Analysis: Pure theatre but Tony Pulis has the last laugh on Hawthorns return

Drama like this – dripping with such an in-depth sub-plot as this – is what makes the game so popular.

Those last 15 minutes at The Hawthorns were four years in the making. No other entertainment industry can boast as much emotional investment as that.

Apart from the two derbies with Villa, there probably isn’t a match this season Albion fans craved victory in more. And just like a derby, this game was fought ferociously for bragging rights.

There was a cultural battle at play, made more intriguing because one side used to wear the other’s clothes.

This was also an intimate war between one man and thousands of others.

Even if they haven’t met him, every Albion fan has their own personal relationship with Tony Pulis, and feelings range from one end of the spectrum to the other.

But as well as the long-running sub-plot, there was also the drama of the day, a topsy-turvy game that twisted and turned as tempers flared.

For the 12 minutes between Dwight Gayle’s goal and Britt Assombalonga’s equaliser, there were plenty in the crowd willing to rub their former head coach’s nose in it.

During that period, the chants of ‘Tony Pulis, your football is s***’, grew louder. They were sung with more gusto and, let’s be honest, smugness.

There were probably some who went to the game with no intention of singing that, but in the heat of the moment when the tackles were flying in, intentions can go out the door.

Pulis insists his celebration on the field at full-time was purely for the Boro fans, and part of it probably was, because he’s now in that bubble rather than this one.

But part of it must have also been a two-finger salute to the vocal Baggies. If you’ve bettered yourself so much, how come you lost?

Whoever won this game was always destined to feel smug.

However, this wasn’t the 1-0 many feared, it was not a replica of August, when the man with 1,000 games under his belt out-witted the man with less than a dozen.

Albion weren’t ‘Pulised’ – they gave Boro the win.

Individual errors from Gareth Barry and Chris Brunt handed the visitors two of their goals.

Pulis deserves credit for making substitutions that made an impact.

Assombalonga scored twice from the bench and Pulis’s activity from the sidelines put Moore’s inactivity under the spotlight once more.

He failed to react to Boro's formation change in time.

Perhaps Gayle’s goal shortly after the hour mark stayed his hand, but Jake Livermore should have come on earlier when the midfield three started to flag before the equaliser.

However, Moore can’t be held responsible for Brunt mis-kicking a ball or Barry mis-controlling it.

Those are errors from experienced professionals that shouldn't be happening, and how gutting that Brunt should mark his 400th game in such a manner.

Moore does deserve credit for starting Rekeem Harper and Sam Field even though Jake Livermore and Brunt were back available.

That sends a message to the rest of the squad. Play well, and you’ll keep your place.

The youngsters each repaid him with strong performances in midfield.

But even though Albion scored their two goals from picking up the second balls from crosses into the box, they could have done with something more cute in the final third.

Pulis played five six-footers across the back and four central midfielders in order to funnel the ball down the wings and limit the Baggies to crosses.

It worked, and Albion were crying out for someone to unpick the lock. Perhaps Wes Hoolahan should have been on the bench.

There are two ways of looking at the form table. On one hand, Albion have lost just two out of 13 league games since switching to a back four.

On the other hand, they’ve only won one of the last five.

Automatic promotion remains the aim, but the Baggies are now seven points off the top two and just three points ahead of seventh.

There’s still 51 points to play for, so plenty of time to bounce back from this stomach blow, but there’s no denying it’s put a dent on the positivity built up from deadline day.

Moore needs to integrate those new players into the squad as quickly as possible and rediscover a winning formula.

However, it would be dangerous to rip up all plans and read too much into this result.

Boro are unique, and set up perfectly to stymie the top teams. They’ve only lost one of their 10 games against the current top eight – they thrive under attack.

Other sides won’t prove so formidable or so willing to defend.

And despite their stingy defence Albion still scored twice, while gifting their opponents two goals. They should have won.

Moore’s long-term plan remains one to get behind, and there were times on Saturday when his team played some exciting stuff.

Even though those chants came back to bite the fans, the sentiment endorses the current project.

“There’s only one Big Dave,” was the loudest chant of the day.

But Pulis is a force of nature against his former clubs – they simply don’t beat him.

After turning around Albion’s fortunes against Stoke, his Boro side have now done the double over the Baggies this season.

With a midweek FA Cup fixture looming, there is little time to dwell on this match, which may be a blessing.

Because, while it may have been pure theatre, the ending was not a happy one for Albion.