Posted by By Sean Beynon
at the Hawthorns
Bristol City’s seven-match unbeaten run came to a grinding halt at the Hawthorns on Saturday, with West Brom’s attacking prowess evident throughout.
The Baggies were well worth the 4-1 win which takes them clear at the top of the Championship, while City slip to tenth after only their third defeat of the campaign, and can have few complaints about the result.
The gulf between the sides was clear and showed the amount of work City still have to do to be considered serious contenders for this division.
West Brom galloped out of the blocks. Jerome Thomas was left free to run at City’s defence, cut inside and his third-minute effort beat keeper Dean Gerken at his near post. This was to set the tone for the day.
On eleven minutes, West Brom doubled their lead. Chris Brunt did supremely well to bring down Graham Dorrans’ chipped ball. Smartly rounding Gerken, Brunt finished well from a tight angle and City already had a mountain to climb.
It could have been so different. City had started brightly, with Danny Haynes using his pace to rattle the Baggies back four. Cole Skuse had an effort cleared off the line, and only a smart save from Scott Carson could deny Jamie McCombe’s goal-bound header.
Manager Gary Johnson was forced into a change of formation after Jamie McCallister limped off. His preferred 3-5-2 was disrupted again, with Gavin Williams’ introduction leaving City to go 4-4-2.
The change didn’t help City’s defensive organisation. West Brom’s pace was always dangerous, but it was from a dead ball situation that the Baggies should have put the game out of City’s reach.
City seemed intent on neutralising the aerial threat of 6ft 4in defender Jonas Olsson and left Dorrans inexplicably unmarked at the far post from a free-kick. Perhaps he could not believe the gift he had been offered, as he badly fluffed his attempt to stab a volley home.
While City always looked vulnerable defensively, they continued to create. A snap-shot from Nicky Maynard was well stopped by Carson, while Marvin Elliott will feel he should have done better with a free header from a corner.
City needed a bright opening to the second half. In the event, five minutes of misery at the start of the second period put the game well beyond Johnson’s men. An out-of-sorts Lewin Nyatanga gave the ball away just after the restart, and City skipper Louis Carey turned Simon Cox’s speculative shot into his own net.
Just two minutes later Cox was in the action again, losing McCombe in the box and poking home an incisive ball from the impressive Thomas.
Cox has struggled to break into the side following a summer move from Swindon Town. But he looked assured today, combining well with Thomas, Gianni Zuiverloon and Luke Moore as West Brom scythed through City’s defence time and time again.
Gerken made a succession of timely saves to stop the rout turning more embarrassing, but Johnson will be concerned by noticeably poor performances at the back from Carey, McCombe and Nyatanga.
The game was up, and a minority of City fans headed for the exits. Those of the 3,000 travelling army who remained were stirred by the taunts of Albion’s fans, and the last twenty minutes saw a crescendo of noise from the away end.
Paul Hartley’s quite brilliant free kick, beating an outstretched Carson from fully 25 yards, was a stunning consolation. Nothing, however, could take the gloss off a West Brom performance which showed why they are top of the league.
City have two consecutive home games to come, hosting Sheffield United next Saturday and Ipswich Town a week later. Points from those games are important, as the Robins look to keep up the pressure on the top six.
Further reading
