Tony Brown slams Alex Palmer after what he did for West Brom v Stoke
Tony Brown slammed Alex Palmer after Stoke City opened the scoring against West Brom at The Hawthorns through a freak goal from Lynden Gooch.
The Baggies legend insisted Palmer should be doing better to prevent the goal after an overhit cross sailed over his head and into the far corner to put the visitors a goal ahead after 12 minutes at The Hawthorns.
While he admitted Palmer wouldn’t have been expecting the ball to end up where it did, Brown expected the Albion shot-stopper to deal with the goal better than he did.
Speaking live as shared by the BBC Sport Live Blog [17 December, 12:18], Brown said: “It wasn’t a shot, more of a cross and he’s caught Alex Palmer out.
“He wasn’t in position and he wasn’t expecting it, but he shouldn’t be being beaten from where he was.”
Thankfully for Palmer, Brandon Thomas-Asante equalised before half-time and the game finished at 1-1.
Not much he could have done
With the goalkeeper expecting a cross into the box and setting himself to react to that scenario, he was unfortunate to see the ball sail over his head and into the far corner, and can’t really be expected to adjust in the second or two he had to react.
You can argue his starting position could have been better to allow him to make the save, but no goalkeeper is expecting the ball anywhere near the top corner of his net from that position, so to blame him for the goal is harsh.
When you concede a freak goal like the one Gooch scored at The Hawthorns, you almost have to hold your hands up, admit there’s nothing that can be done to prevent that and go again without attempting to point the finger at any individual.
It is up to Carlos Corberan and his players to adapt to going a goal down, however, it may have come, and attempt to turn the game around and take all three points despite falling to an early deficit.
In other West Brom news, Lewis Cox explained one decision Corberan made.