well... i don't know what to say. you can have whatever opinion you like - and difficult as this season has been - i have a feeling if we are ultimately relegated, we'll look back on this year and realize that the point where we really lost hold of a place in the premiership, was when jonathan greening got injured. i didn't see the loss to newcastle - until well after the fact, and already knew the outcome - but after seeing today's loss to fulham, it was pretty obvious that it is the presence of greening that brings a stability and control to the midfield and serves as a basis for their more successful moments going forward. without him, the forwards get trapped too far back to effectively get into the box; and his ability to win and control the ball in mid-field relieves the need for backtracking and extra work for the defenders. so, on top of any of their deficiencies in regards to scoring goals (which seems to be the consistent problem, this year) they have no real direction, and the confidence which they have surprisingly been able to sustain despite what must feel a truly miserable season, has finally begun to erode. i think this was most sharply reflected in bednar missing the late penalty. he second-guessed what would have normally been routine for him, as he is an excellent penalty taker. not even tony mowbray, the maestro himself, can keep spirits up without greening in the line-up. i hope his detractors have taken note and realized what all his oft-criticized little short backward and sideways passes are all about: retaining possession of the ball! it's the most crucial element in the playing style that the albion have committed to. without him, everyone else has to do a lot more work: the forwards and midfield have to work at winning the ball instead of getting forward, and not enough ball is won in the midfield, causing the defenders to have to constantly backtrack, with no opportunity of getting the ball forward.
i mean, we can't even look back to november, when we had really sputtered badly after a good start to the season - and have the same faith that eventually, the albion's high-level of basic football (running, passing, possession etc.) would ultimately begin to produce results - even if it took until the last 10 games. this might not be as true anymore as it once was. the albion were working very hard at building an offensive system based on the pace of ishmael miller, and the mid-field attacking skills of greening, morrison, brunt and koren. miller's out hurt for the rest of the year, morrison and koren have only been sporadically effective, and brunt doesn't always start. although greening is often reluctant to push forward and prefers to work the build-up rather than produce final outcome - he is an effective scorer with either foot, when he gets in position; and truthfully, week in week out, i've thought him all season to be the only true consistent premiership player in the side; and, at the moment, i can't see us finding that little three game win-streak that we need to pull us up out of relegation without him. the other deciding factor, it would seem, is how good a game can they get out of morrison and/or brunt? it seems that when either of these two have a good game, it produces positive results. morrison didn't play well today, and brunt should have started.
having followed the fortunes of fulham last year; who found themselves in a similar position as that of the baggies this year - i've had faith in the premise that eventually the wins will start to come. my first real doubts crept in after the home loss to newcastle, and were reinforced by the loss at fulham today. with the victories over spurs and middlesborough (nobody expected a result from visiting old trafford) coupled with a draw at hull (and despite what i considered a poor showing in the FA cup) i did think we were finally on our way. greening's injury - and with olsson out for an extended period now - their is no leadership that extends throughout the whole squad.
the other problem we face - that fulham were lucky with last year - is that the relegation battle is tight for all three drop spaces this year. last year, and with the likes of derby county, one team was so far behind that the relegation battle was effectively over just two spots. this year - and with the entire bottom half of the table having to compete against possible relegation, it's a much tougher go.
to be fair, the fullbacks are improving, expecially leon barnett - and that is one area where there is some sense of leadership, in the likes of meite; and no matter what you think of him, robinson lends a sense of character and physicality that (as long as he doesn't make a hash of a clearance or get turned the wrong way on tracking a run) is present nowhere else in the team. this is especially true with olsson out of the squad. as well - and i hope we can manage to keep him - zuiverloon is a potential star. his attacking play down the right wing will continue to improve as it has done all season. provided he stays in england he'll be one of the best players in the premiership one day... easy!
we came into this season with a reasonable and optimistic expectation of survival. the gaffer has been really good all year at keeping things in perspective and drawing attention to the positives rather than get flustered and miserable over the negatives. this is not only for the players', but he's been encouraging to the fans, as well, i think. as i've mentioned in my blog before: i always feel better after seing tony mowbray give us a post-match assessment after a particularly painful loss. while i have - since the newcastle game, become resigned to relegation (whereas before, i was anxious and hopeful and just waiting for the coalescence and breakthrough to happen) i've got no doubt that with "parachute payments" and the deft loan deals mowbray has made - one or two of which will hopefully pan out into full-time signings - the baggies will be back in the premiership within two years - and a better team than the one that started the opening day of the 2008-09 season.
for this reason, it's essential that the club stick with mowbray throughout the next few years, as this is really his team; as opposed to the remnants of the megson/robson baggies, enhanced by a couple of mercenary, journeymen veterans; and i think it's the only real road to long term success, given the baggies' style of management and budgeting.
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