Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between West Brom and Plymouth Argyle at The Hawthorns on Saturday | Steven Schumacher's visitors kept their first clean sheet in seven games in the stalemate
Saturday 21 October 2023 18:47, UK
Plymouth secured their first clean sheet in seven games on goalkeeper Michael Cooper's comeback with a deserved point with a 0-0 draw against West Brom at The Hawthorns.
Argyle also went closest to breaking the deadlock too when Morgan Whittaker hit the inside of the post after 13 minutes while West Brom goalkeeper Alex Palmer denied substitute Mustapha Bundu.
Cooper - making his first senior appearance for eight months after a ruptured cruciate ligament - celebrated his comeback with a shutout as the visitors heeded their manager Steven Schumacher's pre-match call to tighten up.
The 24-year-old goalkeeper got a vital fingertip to Grady Diangana's deflected shot from West Brom's best opening.
West Brom threatened first with a low, first-time shot from Alex Mowatt but Jordan Houghton deflected the ball over the bar after Jed Wallace squared to Matt Phillips.
Plymouth's big moment came when Whittaker cut in from the right and his curling shot hit the inside of the post, with Finn Azaz firing over the rebound.
A wonderful piece of skill by Diangana had West Brom's supporters on their feet after he beat Mickel Miller and Azaz down the right, but after the winger's pass to Wallace, Erik Pieters overhit his cross to Brandon Thomas-Asante.
As half-time approached, Plymouth were looking sharper than their hosts and Kaine Kesler-Hayden forced the first save of the game. His drilled effort hit the legs of Palmer after another run and cross from Whittaker.
Perhaps not surprisingly after a lacklustre showing, there were a few boos ringing to greet Albion at the half-time whistle.
Plymouth defender Dan Scarr became the fourth player to be booked in an increasingly scrappy game for a trip on Nathaniel Chalobah as the midfielder threatened to go past him 25 yards out.
But Darnell Furlong summed up Albion's afternoon from the free-kick when his curling attempt went straight into the defensive wall.
It took until the 53rd minute for West Brom to force their first effort on target after Diangana's shot took a wicked deflection off a defender and Cooper got a fingertip to it to deflect the ball behind.
Argyle were denied again when Bundu cut in from the left only to see his curling shot tipped away by Palmer.
West Brom were looking increasingly desperate in their attempts to fashion a winner as the clock ticked down.
Substitute Jayson Molumby's shot flew high and wide, before fellow replacement Semi Ajayi failed to connect properly with a header at the far post at the end.
West Brom's Carlos Corberan:
"We created a lot of set-pieces; our attacks didn't finish as attacks, they finished with set-pieces and it was another week where we didn't use our set-pieces well enough. They were better than us in the first half and we were better than them in the second half. I think they found a way to break our press in the first half and after that they found possibilities to attack our box.
"In the second half, we found a way to recover balls in the attacking half, we found a way to dominate the game but we didn't create a lot of clear-cut chances. In the first half they broke our defensive structure and we were too focused to press. We tried to press every ball in the first half and when you do that, you don't press well, and you don't defend well. In the second half, we showed more clarity, defended when we had to defend and pressed when we had to press."
Plymouth's Steven Schumacher:
"Since pre-season he's worked his socks off and he deserves to play at this level and at a higher level than this. I'm buzzing for Michael. He's been a huge player for us for a couple of seasons and I rate him really highly. He is a top goalkeeper and I'm glad to have him back. He's one of the best young goalkeepers in the country - he's sharp, he's a calming influence and he makes big saves.
"It was a big call to put him in the team but that's what I get paid for and he repaid it and I'm delighted for him. There weren't many massive moments for him but what he had to deal with, he did it well and he was calm with his feet. He was happy to be back. I spoke to him on Tuesday or Wednesday and asked if he was OK about it and I said 'You need to get it into your head because you're playing on Saturday'.
"I'm not going to say I'm disappointed with a point away from home," added Schumacher. "We played outstandingly well in the first half and the areas we got into were really good. At half-time we were worried because we thought we'd get punished in the second half but we weathered the storm and had another good chance through Mustapha Bundu."
