West Brom played Arsenal at home at the Hawthorns today and went down 2-1 in a game which could so easily have ended up 2-2. Arsenal really were in total control of the match until Steve Clarke decided to change things and sent on Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku to partner Shane Long in West Brom’s attack just after the hour mark. Almost instantly Arsenal had their grip on the match loosened as the big Belgian power-house started winning balls in the air, running at defenders and holding the ball up before laying it off to his teammates.

Only 8 minutes after Lukaku was introduced, Per Mertesacker was sent off with a straight red by referee Howard Webb for fouling West Brom’s Shane Long and James Morrison duly scored to make the last 20 minutes a real trial for 10 man Arsenal.

Lukaku proceeded to win almost every ball aimed at him and he transformed West Brom from virtual spectators in the game into a team which could easily have tied the match and even won it, if not for the solid Fabianski in Arsenal’s goal. West Brom literally were toothless in attack until their top-scorer entered the fray but once on Lukaku ran at the Arsenal defense and hassled and hurried their back four making life very anxious for Arsene Wenger on the touchline.

Lukaku was a threat each time he touched the ball, beating players with skill and pace and he went close to scoring with a deflected free-kick but Fabianski made the save. As time wore down in the game West Brom were really pressing for the equalizer, launching wave after wave of attacks. They really should have tied the game up through Lukaku in the last few minutes of the match after the ball had bounced around the area it came to him but the Belgian striker went for power when a controlled finish was required and he blasted it wide of Fabianski’s left post with a curling right foot screamer even though he had a wide expanse of the goal to shoot at. Given Lukaku’s form this season it was a surprise when he missed and you could see the disappointment on his face as he clearly expected to score too.

Overall, from a Chelsea perspective it was another superb performance from the young striker who must now be a certainty to be recalled to the Chelsea first team squad for next season.