West Bromwich Albion 2 - Newcastle United 3

Dave Watkin:

Magpies steal points from Throstles

In a disastrous start at The Hawthorns, Albion conceded twice to Newcastle United in the opening ten minutes and despite an improved second half performance were never back on terms with the Geordies.

Tony Mowbray replaced the entire back four which played in midweek, only one midfielder, Do-Heon Kim, remained and with Jay Simpson unfit and a switch in tactics from 4-3-3 to 4-5-1, Marc-Antoine Fortun? was the only striker to start. Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear missed the match after he was taken to hospital earlier in the day.

Newcastle opened the scoring less than 70 seconds into the game. Kim was brushed aside as he challenged for the ball with Ameobi in the centre circle. An attempted through pass should have been intercepted by Barnett, but he stumbled over the ball and it ran to Duff who had the simple task of sidefooting past the advancing Carson. In the 4th minute the Baggies equalised. The energetic Robert Koren harried the defence into a hurried clearance which was picked up by Borja Valero and he hit a slide rule pass into the feet of Marc-Antoine Fortun?. The striker received the ball with his back to goal, but turned his marker, before hitting a scorching left foot drive just inside the far post. Rather than settle down, in the 9th minute, Albion proceeded to gift the visitors an almost comical goal. Despite having six defenders in the box Duff, crossing from the left, was able to choose from two unmarked players. He selected Ryan Taylor whose first time shot cannoned off first Barnett, then Meite, before dropping to the feet of Lovenkrands, who couldn?t miss.

Midway through the half Albion came close when Borja Valero made an intelligent run into the box. He collected a pass from James Morrison who ran onto the returned ball and with the goalie out of position, cracked a shot which was kicked clear by a defender. Back came Newcastle and an error by Carson almost gave them a third. He allowed a ball into the box to go between his legs but recovered before the attackers could take advantage. In the 41st minute a disastrous half was complete when Albion conceded a simple goal from a left wing corner. Carson didn?t come for the ball and Steven Taylor got in front of Meite to head forcefully home from close range.

Tony Mowbray made two substitutions and reverted to 4-2-2 after the break as Albion strained to get back into the game. Morrison ghosted in from the left onto a Hoefkens cross but Harper was quickly out before he could prod home. Newcastle were defending deep, but on the break Duff cut in and scrapped the post with a low shot and Lovenkrands embarrassed Meite out wide before his cross was intercepted. In the 73rd minute the Baggies got their reward for an improving display. Felipe Teixeira exchanged passes with James Morrison and then embarked on a mazy dribble before releasing Marc-Antoine Fortun? just a pace ahead of his marker. This time he stroked a shot into the other corner with his right foot. Both keepers were tested in the closing stages before Newcastle ran time down by a corner flag.

Our injury crisis, particularly the absence of Gianni Zuiverloon, Jonas Olson, Jonathan Greening and Jay Simpson, meant that this match was never going to be easy, but this has not been Tony Mowbray?s finest week. With hindsight I?m sure he regrets playing our most likely Premier League match winner at Burnley, where he was injured. In his absence, against the susceptible Newcastle defence, surely we should have opted for the strike partnership of Bednar and Fortun? rather than switch to one up front. He rushed back Barnett and Meite who both had an afternoon to forget, despite the fact that neither appeared match fit, they hadn?t played together since August and Pele and Donk both gave strong performances in our most recent victory against Middlesbrough. In the centre of midfield he selected the largely ineffective lightweight Kim and Valero when, with Morrison and Brunt wide, we could played the more combative Robert Koren in that vital position alongside perhaps Felipe Teixeira or, if not required in defence, the more solid Pele, or even young Graham Dorrans.

We defended poorly and could have conceded more. The midfield was brushed aside when United attacked but, particularly when boosted after the break, looked better going forward. There was of course only one candidate for man-of-the-match and that?s the double goalscorer Marc-Antoine Fortun?, who tormented the Toon defence all match. Despite the striker crisis it?s significant that Moore was only given five minutes to add to his one career goal for the Baggies; Kevin Phillips scored his thirteenth of the season for Blues!

STATISTICS

It?s almost a quarter-of-a-century since Albion last recorded a league victory against Newcastle United, on Boxing Day 1984, when we won 2-1 at The Hawthorns through goals from Steve Hunt and Garry Thompson. That?s 15 games in all, with only 5 draws to show for our efforts.

ALBION FORMRATE: AWFUL

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: MARC-ANTOINE FORTUN?

