Source: Northern_Echo
West Bromwich Albion 1 Sunderland 0
West Bromwich Albion 1 Sunderland 0[LNB] MICK McCarthy once said that Sunderland's first win in their Premier League season in 2005-6 wasn't a case of getting a monkey off his back, more like the Planet of the Apes.[LNB] Steve Bruce is facing a similar situation with the Black Cats' away record, and if he can pull it off, surely it would feel like the whole animal kingdom clambering off the manager's back.[LNB] But at no point during Saturday's miserable trip to The Hawthorns did this seem like being the case.[LNB] Once more, Sunderland supporters trooped out of an away ground, dejected. But not quietly some stayed to make their feelings clear to the players out for the warmdown ten minutes after the defeat.[LNB] Debutant Peter Odemwingie's 80th-minute goal proved the difference, while for Sunderland, it was the same old story failing to show any of the creativity they displayed in an encouraging first half against Birmingham.[LNB] Bruce is as baffled as Ricky Sbragia before him, and Roy Keane before that. All three managers have struggled to get their teams clicking on the road, all three could not correct it.[LNB] Bruce said: We were a different team to the one that took on Birmingham. Unless we change our mentality a bit especially first half our dismal away record is going to stay like that.[LNB] It's the mentality. We need to change that if we're going to move forward. It's happening too often, we're a different side at home.[LNB] Compare this first half to the one last week, it's chalk and cheese. That has to change.[LNB] The one thing we had to do was start the game and take part, and we sat off and made it so easy for West Brom, it was a stroll for them.[LNB] A stroll it certainly was.[LNB] West Brom should have gone in at half-time ahead, but failed to capitalise on a sluggish Sunderland back four.[LNB] Odemwingie and former Middlesbrough midfielder James Morrison both fired wide before the game was ten minutes old, while Morrison's cross on 21 minutes was taken off the head of Youssouff Mulumbu by Chris Brunt.[LNB] The Baggies enjoyed two fine chances to take the lead after half an hour. A Morrison shot evaded Simon Mignolet and found Jerome Thomas on the left, who rounded the rookie keeper, but his pass into the six-yard area only found a Sunderland shirt. Seconds later, Marek Cech's teasing cross was met by Brunt, who fired in an acrobatic overhead kick which sailed over Mignolet's crossbar.[LNB] Sunderland were restricted to half chances, and failed to make a succession of freekicks count in their favour.[LNB] The Black Cats came out of the second-half blocks brightly, and almost took the lead on 48 minutes when Jordan Henderson's free-kick was met by Darren Bent, captaining the side in Lee Cattermole's absence, but the striker could only direct his header wide.[LNB] Giles Barnes caused trouble for Sunderland's defence on 64 minutes when his raking cross met Brunt at the far post, but Mignolet made a simple save.[LNB] And confident Mignolet denied the Baggies on 70 minutes, firstly when Dorrans' free-kick was punched clear by the Belgian youngster, and again when Morrison's cross almost found the head of Brunt seconds later.[LNB] Sunderland had their best opportunities of the game 15 minutes from time when Richardson's shot was tipped over by Carson, while substitute Zenden's cross for Nedum Onuoha should have produced a goal, but the on-loan right-back's header was easily collected by the Baggies goalkeeper.[LNB] But for all Sunderland's second-half improvement, West Brom took the lead on 80 minutes when Morrison's through-ball beat the offside trap and Odemwingie smartly slotted past the onrushing Mignolet.[LNB] Bruce said of the goal: It sums our afternoon up. The boy (Odemwingie) got between the defenders again we'd spoken about that at half-time, we had a warning shot after ten minutes all afternoon the boy played between our centre-halves and we've been punished again.[LNB] Martyn Waghorn was introduced on 85 minutes, and had an early chance when he volleyed Zenden's left-sided corner wide of Carson's post.[LNB] The Baggies should have made it two, two minutes later, when Brunt's curling shot had Mignolet beaten but hit the crossbar.[LNB] Although Bruce can take heart from an improved second half, he was in no mood for platitudes in his postmatch assessment: We have let 25 players go and brought in about 12 or 13 and it will take a bit of time, but the one thing I have always prided myself on is that any team of mine will roll their sleeves up and have a go.[LNB] First half we were far short of that. We were awful.[LNB] You can give the ball away and make mistakes, but I can't come to terms with not having the energy and attitude to go and take part in the game.[LNB] If you don't show up in the Premier League you get beaten, and rightly so.[LNB] I can make excuses about not having Cattermole and Turner, but I don't want to. We had enough in the team for me not to have to go on like a raging idiot at half-time, trying to wake a few up.[LNB] Match facts Goal:[LNB] 1-0: Odemwingie (81, ran through a gap in the defence to finish low)[LNB] Bookings: Brunt (18, foul), Olsson (36, foul), Da Silva (80, foul), Bramble (83, foul), Reid (89, foul)[LNB] Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicester) - Whistle happy but was otherwise satisfactory 6[LNB] Attendance: 23,624[LNB] Entertainment: [LNB] WBA (4-4-2): Carson 7; Jara 6, Olsson 7, Tamas 6, Cech 7; Brunt 7, MORRISON 8, Dorrans (Reid 82) 7, Thomas (Barnes 7 46) 6, Mulumbu (Shorey 86) 5, Odemwingie 7.[LNB] Subs (not used): Myhill (gk), Ibanez, Bednar, Cox.[LNB] SUNDERLAND (4-4-2):[LNB] 6 Mignolet: Fared better on his second game, dealt well with crosses[LNB] 6 Richardson: Should have made set-pieces count and went close with 20-yard shot[LNB] 6 Da Silva: Faded in the second half after a competent opening period for the Paraguayan 7[LNB] BRAMBLE: Was a rock for Sunderland. Led the defence well 7[LNB] Onuoa: Competent if unspectacular not one to get forward but solid at the back; 6[LNB] Malbranque: Tenacious tackling, but could not find the killer pass. 5[LNB] Riveros: Much improved from last week, but needs time to get match-sharpness[LNB] 6 Henderson: Pulled the strings in midfield, but for all his hard work was unable to make any passes count.[LNB] 4 Elmohamady: Ineffective. Showed some pace but not often enough, and the tag of the Egyptian Beckham' appears some way wide of the mark;[LNB] 6 Bent: Starved of any real service, but the one time he was sent clean through his touch was heavy.[LNB] 6 Campbell: Struggled to link with Bent to any real effect, but full of running Subs:[LNB] Zenden (for Malbranque, 66): Would have made more impact had he started the game, passed well. 7 Welbeck (for Elmohamady, 66): Showed some decent touches but not enough to make a difference. 6 Waghorn (for Riveros, 85)[LNB] MAN OF THE MATCH[LNB] JAMES Morrison the former Middlesbrough midfielder shone in an impressive Albion midfield featuring Graham Dorrans and Chris Brunt, and set up Odemwingie for his goal.[LNB]
