PALACE SEND THE BAGGIES AWAY WITH NOTHING

CRYSTAL PALACE 2 WEST BROM 0

BY AYODELE ODUMADE AT SELHURST PARK

Tony Pulis once again returned to his old stumping ground with West Bromwich Albion team, but unlike last season, he was sent away with nothing as an excellent Crystal Palace team beat them 2-0.

Palace are known as the “away specialists”.  No team has taken more points on the road in this calendar year. However their struggles have come at home where they had only won one game before today. Arguably they were not expected to beat the likes of Arsenal and Man City. However West Brom is a different proposition. This is a game they are expected to take maximum points from.

Palace took the game to West Brom from the whistle and won two corners in quick succession. Yanick Bolasie went on a run on the left, cut inside and hit a shot, which posed no problem for Boaz Myhill.  A minute later, Wilfred Zaha broke on the right hand side drove towards to Albion goal but his shot could only find the side netting.

Just after the hour mark, Yohan Cabaye left fly from 25 yards but it went straight into the hands of Myhill.  West Brom were struggling to get a foothold in the game and had not had a shot on target. Their play was somewhat disjointed as they struggled to make an impression on a Palace side who were not only dominating possession but also threatening.

Eight minutes before the break, Zaha once again made his way into the box on the right from a long punt by Scott Dann.  This time he forced a save from the keeper at his near post and won a corner.     West Brom’s striker, Saido Berahino hardly saw the ball and was left to feed off scraps.   Alan Pardew’s tactics were working a treat.  He had his boys pressing the Baggies and did not let them settle on the ball.   The game remained scoreless at the break.

At the start of the second half, Tony Pulis replaced Berahino with Craig Gardner.  This seemed a strange decision considering Berahino was the one bright spark that could change a game within a minute.  The Baggies seemed content to settle for a point.

Palace upped the tempo and kept looking for a goal.  The deadlock was broken in the 68^th minute.  Palace were awarded a corner, which was taken by Cabaye. It was cleared but when it came back to him he put a delightful cross to the back post where Bolasie and Dann were queuing and Bolasie headed it in from close range to give Palace a deserved lead.

The likes of Darren Fletcher, Chris Brunt and Solomon Rondon could not create much for West Brom as they spent most of their time running back towards their goal to defend and were shattered.

On their day the front four of Bolasie, Puncheon, Zaha and Gayle will trouble any team especially with Cabaye behind them dictating the play.   In the dying minutes of the game, Zaha was brought down by Brunt in the West Brom area and the referee awarded a penalty.   Cabaye stepped up and sent Myhill the wrong way to make it 2-0, game, set and match.

If Palace can get more wins like this at home to compliment their excellent away form, their fans can dream of happy days ahead with the prospect of finishing higher than last season and the possibility of Europe.   Palace have 15 points as a result of five wins from their opening 8 games and their manager Pardew said:  “The last time we had 15 points was at Christmas. We approached the game knowing what to expect.  We were controlled and you need someone like Cabaye to orchestrate the game.”  He also said “If you are going to have a good run against the top sides you need everyone to stay fit.”

A disappointed Pulis said: ” We played well against Everton. You cannot go from 8s to 4s and 3s!  We were not at it today.”