AFTER watching the second half performance at West Brom last week I was dismayed at Allardyce having a go at his defence for conceding the late goal.

I think what cost us was his obsession with trying to defend deep after taking a lead and his inability to change tactics during a game.

We were in control until we scored then we just sat back and invited them to attack us. In the second half we were so deep that the West Brom players could have time on the ball in our half and were not too worried about pouring men forward for the continuous long balls that they pumped into our box.

The writing was on the wall for what was to come when Roberts missed a sitter on 50 minutes. Allardyce should have changed it then by taking Djorkaeff off and playing two out and out forwards to try and hold the ball up for the midfielders to push up to give our defenders a bit of breathing space and to be able to push up a bit themselves.

What Allardyce fails to realise is that when other teams keep a clean sheet away from home it is because they keep on to the ball and try to play further up the field, not keep giving the ball away for them to try and try again and sit so deep that we have no outlet to relieve the pressure.

Mark Burton

Helsinki, Finland