What a chance missed! A win would have lifted us out of the bottom three to the lofty height of 14th. As it is we?re still bottom, but with Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Stoke and Portsmouth all losing, the last six are still only separated by two points.

For the optimists, we?re five points better off than in the ?Great Escape? season, for the pessimists we?re four points worse off than when we went down three years ago, when incidentally, we failed to win any of the final thirteen matches.

smethwick batman:

I'm still so bloody livid I was tempted not to post until tomorrow when I've calmed down and can perhaps have a bit more cold blooded perspective on this shambles. But sod it! Mowbray is a class A, died in the wool muppet. A tactical twonk of the first order. An two eyed (but clearly blind) English (no offence to the English) idiot (that's probably a bit too kind).

How in the name of all that is saintly can we play one man up front on his own against the disaster that's waiting to happen in Newcastle? What is bloody Kim doing on the park again or, worse still, Barnett. Why is a clearly unfit Meite pitched into a game when he can barely run, let alone jump? Why did we pay ?5 million for Valero on the strength of a pre season friendly when he is clearly not worth ?500,000? Without Greening, how can Koren be consigned to the wing. What the stuff is going on?

This was a must win game against a side who are in turmoil on and off the pitch and leak two goals a game on average. Their manager was taken to hospital with the stress and strain of of it all this morning FFS.

This was a cast iron opportunity to not only get off the bottom of the table but also drag others into the mire and Mowbray blew it completely by reverting to some half arsed training ground experiment with poor Fortune foraging on his own with Morrison pretending to be Tony Brown just behind him.

It was an abject failure within 30 seconds when the two twonks who shouldn't be wearing the shirt - Kim losing possession hopelessly and then Barnett with his customary cock up coming earlier than ever - presented Duff with an open goal.

Fortune - easily our man of the match - commednably harried Taylor into a mistake moments later and buried a great drive past Harper from the East Stand wing as he cut in in a bonkers start to the game.

But a Newcastle side we should have pummeled and had a right go at were instead delighted to find us with a thoroughly lightweight midfield, a winger in Brunt (prat) who kept coming inside and giving Robsinson no outball, a dangerous and hard working but hopelessly outnumbered (and unsupported) lone forward and two central defenders who looked like they were auditioning for Fred Karno's circus. Congratulations lads, you both got the job. You start in a field outside Rotherham on Monday.

They duly took the lead again with some inevitablity after a ludicrous round of ping pong in our box and scored a third from the most abject piece of defending of a dead ball in a a seasonwith a lot of contenders for the prize.

The wonderful football we used to watch was replaced by 45minutes of literally pumping the ball forward in hit and hope fashion and it is to Fortune's eternal credit that he emerged from the half head and shoulders our best player despite having to chase this rubbish down such was our lack of creativity or indeed any sense of formation.

Old Hill, it's just like watching Old Hill, it's just like watching Old Hill etc. etc.

Oh shock and surprise we come out second half, with the game all but lost, with Bednar and Fortune playing up front. No point in trying that first half then, eh Mogga? And overweight but probing Texeria on the left, right and wherever he felt like wandering. Koren moved in, Morrison moved right and in general, though the defence were always shaky and the midfield, particularly Bolero, hopeless at helping them out, we at least took the game to them, scored through the excellent Fortune again and could have snatched a draw with all of the pressure we finally exerted in the last 20 minutes.

Brunt was consigned to the dressing room as a consequence and Kim hopefully to the canal off Brasshouse Lane.

Bednar will never be the most elegant forward we have seen but he put himself about with great effect although the ball was often the long punt again and Fortune was at least his equal.

But too little, too late

Bolero, who is fast becoming my pet hate, missed an absolute sitter of a header to put us level and also compounded it by again trying to play and elaborate and stupid ball lying nearly flat on his back (which is where he ended up) to Bednar when he could simply have brought it down and had a whack at goal.

When Moore came on you got the sneaking double whammy that the game was over and the manager, who cocked this up from the first whistle, had thrown our second half "shape" for what it was out of the window again and we were never going to equalise.

Rubbish Mowbray. Some rubbish performances as well without doubt but from players who didn't look like they knew what they were supposed to be doing. All you bllody fault on an afternoon when we could have made such great strides but didn't even line up to give it a go.

You blew it big time.

