Baggies backing Roy

Sunday, 21/08/2011

by Dave Wedgbury, Shoot's West Brom blogger

Another weekend, another top premiership team to face, Albion’s start to the season did not get any easier with an away trip to Chelsea.

After last year’s 6-0 drubbing on the opening day of the season, Baggie’s fans could be forgiven for being apprehensive when rolling up at Stamford Bridge. But this team is managed by Roy Hodgson, a man who insists on organisation and discipline, each player is aware of his role and Roy will insist they focus on just that.

Albion got off to a flying start after four minutes with an excellent Shane Long goal. He finished clinically after robbing Alex on the half way line and then brushing him aside as he closed upon the Chelsea goal.

I said last week that Long looks to have a great future, this display reinforced that – he battled from start to finish and his control and non-stop running caused problems throughout the match. It was a pity that his final ball to fellow striker Tchoyi wasn’t more accurate, as Tchoyi was faced with an empty goal and would have surely increased the lead to 2-0.

Although Chelsea did score after half time after Shorey got caught in possession and sadly scored the winner with only eight minutes of the match remaining after both Morrison and Shorey seemed to let Bosingwa slip between them unchallenged, he presented a great cross for Malouda to finish at the far post to leave us with a 2-1 loss.

It was certainly a little unjust after Albion had more than matched the huge spending London team, but football can be cruel and this leaves us waiting for our first points of the season.

I have no worries at all after another great performance, Hodgson paid particular praise to Long, Olsson and Foster, I’d totally agree with the manager – Olsson held the back line together superbly, Foster made some great saves, but more importantly he looked very alert and comfortable with everything Chelsea threw at him. I guess Albion’s next Premier League game against Stoke will test Foster even further.

Excellent news for Baggies fans this week when Peter Odemwingie signed his new deal and pledged his future to our great club, stating that this was his home and where he wanted to remain was music to Albion fan’s ears. The pairing of Odemwingie and Long will be very interesting over the season, add to this the obvious skills of Tchoyi and Albion are looking stronger this year.

Can Albion improve over the next few weeks? I’d like to see Dorrans given a start, probably at the expense of Morrison, not that he has played particularly bad, but I feel Dorrans may just offer than little bit more quality needed in the this league – although he will have to be fully fit and on form – we can carry no passengers in this league.

Albion travel to Bournemouth this week in the cup, this may be a chance for the fringe players to show what they can offer, Dorrans, Cox, Thorne, Dawson, McAuley, Jara and Cechmay be offered the chance to oust one of the current starters. Let’s hope it is a chance they take and not become a giant killing victim at this early stage of the season.

I was proud of the lads on Saturday and will be willing them on to their first victory hopefully next week when Stoke bombard our ground with their array of crosses and throw ins, can Foster, Olsson and co handle this – let’s hope so as this may just determine who comes out on top. Great performances to start the season, but a few points will help us all feel a little more settled – keep going Roy, we are all behind you.

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