19th February 2003: A lack of
quality. That was ultimately the difference at Fulham - they had the
quality to finish the chances they got, Albion did not. Mind you,
if I'd spent sixty million quid assembling a squad, I'd expect them
to do the business a little more often than Fulham have done.
Three-nil is very very harsh on the Albion. They were poor in the
first half, particularly in retaining possession, but Fulham were
not better and Albion had the better chances. When the goals came,
Albion were starting to get on top, and probably had the better of
the game after the five minute blitz, but they have nothing to show
for it once again.
Hughesy was guilty of wasting the best chances but substituting him
once again is surely not the answer. Megson has not given him a full
90 minutes this season in the Premiership, and I personally think
we look a more potent attacking force with him on the field. It's
not as if the other strikers are banging the goals in regularly, but
they've all been given a run in the side. Hughes has not. Dobie offered
nothing when he came on - Hughes must start on Sunday and be given
the whole game.
We're at a low point once more and the Great Escape is looking less
likely. The optimist in me continues to say that we are good enough
to stay up and if the other sides around us keep losing, the safety
target could fall as low as 34 or 35 points. Should Bolton lose to
Man Utd on Saturday, a win against West Ham puts us back in touch.
But the pessimist in me says that we can't score enough goals. I can't
see how that is going to change at the moment.
But we're still alive ... just.
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