A ‘must win’ game for them, according to their captain, a ‘mustn’t lose’ game for us. So it was inevitable one side would come off the pitch disappointed. It proved to be them, reflected in their post-match dismissal of head coach Ramsay (after just nine games), but only just. If football is about narrow margins this was a case in point. If their guy’s volley from the edge of the box at the end of stoppage time went just a few inches to the left they win the game (with disappointment but no cause for complaint on our side) and Ramsay still has a job. They would have been three points behind us ahead of a game against Oxford at the weekend.
So just what should we focus on? As far as the game is concerned Jones was honest in his appraisal, accepting that we played poorly and were fortunate to come away with a point, like on Saturday equalising with almost our only serious strike on goal. But in the overall scheme of things after the ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ we didn’t lose and that was the priority. We are in a relegation struggle and avoiding defeat last night might prove to be crucial. Plenty to think about in terms of how we set up for Wrexham on Saturday, but the overriding emotion the day after is one of relief that the outcome wasn’t a good deal worse.
There was a decision to be made for Jones the Boss ahead of the game, regarding team and tactics. The approach to Southampton on Saturday had been simple and predictable: everyone behind the ball when out of possession, defend the box, priority a clean sheet. Against different – and the form book would suggest weaker – opposition, would Jones give the same instructions or look for a more attacking set-up, to go for the win? Not that simple of course, still have to do the basics well and a clean sheet would again be the top priority. But you hoped we wouldn’t fall between two stools.
I think that, as against Portsmouth at The Valley, we did just that. Unsure whether to take the game to them and impose ourselves on them, or to just defend what we had, working hard out of possession but not risking anything, content as long as we had a clean sheet. The result was we encouraged a side low on confidence to take the initiative, dominate possession, and feed attacking players who caused us problems all night, especially their left-winger Johnston, who gave Clarke and Ramsay a very tough night. The approach and mindset only changed once we’d gone behind.
As regards the line-up, Jones the Boss opted for a couple of player swaps from Saturday, with Clarke and Leaburn moving from the bench to start, Sichenje and Campbell taken out of the starting line-up, with Ramsay moving back inside alongside Jones and Bell.
It was all West Brom through the entire first half, in terms of passing, movement, and attacking threat. We had very occasional moments when Dykes and Leaburn weren’t chasing lost causes, notably when Dykes helped set up Carey for a decent effort which was deflected and saved. That was it. Otherwise we struggled even to play the ball around at the back, sooner or later pressured into a hopeful lofted ball forward which was usually mopped up with no problem. On the positive side, we did restrict them to a few actual chances. Johnston served notice on 24 minutes, beating Clarke and delivering a cross that their forward couldn’t make meaningful contact with. And to be honest we were all fearing the worst as Jones the Player went down needing treatment on his knee/ankle on 11 minutes then went down again on 32, this time unable to continue. Sichenje took up his position in the centre of the back three, with no disrespect to him almost by default as Ramsay, Bell or Gillesphey didn’t fit the bill (and the more obvious choice of Burke seems still injured).
There was an incident on 41 minutes which might have changed the game. Ramsay and Johnston went to contest a loose ball and the latter had a rush of blood to the head and jumped in two-footed off the ground. Fortunately for him there is no VAR, Ramsay managed to avoid serious injury (if he’d rolled around clutching his leg the outcome might have been different), and the ref was inadequate all night (wrong decisions and inconsistency with cards). He didn’t even give a foul when it might have been a red card.
It seemed we would at least get to the break on level terms, to regroup and to look to change things in the second half. But in stoppage time a West Brom corner went to the far stick and their defender had a free header from close range. Unfortunately for us he did well to head it down to thwart Kaminski’s efforts to block. Just who carries the can for that one I’ve no idea, but the general feeling was that Jones the Player would not have allowed it to happen.
