Baggies blow
AN UNWANTED hat-trick of draws has slowed the Baggies’ passage back to the Premier League, much to manager Valerien Ismael’s disdain.
His side allowed themselves to become involved in a physical slugfest with Preston, which was no advert for the Championship.
In fact, in a game littered with stoppages and niggles there was more chance of the towels strategically placed around the pitch perimeter creating the most assists.
It was tiresome long throw after another, once the ball had been wiped, from both sides, although Albion can thank one hurled in by Darnell Furlong for a point after going behind to a Ben Whiteman strike. But it wasn’t enough and meant they were kept off the top on goal difference, this stalemate following draws against Derby and Millwall.
Ismael admitted: “This was the same picture as against Derby in our last game.
“Our opponents had one shot on target, and had a deflected goal and took the lead.
“It was important for us to score just before half-time to give us the momentum.
“In the second half it was
exactly like against Derby. We tried everything.
“We showed the mentality but we have to work on the last third of the pitch. We lacked quality.”
That was illustrated in the dying minutes when former Preston striker Jordan Hugill fired tamely from close range, enabling Daniel
Iversen to save comfortably. Deepdale boss Frankie Mcavoy believed the Norwich loanee shouldn’t even have been on the pitch. An aerial lunge early on left Patrick Bauer needing lengthy treatment, with referee Andy Davies dishing out a yellow card.
Mcavoy said: “The fact is there was an elbow and those incidents can be dangerous. You can see that head of steam, the home side by the injury he has got. suddenly struck.
“It took a long time to stop Emil Riis, who had been the bleeding. Preston’s main source of
“I don’t want to see anyone danger with his long throws, sent off but in my view it was proved that his feet can be dangerous.” Just as the just as potent with neat Baggies were building up a control on the edge of the
PRESTON: Iversen 6; Storey 7, Bauer 7, Hughes 7; Van den Berg 6, Ledson 7, Whiteman 6 (Mccann 65, 6), Earl 7; Johnson 6; Maguire 6 (Wickham 65, 6), Riis 6 (Murphy 84).
Unused Subs: Rudd, Cunningham, Lindsay, Potts.
WBA: Johnstone 6; Ajayi 7, Bartley 6, Townsend 6; Furlong 7, Livermore 6, Mowatt 6, Reach 6; Phillips 8 (Robinson 68, 6), Diangana 7 (Grant 63, 6), Hugill 6. Button, Molumby, Kipre, Snodgrass, Taylor.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Matt Phillips. In a game short on skills and creativity he at least tried to buck the trend.
REFEREE: Andy Davies 6. area. A sharp pass to Whitehead saw the midfielder’s low drive deflected past the flailing hands of Sam Johnstone off Kyle Bartley.
Once Furlong had taken advantage of one of the towels to aid long throws, Ismael’s side were back in business in first-half added time.
He hurled one deep into the crowded box for Matt Phillips to head in from close range following a flick-on.