West Brom 2 Norwich 2 - Lewis Cox analysis
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00:00Well it finished, Albion 2 Norwich 2 here at the Hawthorns in front of, or rather amid
00:08storm Burt in the Black Country. Obviously the weather's been causing havoc hasn't it
00:14for a few days now, the snow's gone but there's no shortage of rain and wind around this place
00:19today made for some tricky conditions at times. But I think the major point of today, and
00:26it was a point for Carlos Coburn's side, is that we saw some goals and the Hawthorns
00:30faithful finally saw some goals here at the Shrine. Just around 400 minutes had passed
00:38by the 11th minute of the game today when Mason Holgate, the on loan defender, flicked
00:44Carl and Grant's cross in for 1-0 against Norwich and for a lot of those 400 minutes
00:50there's been a bit of pain as and they're watching on, waiting, wondering when a goal
00:54will come at this place again for the baggies. It's been a tough old run, it was 3 stalemates
00:59in a row, 3-0-0s obviously before heading into this one. Some better than others, some
01:04with more chances than others but ultimately the home record here certainly in terms of
01:08goals was abysmal. There's no two ways about it, it was the worst in the top 4 divisions,
01:13just 2 goals from 7 games here and it needed to be put to bed really, frankly. Thankfully
01:21just 11 minutes in Holgate's flick opened the score in but it wasn't all plain sailing
01:26and it didn't prove to be easy or simple in any way for the hosts today as Norwich bottom
01:33off yes and got some availability issues but got a good squad of players and certainly
01:38in Borges' sights a top player at this level. Obviously the visitors struck back and they
01:43struck back with a good equaliser shortly after and by about 6 or 7 minutes before half
01:47time they were leading, Torbjörn Hagen's own goal, unfortunate one for the defender
01:52really, he had a good game today and couldn't do a lot, he was trying to recover the ball
01:55in the 6-yard box there, poked into the corner, all of a sudden it's 2-1 down. Unfortunately
02:01and to their credit actually, Albion struck back immediately, good mentality really, not
02:07to be wounded or deterred from that going 2-1 down and Josh Madger volleyed in for his
02:1110th goal of the season, the top scorer, superbly from excellent Tom Fellows-Cross who was sensational
02:17today and that was 2-2 and there was still time actually before half time for Colin Grant
02:21to lift into the back of the net and it was bedlam here, it was chaos for a second or
02:26two at least before the official referee Lewis Smith ruled it out for a handball, I haven't
02:32seen a good replay yet of it, I don't know if one exists, I think it was harsh, Carlos
02:35Corbijn hadn't seen a good replay either by the time I just spoke to him in there, that
02:38would have been 3-2 by half time and quite something actually, two goals in a couple
02:42of minutes but 2-2 it was at the break and 2-2 it would remain, a share of the spoils
02:48here at the Hawthorns. The fair result I think, the right result on the balance of things,
02:53obviously that Grant controversy was a real flashpoint, could have changed things, harsh
02:58on Albion I think, maybe Norwich got a bit lucky there but Norwich had their moments
03:02still, it was a duller, let's be honest, second half, a quieter, calmer second half, I think
03:06we had all of our, we were spoilt in the first half, had all of our goals, all of our entertainment
03:11really, chances in the first half, I thought Albion started the second half well actually
03:16with some intent and Corbijn said as much in there, some good moments I think, first
03:2115-20 minutes of the second period but it waned for Albion, their threat and it actually
03:25waned around the time Corbijn made a triple sub, he brought on Dobbin, Wallace, Rakic
03:30around the midpoint of the second half with 20 minutes to go, the likes of Fellows went
03:34off, Fellows had a great game, Mikey Johnson went off, Mowat as well and Corbijn offered
03:39up in there in his press conference actually that we, the threat went away at that point,
03:46I then asked do you need more from the subs then, is that a problem and quickly said no
03:51look we need more from the subs coming on but we need more from the other 8 players
03:55that are already on the pitch, more from myself, so he said he will reflect on those changes
03:59and how they can be improved on but yeah from 65-70 minutes there was little threat for
04:04Albion really, so it's 2-2, I said to a few colleagues since the game actually I'd much
04:10rather and I think most fans would agree I'd like to think, much rather a 2-2 draw here
04:14today than another 0-0, as I mentioned 3 stalemates going into this, you want to end that drought
04:21and get the goals, Corbijn was a little, I think in reflection he felt and I've written
04:25this on our website, he felt and he feels his side are improving as an attacking force
04:29which is good to see and encouraging and that needs to continue developing, I think certain
04:33players are doing better, I think the formation, 2 up top, the 2 wingers playing, a grand
04:38was superb again today, obviously Magis scores, the wingers largely do well, I think that
04:42the formation is helping but Corbijn was a bit disappointed it came at cost defensively
04:47today, Norwich's 2 goals were pretty easily scored, could have been defended better and
04:51there was more chances for the Canaries, you know Borja Sainz goes through on a couple
04:55of occasions and poor efforts are saved well by Alex Palmer, so could have been worse today,
04:59you know you take the 2-2, Norwich are bottom half, have got missing players but I think
05:04they're a good side and I think we'll get better this season and we'll get well into
05:08that top half, so it does mean 5 winless here now and we know how strong Albin have been
05:13here under Corbijn but it's 4 draws in a row here as I mentioned and that defeat to Middlesbrough,
05:20the sole defeat here this season of course, just unusual, hugely such a place of strength
05:25here for Albin in this division, certainly under this head coach and you'd like to think
05:28they need to get back to that pretty sharpish, obviously 2 big away games, certainly a big
05:33away game on the horizon on Tuesday night up at Sunderland who until today were leaders
05:37now in 2nd, they've drawn a few in a row, 3 in a row included today, Sunderland away
05:42as I mentioned and then Preston next weekend but Albin are so strong away this season aren't
05:46they, they've got the best away record, most away goals so that bodes well, is a big conundrum
05:51to solve going up there on Tuesday night in that Darnell Furlong will be missing the ever
05:55present right back, standing captain for today, got his 5th yellow card of the season
05:59today so he'll be missing up at the Stadium of Light, real conundrum really because there
06:02are very few slash no natural options to come in there so we'll see how that goes, you can
06:08read everything Corbijn said about the game after it online now or certainly a lot of
06:12what he said, you can read my report, there'll be player ratings up at some point, hope you
06:16enjoyed this solo video effort for the day, obviously no Johnny with me today but onwards
06:21and upwards to the North East on Tuesday and yeah, not to be a victory but at least
06:26we finally saw some goals at the Hawthorns today.