Player Marks

• Carson 7 Did nothing wrong really but looked a little shaky at times - in front of this lot who wouldn't?. No chance with any of the goals.
• Robinson 5 Bizarrely didn't do that bad, mostly cos Duff attacked Hoefkens side. Badly let down by Brunt.
• Barnett 2 Utter tripe again. WHY NO PELE?
• Meite 2 Tripe also and clearly unfit. WHY NO PELE?
• Hoffy 5 Championship defender and it showed again but did his best which is limited.
• Brunt 2 If he keeps coming inside into a crowded midfield and leaving Robinson no width under coaching orders then they are bigger muppets than him. If he's doing it of his own accord forget the 2.
• Valero 2 Ought to be at Man City. They'd love another midget who can't head a ball or tackle tip tappig around getting nowhere and letting his defence down. Do you think they'll come in for him?
• Koren 6 Marked up fr second half but below his best all game. Whay oh why when Greening aint there is he played out of the heartland where we desperately need his energy and bluster?
• Kim 0 Sod off.
• Morrison 5 Also below par and presumably still trying to play his way back in.
• Fortune 9 Immense commitment that put his team mates to shame. Two absolute quality finishes to boot. Some great unselfish and intelligent running.

Subs

• Bednar 7 Immense commitment and some rather unintelligent running but won plenty in the air and kept the pressure up the other end. No fookin point in playing him then is there Mowbray?
• Tex 6 Fat and unft but still more of a threat than the useless pair he replaced single handed.

Neil R:

I didn't post last night because I was livid too. For most of the reasons Batman specified and some others. I watched the last half hour again on Sky (glutton for punishment me) and I'm also livid at Chris Foy for not sending off Ryan Taylor for 3 bookable offences and the ex Bolton bastard Nolan for gragging Barnett's face - and he booked Barkett as well!

I was surprised at the team selection but being honest I was pleasantly surprised - a fully fit Barnett and Meite would be a much better combination against the height of Lovenkrands and Ameobi than Pele and Donk and I'm sure that's why Mowbray did it. Wrong decision as it turned out - very wrong - but I see why he chose them. As for starting with only Fortune up front, with Simpson unfit he had no option. I know all you who didn't go to Burnley will say different but I was there and on that showing I wouldn't have Bednar on the bench never mind on the field. Nor Cech. And I'd now add to that and say I don't ever want to see Kim or Valero in an Albion shirt again, even for the reserves. They've each had enough chances and get worse by the game.

The manager's made plenty of mistakes this season and he's going through a learning process, about the quality of the Premier League and of his players - including many he's wasted money on. I genuinely believe though that with Simpson fit we'd have won yesterday's game, even with Barnett and Meite playing as they did and without Greening who, despite all the criticism he's had on this list, is a huge loss. We could play that game another 100 times and we'd win every one of them IMO. That's what makes it so annoying and so bad - Newcastle are s**t and we gifted them the win. Not just the manager's fault though.

I'm even more pissed off because yesterday was one of the few times, with so many clubs involved, that there wasn't a single game where I wanted one side to lose and the winners to have the three points deducted. The results went our way, as I expected them to, and we couldn't help ourselves, which is typical Albion. I haven't given up yet though. I believe we can win at Fulham. I'm not saying we will, I'm saying we can. A fortnight's break, get everybody fit, play our best team and we can still do it.

It's hard after yesterday but Keep The Faith.

Brendan Clegg:

A bad day at the office for everyone and one we could ill-afford.

Some stinking individual performances combined with Mowbray getting it as wrong as he possibly could led to us losing to a side who were awful, rudderless, there for the taking and even more painfully, one we could have leapfrogged.

So to start with Mowbray. Our recent good form at home has really come on the back of him getting back to basics, playing people in their normal positions and going 4-4-2, be it with Moore and Bednar or Simpson and Fortune. The first half of the season was pretty much wasted with us trying all sorts of "clever" formations that pretty much resulted us in controlling possession of the ball but never looking a threat and losing games mostly.

So although Simpson is a big miss, we're still at home against a team who can't defend for toffee, who look like they will fold if you have a go at them and don't look like they want the physical battle. Primed for Roman Bednar who is, still, our top scorer.

Not so, Mowbray went for the out of his depth Kim, pushing Koren out wide (when me need him more than ever in the centre when Greening isn't playing) and Morrison off a loan Fortune up front.

Has Mozza played this position in his nearly two years with us? Ever?

Then the central defensive pairing, neither having trained properly for a month or so. Barnett simply isn't good enough for this level and never will be, even when he is fully fit, o it was a crazy decision. He can defend half decently but isn't clever enough for the movement of strikers at this level and his first touch and ability to retain the ball are not even Championship level. He is too old now to get any better at it. Pele is a much better footballer, and reads the game better. He might not win as much in the air but what he does win goes to a Blue and White shirt more often than not and at least then we have someone who can play from the back. I'd also have Donk in over Barnett, they are pretty much like-for-like but at least Donk can trap a ball and pass it accurately over 10 yards.

