Sunday 23 October 2005 - Bolton 2 - 0 West Brom Due to the fact that Bolton had European duties on Thursday night meant that the game would be moved back 24 hours to a Sunday afternoon, this meant that I was now unable to go to the game as I work Sundays. So I had to settle with listening to it on a very old radio, which had the poorest reception I've ever known. I was both optimistic and shocked before the game, optimistic knowing that Bolton had travelled back from Turkey and that could well of helped us, shocked but pleased because there was no Ronnie Wallwork. We won a penalty early on and when Kamara stepped up and scored I did let out a little scream of delight, only to be brought back down to earth by the fact that Horsefield had encroached and it would have to be re-taken. This time round it just didn't feel right and when he ballooned it over the bar it didn't surprise me. Knowing that you've missed a penalty away from home sticks in your mind and you're always wondering whether you're going to be punished for it and punished we were. Everyone knows that you must take your chances at this level and we didn't do that so it was no surprise when Nakata scored a free kick in the 81st minute and then Nolan topping it off
in injury time. With another loss against a team that we are very capable of beating the fans will be once again on Robson's back, knowing that this is just not good enough. We must also start asking him what his reasons are for leaving our best strikers either on the bench or not even in the starting line up. Ellington and Earnie should be given there chance to show what they can do, we paid 6 million for them and they haven't been given a fair run in the team, WE all know they are capable of scoring goals obviously ROBSON doesn't. Not looking very bright for midlands clubs at the moment. Saturday 15 October 2005 - West Brom 2 - 1 Arsenal Having lost to sides such as Wigan, Blackburn and Birmingham respectively, it was just like Albion to perform well against a below par Arsenal team and we all knew that we could get something from this game as Arsenal were missing half their first team.  | | Michael Davis and friend |
For the first time this season I was quite pleased with the team Robson had picked, the only real disappointment was the fact that neither Ellington nor Earnie was starting up front next to Kanu. With the team that played on Saturday the closest we've seen to our best 11, hopefully this means that Robson will stick with it for a few matches so the players can gel together. He still doesn't know who his middle two are or which strike pairing is best though and he must get this sorted ASAP because we need a consistent side. When Arsenal scored after 17 minutes I must admit I thought we could get ripped apart by them and we was definitely in danger of losing by 4 or 5. But instead of folding the team seemed to get going as soon as Arsenal had scored. With a number of dangerous crosses from our left footed right back we had Arsenal under the cosh and we needed to take our chance when it came to us and that we definitely did. As the ball fell to Kanu and he pulled back his right leg and fired past Lehmann and a leaping Kolo Toure there was a sense of belief about the team. Going in at half time level was the important bit if they'd of scored just before the break then we'd of had to of changed things to chase the game in the second half, but we didn't so we could stick to the original game plan. With Arsenal growing more and more inpatient and getting frustrated by the fact that having Kirkland in goal was like having a brick wall put up on the goal line, Albion knew that we could get something from the game. With a number of changes happening with Carter and Moore coming on and Kanu and Wallwork going off and to two very different receptions. Kanu's substitution to a chorus of boo's as it was probably his best game in an Albion shirt and Wallwork's to a chorus of cheers and a standing ovation, as he hasn't played as well as he can do. Although it was his best game so far this season and hopefully he can get back to what he was like last season. With Arsenal pressing and Albion sitting deeper and deeper we knew we would need to hit them on the break and just as the fans started to become a bit restless and start calling for the Duke's introduction the ball fell out wide a cross was put in which was blocked and as the ball bounced across the edge of the box Carter chested it down and it seemed to sit up perfectly for him, You was just begging him to hit it and he did... Straight into the top corner of the net. That sent the crowd into dream land, as it was a long long time since we last beat Arsenal, not even my dad had seen them beat them at the Hawthorns. So a nervous 15 minutes to hold out, and typical Albion would have conceded in the last few minutes but this time they seemed to throw all they had in front of the ball with tackles being made and shots being blocked this was the Albion that the fans knew the side that didn't let other teams play. Even after the final whistle had gone it took till bout 11.30 for it to sink in properly when we were watching the highlights in the middle of a packed walkabout bar. But this result will count for nothing if we don't get something against Bolton next Sunday, so let's hope we can push on now and if we can get our first away win then we will be on our way to securing another season in the top flight. Saturday 1 October 2005 - Blackburn 2 - 0 West Brom Having seen the shambles that was the game against Charlton, I was going to give the Blackburn game a miss, to save myself some money. But when my mate told me that he was going to drive there, I felt the need to go. I don't know whether it was the fact that it was going to save me some money or the fact that I didn't want to miss out on this lads day out. Another away trip up north then and despite the result it was another good day out. On arrival at Blackburn we felt the need to fill up with a meal, so we went to McDonalds. And the fact that we went there brought the highlight of the day, not the fact that I had to wait half an hour for my burger but the fact that I got to meet Mrs Horsefield. My mate Richie recognised her from when he worked in the commercial department last year, so when she sat next to us it only felt right that we asked her some questions, hoping to get some inside information out of her. We were told the probable formation that Geoff had informed her of on Thursday and when we got to the ground this was confirmed. We also got told that the team was unhappy that Campbell gets in the starting eleven ahead of one of four other strikers. This was music to our ears as I thought the fans might have been a bit harsh on him but if the players also think it then we must be right. Having seen the same side in the past two performances I was expecting some changes as we had played diabolical in both games. I was disappointed to hear that Campbell was playing upfront on his own, and that Earnie had been dropped completely, as once again he was the best player I thought against Charlton. But at least Robson had seen how badly AJ played last match and had replaced him with Chaplow. I was expecting a much more attacking performance considering that he was playing Chaplow, Kamara, Greening and Gera but it wasn't to be. Although we had a couple of chances that could easily have gone in on another day we didn't really posses that attacking threat. The main source of our attacks was coming from none other than Martin Albrectsen. He deserved man of the match as he made some crucial tackles in the last third and also supplied crosses that Beckham himself would have been proud of and if we'd of had a goal scorer on the pitch then those crosses might have counted for
something. Overall a better performance than the Charlton game but Robson still needs to play his best team and with leaflets been handed out saying 'wanted Inamoto' 'Reward 3 points' and people holding Japanese flags up saying 'Play Inamoto' on them I think it's only a matter of time till we see him included in the squad. Although Ina will have to settle for a place alongside Wallwork as in Robson's eyes he's obviously is our best player. I can tell you now that a lot of fans disagree with that and if things don't change soon I can see a lot of fans turning on Robson just as they did against Man City last year. Robson deserves his chance but if he is going to continually leave the best players on the bench then I'm afraid he won't last much longer in the job. An international break now for Robson to get the players to play together, and sort out a way in which we can play, like we did at the end of last season. I know we can play much better football than we are at the moment and I believe the team that we have at the moment should be finishing in mid table although once again were in for another long season. The Albion can't do it simply can they! | 
