WBA 2-1 Chelsea
Coach Di Matteo reacts:
‘It was disappointing. We found it difficult here last season and this season again,’ Di Matteo said.
‘We knew West Brom are very good at home and giving away goals like we did today it became difficult to win a game. Our defending was very poor, we didn’t concede many chances but with the ones we did we have to do better.
‘We had plenty of chances to score but you have to score them and you can’t always rely on three goals to win a game. You have to make sure you are focusing on your defending and are responsible to bring the points home.
‘For some unknown reason November seems to be a bad month for this club.’
On whether his team selection, with Juan Mata, Oscar and Ramires introduced during the second half, was influenced by the midweek internationals…
‘Absolutely it was. Players were all over Europe and the world, with long flights and five or six hours time differences as well. They were not in condition to last a full game.’
On how the games against Juventus and Manchester City are to be addressed…
‘We have been playing a little bit different this season and we might have to go a little bit back to win games, to make sure we don’t concede and still have good combinations to score goals.
‘Maybe it is the time when we might have to change in terms of our selection and the way we play, looking at the set-up of the team and sacrifice a little bit the attacking options to go a bit more defensive.
‘We had a lot of joy with the way we have been playing and long-term that is the way we want to go but we need a couple of positive result to get our confidence high again and then move on.
‘We have two massive games but we have players with a lot of experience and we have been in this position before.’
West Brom manager Steve Clarke was full of praise for his centre-forward Shane Long, who played despite the death of his grandmother shortly before the game, scoring one and having a hand in the other goal, and former Hull keeper Boaz Myhill who saved several Chelsea attempts, including one very good stop from Daniel Sturridge.
‘It was a great three points, a good performance with a little bit of everything – quality attacking plays, two fantastic goals and dogged, determined defending towards to the end to make sure we won.’
