Albion bounce back from weekend disappointment with SIX star performance

Albion dismantle Oxford United 6-0 tonight in their Carabao Cup fixture, just days after a disappointing opening away day defeat at Everton.

Of course, there is always perspective in the quality of opponents, but a lot of positives came from this evening, and potential answers to questions from last weekend.

Who said the young signings aren’t ready?

Stefanos Tzimas, Charalampos Kostoulas and Tommy Watson all came off the bench with incredible impact for Albion this evening. Tzimas scored a six-minute brace confidently.

17-year-old local lad Harry Howell grabbed both assists, and the young Greek striker slotted past the keeper calmly. Tommy Watson followed up with another brilliantly taken goal, delicately whipping the ball into the top corner.

In contrast, last weekend couldn’t have been much different. Albion struggled to score big chances, including a penalty against Everton. Danny Welbeck’s confidence appeared to be shot, and fans in the stands looked to the bench to find very few alternatives.

Even if the manager has labelled them not ready, tonight certainly opened up a range of possibilities going into the weekend’s fixture against Manchester City. A different level of opponent, but Albion looked noticeably stronger with a recognised striker up front.

As we saw many times with Welbeck and João Pedro over the years, a focal point truly does make the difference. Tzimas appeared to offer that in the short stint he had on the pitch. His runs in behind and dominant physical presence caused instant problems for the Oxford defenders. Most notably, his goalscoring confidence was surprisingly high.

One of the biggest issues we saw at Everton’s shiny new stadium was the worry over creativity in the second half. Very few chances were created after a chaotic first half, and the game slipped away from them with relative ease for the Toffees. Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma were the ones trying, but the lack of natural goalscoring touch in the box was clear to see.

The introductions of Tommy Watson and Harry Howell offer a lot more than first thought from the Albion beliefs earlier this week. Ultimately, the worry over squad depth may remain at the Premier League level, but the young guns definitely put their point across with their Carabao Cup chance.

Howell’s assists will be the moment that written history remembers, but his dancing feet, creation of space and confidence on the ball were all aspects shown to fans today that extend far beyond his 17 years.

Elsewhere, Olivier Boscagli and Diego Coppola made their debuts alongside each other in defence and put very little wrong. Boscagli caught the eye the most. Composure on the ball and a fine reading for the game made him a standout, particularly in the first half. Albion have needed some depth at the back for a long while now. “Ain’t nobody, like Boscagli” has a ring to it!

Sample sizes are largely still very small to take any definitive conclusions from, but some very nice, bright signs after a poor opening to the season. Let’s carry this momentum into the weekend and see these new superstars in the squad against the big boys.

Just for you, Jason

I’ve included one last piece here, just for Jason Steele. A fantastic performance, making big save after big save. In a day where you win 6-0, having a stand-out goalkeeper could be a new one!

Steele has been in and out of the team, mostly used for cups under Fabian Hürzeler, but we will never forget his impact on the European run! Usually we look back on his moments with his feet, but today some incredible saves kept Albion from drawing 6-6!

His leadership qualities and passion for the club shine through at every opportunity. Often an unsung hero, Steele gave a reason for his deserved credit with that performance. Significant in the dressing room, and significant on the pitch.

Jason, thank you for showing up whenever we need you!