Kyle Bartley shines as Matty Phillips miss earns him 5/10 – West Brom player ratings v Ipswich
West Brom earned a dominant victory in their 2-0 Championship victory with Ipswich at The Hawthorns on 25 November as they continued their top home form.
Carlos Corberan’s side took the lead after just four minutes of the game as Darnell Furlong headed home from a corner before Grady Diangana dispatched a counter-attacking move and a strong defensive display allowed them to see out the result with minimal fuss.
Once again the Baggies stepped up their performance when playing at home and turned in one of their most impressive performances of the season against a side challenging for automatic promotion.
West Brom News has rated the players out of 10 below…
Alex Palmer – 7
Did everything requested of him to keep the opposition at bay, was commanding in his area and his high starting position allowed the defenders to step the high line up the field. Played his part expertly and gave the defenders confidence and belief to do theirs with him behind them.
Darnell Furlong – 8
Got the hosts off to a flyer with an excellent header after just a couple of minutes, and was a constant threat both with his overlapping runs and his dangerous long throws which allowed his team to reset and cause trouble going forward.
On top of his goal, Furlong made three tackles and two interceptions, as well as winning five of seven ground duels as he eased the pressure on the back line. [Sofascore]
Kyle Bartley – 9
Used all of his experience to expertly marshall the Ipswich attackers and keep his side comfortable in the game with the ball in front of them. He stepped in brilliantly when needed as a stopper to put an end to any danger in attack and enabled the midfielders and attackers to express themselves.
Cedric Kipre – 8
Much like his centre-back partner, Kipre shepherded the attacking opposition with relative ease and stepped into some fantastic challenges which received special praise from the commentary team who praised his willingness to get involved with every action and run of play.
Conor Townsend – 7
The left-back played a vital role in the second goal with his composure to play out from the back rather than clearing his lines, setting his attacking teammates off on the counter from which Grady Diangana found a clinical finish. Worked excellently alongside his defensive line.
Okay Yokuslu – 8
One sloppy moment in the first half was highlighted by the Sky Sports pundits, but Yokuslu’s ability to act as a screen for the defence has gone unnoticed all too often this season. His 87% passing accuracy, 100% ground duel success rate and four combined tackles and interceptions played a crucial part in controlling the game. [Sofascore]
Alex Mowatt – 7
Slightly less impressive than his midfield partner, but still helped the side control the majority of the play and build their attacks quickly, assisting the defenders in their task of moving the ball from back to front as they looked to hit quickly on the counter-attack.
Jed Wallace – 7
Another key part of the attacking play for the Baggies, it was his ball that allowed Diangana to slot home the second goal of the game, and his experience which allowed the attackers to stay calm and make the most of their opportunities.
Three key passes, four crosses and a 100% aerial duel success rate sums up how effective he was today. [Sofascore]
Grady Diangana – 8
Scored the goal which put Albion out of sight and secured a comfortable victory, which was a key factor in easing any pressure they may have come under. His movement and constant pressure on the back line may things difficult for the opposition and he continued his brilliant form of late.
Matt Phillips – 5
The most disappointing of a top attacking line for the Baggies, he had a glaring opportunity to put them three ahead not long after they made it two, but missed an open goal leaving pundits and fans astounded at how he had managed it.
His pace caused issues for the back line at times but compared to his teammates his effect was minimal, and he was taken off with 20 minutes to go.
Brandon Thomas-Asante – 6
Another slightly underwhelming performance for the number nine, but he looked more threatening and involved in the play than he has at times this season and threatened the goalkeeper on several occasions.
Completed just six passes in his 80 minutes of play, but competed in nine duels, made a clearance and an interception, and his desire and energy were clear to see up front. [Sofascore]
Subs
John Swift – 6
Jayson Molumby – 6
Jeremy Sarmiento – 7
Josh Maja – 6
Semi Ajayi – N/A
In other West Brom news, fans will be stunned by what one loanee did today.