As a keen student of military history who spends his spare time touring foreign battlefields and studying the modus operandi of assorted generals, Tony Pulis fully appreciates the importance of patience. Even so, Middlesbrough’s manager would probably have preferred not to wait until stoppage time to see Dani Ayala’s goal defeat the club which sacked him last November and return the Teesiders to the top of the Championship, three points ahead of Leeds.
When Ayala seamlessly controlled a dropping deep free-kick from the substitute Mo Besic before stabbing a shot past Sam Johnstone, Darren Moore looked shell-shocked. Not that a visiting manager mentored by Pulis should have been surprised by Boro’s latest set-piece success.
“It was a bit of a sickener, in that manner, that late in the game,” said Moore. “But myself and Tony are good friends, that won’t change.”
Pulis was somewhat happier. “West Brom have real quality and we’re very, very pleased,” he said. “Theirs is the best squad in this division and anyone who finishes above them will go up automatically but we stopped them and created several chances.
Indeed despite the sale of Adama Traoré, Patrick Bamford and Ben Gibson for a collective £45m this summer, Middlesbrough currently look highly convincing.
Switching to a 3-5-2 appears to have helped. This tactical revamp, prompted by Traoré’s departure for Wolves, makes Pulis’s ensemble appear infinitely better balanced, with Stewart Downing shining once again on the left of the central midfield trio.
“If we can get the wide players we want before the loan window closes we’ll be in good shape,” said Pulis, whose hopes of borrowing Yannick Bolasie from Everton were dashed by Aston Villa this week. “We go to Leeds next Friday, which is a big test so getting one or two in would be helpful.”
West Brom arrived fresh from a 7-1 demolition of QPR. Boro enjoyed the better of the early exchanges and Jonny Howson’s stooping header whizzed fractionally wide after George Friend had unhinged Moore’s backline, but the visitors always retained a certain edge. Aden Flint was deceived by the trajectory of Harvey Barnes’s viciously inswinging, counterattacking cross and could only slice an attempted clearance on to the bar.
Perhaps heeding this warning, Boro hassled West Brom ever harder, upping the tempo and refusing their guests time to settle in possession. Tosin Adarabioyo should arguably have conceded a penalty for handling George Friend’s cross and only a brilliant save from Johnstone kept out Downing’s subtly swerving shott.
As dusk descended Moore’s body language in the technical area became a little agitated. Pulis’s players were working hard with an impressive cohesion demonstrated by the way they chased down in packs Matt Phillips, Dwight Gayle and any other attacking threats.
The only problem for Boro was actually finding a way through West Brom’s own extremely robust back three. Well marshalled by the imposing Egypt defender Ahmed Hegazi, that trio held firm in the face of countless corners and breathed sighs of relief when Martin Braithwaite’s shot arced over the bar.
Fears that Boro might end up getting mugged on the break began preying on home fans but when Gayle did show everyone a clean pair of heels the Newcastle loanee striker’s shot was, much to Moore’s chagrin, too high.
With Boro newly vulnerable to West Brom’s pace, the power balance shifted, a change emphasised as first Ayala was booked for fouling the accelerating Barnes and then Darren Randolph, hitherto underemployed, smartly repelled Jay Rodriguez’s shot.
The time had come for Pulis to bring Besic – who did arrive from Everton in midweek – off the bench and the Bosnian duly played a central role in making his manager’s night.