The really gutting thing about today is we scored a couple of really good and well worked goals but conceded park football ones. Name and shame time.

First goal - Kim too slow to react to a ball in the centre and can't control it, breaks to Ameobi, with Meite, Barnett & Robinson all in awful starting positions. Ameobi plays a poor pass the Barnett kicks off his own leg that plays Duff through, nobody else is near him but he takes his shot early and the ball trickles straight through Carson. Perhaps I am being critical of Carson but I can't think of another top flight Keeper who lets so many one-on-ones go through him.

Second goal - Crap tippy tappy nonsense gives the ball away, our right side is cut to pieces, and the ball is crossed to our left side where Robinson is standing about 8 yards away from his man who has a clear volley which is going miles wide. Barnett, swings a leg at it because he lacks the composure to know it is going nowhere and there isn't anyone behind him, Meite can't get out of the way and it falls to their player who tucks it away.

Third goal - We end up giving a corner away for no reason because Meite fails to judge a simple angled ball. The corner comes across at about 6 feet high in the 6 yard box but Carson isn't coming for it, Robinson misses a routine header away, Meite is the wrong side of his man, who has jogged rather than powered in, and Valero is asleep on the post and it creep in between his body on the post which just shouldn't happen.

To be fair to the manager he can't legislate for these errors, other than not picking these players in the first place.

Second half we went 4-4-2, won the half 1-0, looked better and but for Morrison air kicking from 7 yards, Valero trying to pass a volley when through on goal fro about 12 yards (I am convinced he would pass a penalty if we ever let him take one) and failing to find the target with a free header from about 8 yards, we could have snuck a point.

As with the Hull away game, we infuriatingly had too many players guilty of shooting from 25 - 30 yards in the second half when there were simple options on to get the ball wide or play people in (like both our goals came from today).

I remember Sam Allardyce, in Bolton's first season back in the Prem when they just stayed up, having a a rule that he would fine players who shot from over 25 yards because statistically his players weren't good enough to score from their and even if they got one or two a season they'd get more by playing others in. Perhaps we could do the same for players like Brunt (ban him from ever shooting with his right foot from outside the area).

Marks -

• Carson - 5 I thought his kicking was pretty poor, he nearly let in another shocker, the saves he did make were near to him. It's a dilemma, he will be a great keeper, he's probably still better than Kiely even when he's off form but he seems to be suffering from the Joe Corrigan effect (We get good keepers, coach it out of them).
• Hoef - 6 Got done a few times by Duff but in fairness he'll do that to anyone in this league which is why he's won championships. But none of the goals were his fault and he did also hold Duff up well at times. You know you've got problems when he's the pick of the back 4.
• Meite - 5 Looked completely off the pace and made some awful decisions.
• Barnett - 4 Woeful.
• Robinson - 5 Lamented everyone else for the 3rd goal when replays show he missed a simple header and was marking nobody, was too lazy to offer Meite a pass in the incident which saw Meite robbed on the byline and nearly gave them a 4th. I still think Cech is a better bet, I can't speak for the Burnley game but I know I wouldn't fancy playing full back if the midfield in front of me was Dorrans, Kim, Teixera. Not much help.
• Koren - 7 Our only midfielder who started to take any real credit? We missed his energy in the centre.
• Kim - 4 I don't know how he keeps getting a game. Dorrans should be given his place on the bench.
• Valero - 6 Still flattering to deceive. I think he'll be up with the pace of this country by the middle of next season and will then be a good player for us. For what use that is. Decent pass for our first goal.
• Brunt - 5 Can't recall him doing anything good and needs to stay wide. The only thing we lack when he's off the pitch is a 6 ft midfielder who can actually win the first ball off a goal kick.
• Morrison - 5 Had a nightmare and looked lost. Out of sorts for him this year.
• Fortune - 8 Our best player on the day. Looked like a premier league quality centre forward and took both goals really well.

Subs -

• Bednar - 6 Caused them problems just by being there without playing well, at the end of the day would you rather start with him on the pitch or Kim?
• Teix - 7 Getting there, good dribble and pass for our second goal although Fortune still had it all to do with a great first touch and finish. I do worry that if we swap him for Brunt we'll get bullied out of every game though.
• Moore - 4 His introduction ruined our momentum really as it took Fortune out of the middle areas. One crap turn that gave the ball away. Nothing between him and Beattie, sadly.

So we've blown our best chance to get out of the mess. We will have others but it's a bitter blow. Hopefully Mowbray will stop tinkering (like he eventually did last year for the run in) and we'll go back to our best team.

