Tony Mowbray admits Albion can be “slightly disappointed” with their performance at Millwall but also praised his players for “standing up” to their opponents’ physicality.
The Baggies came from behind to earn a share of the spoils in the capital city, with Joe Bryan’s own goal cancelling out Jake Cooper’s close-range header.
Mowbray’s men had to dig deep and battle away in the second period and the boss says they’ll put the point in the bag and move on.
He said: “I think okay probably sums everything up. It’s okay that we fought our corner and stood up to a team that were very, very intense and physical.
“We need to be better with the ball though and we need to have more penetration and ask more questions.
“In the first minute Adam Armstrong has ran through and smashed one probably too close to the goalkeeper, but that could’ve flew into the bottom corner. We hit the underside of the bar too and the ball bounced on the line. We could’ve been stood here saying we’ve won three one.
“They had their chances too with their physicality. Jake Cooper was a problem for us all day. Listen, it’s hard to come to Millwall. After they lost in midweek they would’ve been massively up for this challenge and the fans seemed to be too.
“Let’s put the point in the bag. We’re allowed to be slightly disappointed with the performance in possession, but out of possession, we stood up to a team who are pretty strong and physical.
“We all want to win all our home games and Millwall wouldn’t have been any different today. They put us under pressure and their fans demand that.
“I like the squad of players here. Semi Ajayi came back into the team today and produced a performance. In modern football you have to be able to match the attributes of the opposition.
“It’s down to me to pick the right players for the right games, so Ousmane Diakité got a start today because we knew the physicality of the opposition and we thought he’d relish that and want to get involved. He did pretty well for us.
“We know what Millwall do as a team They get the ball away from their goal and it’s not a team where you can nick it close to their goal and it’s a case of one pass and you’re in for a chance. You have to build up all the way through their team and it’s tough.
“They have experienced defenders and we knew it’d be tough. That’s why the game appears to be scrappy because they knock it long and they press the life out of you and they’re aggressive. It’s hard to get a foothold in the game where you’ve got the ball and you’re pushing them back.
“It was a game that we could’ve won, but we could’ve also lost it. We’ll take the point, put it in the bag and move on.”
