West Bromwich Albion 5 - Manchester United 5

Summary:

Last game of the season? Neither side with anything to play for? You'd never have guessed it from the final scoreline. Steve Clarke put out pretty much his best side, with only Romelu Lukaku left out of the starting lineup in the last game of his season-long loan - but the game perhaps showed what a crucial element he has become in Albion's squad. Sir Alex, on the other hand, started off his final game in charge with a relatively young side, although you'd hardly call them inexperienced.

United opened the scoring after just six minutes when Javier Hernandez fed Shinji Kagawa, and doubled the lead just three minutes later when Antonio Valencia's cross forced an own goal from Jonas Olsson. It was beginning to look like a cricket score was on the way when Tom Cleverly fed Alexander Buttner to fire a superb strike on the half hour mark to make it three, bur James Morrison got what could have been just a consolation goal when he put away a cross from Graham Dorrans five minutes before half time.

Clarke brought on Lukaku for Liam Ridgewell at half time and the game swung towards Albion when he made it 3-2 after just five minutes with a low drive into the corner from 20 yards. But United took just three minutes to score again - another cross, this time from Valencia to Robin van Persie.

United started bringing on their old warhorses, Ryan Giggs providing a cross almost immediately for Hernandez to make it 5-2 to the visitors and Paul Scholes taking to the field a few minutes later - perhaps to shore up the midfield and hang on for the win, perhaps for a final runout, or perhaps a bit of both.

But Albion weren't done yet, and Lukaku and Youssouf Mulumbu both scored in the 81st minute to bring Albion within a single goal of United's impressive haul. On came Rio Ferdinand for Phil Jones, but he couldn't prevent Lukaku from becoming just the third person to score a hattrick against them since the Premier League was formed and making it a five-all scoreline for the first time.

Thus it became a day of records and farewells. Albion finish in eighth place, their highest in the top flight since 1980/81. How many would have gladly settled for that back in August?

oshawabaggie:

After 25 minutes I was starting to draft a rather pessimistic summary of our season. The draft was modified every 5 minutes or so after half time until it was finally deleted in favour of a fresh start.

That must be one of the most entertaining games either set of fans, along with the neutrals, are ever likely to see - a game that meant 'nothing' was turned into one that will be talked about and replayed for years to come.

But what are we (Albion fans, players and management) to take from that game? Horrendous defending and apparent apathy by most of the the team was miraculously replaced by courage, skill and undying effort from about the 30th minute on.

Even after our two goal response from 3-0 down was wiped out, we continued to generate good chances and it was always possible we might score, even though a complete comeback seemed unlikely.

Lukaku of course made a huge difference (how desperately we need him back next year) and kudos must go to SC for his ballsy move to shift Brunt to left back. Fergie was 'out-fergied'.

I am still concerned about our team for next year, but this was possibly the greatest draw in Albion's history and must give a great psychological boost as we go into the off-season.

Nice to snatch some of the limelight off Fergie and Manure.

Boing Boing

Baggyjon:

The Question has been asked. Was this as great a result as the 5-3 win at Old Trafford?

The answer in my estimation is no. The Albion team of 78 was probably the second best team not to have won the First Division, the first of course was the 1954 side.

The match, probably one of the finest to have graced the Premier League, an aspect totally ignored by the so-called MOD pundits in favour of eulogies for Ferguson and Scholes, showed the best and worst of Albion's season.

Appalling defending and inability to close down opponents in midfield but great character and fighting spirit and a second half that could have won the game.

A fantastic spectacle.

However questions remain. Eighth place with a Cup thrown in is probably the extent of our ambition given the size of the ground which limits the size of the support and restricts income.

There has to be questions about the future of a number of players who in my opinion will not improve; Thomas, Reid, Brunt, Dorrans come to mind. The form of Olsson is a big worry. I get the impression that he feels good enough to get a big move to a London club but I doubt that Watford or Palace are bigger than Albion. Come on Jonas, make your mind up. I would suggest that Dawson is given a good run in pre-season. I am afraid Ridgewell is just not good enough.

I am confident that these problems will be addressed in the close season but don't expect a top ten finish next time as the club faces a couple of years transition.

Davo from Dudley:

3-0 after half an hour and I was dreading the Cricket score to come. Defending was poor to say the least, the Man Utd midfield over-ran us every time they got the ball and still an hour to go. Jimmy Morrison in not one of his finest games in our shirt pulled one back before half time, Then, cometh the moment, cometh the man. Lukaku's strength, power and speed frightened the visitors to death. (Can we keep him please JP?)

Over all, for both sets of fans, neutrals and anyone else who watched the game, what a spectacle. Pity we couldn't do this against Norwich.

Players to go:-

• Olsson - poor / very poor since Christmas, has his agent turned his head?
• Popov - hasn't done it for me
• Thomas - hasn't shown much for 2 years
• Lukaku - wish we could keep him
• Reid - too injury prone now
• Odemwingie - Nuff said

To replace that lot would be a huge investment, but it needs to be done.

Paul Gainham:

Bloody football. That just about sums up yesterday's encounter. I was concerned as I walked in that the day could turn into a sycophantic worship of all things Fergie. In the end I think the club played it right, show Man U some respect for winning the PL and Fergie some respect for his record and no more. On that front, job done.

As for the game itself one thing to note is that Man U came to play and took the game to us - Valencia ripped us apart down our left pretty much whenever he wanted and that to me showed they wanted the win even If they had nothing to play for.

In the first ~60 mins and at other points later on, we were literally handling them that win on a plate. We were utterly abject - no structure, no passion no idea and Man U strode to a 3-0 lead which they deserved.

Of course the turning point was the Lukaku substitution and he literally single handedly pulls us together into something resembling a team. From being in the position of a 3 goal deficit twice in the game, we actually could have won it late on - we suddenly had the spirit and manure were reeling a little.

This game in many ways summed up our 2nd half Of the season at times abject and clueless, at times exciting and forceful.

Yes it was great, yes it was thrilling, yes it was entertaining yes it also showed we lack a clear strategy and structure under Clarke.

So my views on him have not changed - if we go into next season as we are now, we will be joining Wigan, Reading and QPR in the chumps league.