That goal changed the whole complexion of the game, prompting an early change as Campbell replaced Leaburn (as against Portsmouth), to try to give us greater mobility up front. The difference wasn’t immediately obvious and on 51 minutes we were very nearly two down and probably out for the count. Campbell gave the ball away with a poor layoff, the ball went into our box and their guy under pressure prodded it just wide. Just after that another free header from a corner, Clarke’s frustration showed as he shoved Johnston over for a yellow, and Jones the Boss had had enough.
On 55 minutes on came Coventry and Fevrier, for Coady and Chambers. That meant a switch to a back four (Clarke, Ramsay, Sichenje and Bell), with Campbell and Fevrier operating either side of Dykes in a sort of front three.
These changes did have an impact. Campbell struggled to get into the game but Fevrier added a different dimension as he actually tried to pass the ball to feet and take up space. That helped to push them back a little, although we were also with the new formation more open at the back.
Sichenje picked up a yellow for a badly timed challenge and a West Brom break after we lost the ball in midfield ended with their guy blazing over with others better placed. It still looked more likely that they would add to their lead than us getting back on level terms. But this is football.
On 69 minutes, out of the blue, we equalised. Ramsay advanced with the ball and instead of lofting it forward threaded it through for Dykes. For some reason their centre-backs were moving forward to try to catch him offside and with a very good first touch to take the pace off the ball suddenly Dykes was in the clear. He went for power rather than placement and drilled it through their keeper’s legs.
The game was now up for grabs it seemed, but as the clock ticked down it was still West Brom looking the more likely. On 85 minutes a ball into our box was headed down and it seemed that their guy would finish, only for a desperate and very well timed intervention by Coventry to put it behind – and true to form the ref gave a goal kick. West Brom won a series of corners as we entered four minutes of stoppage time and from one of these, right at the end, we very nearly lost. The corner was half-cleared, back in, half-cleared again, but this time dropped for their guy on the edge of the box. He hit it on the volley and Kaminski, like everyone else, could only watch for the outcome. It went just the right side of the post (from our perspective) and that was that.
For sure we’re disappointed with the performance, as was Jones. After the initial euphoria with the January additions we’ve struggled of late to get the right combinations in key areas. Docherty has gone from out in the cold to regular starter, with Anderson going in the opposite direction and shipped out on loan. You assume Carey has to start, given his goals, but which two from Coady, Coventry, Docherty and Rankin-Costello are optimum is as yet undecided. Similar story up front. Dykes has fitted in from the start and has done all we can ask of him, couple of goals and assists. But is Leaburn, Kelman or Campbell the best partner? Or do we change to play a front three, as last night? These decisions are what Jones and his team get paid to make, not me.
If anyone doubts we are in a relegation struggle, just because we’ve been outside the bottom three all season and still have a points cushion, needs to take a fresh look at the table and form guide. If Norwich beat Sheff Wed tonight, as we assume they will, we drop to 18th. Then if Portsmouth win their game in hand – and their results have picked up significantly of late, despite last night’s welcome defeat – we go to 19th. That would leave just Blackburn (three points behind after an equally welcome defeat last night but also picking up under a new manager), West Brom (six points back but now anticipating a new manager bounce starting with their game against Oxford), and Leicester (who’ve pulled off a couple of unlikely draws and are appealing against their six-points deduction). You can’t see any of the teams above us being dragged back into it.
So let’s not pretend our position is in any way comfortable and accept that now is not the time for carping about how ugly our style of play is. The only question is whether it will prove effective. I’m more concerned that both West Brom and Portsmouth recently outfought us in key areas. Early in the season we were progressively dominating teams, wearing them down. Perhaps other teams just wised up to us. Whatever, we cannot (IMO) last for much longer carrying no material threat to the opposition’s goal. We’ve come away with a couple of fortunate points. That luck won’t last, we have to play better, which means Jones sorting out the combinations and the mindset going into games. We also have to hope Jones the Player is not ruled out for long.
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