"They scored at the top so they can certainly score at this level.
"We set our stall out and I don't think they could live with us in the first half hour.
"There were some terrific goals and at 4-1 at half-time it was just a case of going out and shutting the game down.
"My lot were trying to get the fifth and there was no need because it would have come naturally with Albion sending more men forward we would have picked them off.
"We knew that Albion would have a real go but it was a case of us keeping the ball to take their hope away.
"I am going to enjoy this because to come to Albion and play as well as we did for that first half is something I want to enjoy as it showed what we are about.
"I had said that one day if we clicked someone would get a pasting and that happened in the first half an hour."
Baggies boss Tony Mowbray held his hands up and took responsibility. Mowbray made several changes to his team and some of the players brought in were not up to the job.
"The game was lost in that first 30 minutes," he said afterwards.
"But the bigger picture gives me some food for thought on one or two players.
"It is a learning curve for me about my squad and my team, the ones you can trust and the ones you can't.
"The first half an hour was a bit too much for some of them.
"I don't feel let down. It is a process you have to go through.
"You have to put players in to see if they can sink or swim.
"One or two will find it more difficult to get run outs now and there have been a few lessons learnt by us all. It was a bridge too far for us.
"I will take responsibility for the changes we have made.
"I was pleased with Ishmael's two goals and the fact we kept going.
"But Cardiff were very determined and it was too much for us in the opening half an hour.
"I don't want them to have the same time and space when they come back in the league.
"I am now looking for a response from the team on Sunday when we play Queens Park Rangers and we will be trying to put things right at the weekend."