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Post by Premier League News on Feb 21, 2015 17:41:58 GMT
Sunderland 0 - 0 West Brom The electronic advertising hoardings kept advising spectators to “Visit Tanzania” and explore the “world’s biggest game reserve.”Should Sunderland fans accept this invitation, their African hosts need have no fear about tourists from Wearside lacking the patience sometimes needed on safari. Spending interminable hours watching very little happen while hoping against hope for a moment’s dramatic wonder has become second nature to followers of Gus Poyet’s team this season. Despite the home manager switching to a theoretically more attacking 4-4-2 formation – (although being Poyet he compensated by replacing his pacey attacking left back Patrick van Aanholt with the much more defensive minded Anthony Réveillère) – this latest home draw with an equally limited West Bromwich Albion proved entirely emblematic. Very little of note happened in the first-half. Early on Sunderland appealed, forlornly, for Joleon Lescott to be sent off after the West Brom centre-half tugged Danny Graham back as he accelerated into the area. Arguing that it was a denial of a clear-cut scoring opportunity and that Lescott was the last defender, Poyet’s players implored Mike Jones to produce his red card. Instead the referee, evidently disagreeing with the last man theory, flourished a yellow. After that it took almost until the interval for a little goal-mouth excitement. Although both sides produced the odd promising build up, they were consistently let down by either slapdash or downright unimaginative final balls. Virtually Ben Foster’s first significant act was to pick the ball out of his net towards the end of the half but Adam Johnson’s “goal” was disallowed for an offside against Jermain Defoe. The 45th minute had arrived before the first shot on target was registered, with Foster doing well to divert Sebastian Larsson’s swerving effort for a corner. The second period unravelled in similar manner. Santiago Vergini should probably have done better than head wide from eight yards following another Sunderland corner but chances from open play were virtually non-existent. By Louise Taylor, Guardian
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