Mowbray: Defending let us down

Albion were made to pay the consequences of another Villa defeat with the home team's defending their worst enemy. The Baggies again showed they can compete in the Premier League after easily controlling the opening 25-minutes of the game. However Albion were to find themselves 2-0 down after 28 minutes with two quick fire goals from John Carew and then Gabriel Agbonlahor.

The inability to defend set-pieces was again Albion's Achilles heel with Carew taking full advantage of a free header after a questionable free-kick was awarded by Mike Dean in the 27^th minute. It got worst almost immediately after the restart with Leon Barnett gifting the ball to Agbonlahor who went on to round Jonas Olsson before slotting past Scott Carson less than a minute later.

James Morrison scored for the second successive game after Brad Friedal had parried a Robert Koren effort in the 33^rd minute with the former Blackburn man making a fantastic save from a Kim Do-Heon header to send the visitors ahead at half time.

Luke Moore and the ineffective Ishmael Miller were brought on after 56-minutes to try and engineer a goal however the visitors defence stood firm as Albion chased an equaliser.

"We started very well," Baggies boss Tony Mowbray said.

"Before they scored, most of the play was going towards their goal and I thought we dominated the game early on.

"It was a bit like the Everton game, when they scored two quick goals, and it was all uphill after that.

"Generally, I can't fault the effort and desire and, at times, the quality.

"But there was some very, very poor defending.

"The bottom line is that if you defend like that you're going to lose games.

"That's what this league is all about - and we need to eradicate the mistakes.

Mowbray added: "John Carew should never have been allowed to head the ball into the net.

"Centre-halves are there to stop him heading the ball into the net.

"Football can't be that easy where you let the centre forward head the ball in.

"It's about the personnel.

"When we get the right personnel on the pitch, it won't be a problem - I'm pretty sure of that.

"Teams aren't having to work very hard to score against us.

"It's been an Achilles heel for us since I've been here.

"That's why over the summer we have tried to strengthen that department and we will continue to work on it.

"When we get the right personnel on the pitch, we will defend properly."

Despite seeing his side again pay the price for sloppy errors Mowbray refused to be down-beat insisting the Baggies were far from outclassed against Martin O'Neill's men.

"Take the goals out of the game and I don't think there was a lot between the teams," Mowbray continued.

"I've seen football matches where there is a huge gulf and you can see the difference in class and quality, and someone is hanging on for dear life.

"The bottom line is our defending let us down.

"We played Arsenal and there wasn't a lot between the two sides after the opening 20 minutes.

"If anything, we were the better side against Everton, who finished fifth last season.

"For long spells today we were the better side but goals are what people are interested in and a couple of soft ones cost us.

The Baggies boss added: "The second half became a bit scrappy.

"It's a learning curve for a few of our players.

"You've got to keep your composure when you're chasing the game.

"We've got to stick to our beliefs.

"At times certain individuals are in a rush to get forward and play forward, which left us vulnerable again.

"I wouldn't criticise their desire and determination.

"For 25 minutes, the quality was good and we looked like the team we want to be.

"But goals change games.

"We move on now.

"The Premier League is pretty brutal.

"There's a bit of negativity but we'll deal with it and get on with the next game."