Even heroes have days when they are less, well, heroic. Simon Mignolet has been outstanding in game after game. Today, he got less of a hand to Zoltan Gera’s long-range shot, admittedly excellent, than we would have expected. 0-1. Then, he fumbled the simplest of collects leaving Shane Long with the ball at his feet one yard from an empty net. A disastrous half-time scoreline – and it threatened to get considerably worse as possession was squandered, crosses ended at first man or went tamely beyond or behind. Then Craig Gardner’s deflected free kick flew in. What was heading for a comfortable away win was suddenly at least drawable. Until Mike Dean was fooled by the clearest of dives, by Liam Ridgewell after a risky but contact-free Johnson tackle, rendering the hardworking Sessegnon’s late goal a consolation as the Baggies – slicker throughout – added insult to injury with a last-gap fourth. Pete Sixsmith‘s seven-word verdict tells the story rather well; he’ll have more to say over the next 24 hours or so… ..
