West Brom player ratings v Norwich: 8/10 Karlan Grant wows as Furlong flops
West Brom and Norwich City played out an end-to-end, highly entertaining 2-2 draw at The Hawthorns on Saturday.
The Baggies began in style and opened the scoring inside 11 minutes through Mason Holgate, finally end their goal drought at The Hawthorns, but holding onto that lead for just nine minutes as Emiliano Marcondes slid in to equalise.
Borja Sainz forced Torbjorn Heggem into a block which he put beyond his own goalkeeper, but Josh Maja’s volley within just seconds of the restart made it 2-2. Karlan Grant was then denied a goal for handball, missing the chance to complete the turnaround before half-time.
The second half lacked goals but certainly wasn’t shy of end-to-end action, with Grant, Tom Fellows and Mikey Johnston having several chances to find the winner, but Albion’s relentless attacks were repelled and they had to settle for a seventh draw in eight games.
West Brom News rates the performance of each player out of 10.
Alex Palmer – 7
Fumbled Borja Sainz’s shot after a mix-up in the Albion defence, and though he didn’t keep hold of it straight away, Palmer recovered to regather. Forced into again as Holgate misjudged a header, but did brilliantly to parry Sainz’s volley goalwards and then produced another brilliant save to deny Forson after Norwich cut through the Baggies late in the first half.
Darnell Furlong – 4
Some ambitious flicks did well not to put Albion in trouble, but Furlong then didn’t track Marcondes well enough as the Norwich attacker raced in front of him to squeeze home Norwich’s equaliser. Booked for a cynical challenge on Sainz late in the first half – his fifth of the season, and had a golden chance to put Albion in front midway through the second half with a far-post header wide.
Karlan Grant does everything but win it for West Brom v Norwich
Mason Holgate – 6
A dreadful clearance ricocheted off Mowatt and straight into the path of Sainz, but Palmer bailed his centre-back out. Holgate repaid him within minutes, darting in at the near post to back-heel in Albion’s first goal at The Hawthorns in four games. Ambitious in attack and solid (mostly) at the back, Holgate helped keep Norwich at bay in the second half.
Torbjorn Heggem – 5
Had shown his composure to back out of several tight spots in defence, but then tried to stop the ever-dangerous Sainz with a lunge which inadvertently put the ball beyond Palmer from close range – the worst possible intervention from Heggem. The Norwegian produced arguably the moment of the second half though, sliding in to deny Onel Hernandez a shot after he ran in behind Albion’s defence.
Callum Styles – 5
Some skilful play from the attack-minded left-back saw him have an early volley blocked before his deft flick in behind for Mowatt led to the corner which produced Holgate’s opener. Beaten for pace down the right by Jack Stacey as he crossed for Norwich’s equaliser.
Jayson Molumby – 7
Not shy to spread the ball around with some superb cross-field passes wide in the early stages, and was also vital defensively, blocking a shot behind after Sainz had created space for himself in the box. Had a go for himself in the second half, drawing a near-post save from Gunn following a corner.
Alex Mowatt (off for Uros Racic, 70′) – 5
Got in the way of Holgate’s clearance to gift Sainz a chance, but then saw his shot in the box blocked at the other end after Molumby released Fellows on the break. Released in behind soon after by Styles, but was denied on the angle by Gunn, leading to the corner which produced Holgate’s opener. A solid as-ever display from Mowatt, until Uros Racic arrived to provide a new dimension in midfield.
Tom Fellows (off for Lewis Dobbin, 70′) – 7
A constant threat on the break and produced a glorious ball for Grant in the second half, but the forward could only head wide. Fellows then spurned a golden opportunity himself on the half-volley from close range, and another short corner led to another Fellows shot, but yet again it was blocked before he was substituted.
Karlan Grant (off for John Swift, 80′) – 8
Produced the inch-perfect from from an Albion corner played short which saw Holgate pop up at the near post to flick the Baggies in front, and then set his sights for goal after being teed up by Fellows on the edge of the box – the slightest of defections taking it wide of the post. Grant was released in the area by Johnston in the second period, but saw his effort blocked, and then headed just wide from a Fellows cross.
Mikey Johnston (off for Jed Wallace, 70′) – 6
Had less to do than Fellows with most of Albion’s attacks coming down the right, but did fizz one peach of a ball into the area, to no avail. Set up for a shot by Mowatt, Johnston’s low drive was saved and held by Gunn, and another strike from Fellows’ cross was skewed over the top from close range. Set off on a jinking run in the second half to see up Grant, and then had a few goes himself, curling a shot into Gunn’s gloves after being gifted possession. and then volleying over before his withdrawal.
Josh Maja (off for Devante Cole, 82′) – 6
The target of several first-half crosses from Fellows and Johnston, Maja just couldn’t get into the right position and the ball seemingly refused to sit up for him. It did at the third time of asking though, as Maja produced an agile volley into the top corner to get Albion back on level terms almost as soon as they’d gone 2-1 down, and he constantly linked up with Grant in the box looking to find a second-half winner.
Substitutes:
Jed Wallace (on for Mikey Johnston, 70′) – 6 – Sent racing in behind by a glorious ball from Maja, but saw his attempted chip over Gunn parried by the Norwich keeper before the offside flag went up. Had another chance to cross from a similar position, but the visitors dealt with the threat.
Uros Racic (on for Alex Mowatt, 70′) – 5 – Hit the deck soon after coming on having been caught with a high boot, and briefly left the field for further treatment.
Lewis Dobbin (on for Tom Fellows, 70′) – 4 – Had a chance to run in behind in the game’s final throes, but couldn’t beat his marker and lost possession in the final third.
Devante Cole (on for Josh Maja, 82′) – N/A – Tried to link up with Grant and Fellows in the penalty area, but his ball for the latter was cut out by the defence.
John Swift (on for Karlan Grant, 90′) – N/A – Had the final kick of the game – a free-kick into the Norwich box – but could only find Gunn with a wasteful cross.
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