West Bromwich Albion 0 - Derby County 1

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Ratings submitted so far: 16

Brendan Clegg:

A most #albionthat result on a day celebrating 125 years at the Hawthorns… with it being Derby was it ever going to be anything else?

Difficult to argue with the lineup with no changes from a winning team. The bench looked stretched still with Grant, Bielik, Bany and Dike still missing.

First half we were pretty dominant. Price, with his ability, had a pretty big early chance he volleyed straight at the keeper but otherwise it was a little bit frustrating. We controlled it, Derby had little to nothing, but I felt we lacked ambition. Our right side in particular with Campbell and Wallace was slow, didn’t attack space and played it safe. We let Derby get back into their shape too often and that made it hard.

Generally I also thought composure was lacking, probably mostly in Price and Wallace who got the ball in good areas but rushed passes or popped it off too quickly rather than taking a touch.

But we worked hard, fought for the wall and won it back early so there was plenty to be happy with at HT.

I thought we picked it up again after the break and pushed a bit harder. There were some nearly moments where we got it wide but the quality wasn’t there.

The slightly bizarre interruption to clear the dead bird off the pitch gave Derby some respite and they made some bolder changes than us at a time where we probably needed to get Maja on.

Instead we waited before Wallace and Mowatt made way for Collyer and Illing-Junior.

Just as Maja came on 10 mins later, Derby had a rare attack. Campbell was left outnumbered at the back post… the ball fell to ex baggie Wiemman and despite there being bodies back and him dribbling away from goal his low shot squeezed in.

The classic sucker. To be fair we had a go, kept going and Molumby rattled the bar but we didn’t have the quality or options to salvage anything.

Disappointing then. In a team that was struggling a bit for goals with Fellows in it, losing those assists or the space he created as opponents tried to stop them is going to be tough. We probably need to play a different way… certainly at home when we’re dominating the ball. A fit Bany would be a useful option to have. I hope that decision (or rather, the lack of replacement) isn’t as damaging as losing Palmer was to us.

But overall we didn’t deserve to lose, a lot of it was good or competitive and I think it’s a result that shows how tough and tight the league will be this year. Three other very challenging games coming up. We’ll need to be at our best, get more of our squad back and have some luck to get anything out of them… but they’re also all winnable!

• Griffiths- 5 He was doing well but you have to save those at this level. Cost us a point and a bit of momentum that goes with an unbeaten run.
• Campbell - 6 Defensively fine but limited on the ball and going forward. Might need to make way for home games.
• Phillips- 7 Solid
• Mepham - 7 Same. Looked classy.
• Styles - 6 Lots of energy… silly unnecessary wild challenge put him at risk
• Mowatt - 6 Decent game just not creative.
• Molumby - 7 got about, got shots off, unlucky
• Wallace - 5 Reliable but very safe and no threat.
• Price - 6 Some good moments but also some sloppy play and faded a bit.
• MJ - 6 I’d probably have left him on. Frustrating but our most likely player to create something
• Heggeboe - 5 Matt Clarke was too streetwise for him and he was probably too honest.

• Collyer and Illing-Junior - 6 difficult for them both to make an impact but they contributed
• Maja - 6 just not enough time… he’s had 2 more weeks but he really needs games now