West Bromwich Albion clambered out of the bottom three but could not find the victory their improved display threatened, as a forgettable 0-0 draw with Stoke City at the Hawthorns was long on effort and short on quality in the final third. In Eric Ramsay's fifth game in charge, a switch to a back four and bolder attacking selections produced a more positive performance, yet the Baggies still lacked the precision to turn half-chances into a decisive breakthrough.
Both sides had opportunities to steal the points in a scrappy contest. West Brom's best moments came through Jed Wallace, Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba, Isaac Price and substitute Josh Maja, while Sorba Thomas, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and, late on, Million Manhoef carried Stoke's greatest threat. Max O'Leary's save from Manhoef in the closing stages preserved Albion's clean sheet and ensured Mark Robins' side left still searching for their first league win since January 4, with their recent lack of goals again painfully evident.
Ramsay's Reshuffle Brings Stability But No Breakthrough
After heavy defeats at home to Norwich and away at Portsmouth, Ramsay responded by abandoning his previous set-up and reverting to a back four, handing Daryl Dike his first league start of the season and giving Aston Villa loanee Jimoh-Aloba his debut. The early stages were attritional, with little fluency and almost no penalty-area action until Alex Mowatt swung in a free-kick and Nat Phillips rose to meet it, only to produce a tame header that never truly troubled visiting goalkeeper Tommy Simkin.