Sunderland 1 - West Bromwich Albion 1

Chiang Mai Baggie:

5 changes to shake up the team today, Watson moves to RB so Albrechtsen is on the bench, Davies makes his debut in place of Gaardsoe who isn't in the squad, Gera and Johnson are back in midfield, and Earnshaw partners Campbell up front. Kamara comes back onto the bench.

Albion won a free kick outside the Sunderland box on 2 minutes. The cross was cleared, and Albion appealed for a penalty from the ball back in, but not given. Sunderland won a corner on 6 minutes, after poor defending and Wallwork put it behind. Breen headed the cross into the net on 7 minutes.

Davies and Watson miscommunicated in the back from a Clement crossfield pass, and Whitehead attacked and should have scored, but the ball went wide on 10 minutes. Robinson did well on 11 minutes, intercepting just as Miller was about to shoot. Albion won a free kick on 19 minutes, but Greening's cross went straight out behind, and Earnshaw was offside too. Whitehead shot on 25 minutes, and Kirkland saved. Albion won a corner on 26 minutes after a good run by Gera. Greening's cross was poor, and cleared by Sunderland.

Albion pressed on 28 minutes, and Earnshaw fluffed his chance to shoot when he was put through. Earnshaw needed treatment on 30 minutes. Campbell was fouled on the edge of the Sunderland box on 36 minutes. Earnshaw took it, but shot low, straight into the wall. Hoyte fouled Wallwork on 38 minutes, and the free kick was corssed in, but cleared. Earnshaw ran through on 38 minutes, and won a corner under pressure. Greening's cross was poor yet again.

Albion pressed well on 41 minutes, but they couldn't make an opening to shoot. Albion won another free kick near the box, and Clement lined up to shoot on 42 minutes. The ball went just over the bar. Campbell played Earnshaw on, but his shot was sliced wide on 43 minutes. 3 minutes added. Clement cut out the cross after a Sunderland player went through and the linesman didn't give offside. HT 1-0.

No changes at HT. Lawrence on for Miller on 52 minutes. Wallwork shot well wide on 54 minutes. Gera passed badly twice on 56 minutes, when he could have put Earnshaw in. Le Tallec on for Elliott on 57 minutes. Sunderland had a good chance on 57 minutes when the ball fell loose in the Albion box, but no-one could get on the end of it. Then at the other end Gera sliced a shot well wide just afterwards.

Wallwork put Earnshaw through on 60 minutes, but he was just offside. Albion won a corner on 61 minutes. Greening's cross was better, but headed out by Breen. Albion won another corner on 63 minutes, but the ball was too high for everyone. Johnson played Albion into trouble on 66 minutes with a poor pass, and Clement eventually cleared.

Kirkland saved well on 68 minutes, and Robinson conceded a free kick on the edge of the box just afterwards. The attempt was flicked up and struck wide. Clement did well to cut out a Sunderland attack on 71 minutes after Albion had a chance with Greening crossing towards Earnshaw. Albion won a corner on 72 minutes, but Greening's cross was dreadful. Robinson was booked for a foul on 74 minutes. Kirkland claimed the ball from the free kick easily. Kamara on for Greening on 76 minutes.

Albion attacked on 84 minutes, but Johnson was caught offside. Watson did well to get to the bye-line on 87 minutes, but the cross couldn't find an Albion player. Campbell fed Ellington well on 89 minutes, and the ball was saved for a corner. Curtis Davies put the ball over the bar from the cross. 3 minutes added.

Davis cleared off the line for a corner, and Gera scored with a header to equalise right at the end. FT 1-1.

Baggypolly:

Today I woke up and thought we'd recover from last weeks crap preformance. We'd drop Wallwork, Watson and Gaardsoe. It Turns out he decided dropping Albrechtsen for Watson, Gaardsoe for Davies, Carter For for Johnson and a new strikeforce of Earnie and Campbell.

Those changes were a load of Bollocks, for a first Wallwork should be dropped give the kid Chaplow a chance, Albrectsen is clearly a better choice than Watson and Andy Johnson is simply out classed at this level and what happened to Tommy?

This is what the line up should be (4-4-2): Kirkland, Robinson, Davies, Clement, Albrectsen, Greening, Chaplow, Carter, Gera, Horsefield and Kamara to have any chance against Charlton.

But why does he persist with Ronnie Wallwork and Steve Watson. Wallwork is meant to be the holding player but he cant do it - he cant tackle, is slow, and only passes the ball backwards and as for Watson - what a rubbish buy.

