Valerien Ismael: West Brom boss blames time-wasting opponents after fans' criticism

After scoring only 31 goals in 26 league games prior to Saturday, Albion's lack of attacking riches under Val Ismael had already come under the spotlight

Under-fire West Bromwich Albion boss Valerien Ismael has defended his team and tactics in the wake of widespread criticism from frustrated home fans.

After growing recent unrest, fans' chants became particularly critical in Saturday's home game with Peterborough.

Albion won 3-0 with three goals in the last 11 minutes, but Ismael was upset by criticism of his style of play, and blamed negative opponents.

"Peterborough didn't shoot once on target," he told BBC Radio WM.

"That is now a typical game for us. Opponents just waste time and don't want to play football.

"I am so delighted we can punish such a way to play."

Albion were not helped by January signing Daryl Dike having to go off injured on his first start with a hamstring strain after 53 minutes, leaving Ismael to wait on his fitness.

"He will have a scan on Monday," added Ismael. "We'll wait and see how bad it is. Hopefully it is not too bad and that he can be back after the next two games.

"We have so many issues this season. Alex Mowatt has already missed eight games this season, more than in the last three years."

'We are top in everything' - Ismael

But Ismael evaded answering direct post-match questions about the increasingly acerbic sentiment behind fans' chants - notably from the notoriously loud Smethwick End at The Hawthorns.

"I stay focused on my job," he said. "We stay focused on our job. My job is to get the overview and how we can improve. We have a good spirit here. It's now all about creating momentum and winning games.

"All the statistics speak for us. We are top in everything. We have the best defence in the league."

Having kept a 12th clean sheet of the campaign to leave their goals against column on just 20, Albion's win took their unbeaten home run this season to 13 games - the only English Football League side who have not lost at home, as well as now being the club's longest unbeaten home start to a league campaign.

But they have only won eight of those 13 games and, of their 21 home goals scored now; 13 of those were in four games, two of which (3-2 v Luton Town and 4-0 v Sheffield United) were their first two games of the season.

Since then, in 11 matches they have managed to score three against strugglers Bristol City and Peterborough - and only eight in the other nine.

Although their goal difference of +14 is currently bettered only by leaders Fulham (+48) and second-placed Bournemouth (+19), their overall home and away goal tally of 34 from 27 matches makes them only the eighth-highest scorers in the division, before Wednesday's home game with Preston.

Valerien Ismael was talking to BBC Radio WM's Rob Gurney.

Remembering The King

With some irony, Saturday's game at The Hawthorns marked the 20th anniversary of the passing of one of the Baggies' all-time greatest players, former Albion and England centre-forward Jeff Astle.

The man the Albion fans called 'The King', after scoring 137 goals in 293 league appearances as well as an extra-time FA Cup final winner against Everton at Wembley in 1968, died at the age of just 59 in January 2002 from brain trauma, brought on by heading heavy leather footballs.

Over the past two decades, the Astle family have called for a study to be done via their Justice for Jeff campaign.

Albion honoured Saturday's occasion by inviting the Astle family as their guests - and after the game they were grateful to receive a personal visit to their box from Baggies boss Ismael.

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