When talking about West Brom this season, the first thing that springs to mind is their attack.
The Baggies have nine more goals than any other team in the Championship this season, and have looked scintilating at times. The combination of Harvey Barnes, Dwight Gayle and Jay Rodriguez has been simply sensational at times, as they have lit up the league.
What has plagued West Brom this season, is their performances at the other end of the pitch. Manager Darren Moore will be particularly concerned with how porous his team’s defence has been. In fact, only eight teams have conceded more goals than The Baggies this season, despite them sitting in fourth place in the league, three points behind leaders Norwich.
The performances of some of West Brom’s defenders this season would have been especially concerning, as some have not covered themselves in glory. Craig Dawson has been lambasted at times for his poor distribution, particularly during The Baggies’ dip in form.
However, as West Brom have resurrected their form and climbed back up the table, so has the performances of their defenders. This was epitomised by the displays of Dawson and Ahmed Hegazi against Swansea recently. Not only did each player score, but they put in a resolute performance in defence. This goes alongside their equally composed performances against Ipswich.
This will probably be the thing that pleases Moore the most. No matter how well his attack were playing, his suspect defence must have been a major concern. Now that all factions of the West Brom team are growing in confidence, they are looking like serious title contenders.