PROBLEMS FOR PARDEW

ON taking the West Bromwich Albion job, Alan Pardew was lumped in with all the other British firefightermanagers: Sam Allardyce, Roy Hodgson, David Moyes. He’s not like that, though. Pardew’s teams are rather cavalier. Defence isn’t his strongpoint. the bounce he often gets on taking over, comes from new ideas, encouragement, being on the front foot. If West Brom thought they were getting a manager to shut up shop and bore his way to 17th place by May, they were poorly advised. West Brom are four points adrift and have surrendered 18 points from leading positions this season, the most in the League. Pardew must hope Daniel Sturridge can blast West Brom out of it because, right now, this is a high-wire act with no safety net.