With last season’s top two among their opponents in the first few games of the season, West Bromwich Albion must have expected to endure long periods of inferiority in August, but between the visits of Manchester City and Chelsea they cannot have expected to be given the runaround by newly promoted relegation favourites.
A well-manned and well-marshalled defence apart they played with a startling lack of ambition and quality, rarely threatening a Watford side whose first two games, without bringing a win, have convinced bookmakers there are worse sides in the division – Sunderland now favourites to snaffle the wooden spoon.
“This league is ruthless and any point is a good point, especially away from home,” said Gareth McAuley, who returned from injury to bolster the Baggies’ back-line. “But we want to get better. We’ve got a lot of improving to do and a lot of work to do still on the training ground. If we can do that as soon as possible we can move on and start getting wins.”
It would be harsh to judge either of the visitors’ starting strikers on the basis of this performance, so infrequently did they see the ball in the attacking third, but there was improvement of sorts once the club’s record signing, Salomón Rondón, came on in the second half and he seems quicker and more willing to stretch defences than, say, Rickie Lambert.
“He’s a strong, strong player,” said McAuley of the Venezuelan. “I think he gave us a lift and it’s a statement from the club when they go out and spend a lot of money on a player. That’s what supporters want to see. He came on and gave us a threat in behind, which gave us the chance to get up the pitch more.
“We’ve got good players. Up front, everyone’s competing – well, everyone’s competing for places all over the park. But we know we’ve got to do better, play better, be braver when we’ve got the ball.”
McAuley’s manager, with good reason based on this performance, is not convinced that his players are good enough, describing the team as being in transition. “We want to bring quite a few more in, while there are also going to be people leaving,” Tony Pulis said. “We need to change things, and the chairman knows we need to improve in certain areas quickly.”
Though Saido Berahino missed a late headed chance, it was telling that the Watford goalkeeper, Heurelho Gomes, said this was one of the easiest games he has played in 15 months at Watford. He sprang into action only after the final whistle, when he set to work rescuing the morale of team-mates crestfallen at their inability to convert superiority into victory.
“It’s important to use my experience, because I know how difficult it is in this league,” Gomes said. “Some players felt that we could win, and were more disappointed than the others because they don’t know the game. They think this is a bad result at home. I try to tell them to take the positive from the game as well.
“I believe West Brom came to defend a point and take the opportunity when they had set pieces. We knew that before the game, and we tried to do all we could to stop them, to get pressure on them. We tried everything we had and we couldn’t break them down, but it was another good performance. Some of the boys are disappointed, but I am happy because this is just the beginning.”
Man of the match José Manuel Jurado (Watford)
