The salient majority of our support thought that Sbragia should never have got the Sunderland job and you could probably manage to fit those who still back him in a toilet cubicle tonight. ‘When’ rather than ‘if’ is now surely the issue as regards his dismissal.

As much as I have zero confidence in the manager the issue of what Quinny should do with him is not too clear now. We have been average to poor for the neck end of fifty years and there is no obvious messiah-like figure on the horizon to pluck out of a TV studio in a vain attempt to gee us up. What are the options for the next five weeks then? Rowell is a hero but he has no coaching experience and the sad truth is that he is probably an anonymous figure to half of the lads in our squad. Step forward Kevin Ball? He made the odd questionable decision when he got it last time but installing him temporarily would remove some of the feelbad factor we have and he’d get some backsides kicked in the dressing room. The consensus in this vehicle is that he is the best option.

And I’m sure that if we were 2-0 down to a rank West Brom side Bally wouldn’t wait until four minutes to go before bringing a third striker (Healy) on. Many of our 3,000 were howling by that point. Normally I would see that as counter productive but it’s easy to see how some people failed to contain their anger today. Jones has been getting sarcastic cheers when he’s won headers for a while now and he and Cisse made the blood pressure of our section soar in the second half with their lack of movement and visible effort. Edwards wasn’t far behind on the boo boy list until he went off for Steed.

Those who glance at the Premiership table tonight and see us four points ahead of the relegation zone miss the point. Boro will probably struggle but the Mags and Blackburn have cushy run ins and you’d fancy Hull to beat Stoke at home now that Pulis’ side are safe(ish). Before the game we said that a draw would have been a bad result as the sides below us are likely to start hauling us in from next week. If only!

The fans did their job today but the red and white credits begin and end there. Kieran had a 30 yard screamer tipped over at 0-0 and Cisse stabbed over from six yards when we were two down - after that there was nothing going forward. At one point they were stroking the ball around like Brazil of 1970, drawing ole’s from the home crowd and looks of disbelief from our section. You really had to be there to appreciate how bad it was.

The Hawthorns has always been one of my top venues from Lee Howey’s headed winner in ’95 to Le Tallec’s ridiculous deflected goal when the Team of No Talents got three points there eleven years later. Their supporters are sound and it’s hard to begrudge them of a moment in the sun but I wish our record down there didn’t have to be blown apart in such a crucial game and in such a grim manner.

In a word, pathetic.

Final Score: 0-3

ALS Man of the Match: Phil Bardsley

Tom Bright

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