Obafemi pounces to pile pressure on Bruce
STEVE BRUCE admitted his West Brom side have not been good enough but vowed to carry on after angry supporters rounded on him during Swansea’s win at The Hawthorns.
Chants of ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’ rang out at both ends of the ground after substitute Michael Obafemi scored in the 89th minute.
That came after Karlan Grant had missed a late penalty for West Brom, making it back-to-back victories for Russell Martin’s side.
West Brom have won just once in the Championship this season — and not for six games. Albion have conceded first in eight of their 11 Championship games this season, six of which have been in the first 15 minutes.
Asked if he had been given any assurances about his job, manager Bruce said: ‘No. I don’t expect reassurances. I will get on with the job. We need to turn it around and I’m convinced we will.
‘Things are tough. We’re nowhere near what is acceptable. And when
I look around me and see managers gone we all understand the game. But I’ve not given up yet.’
Bruce, whose side are 21st in the table, admitted things could have been so different after Albion led 2-1 in the 65th minute.
‘Had we scored the penalty, the game was ours but that’s where we are at the minute,’ he added.
As for the fans’ reaction to him, Bruce said: ‘I can understand their frustration since I walked through the door. They’ve been great towards me, but you can feel a frustration because of results.
‘Apart from the first 10 games of last season, they’ve not seen enough wins in two years.
‘I get it — they want to see their team win and we’ve good enough players to win matches, but we’re not doing that.’
Swansea led in the sixth minute after Albion goalkeeper David Button missed Ryan Manning’s corner to allow Matt Sorinola to chest the ball into an empty net.
Jake Livermore levelled after 48 minutes, side-footing home from 10 yards after his header from John Swift’s corner went to Tom Rogic, who was dispossessed.
Grady Diangana put West Brom ahead in the 65th minute with an angled low drive through Nathan Wood’s legs and beyond Benda after Wallace squared.
Swansea equalised six minutes later. Substitute Oliver Ntcham skipped inside Diangana before rolling a low left-footed shot in off a post.
Sub Grant’s 81st-minute penalty was saved by goalkeeper Steven Benda’s legs after the striker had been shoved by Armstrong Oko-Flex. And Swansea won it when Obafemi turned smartly past his man onto Ntcham’s pass to sidefoot past Button.
Martin praised his players. He said: ‘I’m so proud of them — the character, the willingness to run for each other, and the trust they showed in each other at times to come back from going behind in the second half.
‘A bit of anxiety crept in after we started the game so well.
‘Steven had a big moment with the penalty save, and the subs were incredible when they came on.’