So if it dosen't improve Albions loyal band of Supporters will be watching the dreary football of the Championship.

BRE Baggies:

I won't add ratings and I wont push my boat out too far because I did not make the trip to Sunderland so I am ralying on Radio commentary, TV and callers for these match comments.

Team sheet makes you heart sink really. AJ and Wallwork were in CM. What a shocker. Carter was the better of the two yet Wallwork keeps his place and the bluenose lad was not even in the squad. Strike force was as expected.

If you get dominated by a team who are the worst in the league and look like they may need a bigger great escape than we had already then you do begin to wonder. We did not deserve the draw according to radio and TV. On form you are watching the worse two sides in the league really. I hope we survive.

I did not see them match but if everyone but Robson though we were awful then I can not believe him. Campbell had his best performance for Baggies according to Robson when everyone else said he was rubbish. Desrerved a point and maybe more he said. Everyone else though we robbed Sunderland. Campbell will start against Charlton and really that is disapointing because the favourites thing is being proven. Wallwork in the side again. May become a desicion Robson regrets when he looks over his managerial career because he wont get the England job if he cant see he is not good enough for this side.

Robson started three of his summer buys and they were not even key players. Kirkland has yet to do anything different to Hoult or Kuscksak (yeah he has made a few saves but Hoult did that last year as well). Watson is an alright player but will never be key and Davies may yet need to get used to the pace of the game. That is worrying realy because it means we have not really improved the side. Robson does not have faith in his new signings if he is playing Johnson and Wallwork. Kamara, Carter, Chaplow, Inamoto, Kanu have all been praised by the manger but he won't play them. Why sign them if you do not think they are good enough (Kanu and Ina not his signings but he said they were best players in the pre season).

West Ham are looking good and really I do not know who will be in the relegation fight. Sunderland and Wigan yes but then who. West Ham are showing early signs of being a mid table side and Fulham did not lose the players we thought they would. Also Pompey only lost one key players while they gained the likes of Robert. This is a worrying season and if Robson does not see the obvious then I can only see three positions we will end up. On the radio they said although Wallwork was poor they could not see anyone who could replace him. I can. We are playing him as an anchor and we don't need an anchor. Arsenal play Gilberto there but he is brilliant and they have an attcking midfield player next to him. We don't. We can play someone like Gera or Kamara next to him to replace Richardson or we drop Wallwork and play a defensive midfield player instead like Inamoto or Watson. I'm not a tactically minded person but even I can see you cant play a poor anchor and a dm next to each other because you will not attack enough and so you will end up deep and having to play the long ball. We have had four games where we have had no service to the front men in a row and Robson must now see that things must be changed. I hope The Horse is back soon and I hope he tries Chaplow and Inamoto in cm vs Bradford to have a look who we can play there in league matches (I'd also play Carter left wing and Kamara right to see what they are like because they are not going to get league games it seems, not with Robson and his favourites).

It rubs it in when they go on all week on how the players can see they went wrong in the last few games and everyone will be up for the Sunderland game and we will prove we are good enough. We were worse it seems than before. This must change if we are to survive again.

wbaste:

Just got back - what a load of tripe that was. Bryan Robson must be having a laugh when he picks the team!!!!! Wallwork and AJ in midfield is average at div 1 level let alone prem level. Carter did ok last week, Inamoto did well at man city, where were they today? The longer wallwork stays in the team the longer the pain for all WBA fans. He did a good job last season, thanks for that ronnie but he ain't doing it this year!

And as for the WBA fans they are shocking this year. No atmosphere home or away! I know we ain't playing well but you gotta get behind the team. There was me and 2 mates trying to sing today but no one wanted to know! What's the point in going all the way to sunderland to support your team if you're not going to support them????? Very dissapointing!

Boing Boing

Norwich Baggie:

Listened to match on 5live extra today so wont make too may comments...

Axcept to say i didnt even realise AJ was playing until the 78th minute when the commentator made reference to the fact... says a lot don't it!!!

As for wallwork, it's gregan, mcinnes all over again but far less talented and doesn't have half the game the other two did...

It's time for changes... let's hope Robbo makes then before it's too late... we got away with it once... lightning don't strike twice!!!

Sarky Parky:

I wasn't at the match but had resigned myself to a 1-0 defeat against a side low on confidence and who we surely should have beaten. My comment is a more general one.

