‘A Brighter Dawn At The Hawthorns’
- The word on West Bromwich Albion from Express and Star journalist Lewis Cox
- Carlos Corberán’s side are positioned fifth in the Sky Bet Championship table
- They make the journey to King Power Stadium on Saturday (12:30pm kick-off)
- The Baggies have all-but confirmed a spot in the end of season play-offs
The Baggies arrive at King Power Stadium for Saturday’s 12:30pm kick-off sitting fifth in the Sky Bet Championship, a position they have held for the majority of a consistent campaign.
Looking well set for a play-off berth, the West Midlands outfit’s run of 10 league games unbeaten came to an end on Saturday and the Filbert Way visitors will be looking to bounce back from a narrow home defeat to Sunderland this weekend, avoiding the likes of Hull City or Coventry City snatching one of the final top-six spots.
“In terms of the top six, they look all-but there really, they look strong,” the journalist analysed. “While a win on Saturday doesn’t mathematically confirm it, it’s highly likely it would. Those within the club will not be comfortable until they get one more win.
“They are going to King Power Stadium and then following it with a trip to Sheffield Wednesday, who are down the bottom but going to a relegation-threatened side at the end of the season is tough.
“There’s two away games before the final game at home and they don’t want it hanging until then. Rivals might drop points before, but Albion just want to sort their own business and close it off ahead of the nerves of the final game.
“Albion’s form of late has been a bit up and down. They’ve been on an unbeaten run, but with a lot of draws in there. They lost last time out so it’s one victory in five. It’s an intriguing one when you throw Leicester’s form into it as well.
“They’ve gone under the radar as the best of the rest outside the three relegated Premier League sides and Ipswich. Since October or November, they haven’t moved from fifth. It’s been consistent. It’s strange for the dynamic of the season - results have come and gone, and nothing has changed in the standings.
“They’ve not had enough wins to reel in the top four but had enough to keep sixth beneath them. Albion have managed to stick it out despite challenges and real availability issues in attack. It’s been quite tight throughout, but they haven’t been reeled in and it is credit to them and a real achievement.”
Manager Corberán has been lauded for the job he has undertaken, turning West Brom into promotion candidates two seasons running, with the club having initially struggled to adapt back in the second tier following relegation from the Premier League.
“He’s done an incredible job,” Cox explained. “He’s been in for 18 months now and came into a club rock bottom of the Championship. He not only kept them up but had them pushing for the play-offs and just fell short.
“There’s been optimism in his first full season and he’s delivered on strict restraints. It’s been a real challenge. He hasn’t been able to spend on a player and has relied on loans and free transfers. There’s a brighter dawn at the Hawthorns and a lot of confidence that he has the club in the right place moving forwards. He’s come through it with flying colours.
“He has a certain style of football. Albion don’t score the most, but don’t concede many. The football is not thrill a minute or swashbuckling, it’s very considered, organised and methodical. He’s a top coach who gets the most out of players.
“He’s largely loved at The Hawthorns and rightly so for his record across the 18 months. He’s really pushed his reputation on since coming in after what he did at Huddersfield, taking them to the play-offs. Now West Brom look on course for the play-offs this time around.”
All times BST.