A great shame we couldn't drag Newcastle into it as they are woeful but you have to think that with Smith, Viduka, Martins & Owen to come back in they'll have too much to go down anyway.

I still think we can finish above Borough, Stoke and Pompey but I think what's being proven is we're not a Premier league side unless Greening and Olsson playing.

Johno:

Newcastle were very poor - Albion were attrocious!

We have only one person to blame for the loss of these three points (and its becoming a similiar story each game) - Tony Mowbray. Up to now I have been a Tony Mowbray fan. I like the style of football he has brought to the Albion, but the man is an enigma. He is tactically naive. Well its either naivety, arrogance or prejudice.

Several times now this season I have been baffled by his team selection. Even more so by the team format. He consistently plays players out of their best position.

With Greening out of the side, Koren has to be the first name on the team sheet sitting in central midfield. He plays him wide right! Morrison is a vital member of the midfield -he plays him up front, sitting off the target man. The engine room of any team is central midfield. You need players who make themselves available, can shake off any tackles but more than anything not give the ball away or lose possession. So who does he choose? Kim and Valero!! I ask you - they are so light weight they get blowed over by the wind!

All this and we havent yet got down to why we lost the game. We lost the game principally because he chose two central defenders whom he now says 'I knew they would be rusty because they havent been playing games' He then went to say they hadn't even been training. So why-why-why pick them? Where was Pele!! What has he done wrong over the passed few weeks? Certainly never making the classical mistakes that has become Barnetts trade mark.

I am not joining the Mowbray must go crowd. That would serve no purpose whatsoever. We have to retain faith that he will begin to see the same game that we are watching and realise that he has to pick teams that can deliver in matches and not merely 'look good' on the training ground.

Finally, we must look for at least one positive, and we dont have to look far. Fortune' was tremendous!! Up to now I had doubts about him, he had a great game. Inteligent runs, good hold up play, strong in the tackle, unselfish, and worked hard. Sign him permanently now!! With Simpson back there is still hope, but there again that doesnt change the defensive headache. Was Mowbray a centre-half??

Illawaysbeabaggie:

Well, 'Smethwick Batman' said it all.........you spend a lifetime supporting your club, you pay thousands of pounds doing it, you know the capabilities and ideal formations and tactics to get the best out of the available players (it's not rocket science)and when a pivotel point in a season comes along, against a side like Newcastle who were ripe for the picking - and the opportunity for a thumping win and a climb up the table is completely thrown away by a crazy lineup and utterly stupid tactics by one man - who should know better - it's a bitter, bitter pill to swallow.

To include two central defenders who were clearly unfit and lacked match practice, over Pele who had both - and had proved his worth (to the point of being made club Captain)showed TM's lack of courage and belief in loyal, consistant players - and he was proved wrong.

To keep including Kim in ANY side shows the dogged donkey stubborness that managers get with 'pet' players - no matter how crap they are - eg: Robinson, Valero, Morrison, etc ...'The Untouchables'. Forget his international status - Kim is so far out of his depth and lightweight in this division that it's cringeworthy watching him.

Valero, whilst undoubtedly a skillful player, and has shown flashes of grit - is too inconsistent and lightweight to justify the regular selection.

The thing which angered me the most when I saw the posted team was the exclusion completely of Dorrans. Is he injured? If not, then was there ever a match when we needed a midfield of Brunt, Koran, Dorrans and Morrison - with Bednar and Fortune up front!

TM seems obsessed in a mindset of having to nurture players before 'allowing' them to be part of the team - no matter HOW good they are. Dorrans has proved his worth time and again. Where is he? He bought Mulumbu and said 'he won't play much of a part - we'll stick him in the reserves for the future'....WHAT????!

To play 4-5-1 at home at this point, against this shower from the north-east, with the players he picked was a damned disgrace - TM should have the humility to organise an open fan's meeting and take questions - maybe then he would see the anger, frustration and passion his crazy decisions provoke.

I'm grateful to him (as all fans should be) for getting us up, but I really wish he would stop, in post-match interviews, glumly staring at the ground and muttering things like "...we beat ourselves...defensive errors..." etc when HE picked the players who 'beat ourselves' when there were better alternatives. TM was the architect of his own downfall - he MUST know that - I just wish he'd be honest enough to admit it. If he DOESN'T know it, then he's not the man or the manager I thought he was, and God help this club, because we're screwed.

michael mills:

This was a ghastly, embarrassing and humiliating non performance, which amply demonstrated the lack of progress our once great club has made under the stewardship of Messrs Peace and Mowbray.