I think all but the most cock-eyed optimists realised we would be near the bottom of the league again this season but expected us to be competing well and certainly winning home games against teams likely to be near the bottom with us. We felt we would consolidate, finish maybe fourteenth or fifteenth. We also felt that whatever happened we would be playing Premiership football, passing the ball like a top flight team albeit one without too many - as yet - top flight players. The transformation Robson achieved last season led us to believe and expect this. Admittedly it took him time but after a couple of months to get his feet under the table he developed a style of play - based on a sound defence and a creative midfield - that won over even his most vocal critics as well as the die-hard supporters of his predecessor.

The conundrum is this. Why have we gone back to square one and are having to do it all over again? Why does the defence look as vulnerable as in last year's dire pre-Christmas period and the midfield as lacking in ideas as during the worst period of Gary's tenure? It surely can't all be down to the missing Kieron Richardson. He was good but surely not that good. And remember at Spurs in the Cup. We lacked Greening and Richardson yet with a midfield of Gera, Scimeca, Koumas and Wallwork we played Spurs off the park and could have been three up at the interval. And Spurs in the League when Greening was suspended, Richardson went off injured yet with Ianamoto and Chaplow in we were again the better team.

I think the charge that can be levelled against BR is that of tinkering. Oh and subscribing to his predecessor's view of the irreplaceability of AJ. We don't know what goes on in training and it may be presumptuous of us to pass opinions but surely in this case the old saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it' applies. Surely to begin with we should have kept where possible the same side as last season with Kirkland in for Hoult and Ina or Chaplow in for Richardson. Ellington, Kamara, Carter and Davies could have been introduced as and when the occasion demanded. And surely we should be replacing like with like. AJ will never be a Kieron Richardson, Chaplow might well become one. And Watson, admirable though he undoubtedly is, surely isn't as good as Albrechtson. Kamara should be seen perhaps as duplicating Greening so that he can come on for the last twenty minutes or so and use his pace against tired defenders. It seems we have many players admirably paired or understudied - Kirkland/Kucszak, Albrechtson/Watson, Gaardsoe/Davies, Clement/Big Dave, Wallrok/AJ, Greening/Kamara, Campbell/Horsfield/Kanu, Ellington/Earnshaw, Carter/Chaplow. BR should decide on his best team, get them playing to their system of last season, stick to it and only change it through injury, suspension or loss of form.

It's still early days and I have some faith that the management will suddenly get it right. But it's certainly difficult living through Premiership hard times and watching sub-standard football yet again.

AJ-B:

I have come to the conclusion you have to be a specific type of animal to continue to support WBA, take yesterday for instance. We left Kidderminster at 8 am arriving at Hawthorns around 9am -problem!! our coach became steamed up with faulty air conditioning so a replacement was ordered, 50 minutes or so later we eventually got on our way on the long trek north. If it wasn't bad enough being stop-start in a multitude of traffic holdups, our driver was in control of a motorised snail! God was he bloody slow! We got to Ferrybridge services for a quick P stop & thank God a change of driver, then passing again through all kinds of traffic mayhem including a roaring fire from a big refuse collection truck, like bonfire day come early, columns of thick black toxic fumes contrasted against the clear Blue sky, we finally got off this apalling motorway onto the A168/A19 trunk road before finally arriving at the Stadium of "Let there be Light"! around 40 minutes before kick off - a journey time of almost 6 1/2 hours. This though was nothing compared to another coach in our 'convoy' we heard one of Mr Johnsons special fleet had caught fire! & was stranded on the hard shoulder, this was at least a good hours travel from the ground. Apparantly an emptied coach returned from the ground to collect some & others had to make way by taxi, I wonder who will foot the bill for that? All this & we hadn't even got into the ground!

Then the 'fun' really started. First team selection, hmm, disbelief all round the concourse as we tried to gulp down assortments of beverage & snacks, getting severe indigestion at the thought of Wallwork & Johnson as Robsons answer to our monumental midfield problem, God help us again was the thought. Good news though was that Earnie was at last given a start & so was our new dark defender "Little Dave".

The game got under way and in the first 10-15 minutes we were all over the shop, amazingly only AJ looked anything like in this period, Little Dave looked a bit lost trying to 'feel' his way round but the rest were truly awful & soon paid the price when from an early corner Sunderland scored with a free header - reaction from the baggies faithful was gutted! We then went from bad to worse with only Robinson at left back playing something like a premier player, the rest went into the abyss. Maybe people will now agree with me that it was not just Tommy G who has ben poor, Neil Clement confirmed his form as being crap, he was dreadful. This game between 2 of the poorest teams in the premier was going from bad to worse - a great reward & end product after enduring the 'expedition' to get there.

