04-02-2015, 13:04
So, transfer deadline day was the usual plate-spinning affair, and from the heap of broken crockery in B71, we can start to pick out our strengths and weaknesses going into the season's final stretch. The additions of Callum McManaman and Darren Fletcher will, I hope, give us that extra bit of bite when it comes to creating chances, with the former having some pace and guile to put crosses in and the latter actually being able to pick out a forward pass every now and then. However, up front our options remain worryingly light, and creating chances alone does not win you matches in any place except Tony Mowbray's head.
Keeping clean sheets is still going to be vital for us, and the goals we can wring out of Saido, Big Vic and maybe even Ideye are going to be absolute gold-dust in the quest for points. As last Saturday painfully demonstrated, teams with quality have very little to fear from us. It's against fellow strugglers we have to chalk up those wins, so this week we're off a-hunting on the Moor.
![[Image: video_undefined_254_B93_A200000578_399_638x360.jpg]](http://s4.postimg.org/n7idxq5j1/video_undefined_254_B93_A200000578_399_638x360.jpg)
The Burnley who rolled over at the Hawthorns during that brief indian summer of Alan Irvine's competence are not the Burnley we'll face this weekend. To his credit, Sean Dyche has wrestled Burnley up to 17th place from a position where they looked destined to do a Derby, helped along by the goals of Danny Ings and some decent (though erratic) defensive displays. Like us, they've found wins hard to come by, and victories at Turf Moor will be the key to survival. Blowing a 2-0 lead against Crystal Palace in their last home game was a hefty setback, and they'll know full well that losing to us could dump them right back in the relegation zone. Wheel out all the six-pointer clichés now, because this one's as big as it gets.
Albion have the privilege of the away side and higher-placed team in these situations that a draw would favour us more than Burnley, but with our own winnable fixtures dwindling, realistically, we have to go looking for those three points ourselves. Again, caution will be the watchword. Put in a first half-hour like we did against Spurs and we'll be rueing it for weeks to come. But keep the concentration up, keep Burnley frustrated and counter-attack effectively, and we can haul ourselves significantly up the table by Sunday night.
We haven't done it since 2002, but this time we need to come away from Burnley with the points. Let's get the job done.
As Albion wins at Turf Moor are so worryingly thin on the ground, this week it's a home draw against the Clarets in the cup under Tony Mowbray, featuring a classic RoKo goal and even one from Do-Heon Kim!
Keeping clean sheets is still going to be vital for us, and the goals we can wring out of Saido, Big Vic and maybe even Ideye are going to be absolute gold-dust in the quest for points. As last Saturday painfully demonstrated, teams with quality have very little to fear from us. It's against fellow strugglers we have to chalk up those wins, so this week we're off a-hunting on the Moor.
The multi-talented Darren Fletcher: Albion's new holding midfielder, left back, right back, playmaker, left winger, striker, kit man and head of recruitment.
The Burnley who rolled over at the Hawthorns during that brief indian summer of Alan Irvine's competence are not the Burnley we'll face this weekend. To his credit, Sean Dyche has wrestled Burnley up to 17th place from a position where they looked destined to do a Derby, helped along by the goals of Danny Ings and some decent (though erratic) defensive displays. Like us, they've found wins hard to come by, and victories at Turf Moor will be the key to survival. Blowing a 2-0 lead against Crystal Palace in their last home game was a hefty setback, and they'll know full well that losing to us could dump them right back in the relegation zone. Wheel out all the six-pointer clichés now, because this one's as big as it gets.
Albion have the privilege of the away side and higher-placed team in these situations that a draw would favour us more than Burnley, but with our own winnable fixtures dwindling, realistically, we have to go looking for those three points ourselves. Again, caution will be the watchword. Put in a first half-hour like we did against Spurs and we'll be rueing it for weeks to come. But keep the concentration up, keep Burnley frustrated and counter-attack effectively, and we can haul ourselves significantly up the table by Sunday night.
We haven't done it since 2002, but this time we need to come away from Burnley with the points. Let's get the job done.
Classic Match
West Bromwich Albion 2-2 Burnley
FA Cup Fourth Round, 24th January 2009
As Albion wins at Turf Moor are so worryingly thin on the ground, this week it's a home draw against the Clarets in the cup under Tony Mowbray, featuring a classic RoKo goal and even one from Do-Heon Kim!
"I would rather spend a holiday in Tuscany than in the Black Country, but if I were compelled to choose between living in West Bromwich or Florence, I should make straight for West Bromwich." - J.B. Priestley
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