AVB: West Brom ´far, far superior´ to Chelsea

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas admits West Brom were “far, far superior” in the Blues’ 1-0 defeat at the Hawthorns on Saturday.

The Baggies grabbed all three points after Gareth McAuley struck late on in the Midlands, condemning the visitors to their third defeat in five matches.

Although Chelsea did press for an equaliser in the dying minutes, they were largely outplayed by their less illustrious hosts throughout the match, and Villas-Boas accepted they had been outperformed on the day.

“First of all, credit of course to West Brom for a magnificent game, but we just weren’t good enough on the day,” Villas-Boas said.

“They won the first ball, every second ball. They were far, far superior to us.”

“We had an edge, suddenly, after the first 10 minutes of the game when we had a couple of chances and we managed to get behind West Brom’s defence.”

“One goal early on I think would have given us extra motivation, but to be fair, I don’t think we deserved it because West Brom also had their fair share of chances. ”

With speculation refusing to go away surrounding his future at Stamford Bridge, the former Porto boss accepted that the pressure is unlikely to lift after today’s defeat.

“You have to agree with it,” he said. “We stay in the same position, in fifth, but we are now three points behind third.”

“It’s a big, big disappointment and a defeat that puts you into the perspective of the Champions League.”

“Every defeat Chelsea suffers piles more pressure on any manager, or any manager that tastes defeat at a top club. Today it is acceptable that pressure is piled on me a little bit more. It is completely acceptable.”

West Brom boss sympathised with Villas-Boas’ plight a Chelsea, saying the Portuguese needed more time to complete the transformation at Stamford Bridge.

“I sympathise and empathise (with Villas-Boas’ position),” Hodgson said.

“The day when we football coaches, particularly those of us who have experience realise that football does have two sides to its coin, it’s not unmitigated success.”

“There are moments of failure you have to come to terms with in your career, justified, mertited or not, it doesn’t matter.”

“The day we don’t stand up for each other, identify, sympathise with other managers it will be a sad day.”

“He’s come to Chelsea with high expectations and it hasn’t started as well as he and everyone else at Chelsea may have liked.”

“To build a team takes time, it is a constant process and there are no magic wands. If he is going to be successful at Chelsea, he needs the time to stamp his authority on the team and the way he wants them to play and I believe, given the time he’ll be able to do that.”