Gimme five! Baggies shooting back to Prem
WEST Bromwich Albion keep on winning. Charlie Austin’s controversial penalty at the death, after Kyle Edwards was deemed to have been fouled by goalkeeper Declan Rudd, earned the Baggies all three points at Preston on Monday to ensure their return to the top of the Championship. Here are the talking points as Slaven Bilic’s side press on...
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Five in a row
Albion haven’t won five league games in succession since Roberto Di Matteo’s side managed it almost ten years ago.
Their ability to keep digging out victories, no matter the opponent or scenario, is quite extraordinary right now – against perceived promotion rivals, too. These sides aren’t relegation fodder; Preston, for example, had won seven and lost none at home. Then Albion showed up.
Hull smashed North End last Saturday and are considered dark horses. Albion saw them off, too, and backed that up with six points at The Hawthorns against more top-six wannabes in Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol City.
Away-day magic
Five wins on the road in the last six and five clean sheets, to boot.
Imagine that; you venture to Loftus Road, the Riverside, the Potteries, the KCOM Stadium and then Deepdale and don’t hear a single home fan cheer a goal. Only a deflected Ezgjan Alioski strike at Elland Road prompted roars from the home faithful in a run dating back to the end of September, and while Albion have been nicking wins at one end, it’s imperative their solidity at the other doesn’t go unnoticed.
Bodies were flung on the line, headers won against physical Preston striker Jayden Stockley and even when the ball did beat the defenders, Sam Johnstone was in sparkling form between the sticks.
Charlie’s shooting boots
Two of his goals might have been penalties, but that’s three in three games for Austin.
When you consider the goal drought that preceded this mini goal glut, the striker might have felt extra pressure to find the net when stepping up to take those spot-kicks – to win the games against Wednesday and Preston.
Not so, Austin dispatched both in nerveless fashion and, in doing so, earned Albion four more points than they would otherwise have had.
All of a sudden, they have two strikers who sit on five goals apiece – a healthy position to be in, considering the supplementary goals coming from elsewhere.
Tactical nous
How many goals have come from Bilic’s substitutions this season?
Grady Diangana against Luton and Huddersfield Town, Conor Townsend and Filip Krovinovic to rescue a draw against Barnsley, Matheus Pereira at Derby, Hal Robson-Kanu at Middlesbrough and against Charlton.
Then there’s Austin, in each of Albion’s last three games, and Kyle Edwards, who won the penalty at Deepdale.
Sometimes there is good fortune, but more often than not, Bilic seems to know how to affect games.
Promising signs
In 2009, Di Matteo’s Baggies had 38 points after 19 games.
In 2007, Tony Mowbray’s had secured 35 from 19.
In 2003, Gary Megson’s side earned 37 from the first 19 of the season.
None have really got near to Bilic’s group, who are now sitting on 42 points. That they’ve surpassed that tally before Christmas is quite staggering. To put it in perspective, Norwich, who didn’t relinquish their grasp at the top from this point last term, were five points off Albion’s current total 12 months ago. That’s quite something.
Albion