I just cannot accept Robsons planning-if he has any, Sunderland have the worst defence I have seen in ages & ours is bad enough, so why did we not go out to WIN this game? Each & every game so far this term, he has not gone out to win any match - only to not get beat & this failed in the last 3 games & almost again in this one. Why does he keep picking players who are continually crap? What the hell has Inamoto done for Christ's sake? not even on the bench again today. Robson it is about time you started giving us reasons for your selections, you damn well owe us at least that. If as you state that you think we played well yesterday & we passed the ball around well, then I think it's about time the Men in White Coats were preparing to take you away. Thank the Lord for Zoltan Gera, he got Robson out of jail with the very dramatic equaliser. We got a point, thanks to Gera & the save Kirkland made to keep us in the frame, we sure did not deserve it. So come on Robson cut out all the crap 'hype' that we are a solid unit & better than last season, on todays showing we, together with Sunderland, must be firm favourites to go down. I am coming round to thinking that is it really worth all the aggro, cost, time etc. to keep on attending home & away games only to be constantly presented with the garbage we are expected to endure week in & week out. As I said at the beginning, one has to be a certain kind of animal to keep doing this, I don't now know if I am still in that category, time must be taking its toll on me, I have supported the baggies since 1948 - perhaps I should take up golf instead!

MY PLAYER REVIEW:

• KIRKLAND: Apart from a super point blank save in second half, had no other shot to deal with - except for the goal.
• WATSON: How could he get preference over Albrechtsen at right back? unless Martin was made scapegoat for Wigans winner last week.
• DAVIES: "Little Dave" after a shaky first 10 mins or so had a good game, he proved his pace when in one to one situation, great tackles, however suspect in the air & he gets bundled off the ball far too easily, will improve with time.
• CLEMENT: Should have joined Tommy G & have been dropped. Dreadful distribution, seemed very nervous & lacks composure, needs time out to re-group. Marginally better late in second half.
• ROBINSON: STAR MAN for me, this guy is built like the proverbial brick s**t house, hard as nails & ALWAYS gives 100%. Made himself felt with bone crunching tackles. Question - Why not make Paul Robinson captain??
• GERA: Overall very poor, however soared like a salmon to head a great goal in dyeing seconds, only he could have scored that goal.
• WALLWORK: Absolute disgrace, should refund 90% of his wages so far this season, obviously one of Robsons 'Mates'
• JOHNSON: Did OK for first 10 mins. then settled down to play the usual crap expected of him, how can he & Wallwork be given precidence over Inamoto & Chaplow?
• GREENING: Another poor game from Mr Consistantly Inconsistant, cannot take a corner to save his life, never gets passed first defender, also missed a glaring sitter in first half that maybe would have changed the course of the game. Drop him against Charlton.
• EARNSHAW: At long last gets to START a game. Looked liveley, but missed a good chance in first half, had rubbish support as we had no midfield capable of providing that. Needs to be kept in for sustained run.
• CAMPBELL: For 2/3rd's of game was rubbish, but came into his own in latter stages, made some good link ups & flick ons, will no doubt start next week.

SUBS:

• KAMARA: What a huge difference he made replacing Greening & HOORAY! he can take corner kicks! Was a breath of fresh air with direct play & pace. Why does Robson always start with carthorses when we have thoroughbreds like Kamara in the squad?
• ELLINGTON: Did OK when he came on, should not have replaced Earnie though, made the 'keeper make his only save of the game. I'm not sure about him, he looks too expensive by about ?2mill. He cannot jump so his heading is suspect.
• ROBSON: Frankly I despair, I do not believe he has any plan of how he wants to shape this team, so if no basic plan how can he possibly know his best team? His body language for me was very poor, stood most of game with both hands in trouser pockets, not an inspiring vision or signal to send out to his troops, smacks of indiscipline, pockets are for carrying coins, handkerchiefs, walletts, pens etc. NOT hands - gloves are made for these.

I could not believe why he made no changes at half time & left it so late. Got out of jail big time by Gera's goal.

Des:

This was a very poor game between two very poor sides. Anyone leaving the SoL testerday will know they have seen at least one of the teams which will be relegated at the end of the season, the only question is whether both will go down.

The main problem for me is a complete lack of any cutting edge up front. The fact that the first save the Mackem keeper had to make came in the 88th minute from a Ellington shot, says all that needs to be said about the Earnie / Campbell forward line. As I've said before playing behind such a weak attack creates problems for the rest of the team. I honestly don't think we have any answers to this problem this side of the January window.

