OPINION
West Brom scored two late goals to rescue a point in their 2-2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday night.
Adam Reach and Fernando Forestieri scored to put the Owls in a commanding position in the first-half, but Joel Pelupessy’s own goal just minutes before Harvey Barnes’ stunning solo-effort meant that the Baggies returned from Hillsborough having grabbed a point from the jaws of defeat.
Here, This is Futbol examines three things learned about Darren Moore’s side in the four-goal stalemate.
Formation must be changed away from home
Moore has West Brom scoring goals galore with his three-at-the-back system, but away from home they are not controlling games as well as a team of their quality should be and are conceding way too many goals. Craig Dawson, Ahmed Hegazi and Kyle Bartley simply do not suit the system. None of them are left-footed and none of them can be described as ball-players. All three of them had shockers in South Yorkshire on Wednesday night and Moore should seriously consider playing a 4-2-3-1 away from home.
Moore is constantly looking ahead to the next game
Many West Brom fans were dumbfounded when Moore rang a triple change in the 65th minute, taking off Tyrone Mears, Jay Rodriguez and Dwight Gayle. The Newcastle loanee was probably Albion’s best player up until he was substituted and with the Baggies two-goals down at that point, Moore was surely trying to give them an early rest ahead of this weekend’s clash against Reading. West Brom have little strength in depth, especially up front, and Matt Phillips’ injury means that Mears has to start as the right-sided wing-back.
Bartley must be axed ASAP
Leeds fans were gushing about Bartley when West Brom signed him from Swansea in the summer, but they were all wrong about the centre-back because quite honestly, he is hopeless and needs to be dropped from the starting line-up as soon as possible. The 27-year-old is all over the place and while he pulled the short straw to play on the left-side of the defence, he doesn’t look as though he is capable of playing anywhere in the back-three. West Brom don’t have amazing option at centre-back but surely Tosin Adarabioyo or even Gareth Barry would do a better job than the summer signing, who just looks absolutely awful.