss. All to do now …

Steve Bruce was probably reasonably happy to go in at half time with the game all square. That is about all he can have been pleased with.

Sunderland’s failure to demonstrate greater class, sharpness and punch, when faced with a newly promoted side widely expected to struggle all season, has been alarming.

A distinct improvement is absolutely necessary in the second half if we are to set ourselves up for a difficult run with a win.

So far WBA have had the better chances, the first of which ought to have been buried by Odemwingi after our defence was left for dead by Morrison’s neat through ball. Leave aside one or two excellent touches from Malbranque and there really is little for us to enthuse from the first 45 minutes.

We have been disciplined. But let is hope Howard Webb’s pep talk on avoidance of silly cards has not been taken as a green light to play without trace of urgency.

Colin Randall

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