Tony Pulis: West Brom must improve in attack

Saturday’s drab encounter at The Hawthorns means the Baggies are now three Premier League games without a win and have found the net just four times in their first five league fixtures.

Hammers midfielder Pedro Obiang came closest to breaking the deadlock with an audacious long-range attempt which clattered off the bar.

James Morrison and Kieran Gibbs had the best chances for Albion, who failed to seriously test visiting keeper Joe Hart.

And while Pulis was encouraged by a defence which has already kept three clean sheets, he acknowledged they must improve at the other end of the field.

He said: “The game needed a goal. The two really good opportunities in the first half from Gibbs and then from Moz, from our point of view.

“Then Obiang’s shot, I think that surprised everybody in the ground, not just (Baggies keeper) Ben Foster.

“West Ham are a good side. Physically they’re very, very strong.

“They competed and with the side that they’ve got - with Andy Carroll, off set plays - they’re an absolute handful.

“One side of it today has been good, the other side of it we’ve got to improve.”

The game was notable for seeing Albion midfielder Gareth Barry equal Ryan Giggs’s Premier League appearance record.

Yet the 36-year-old’s 632nd top flight outing is not one which will otherwise live in the memory.

“From the outside, over the years, watching the lad play, I’ve always been a great admirer,” he said.

“Him coming into the football club, you just recognise and realise the dedication and his application towards his profession is just absolutely fantastic.

“He’s like Fletch in lots of ways. They’re bastions of this sport, this wonderful sport that we play in and work in.

“The young players at our football club, I hope they realise how lucky they are to see someone of that quality and that ilk.”

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic meanwhile accepted referee Paul Tierney was correct in not sending-off Baggies keeper Ben Foster during one of the game’s rare moments of excitement.

Foster came hurtling out of his area to challenge Hammers striker Javier Hernandez midway through the second half.

But Bilic said: "To be fair I asked the referee to give a red card because I have seen a lot of times that being a red card.

“But when I saw it again, I can’t blame the referee. He didn’t do anything wrong there because of two things.

“First thing is Foster was not the last man. Two men were behind. Evans and Hegazi – and the second thing is the challenge was mistimed and not brutal.

“So fair enough, it didn’t have to be red but I have seen a lot of times a red for that. Especially when you play home.”