Meanwhile like everyone else i was surprised to see Walwork start, well he started and then never got started if you see what I mean. How long Robson will persist with him is anyone's guess but it is becoming more and more odd with each inept performance. Greening played out of character; he's normally does the business but this was his worst game this season IMO. Gera wasn't at the races and seemed to be running on half empty throughout the game, but then he leaps like a salmon and gets us a great equalizer.

Which brings me to AJ. I must have been watching a different game to everyone else as I thought AJ was our man of the match. What he does he does well enough, namely completely disrupting the play of the opposition. Sunderland simply couldn't get any passing or movement going thanks to the frenetic efforts of AJ. He will never be a play maker but he was the best of our midfield yesterday.

Kamara did well when he came on, looked sharp and liveley. The defence all did OK, no-one excelled, no-one did badly. Curtis Davies should be pleased with his debut and did nothing to suggest that Tommy G' will be making a return next week. Still not sure if I would play Watson at RB before Albrechtson. Like a lot of our players competing for places they are both OK, with neither have the type of quality that would make them an automatic choice.

Talking to Mackem fans in the pub after the game they were all completely devastated by the injury time equalizer. They thought we were crap and the over-riding sentiment was " if we can't beat the likes of West Brom we're down" which is absoloutley right, they can't beat the likes of us and they are down. It was easily the worst atmosphere i have ever seen at the SoL, which was a shame as i believe it to be a great footballing stadium. But the Mackem fans seemed to be living off their nerves and our lot were just depressed after conceding an ealrly goal and then having to watch us play shite football.

On a brighter note if you go into the William Jameson pub on fawcett street in sunderland ?25 will buy you 10 pints and a burger and chips for lunch and fish and chips for tea. Or you can go to the Sol and pay ?25 to watch s**t football - "go figure", as the Americans say.

cliff61:

Tuesday night home to Bradford, hmmm a mouth watering prospect. I consider myself a fairly level headed middle aged chap, wife, kid, responsibilities, yet as a contradiction to that I'll be there on Tuesday night because I can't stand the tension of watching the scores on SKY TV. Not that there's anything wrong with the service, it's great, but its the not knowing every little detail of whats actually going on.

My Saturday programme goes something like this; Wife turns up at work at 2.30 (in theory, but she's often later, a little bit of shopping on the way), I jump in the car and try to get home by 3pm. Usually it's 3:02/3:05 by the time I get thru the door, I'm busting for a wee,I'm carrying my sleeping little boy from the car, but at the same time there might be an early goal, it's a dilema. Where do I go first, toilet or TV? It has to be the TV, can't afford to miss anything, Jeff Stellings face appears and I look heart in mouth at the scores below. PLEASE be an early Albion goal, Please say SUNDERLAND 0 ALBION 1 (Clement 3), but no its not to be, never mind, 0-0 is fine. While all this is going on I'm dancing around as blokes do, trying to keep my visit to the loo at bay as long as possible, but I can't wait any longer, I run the last few yards. What a relief, OK my aim wasn't the greatest under such pressure, but no matter I'll clean that up at H/T.

Straight back to the TV, but more bad news as my little boy has woken up, must have been the way I launched him across the room on to the sofa, must remember to place him next time. All he wants is his Mummy, all I want is an Albion goal. Usually he sleeps to AT LEAST H/T, gives me a chance to get comfortable, but not today. Matt Le Tissier is at the SOL, over for an early report and its all Sunderland, God I hate hearing that, "Albion havent got out of their own half yet", it's so bloody predictable. FOR CHRIST SAKE ALBION, WE KNEW THEY'D COME AT US, GIVE THEM SOME BACK!!! I'm getting angry and tense already, please don't lose this one Albion, please don't make me a miserable bastard that none of my family wants to be around for the third successive week.

My poor little lad has a tear running down his cute little cheek, he still wants his Mummy, he's done nothing wrong, its not his fault Albion are under early pressure. Come on Cliff act like a grown up, this kid needs you. I go over and pick him up, give him a cuddle, tell him everythings OK, at the same time we're back to Le Tiss and its still all Sunderland, hold on a sec they have a corner, "lets see what happens here"... THEY SCORE!! I want to kick something, I want to say F**K, SH*T & B*LL*CKS, thats what I would do if my little boy wasn't still in my arms. OK, I've been here before, I'll take a deep breath, be mature and tell myself its early days, still 85 minutes to go.

