Two victories will finally swat away the busy Bees
WEST Brom’s future remains in their own hands after Tuesday’s goalless draw at home to Fulham – but they will likely need to win their two remaining matches to secure automatic promotion amid a stern chase from Brentford.
The result all but ended the Cottagers’ hopes of finishing in the top two.
It was a cagey affair from the off; Albion allowed the visitors to enjoy the majority of the ball and attempted to hurt them on the break. However, Fulham were well drilled and gave very little away.
Both sides had openings in the dying embers of the game, but a point apiece was a fair reflection.
Here are the talking points from The Hawthorns.
Aleksandar Mitrovic is one of the best goal poachers in the Championship, but he was dominated by Albion’s defence for the second time this season.
At Craven Cottage in September, the burly Serb wasn’t given a sniff by Semi Ajayi and Kyle Bartley; here, the former teamed up with Ahmed Hegazi and the results were similar.
Mitrovic dropped deep to pick up the ball so often you felt as though Albion were almost content to let him have it, at a safe distance from where he can be so dangerous.
Bar one sight of goal, which Hegazi swiftly cut out, it was another frustrating evening for the forward. The stats show that if you can nullify Mitrovic, then you’ve completed half the job against Fulham.
It’s a shame the Baggies couldn’t finish off the job. They had arguably the best two openings of the game and both came within the space of a minute or so.
Grady Diangana, who dummied to great effect to remove his defender from the equation, was denied by Marek Rodak’s leg (might the winger have taken the shot on on his right foot?), before Ajayi, from the resulting corner, headed over when a flick-on came at him quickly.
In that respect it was a similar story to Blackburn on Saturday – Albion created, but didn’t convert, and for the second match in a row had to settle for a point when all three might have been available.
With 44 matches on the board, and two to come, it really couldn’t be simpler for Albion – win the remaining two matches and promotion will be realised, regardless of what Brentford do.
Head coach Slaven Bilic has confirmed Albion will be going all out to win both matches, starting with the trip to struggling Huddersfield on Friday.
Is it too late in the season to make changes to the starting XI? There are a few familiar selection dilemmas which have crept up on Bilic in the last week. Never mind the fact this will be Albion’s fifth game in 13 days, Bilic will be looking at how his side might be best set up in Yorkshire.
Does that mean a recall for Filip Krovinovic? What about Hal RobsonKanu, who looked more like his old self here?
Has Kamil Grosicki done enough to retain his place and, if not, do Matt Phillips or Callum Robinson have claims to a starting role? Might Chris Brunt’s composure and expertise in such situations be required?
In the case of the latter, how lovely a thought it is he might be sent out next Wednesday a promotion winner once more.