Where do we go from here? I dread to think.

Newcastle were very poor, but they were genuinally amazed, to find an even poorer Albion side.

With the exception of Fortun?, who must already be wondering why on earth he left France, his supposed team mates were an embarrassing disgrace.

Mowbray's Albion, is a side that beats itself. Disjointed technial incompetence, married to countless unforced errors, with a good dose of buffoonish pantomine farce. It requires tremendous dedication to endure this tripe week in, week out.

If this is where we are, after over two and a half years of Mowbray, then we'll be playing Hereford United evern sooner than in my most garish nightmares.

Today's team is very poor. In my opinion, as poor as the side that was relegated to the the old Third Division c.1990.

Make no mistake, once the loan players have returned home, and the summer sell off has taken place, the dross that will be left will seriously struggle in The Championship.

Indeed, judging by the attitude displayed by this current squad, it would appear many are already looking for a sharp exit.

It is very sad, and so desperately disappointing.

Solutions? None in the short term unfortunately.

Maybe, once the parachute payments are gone, Jeremy will finally lose interest altogether, as the cash cow will be dead.

Cue: Regime change, and trying to rebuild all over again, yet again.

Norwich Baggie:

Going into the game, a game that to most we were favourites to win, must surely have bought it s own bad luck and whilst indeed West Brom leads the injuries table in the premiership (9) it was those still making the first 11 that showed their complete ineptitude at this level.

To most now it?s fairly clear that Kim, Barnett, Meite and Valero are falling far should of their respective performance targets for the season. With so much of that season gone one must feel that if they were going to make the grade they've have done it by now.

Surely even with our injury worries we had other options on the bench. Despite not having many games surely Dorrans would have made better fight in midfield (or was he injured too?) than Kim whose physical strength or lack thereof is now becoming embarrassing. Also Pele's performances of late suggest he would have been a better choice than the two centre halves who took the pitch.

It is however to the remainder of the team?s credit that, were it not for the above, we would have surely won this game.

Fortune is fast becoming the type of player we had hoped, like the aforementioned, that would be doing the business and yesterday he created and finished two opportunities. Chances that, in the past, would have gone begging. With Jay Simpsons return we might just yet escape the clutches of relegation but we need at least 8 players on the pitch who can play at this level.

It seems clear from reading so many other reports that Mowbray definitely has his favourites and it would appear that so often of late those chosen players consistently fail to perform and worse still are making the "critical" mistakes that cost points.

Newcastle on Saturday was a complete horror show. As this season progresses there is still hope and a "kinder" fixture list means that if we get back some of injured players and pick some of the steadier performers we might just yet achieve Great Escape pt2. At present, the odds are against it and I?m beginning to get the feeling they're right....

Lickey Baggie:

Very much agree with the sentiments expressed by Smethwick Batman (and others). When I heard the team news I felt apprehensive. Within a few minutes my worst fears were realised. By the end of the match I was fuming with anger at the horror show that we had been subjected to. I have a lot of time for Tony Mowbray as a person - I believe he is a man who possesses humility, honesty and integrity and a deep passion for football. However, there is no doubt in my mind that his ludicrous team selection and inept tactical formation threw away a game we could and should have been able to win. Newcastle were a poor side, particularly in defence, but we were much worse.

In my opinion TM was guilty of four main mistakes:

1. What on earth possessed him to play the "tippy tappy twins" as his central midfield pairing? DHK and BV have barely made a decent tackle between them all season, don't have the physical strength to hold on to the ball under pressure (unlike Greening), can't head or provide any defensive cover at set pieces and generally only pass the ball in areas that don't hurt the opposition. Even the pass by Valero that set up Fortune's first goal should have been dealt with better by the Toon defence.
2. Why play Morrison as a striker in a 4-4-2 formation (at least that's what it looked like to me), when there is the alternative of Bednar (admittedly not on great form recently, but still a physical presence to worry the opposition) or even Luke Moore?
3. Why put Koren on the right side of midfield when he is much more effective (and desperately needed) in the centre?
4. Why choose this match to mark the return of Leon Barnett, who was completely out-muscled (not always legally) by Ameobi? Remember John Carew?

When you add a number of below-par performances from some of our more influential players the outcome was inevitable. The rousing performance in the last 20 minutes or so may have helped to quell the anger of the supporters, but this should not be allowed to hide the crass ineptitude of the manager and many of the players.