When you've been supporting and loving a football team for so long, you develop methods of trying to deal with disappointment. It dosent work 100%, but it does help slightly. I go to the kitchen to make a cuppa, I need to get away for a few minutes, I don't want to hear the word "football" I'm already sick of hearing that Sunderland are on their way to the first premiership win in 100 years at our expense. I take my time, take my little boy upstairs and put the cartoon channel on, that'll keep him happy for a while. But who am I kidding, theres only one thing on my mind, WHATS GOING ON AT THE SOL?? The phone rings, on a saturday afternoon when Albion are playing? This better be good. Theres that distant echo and then the foreign voice "Hallo, is that Mr Clifford Crancher" "Yes" (I say thru gritted teeth) "Good evening sir (Evening??) I'm calling from blah blah blah". Now I don't like swearing at strangers, its not nice, she's only doing her job, I've worked in sales and its hard work, so I politely say "no thanks" and put the phone down. For about 10 seconds I wonder how she's reacted to that in her office in Timbucktwo, but she must be used to it, she'll get over it. Back in front of the TV a quick glance at the scores but no sign of SUNDERLAND 1 (BREEN 7) WEST BROM 1 (EARNSHAW 22) which is what I was desperate to see.

Atleast Le Tiss says we're getting back into it and now Albion are in control, I work on the theory that if can stay in control for the last hour SURELY we'll equalize. If we can do it before H/T we could even win, if we don't Sunderland might be better than us in the 2nd half. Footballs wierd like that, a fifteen minute break and a cup of tea and suddenly world beaters become donkeys or visa versa. How come bloody West Ham are doing OK? Why are we losing at Sunderland but they're not at Fulham? H/T SUNDERLAND 1 (BREEN 7) WEST BROM 0. b*ll*cks.

I clean the loo seat then go upstairs and faff around for 20 minutes, make the beds before the wife gets home, I'm crap at making the bed, she's brilliant at it. Little boy seems happy enough, thank god for Tom & Jerry. For a bit of H/T entertainment I tell him to say "Albion", it sounds so cute when he says it "Abeeon". But do I really want him to support Albion when he's older? Is it fair? is it realistic? Maybe his life would be easier if he dosent like football?.

I always wait a few minutes into the second half before returning to the TV, this is in the hope that I'll see SUNDERLAND 1(BREEN 7) WEST BROM 1 (CAMPBELL 48), but instead I get Le Tiss saying "its a load of pap now", which is a big difference to "Albion are on top now". In the next 30 minutes I'm in and out the room like a cat on a hot tin roof, it's not nice, its not pretty. All I can think of is how disappointed I'm gonna be after we lose (again), how can I lift my spirits before my wife gets home at 7.30PM? She dosent deserve to come home to a grumpy grouchy old man sulking like a schoolboy, its Saturday evening, its supposed to be special. But its not within my control, however much I try to hide it I'll be seething inside, defeats to Wigan AND Sunderland, we'll be a laughing stock. I start thinking about the mundane comments I'll be hearing from friends over the next few days, "not looking good", "what happened to your lot on Saturday", "I bet you didn't expect to lose that one", "I thought you'd do OK this season". It makes my toes curl thinking about it, they're friends so I cant just say "F*CK OFF", I'll have to bite my tongue, if I can make it thru to Tuesday I'll be alright. The pain starts to subside by Tuesday.

Everybody in the SKY studio seems to WANT this famous Sunderland victory, but Albion are applying some late pressure, I know what that means, a few near misses, getting my hopes up but not actually scoring. Albion never score in the 90th minute, we all know that, Albion only concede in the 90th minute. Le Tiss is watching on his monitor,we're in injury time, "Oh Oh, Oh NO!! he says, "Sunderland have just cleared off the line". Well thats it then,that was our last chance,we've got a corner but Albion never score from corners, we all know that." The Corner comes over, AND IT'S IN!!" "Incredible West Brom have scored with the last kick" Theres a 2 second delay in my brain as this glorious news sinks in, "YES YES YES" I love you Gera, I love you Robson, I love you Albion, thank God for that. Finally the sight I've been desperate to see for the last 83 minutes is beautifully confirmed in writing SUNDERLAND 1 (BREEN 7) WEST BROM 1 (GERA 90). I breathe a huge sigh of relief, normal life can be resumed.

My wife arrives home at 7.30, the beds are made, there is peace in the house, we can look forward to a relaxed Saturday evening. Zoltan Gera, my wife thanks you.

