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 on the very same date 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. Albion have now conceded 36 goals in their last 13 games – and Sheffield United here became the 11th side to plunder at least two in a game. For Sam Allardyce, this was another match where he the teacher watched on as his pupils once again failed to transfer training ground theory into practice.
Sam Allardyce said: “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. 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 run-in. 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.
Sam Allardyce said: “It’s damaging, we play not to lose and we lose far too many,” he admitted. “The club has done the best to help the squad that is already here, 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 a 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 – and 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 should’ve had four points, and we’ve only got one – we only have ourselves to blame.”
