Same again for Sam with Blades blunder
ON February 2, each year, Groundhog Day is a celebration which is observed across North America and Canada.
It is rather fitting, then, that West Brom continued their own tradition from which they cannot seem to escape at the moment – conceding goals at such a rate that they’re finding it almost impossible to earn results, in a 2-1 defeat at Sheffield United.
What was particularly galling about this latest chapter was that this was supposed to be the game in which they reversed their fortunes; United were the only team below them in the league table and were one of only two sides that Albion have actually tasted victory at the expense of this year.
They had to be up for this.
Despite Matty Phillips’ opening goal, though, the relentless Blades came from behind thanks to Jayden Bogle and Billy Sharp to claim all the points and leave the Baggies well and truly cut adrift.
For Sam Allardyce, this was another match where he watched on as his side once again failed to transfer training ground theory into practice.
“It came down to two moments with balls in our box that we didn’t deal with correctly, very scruffy goals that could’ve been avoided. A lot of what we talk about has happened again tonight, despite trying to make our defenders aware of the situation and dealing with it as it arises,” Allardyce bemoaned.
“They were just about to bring Billy Sharp off and his last moment in the game ends up with him scoring the goal. You think what would’ve happened if he’d been taken off minutes earlier, but the biggest moment in this game was the save by Ramsdale from Callum Robinson.
“I have to say that with our defensive frailties we might not have won the game, but we wouldn’t have lost it. It would have been another point, it might’ve been all three. That moment came and went and it defining for me.”
Allardyce had reasoned that these matches, against Fulham and Sheffield United, were going to be key in how the club’s fortunes would unfold in the runin. He indicated that, having failed to beat Fulham, this trip to Bramall Lane was a “must win”.
Albion have failed to do so; more than that, they’ve conceded ground to a Blades side who have won three of their last five league games and right now appear to have more cause for optimism.
“It’s damaging, we play not to lose and we lose far too many,” he admitted. “The club has done the best, in terms of improving the squad. We’ve done all we can possibly do.
“We hope that the players who have come along to join the fight can make an contribution as quickly as possible. That mightn’t be as easy for Okay and Mbaye in catching up with the Premier League, but hopefully Robert when he’s fully match fit and Ainsley – an England international – hopefully they can lift the players and show the quality we know they’ve got.
“They’ll be ready to go straight in. We have to turn the corner and start picking up points. When we can’t start picking up more points than games played, which we should’ve done over the last two games, we only have ourselves to blame.”