Lewis Cox and Jonny Drury give their take on Albion's 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough.
The Baggies had the odd chance in the game but were second best in many departments.
And they fell to defeat as Hayden Hackney fired Boro into the lead midway through the half.
The Baggies had the odd chance in the game but were second best in many departments.
And they fell to defeat as Hayden Hackney fired Boro into the lead midway through the half.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Baggage fans, welcome to ExpressAndStart.com. My name is Jonny Drury, I'm here at the Hawthorns
00:14after Albion. I've lost for the first time at home this season, conceded at home for
00:18the first time this season, and been beaten for the second time in four days here against
00:23Middlesbrough. We'll come on to the game, but the result again, like Saturday, arguably
00:28well no, definitely secondary. Tonight was all about tributes to Albion fan, Mark Townsender,
00:34we all know sadly passed away following a medical incident at Hillsborough on Saturday.
00:40So we want to start the video by talking about that, paying tribute to Mark, thoughts again
00:44and prayers to Mark's family at this difficult time. But Coxsey, very poignant evening and
00:49very well observed by Albion, a shirt put in Mark's seat before the game. I know Carlos
00:55Corbijn talked about it before the game, he's just talked about it after as well.
01:00Despite the fact that we're disappointed with how Albion performed and the result, it really
01:04again doesn't really matter.
01:05Yes, the performance and the result weren't good were they, but they pale into insignificance
01:11as you say. Very much secondary, as Saturday was in the end in terms of that defeat. While
01:20the performance and result weren't what we wanted, the tribute in the 57th minute of
01:26course, Mark's age, it was pretty special wasn't it? The ball went out of play anyway
01:32I think, but it was heartening to see and I think the official would have done it anyway.
01:37Players and officials join in with the minutes applause. It was a pretty special moment wasn't
01:43it? It was very emotive as we knew it would. It's a very tough, difficult little period
01:51for the club isn't it? Obviously it goes without saying, family, friends and loved ones, thoughts
01:56and prayers are there. Obviously they will have the time to grieve for Mark's tragic
02:03loss and what were the tragic events, but it's likewise difficult for the club isn't
02:10it? Supporters here tonight, staff, it was a very difficult weekend clearly. As I said
02:18at the start of the evening, the club's in mourning, still in mourning isn't it? You
02:22can tell that. I was so pleased to see how well the minutes applause in the 57th minute
02:31played out. It was very touching, very poignant and I hope a crumb of comfort to the loved
02:38ones and some family here tonight weren't there? I'm sure they would have been touched
02:44by that. Typically, as expected, Albion did and do these kind of things right don't they?
02:52Pay tribute and look after their own in the best way and they did that tonight. It's a
02:59shame that the result didn't come, but as I said at the top, it pales into insignificance.
03:04Some more nice words from Carlos Corban there to me in the press conference. They were obviously
03:10beyond not sideways by the news and sad at the weekend and obviously desperate to pay
03:16tribute in the right way. The club, fans, officials, players, staff, everyone did that
03:20tonight so that's the most important thing really. Again, all of our thoughts and prayers
03:26with everyone who knew Mark.
03:30A few tributes, I've just seen a tweet actually that said Mark would probably be looking down
03:35and saying typical Albion tonight because Albion weren't at the races, didn't quite
03:39turn up like they did on Saturday, but were second best. Borough were the better team
03:44and Albion were beaten. Coxsey, I said to you inside, if you look at the first, what
03:51is it now, eight games, if you look back at the start of the season, two defeats, I think
03:5516 points to make games, just snapped your hand off, but a few little concerning signs,
03:59certainly at Sheffield Wednesday, and for me certainly tonight. Borough were a very
04:03good side, will be one of the better sides in the division, but Albion didn't have the
04:07answers tonight and were very sloppy at times.
04:11Yeah, right result tonight, wasn't it? Borough would have been decent value, I think for
04:15probably a two-goal margin, I would say. Carlos said on the telly and in there in the press
04:21conference that he sort of saw a bit of an even game. He said Borough were probably better
04:27in midfield and certainly the difference was in the final third, but I've got the impression
04:30he didn't see too much in it. I'm not sure how much I agree with that. He also said,
04:35look on Saturday, where by and large, Albion didn't show up and didn't give their best.
04:40He didn't quite see it as that bad tonight. And let's also caveat it, as you said, Borough
04:44were a good side. They are backed, they have a squad of quality, young, vibrant attackers,
04:52looked really good for me. I don't think Borough had to look too good tonight. I don't think
04:58how nothing Albion did, maybe from a midfield perspective, but certainly as a final third
05:04perspective worked or clicked for me tonight, nothing.