Player Marks

• Carson - 4. Seems to be getting worse as the season progresses. Can't really fault him for any of the goals. However, doesn't seem to have the ability to communicate with or inspire confidence in those around him.
• Hoefkens -5. Skinned on a number of occasions by an in-form Duff, but never hid or gave up and tried hard to provide options when we were going forward. Not good enough to play at this level, but that's not really his fault.
• Robinson -5. Possibly at fault for the 3rd goal, but otherwise didn't do too badly.
• Barnett -1. Woeful. A disaster waiting to happen every time the ball went near him in the first half. Impressions of "rabbit caught in headlights" and "three-legged Bambi on ice" were realistic, but didn't make me laugh. ?3 million on a player barely adequate at Championship level is money not-well spent.
• Meite - 1. As per Barnett. Maybe he is still carrying an injury?
• Koren - 6. A little below par, but still by some way the pick of the midfield.
• Kim - 0. Can't even give him one point for turning up.
• Valero - 2. He may have dazzling technique that impresses the manager on the training field, but week-in-week-out he consistently fails to deliver in the place where it really matters. Unfortunately, the fact that he is by far our most expensive signing makes it even more difficult for TM to give Borja the prolonged spell on the bench/in the reserves that his ineffectual performances so richly deserve.
• Brunt - 4. Another player who is struggling at this level. Works hard, but too little end product. The next time you have a shot on goal Chris, please aim 10 yards lower.
• Morrison -5. Worked tirelessly as always, but also not at his best.
• Fortune - 8. Surely the clearest winner ever for MOM? Used his strength and speed effectively and scored two excellent goals. If only a couple of the other players had managed to approach a similar level of performance.
• Teixera - 5. Still looks a bit unfit, but offers directness and a willingness to take people on.
• Bednar - 6. Cumbersome and clumsy at times, but always gives his all for the cause.
• Moore - N/A. Too little time on the pitch. Whenever I see the sharp twists and stunning turn of pace, I keep thinking there is a football in there trying to come out. But still waiting for it to happen.

Where do we go from here? I think TM needs to spend some time during the "winter sunshine break" reflecting on mistakes he made (not for the first time) in tactics and team selections. If this means adopting a more pragmatic approach and jettisoning some of his favourites for the sake of a balanced team, so be it. I really hope he does manage to turn things round, but after yesterday's debacle I fear there are serious grounds for concern.

north bayite:

Well what can i say, even over here in canada im depressed and am losing patience with mowbray. ive always defended him supported him but my oh my where did he go so wrong!!!!! the defending was awful, schoolboy errors pathetic, pele would of been much better alongside anyone!!! dorrans should of played or marek chech, koran in center mid where hes best, bednar up front along side fortune. he had to go with a 442 formation, yet has obviously learnt nothing this season, reverting to a 4 5 1 with nothing in the middle, no backbone, no grit, no fight, nothing in the center of defence, and hof is out of his depth in the prem.

im afraid if this is what we can expect, then were going down, and down to stay because were going to struggle in the championship!!!!!!! i think maybe its time for mowbray to go, i feel sorry for all albion fans who had to stomach that performance. the players should give there wages to charity, because they didnt earn them.

a depressed and disgruntled baggie in ontario canada

Sarky Parky:

If we were completely free of injuries would Mowbray's tactical inability still cock it up? Our best team based on recent and season's performances with debatable positions with question marks is surely Carson? Zuiverloon, Pele, Ollsen, Cech, Morrison, Koren, Greening, Dorrens (?) Fortune, Simpson. Being deprived of 4 key members is truly dreadful luck but TM brought on the Simpson injury by unnecessarily playing him at Burnley, and Pele, Cech and Dorrens are fully fit and presumably raring to go.

Our only hope now is for the manager to choose a formation and stick with it - as the much maligned Robson did during the great escape season. Purse, a liability, was replaced and we stuck with 4-4-2 which included a defensive midfielder (Wallwork) and two wide players (Gera and Greening) in their proper positions. The only debate was whether Earnshaw was worth a start (sadly Robson forgot this formula the following year).

Kim is obviously not worth a place in a Premiership team and Valero has little value in a team that is struggling. Cech was superb against Spurs but was then dropped, ditto Pele against Boro. TM has to eschew favorites and play players in form - as Fergy and all successful managers do. He does seem to have wasted a lot of money. The team currently has an uncertainty about it - in tactics and personnel - that doesn't bode well for the immediate future.

costakiblue:

No point in adding anything further to the comments already made by previous reviews, as they all seem to concur with my view of proceedings. Therefore......