Kev Buckley:

The Great Noth Runout

On our last visit to the Stadium of Light, that particular game's fat lady, due to vent forth so as to bring the curtain down on a really dour game, somehow got stuck in traffic and Albion stole all three points. This season, the North-East had seemingly cleared all traffic for her as part of the preparations for the following day's Great North Run, but, perhaps fearing yet another game with little to fire her up, she obvioulsy chose to stay away altogether and with no one there to sing a closing refrain, the Albion once again provided a brief moment of total euphoria.

Make no mistake, this was a poor game between two poorly performing sides. Supporters of either side no doubt believe that their clubs are capable of playing better, but perhaps, even at this early stage, both will just be starting to wonder when they finally will do so.

From an Albion perspective, the complete inability to create anything through centre-midfield has to be the biggest worry. You might not expect all that much from Wallwork of late but then again at least he's supposed to be sitting in. The other player in there needs to provide some impetus and get forward to support the front two. Sadly, where we needed a pedigree we choose play a terrier to chase round and round after the ball.

With Albrechtsen consigned to the bench, Watson gave as good an impersonation of the lack of attacking threat that Scimeca always brought to the right-back slot as many will have seen in a good while.

Up front Campbell, no matter how much his presence and experience is worth in the dressing room, showed signs of the effect that the years spent gaining that experience has taken from him in looking well off the pace.

Add to all that the fact that when we did manage to get forward and force a corner, Greening pretty well failed to deliver one past the first defender all game and it isn't hard to see that there wasn't much to shout about. Sadly Greening's ability to find one of their defenders failed him at the one point it might have brought benefits, as, in the first half, after one of the few decent Albion moves all game, he missed all the defenders blocking the path to the goal and sliced horribly wide.

So, with the middle devoid of creativity and Greeing not having a good game on the left, our one attacking move seemed to be the long diagonal ball out to the right towards Gera. Now this can be a good tactic if the reciever is in enough space to get it down and/or get in behind the defence but, as deployed by us on Saturday, it merely seems to be an opportunity to get Gera practising his springing off the ground (no bad thing given the goal I guess) in an attempt to let us pick up some scraps should he win the ball. Well all you can say about that is that scrappy tactics make for a scrappy game.

Not much to say about their goal other than that whoever jumped with the goal scorer didn't get anywhere near enough to put him off, which seems to have been a common failing of late.

Plus points were a decent save from Kirkland that went a little way towards removing the feeelings I've had about him so far and a decent dislay from debutant Davies who seems to have the knack of cleanly tackling the man on the ball and looked composed at times.

Davies probably did well enough to warrant another go but Inamoto or Chaplow, Albrechtsen and one of the other strikers must surely get a start ahead of AJ, Watson and Campbell next game but that will be yet more changes to the side at a point when we should really be looking to develop the partnerships within a settled line-up.

Even with the brief elation of nicking the point at the end, and I have to confess I saw the goal from the concourse TV, having long before the end decided that making my way down from the back of the stand to the bog was better than waiting for the queue exiting the tiers to form, this really was a game to forget.

smethwick batman:

What was wrong at SOL and what we have to change

1. Wallwork should not be in a shirt and I cannot understand why he gets a game.
2. Johnson ditto though at least he has the saving grace of trying and just not being good enough at this level. I have nothing against him personally at all but I do get angrier by the minute with his midfield partner Nowork who is clearly more capable than his workrate at his fitness and aptitude in all the time he has been with us betrays and sums up the complete modern footballer. You don't fringe for Man Utd in the 90's unless you've got it but you do get slung out if you just pick up your wages and don't work at it. He was utterly disgraceful at the SOL but very good. once again, at hysterically berating those around him. Reminded me of that t**t Townsend in his latter career days taking the mickey out of us and picking up his wages nonetheless.
3. Davis a bright light after an understandably shaky start. Lots of pace and looks good on the ball although it mostly went to Clem at the back probably to protect the lad.
4. Inamoto must start the next game. An experienced prem player and seasoned international - what is Robson thinking of? If he is carrying an injury (the only rumour we've heard that makes sense) I'll have him half fit over any existing midfielder right or left (including a very off-colour Zoltan who is suffering from dehydration. Is this joined up writing BR?)
5. We're stuck with what we've got now until January and we've got to start winning the ball in midfield and we desperately need height in there. Answer has to be move Clem forwardHe will win the aerials and get into people's faces, albeit all left sided thought the vall will go afterwards. Drop Big Dave in next to new boy. He will also win the aerials and get in people's faces and hopefully the Curtis pace will cover the inadequacies. And before anyone talks about distribution from the back please note at the moment it is either Kirkland or the two full back pelting it hopefully forward anyway at an ageing Campbell (or Horse when fit) and Mini Me.
6. An alternative is to move Robbo or Albrechsten in there. If anyone thinks I'm barking, please tell me who else in this squad can tackle and harry? (As opposed to "disrupt" as some poster kindly described AJ. I don't think he's disrupting anyone passing sideways and backwards and getting to players just after they've moved th ball on because he is a willing bloke who just ain't got it at this level)
7. If you pay ?3 mill for a striker play him. Ellington is physically stronger than Earnshaw, has better (I didn't say perfect!) control and better positional sense. I repeat - we've got what we've got now until January so give the boy a run.