05:07For me it wasn't even a lack of quality, because there were a few chances in there. Jed Wallace
05:11had one in the first half, I think Josh Madge has almost got on the end of something. And
05:16he's almost got on the end of something in the second half. It was just the amount of
05:19times they give the ball away, unforced. And Albion fans might have seen, I've just put
05:24a piece out now, on a few players in particular, I thought John Swift was poor, I thought other
05:27players were poor as well, not just Swift. But just giving the ball away. For me, the
05:33more concerning thing is not having the answer. At times today, in the second half, we saw
05:37Borough disciplined, well-drilled, sat in, especially when they got to 1-0, and Albion
05:42just didn't have an answer. And that's probably the most concerning.
05:45Yeah, look, Tom Fellows came on, didn't he, shortly after half-time. He was a surprise
05:49omission for Jed Wallace. We were quite surprised to see the club captain start for the first
05:53time this season. Albeit, look, Carlos is just sitting there, free game week, busy championship
05:57season, I need to make changes, I trust my squad. Didn't happen for Wallace, did it?
06:02He wasn't alone, you mentioned Swift there, there were others, but it didn't happen for
06:05Wallace in his first start. It was a big night for him, he wanted to make a real impact
06:09and he didn't last long into the second half. He missed that first-half chance you mentioned.
06:15Tom Fellows comes on, couldn't quite inspire his side, could he? We shouldn't put it all
06:19on Fellows to come off the bench and win the game for Albion, we shouldn't have to.
06:24Mikey Johnson and who else came on with Johnson? I'm just trying to think. I can't remember.
06:29I talked to someone. Yeah, Malumby, of course, in midfield. Yeah, but, you know, Lewis Dobbin
06:33is another name, isn't it, with Mikey Johnson, new players from this summer, attackers who
06:38haven't quite had a start yet. We keep seeing them from the bench. Again, they would argue
06:42it's tough to get up to speed and have an impact and influence games with 20, 30-minute
06:46cameos and maybe it is, but perhaps we need to see a bit more, perhaps the head coach
06:50needs to see a bit more in training to get them into the starting line-up, but obviously
06:54the run of results. A few games ago, as it obviously ended now, one more game before
06:59an international break, so let's see. I think maybe the break comes at a good time for Albion,
07:04you're right. The starters tonight, one or two surprising starters, but the subs that
07:09came on, I don't think any of them really did themselves justice this evening. A couple
07:13of chances you mentioned, yes, but Albion were well beaten and I've seen one or two
07:17maybe question the squad depth online and it goes hand in hand with what I just mentioned
07:22there. There are enough players and I think by and large we've seen for the season they
07:26have the desired quality. I don't think this is an incredible championship this season.
07:30Yes, we've seen a good side tonight, but I suppose these players just have to show
07:36Millwall on Saturday and then the other side of the break. There are others ready to come
07:40in when some aren't firing. Obviously, Maggi didn't get his goal tonight, he nearly did
07:44at the end. We know there's no bar DK's return fairly soon, there's no other striker
07:49ready to come in yet, is there? Those three positions behind the front man, there are
07:53a lot of players and we need to see more from those starting and those coming in, don't
07:56we? Shame, of course, with, we'll get onto it now, Grady Diangana, who's probably been
08:01the pick of the bunch from the bench and was good at Hillsborough on Saturday. Tonight,
08:07you kind of thought we might see Grady in the starting line-up tonight, who certainly
08:10probably deserves it, maybe over Swift in the number 10. Injury on his other shoulder?
08:14Yes, he missed out with a shoulder problem. Incredibly, the other shoulder to the one
08:20he injured at Stoke, so I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing. It's not too serious,
08:24I'm told there by Carlos, so I'll do a piece about that as soon as we finish on this video,
08:27but it's not good news, is it? I don't think he's ready to feature against Millwall on
08:31Saturday. We've seen it so many times with Diangana, hasn't we? He tries to get somewhere,
08:37get up to speed and then he gets a blow and can't build that consistency. That's a shame,
08:42but we need to see more from a few, I think, don't we? I don't want to be too knee-jerk
08:47because obviously the start, but obviously a couple of results that Albion haven't obviously
08:55wanted and a performance, maybe two, one-and-a-half performances perhaps that have been below par
09:01against one side, maybe that'll be further down the championship, but this Middlesbrough side
09:06are a team that Albion will be rivals with this season, will be competing with this season.
09:10In the top six, I believe, maybe higher, who knows, but you hit the nail on the head,
09:18I think, Jonny, not good enough with the ball this evening, certainly in the midfield and final third.
09:22Not good enough indeed, two defeats on the banks for Albion off the top of the championship,
09:26but it's still very, very early days. Final score here at the Hawthorns,
09:30Albion 0, Middlesbrough 1. All the rest of your reaction, you know where to go, expressandstart.com.