• TM - 2 Lost us the game befroe the kickoff. Shocking team selection for a match he had 'targetted' as a win! He gets 2 for realising his error, albeit too late, and removing Kim and Brunt.
• Carson - 6 Affected by the comedy in front of him, and joined in the fun by almost gifting a goal through his legs - otherwise reasonable.
• Hoefkens - 3 effort but lacking, skinned time after time by Duff - not good enough for this league.
• Robbo - 5 best defender - what an accolade - comedy moment for 3rd goal!
• Barnett - 3 several comedy moments first half - out muscled by Ameobi. Not good enough.
• Meite - 5 mistimed headers first half - at least he improved 2nd half!
• Kim - 1 At fault for 1st goal - no interest in tackling. Butt and Nolan were literally rubbing their hands at kick off at the thought of facing our designated midfield ball winner. Not good enough
• Valero - 4 turning out to be a disappointment after a bright first few games. Can't tackle, Can play, but not at this level!
• Koren - 7 Mr. 100% did hs best to get the team going. Played out of position again to accommodate others.
• Brunt - 2 Sorry but don't like him as a player - flatters all too often. Sweet left foot but doesn't use it (certainly not to tackle). Not good enough
• Morrison - 6 Bits and pieces of good stuff then disappears for a while
• Fortune - 8 Excellent job on his own - needs a few more games to become a decent striker.

subs

• Bednar - 6 put himself about - lacks pace but not guts.
• Tex - 5 not sure whether he's good enough for this league
• Moore - 2 not time to judge, but we know he's not good enough.

Funky Fudge:

Welcome to the one man show ? Fortune. He was the only player to come out of the first 45 minutes with any credibility. In fact, you could see by the 60 minutes mark that he was knackered having run so much (the lowering of the socks was the tell tale sign).

Mowbray has to take the majority of the blame for this shambles. This is what he got wrong imo:

• Starting Meite and Barnett: both were clearly unfit. The official site says that Barnett has had 2 days training in the last 3 weeks and Meite didn?t train at all this week. Meite in particular looked like he couldn?t run, jump etc.
• He played the 5-man midfield extremely narrow. This was clearly obvious when we were setting up for their goal kick ? our widest players were our full backs and they were both within the width of the penalty area. This was made even worse when we tried to go forward ? the number of times I was screaming for the wide midfielders to make a run into the channel where there were huge gaps. It is clear to me that the players were told to keep it narrow
• We seemed to be at walking pace for most of the first half (Fortune excepted). Why? Had we gone at Newcastle in the way we know we can, it might have been 3-1 to us at half time.
• I can?t remember a tackle of note in the first half. In fact, I can?t remember too many passing moves of note.
• What the hell was Valero doing for their 3rd goal? He is stood on the post, he is holding the post and yet the ball goes between him and the post.
• It was clear to pretty much everyone in the ground that we were absolutely shocking after 10, 15 and definitely after 20 minutes but Mowbray does nothing again. The best managers have the guts to change it half way through the first half if things really are that bad. I wonder if we would have gone in 2-1 down or even 2-2 if he had made at least 1 significant change after 20 minutes.

The big topic that will have fans arguing will be whether people think Mowbray should stay or go.

Why he should stay:

• Wins against Spurs, Man City and Middlesbrough should show that we can do it against struggling teams.
• He should stay IF we believe that once he gets more players fit then he can get enough points to survive.
• If we are to go down this year, any new manager should have the chance of a clean slate at the start of the summer.

Why he should go:

• People who went to the game at Hull were saying the first half was the worst 45 minutes of football from Albion in a long time. Now we will be saying that this game was the worst 45 minutes of football from Albion in a long time. We seem to be on a downward spiral.
• Every player listed in the first team except Greening and Robinson (and Clement, Hodgkiss and Daniels but these probably won?t be at the club for much longer) are Mowbray?s players. That is 28 players that he has brought in since he took over just over 2 years ago. (Are there any that he has bought and then sold?)
• We are the only team who haven?t got a point from one of the top 5 teams. Hull have picked up 5 points, Stoke have picked up 8 points, Middlesbrough have a point, Portsmouth have a point. This ?we?ll never get anything from those games? approach will end up costing us survival more than goal difference etc.

I?m finding it harder to believe that Mowbray is someone who has what it takes to keep a team in the Premiership.

For me, he should take a long hard look at himself and have a major rethink over the next 2 weeks as to how he wants to approach the last 13 games. More of what we saw during the first half yesterday (or even the second half ? we only looked a bit better because Newcastle sat back on their lead), and I don?t think he will be manager at the end of 2009.

?We?ve done it before, we?ll do it again? ? not on the recent performances we won?t.