West Brom 2, Peterborough 0: Chris Lepkowski's big match verdict

Dec 28 2009 by Christopher Lepkowski, Birmingham Mail

YOU may not know this but companies were falling over themselves to be Albion’s next shirt sponsor during Saturday’s win against Peterborough.

During the first half was a firm specialising in sleep remedies.

And then, somewhere just before 4pm, pitched in an Italian producer of hairdryers.

Then we had one more – a big fat cigar company puffing away with some relief during the final 25 minutes.

Thus was Albion’s match against Peterborough.

Their last home game of the decade was forgettable to a large degree but at least they won.

For too long Albion buckled under the usual strain and expectation of a home crowd.

It wasn’t a vintage display – it didn’t need to be against a poor Peterborough side.

Roberto Di Matteo’s men claimed the victory with Luke Moore’s fourth goal of the season – his third against Posh this season – and an own goal through Ryan Bennett.

The first half had been woeful. It was, as halves go, easily Albion’s least productive of the campaign.

The Baggies’ media department helpfully provide a bullet-point summary of the first half during half-time intervals at The Hawthorns.

The fact that Saturday’s match barely had six bullet points on a sheet of half-used A4 told its own story – and I happen to think that’s taking spin to an extreme, as it was worse than that.

Thankfully, the second half was much better, for everyone’s sake.

What Saturday underlined is that Albion have some very good individuals and players who can clinch victories.

But it also highlighted some deficiencies. It suggested, for instance, that a small squad isn’t just detrimental when injuries and suspensions kick in.

It also impacts during a period where players are off form or need a rest.

Who, for instance, would replace Gianni Zuiverloon if he needed a break or picked up a knock?

Or Graham Dorrans? Or Gonzalo Jara?

Albion were without Robert Koren due to a minor knee injury, yet they could have done with his presence on the bench.

This isn’t a crisis but it should prompt careful thought during the coming weeks.

Can Albion afford to wait another month for Ishmael Miller to return to form, not knowing whether he will be the Ishmael Miller of old, or should they act in the transfer market on a short-term basis?

Ditto James Morrison. The flip side can be found by pointing to Roman Bednar and Chris Wood as alternatives to Moore or Simon Cox, or leaning on Filipe Teixeira and Youssouf Mulumbu for any midfield issues.

But that isn’t the point when Albion are one or two injuries away from needing to pick out their talented youngsters from the academy as potential subs.

It’s not an ideal scenario when they are fighting for promotion.

And given that Albion have stated that some peripheral players may leave in January then you do wonder whether Di Matteo is going to be left with a squad of around 16-18 genuine first-teamers to pick from. Loan signings capable of improving or merely supplementing a hopeful Championship side are not easy to come by. Gabriel Tamas, all-but-rubber-stamped, may buck that trend.

Albion’s biggest problem on the field during the first half was a lack of width. Whereas Jerome Thomas was willing to run at defenders, too often he drifted inside.

The same, and more, can be said of Chris Brunt on the opposite wing.

The notion that a left-footed winger can operate on the right has become a trend in recent months – Fulham do so with Damian Duff for instance – but it must be a chore for Brunt to find himself cutting inside from the right to find himself surrounded by bodies.

It deprives Albion of an opportunity to stretch weak defences and, instead, merely allows such opposition to concertina themselves and put plenty of bodies in the way of the ball.

Albion resolved some of these issues during the second half, but those arose more from them attacking on the break, rather than crafting a move from a standing start.

You get the feeling that Brunt would like an opportunity to revert to his left side every now and then to deliver one of his killer out-swingers on to the head of a Bednar or Wood. It would give the Baggies a useful outlet, no doubt.

Elsewhere, Albion still have work to do. Jara looks like a player who needs a rest, while Dorrans is still a youngster in general terms.

We must not expect him to lead Albion to a promotion single-handedly. He still has a tendency to make rash judgments, mainly as a result of his inexperience, but he will improve.

Albion have had better days, for sure. But they won. And, right now, that’s the main thing that matters.