Albiono:

What does my head in is...

..the fact that Sunderland are the worst team in the division and yet Robson still feels the need to play both Wallwork and AJ in midfield! Guess what we created nothing of note. On Football first I never heard Johnson's name first half, or Wallwork's second half. Pace pace pace pace pace please.

People say we can't play with an Ina Chaplow midfield - I say why not against the likes of Sunderland. If we kept the ball more we'd have less need for 2 tough tackling midfielders (sic). It's an absolute joke - and don't get me started about Campbell - led the line brilliantly! - unbelievable. If he's not going to play Chaplow or Ina then he's got to move Gera inside and put Kamara out wide.

Charlton home and Blackburn away has to be 4pts min to get our season back on track.

Not happy whatsoever.

Dave Watkin:

Zolt from Blue

I stayed in the north-east after the match, but for the record here's a late report. By the way congratulations to the Saturday evening Sunderland Football Echo for the headline "ZOLT FROM BLUE" (which was later copied by at least one National) - pretty neat considering the lateness of the goal and their tight deadlines.

Albion didn't really play well in a match between two poor sides but grabbed a point with a last second added time equaliser.

The best aspect of the game was a promising debut by Curtis Davies who looked very mature in his central defensive role. Indeed, after a shaky start, the whole defence played well. The worry was lack of quality in the centre of midfield and very poor delivery from any number of corners and free kicks. Too many long high balls were played, yet when we passed the ball into the box we caused the home side problems. There was an improvement once the substitutes were introduced, a pity they weren't used earlier and overall the Baggies deserved a point.

The late equaliser robbed Sunderland of their first Premiership victory in twenty-six games and must have been demoralising for Mick McCarthy and his side.

TEAM NEWS

Bryan Robson rang the changes with five alterations to the team which lost at home to Wigan. Out went Martin Albrechtsen, Thomas Gaardsoe, Darren Carter, Nathan Ellington and the injured Geoff Horsfield. Steve Watson moved to right back with Zoltan Gera taking his place in midfield, Curtis Davies made his debut in the centre of defence, Andy Johnson was a surprise choice in central midfield and Kevin Campbell and Rob Earnshaw appeared together in attack.

HIGHLIGHTS

After an early penalty appeal was rejected when Rob Earnshaw fell in the area, play switched to the other end and in the 7th minute Sunderland won the first corner of the game. The ball was swung in from the right and BREEN rose highest to head firmly past Kirkland.

Around the half hour mark Albion should have been on level terms. Rob Earnshaw showed brilliant footwork as he exchanged passes first with Gera and then with Watson, before rolling an inch perfect ball across the six yard box to Greening, only for the midfielder to scoop his shot high and wide from point blank range. Just before the break a flick on by Kevin Campbell reached Earnshaw, but the striker hurried his shot which drifted wide.

Albion were having plenty of possession, but lacked a cutting edge, failing to create any clear cut chances from numerous free kicks and corners. Midway through the second period the home side would have increased their lead if Chris Kirkland had not made a brilliant stop from a close range volley.

The game had entered the last quarter-of-an-hour before the Baggies introduced two substitutes, Diomansy Kamara for Greening and then Nathan Ellington for Earnshaw.

In the final minute of normal play Ellington brought a good save from keeper Davis with a rising shot from just outside the area. From the corner Curtis Davies headed just over and then the fourth official signalled three minutes of added time. We were into the last of these when Sunderland had an amazing let off. Davis fumbled a routine cross and Ronnie Wallwork took advantage to head what looked like the equaliser only for Hoyte to head over from under the crossbar. With just seconds left and goalkeeper Chris Kirkland up for the corner, Diomansy Kamara swung in a perfect cross and ZOLTAN GERA leapt to head an extraordinary last gasp equaliser.

ALBION FORMRATE : POOR

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH : CURTIS DAVIES