[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Two points gained on the road against teams we traditionally struggle to beat away; four points dropped against teams, like Middlesbrough and Cardiff before them, who aren't exactly dominating the league. Results-wise, Albion's last week can be viewed as optimistically or pessimistically as you choose, but there's no escaping the fact that winning only one of the first seven is a poor return that's hardly balanced out by losing only one in the same period. In a relegation battle it would be cause for rejoicing, but - at the risk of showing the kind of hubris that invites some thunderbolt-wielding football deity to hurl you down to 24th place by December - Albion should not be fighting one of those in this division. Not yet, at least.

More wins are needed. But there are few tougher occasions to get that ball rolling than the visit of relegated Burnley to the Hawthorns on Friday night, which will ask some serious questions of team and manager alike. Though we've squared up against the Clarets numerous times in the Premier League over the last decade, our last two encounters ending in goalless draws, you have to go back to February 2008 for the last Championship game between the sides, a 2-1 Albion win under Tony Mowbray. Our solid home record over the last year is encouraging in spite of Burnley's lofty position, but the habit of conceding early goals that result in a mountain to climb simply has to go. With one Jay Rodriguez leading Burnley's three-pronged attack, supported by Nathan Tella and Vitinho, mistakes and openings at the back will prove costly, and safety must come first.

Brandon Thomas-Asante is the new face up front for Albion, with Callum Robinson likely to be departing to make room. If regarded as a swap, that breathtaking gamble suggests the scouts believe that the former Salford man will prove more Cyrille Regis than, say, Reuben Reid in making the step up. It's not just a hefty price tag that puts pressure on a striker, and I hope the young man will do himself proud in the months to come; I'd expect Karlan Grant to be favoured for the Burnley clash, but it'll be interesting to see if Thomas-Asante - or BTA, as I'm sure he'll be dubbed soon - gets his chance from the bench.

With a couple of local derbies and a trip to Norwich ahead, the games aren't going to get any easier. Sooner or later, Steve Bruce has to start delivering more than stalemates, and Friday night is the first opportunity.