West Brom 4, Bristol City 1: Chris Lepkowski's big match verdict
Nov 23 2009 by Christopher Lepkowski, Birmingham Mail
Pace is king. Whereas once Jonathan Greening would twist left, then right, then left again, before releasing the ball across the pitch, the likes of Graham Dorrans or Gonzalo Jara play the ball forward, with more purpose. If they lose possession, then one of them is on hand to win it back. Not so two years ago.
Jerome Thomas races past people, Dorrans powers from midfield, Simon Cox and Luke Moore peel away to open up space in the middle for the likes of Dorrans to race into for returns. Defenders struggle with it. It’s methodical and proving a problem for Championship rivals. Albion break with speed. Their counters are deadly.
Albion should have kept a clean sheet against Bristol, as they should have against Leicester. Both goals came from free-kicks, with the Foxes scoring from a follow-up to Scott Carson’s save from a set-piece. Albion haven’t actually conceded a goal from open play since Craig Beattie scored for Swansea five games ago.
And when they conceded on Saturday, Chris Brunt and Jonas Olsson walked back to the centre circle pointing fingers at each other, cursing. This is a good thing.
This side is like Mowbray’s team but with someone leaning on the x2 button and remembering to include a bit of Megson ruggedness through its spine.
And Albion didn’t waste time against a Bristol side who had only lost twice before Saturday. It was Thomas who opened the scoring when he latched on to Dorrans’ pass and slipped a low shot past Dean Gerken.
The City keeper was to be beaten again in the 12th minute when Dorrans, again, showed commendable vision to spot Brunt nipping past Bristol’s defender 40 yards in front of him. Brunt stepped past Gerken to score.
The third came from Cox’s persistence just 50 seconds into the second half. Gianni Zuiverloon capped his impressive play on the edge of the City box by threading the ball through to Cox and the striker’s dink over Gerken was helped into the net by Louis Carey.
If the scorer of Albion’s third was in question, there could be no denying the fourth. Cox raced into the box to slide home Thomas’ ball.
It could have been more. Moore, Cox and Brunt had chances to increase Albion’s lead. Likewise, Carson denied City for long periods, though he had little chance with Paul Hartley’s free-kick.
Dorrans’ energy and vision, Jara’s sparkle – he makes football appear simplistic – and Brunt’s range of passing were Albion’s plus points. The defending was impressive, especially Carson’s form. Albion are starting to look like a Di Matteo side, rather than a Mowbray side that’s not fully functioning.
A four-point lead between themselves and third place maintains the breathing space they need.
