View: Big Sam has no right to complain after glaring sub error in West Brom v Newcastle
Sam Allardyce spent the last week bleating on about a Premier League conspiracy but proved he is the only deluded one after West Brom drew to Newcastle United.
A 0-0 stalemate does little for Albion’s brief hopes of staging a late bid for survival as we failed to make up a nine-point deficit on the visitors.
Time is quickly running out in this race and if the second-half on Sunday is anything to go by, we will be going down with a whimper.
As reported on the Guardian website Allardyce accused the Premier League of “trying to get us relegated” after scheduling the Newcastle game less than 65 hours after the clash with Everton on Thursday evening.
It did seem a rather bizarre fixture change with Albion given the early 12pm slot aliied to Newcastle enjoying a full week of rest to boot.
One would assume this quick turnaround and derogatory comments would lead to a number of changes in a bid to keep his charges fit and fresh.
Well, Big Sam elected to keep an unchanged side on Sunday from the time that lost 1-0 to Everton three days prior.
But not to worry, he would be sure to make some early substitutions to add some energy if Albion produced a lethargic display.
They did, he didn’t.
Big Sam did not make a substitution until the 83rd minute when Karlan Grant replaced Matt Phillips before Hal Robson-Kanu came on for Mbaye Diagne.
So not only did he fail to use his full complement of substitutes, he also left it way too late.
What was the consequence of this?
Well, according to Wyscout West Brom only had two shots on target in the whole game and neither came in the second-half.
That is, quite frankly, disgraceful.
We’re scrapping for survival against an injury-hit Newcastle and we can’t even get a shot on target in the second-half?
It is just not good enough and while the players need to take responsibility so does Big Sam. Why has he left it so late to make a substitute when the side was quite clearly suffering?
This is not a new phenomenon as his first substitute against Everton was not until the 78th minute.
Why did he leave both Robert Snodgrass and Callum Robinson on the bench v Newcastle?
The former was supposed to offer some much-needed creativity after signing in January, something that would have been very welcome on Sunday.
Robinson, meanwhile, has that element of pace that we are lacking in forward areas but he has not been called upon for the past six games now – is he not worth a shot?
Big Sam has lost his right to whinge now.
In other West Brom news, Ally McCoist left shell-shocked after Albion v Newcastle.
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