Lewis Cox analysis: Creaking Baggies showing signs of hitting their limit
The Stadium of Light was a bridge too far for Carlos Corberan’s patched-up Albion.
If not the volume of Albion’s absentee list, then the importance of the individuals missing did for the visitors in the North East and Saturday’s 2-1 reverse.
It was an afternoon where the importance of Okay Yokuslu, Jed Wallace and Matt Phillips was hammered home. They may not always be appreciated, or shine, when playing – but take that level of experience, leadership, legs and quality out of the XI and Albion’s task becomes a steep uphill one.
Their absence is for varying lengths – Yokuslu is back from his ban to be available at Rotherham tomorrow night, Wallace is hoped to return as soon as possible, be it South Yorkshire or at home to Stoke on Sunday, but Phillips won’t be seen again until April.
Either way, the deficiencies in the squad were on show in Wearside and it combined for one of the Baggies’ poorer displays of the campaign. Managerless Sunderland – without the axed Tony Mowbray in the dugout – were good value for victory.
It could have been different, with referee Darren Bond and his officials getting some key decisions wrong, where both sides profited and suffered.
