Sunday 23 August 2015 18:29, UK
Tony Pulis insists Saido Berahino needs protecting after leaving him out of the West Brom squad for the 3-2 defeat by Chelsea at The Hawthorns on Sunday.
The Baggies competed well with the champions, but an inspired debut from Pedro helped Chelsea earn their first win of the new Premier League season.
It could have been different had James Morrison converted an early penalty, but it was not to be, as 10-man Chelsea emerged with a vital three points, despite the second-half dismissal of skipper John Terry.
Berahino's omission remained the main talking point post match, and Pulis struggled to hide his frustration with the situation.
"Why are we talking about Saido [Berahino] today?" Pulis said. "We're talking about Saido because of the transfer window. Everybody here today should be talking about the game and this wouldn't be an issue. It can be disruptive and has been.
He (Berahino) is fine, there's no problems but it's the transfer window which causes the problems.
"He is fine, there's no problems but it's the transfer window which causes the problems. He needs to be protected, there's loads of stuff going on in his mind, no just one club but 15 clubs. No-one should have this problem."
The Baggies have picked up one point so far this season, but Pulis insisted there were enough positive signs for him to build on, and on another day, his side could have emerged with something to show for their efforts.
"You can't fault the players for their effort," Pulis added. "We haven't got that balance right yet between being strong and comfortable defensively, and being able to attack with flair.
"Sometimes you miss penalties... their first goal took a deflection. Sometimes you just need that little bit of luck.
"They are a good team, and when you get the opportunities against the likes of Chelsea, you have to take them.
"I thought we played well in spells. Up until their first goal, I thought we were exceptional.
"There was plenty of improvement and things we did well. We have just played the top two teams in the Premier League over the past five years. We knew it would be a tough test."
