[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Mixed returns from the season's first week, as a surprise Josh Maja hat-trick last Saturday brought home the points from West London before a typically hapless League Cup showing from the kids at Fleetwood sent us crashing out of that competition with serious cause for concern about our strength in depth. All in all, it might not be the ideal time to open our account at home against promotion rivals Leeds, but Baggies can't be choosers.

Last season we acquitted ourselves pretty well against United, beating them at Christmas and holding them to an early-season draw at Elland Road, making us one of just four teams Leeds failed to beat in that campaign. They've won only one of their last five at the Hawthorns (though that was a 5-0 thrashing in December 2020), and have been somewhat out of sorts as they get stuck into the new season, barely scraping a draw against newly-promoted Pompey and then exiting the cup courtesy of Middlesbrough. They'll also be without 22-year-old forward Georginio Rutter, whose £40m release clause has been triggered by Brighton this week, sowing further uncertainty in an already chaotic camp.

But for all that, they remain a potent force in the division who like to dominate the early stages of games and try to get on the front foot with a goal or two before the opposition can hit back. That they've shipped six goals in two matches so far suggests that sides who can hit back are liable to wreak havoc against a shaky defence, so Maja might just be able to get himself on a roll. Jed Wallace and Grady Diangana will hopefully be fit enough to make the bench for Albion, but in the absence of any enforced changes there's really no great need for Corberan to tinker with the line-up that took QPR apart. That win also gave the Baggies a bit of early breathing space, so a draw on Saturday wouldn't be the end of the world, but Leeds have enough problems right now that we should absolutely be hunting for victory in this one.

[talkSAFT]

I'm half-happy with a point, but Albion really outplayed Leeds (apparently). So that gives optimism.

[4evaabaggie]

I'm half-happy with a point, but Albion really outplayed Leeds (apparently). So that gives optimism.

Talksaft,

Yes gives a reason to be optimistic, but still suffering the same problem, eight shots, one on target and it was an easy save. Need a goal scorer.
Squad still paper thin and out of the league cup in round one, how will youngster get experience against first teams if we capitulate at the first attempt. I know we have to wrap the first team in cotton wool, a duvet and a wooden box to keep them fit but back up players are only as good as the experience they can gain.
Still, I am happy with a point but three would have been ecstatic.

Played away in London to a fancied team, at home to the pre season favourites, unbeaten and on four points. Well done boys. Albion til I die.

[Blue Baggie]

Good point today, solid performance against a promotion favourite. Id really like Cleary get a few games. If Dike ever gets fit he will at least be on the bench. Taylor also needs some game time. Suspension or injury crisis looks like the only chance.

[baggietrousers]

I thought it was a good solid performance, with no one really letting the side down. A couple of heavy touches here and there especially from the Centre backs but both recovered well. Granted I was trying to stream the game from Wyoming so I missed a fair bit with the constant buffering, but all in all I’m happy with start to the season.

[Slick_Footwork]

Missed the first game of the season, so it was a first look at our current first team for me.

Decent performance, particularly first half.

Plus points, lots of energy in the middle of the park, particularly Mulumby who was excellent. Defensively we looked relatively solid. Leeds best opportunities seemed to be a result of us overplaying at the back. I do think we do need to adapt and play a bit less in tight areas with the change in personnel, given Kipre and Yokuslu were our best 2 players on the ball in defensive areas.

Negatives, I think Fellows was wasted at left wing back. Obviously the 3-5-2 was setup to stifle Leeds and it worked, but Fellows (much like Wallace) is just an out and out right winger in my books. I think if you're going to play 3 at the back, you might as well leave them both out and play Frabotta, who looked like he got forward in the cup game.

Also we really lacked creativity going forward. Swift continues to flatter to deceive and one glimpse of quality every 3 or 4 games isn't enough. As for Grant, we've seen over several years that he's only really got two attributes, a bit of pace and a decent shot. Having a year out on loan isn't going to magically enable him to see a creative pass or beat a defender with a bit of skill. He was the exact same player that I remember. As long as he's in the side you're not going to see much in the way of attractive football I'm afraid. Still got my fingers crossed that he's part of the deadline day merry go round which will see Johnston come back. One can dream...