26-08-2022, 07:24
(This post was last modified: 28-08-2022, 09:10 by Ska'dForLife-WBA.)
![[Image: 0-Sinani-WBA.jpg]](https://i.ibb.co/zRdpkCr/0-Sinani-WBA.jpg)
Last week's four points against in-form opposition were, if not an assurance of great things to come, then at least a step in the right direction. With Yokuslu on the pitch we have a firmer defence, and while it may not rain goals every weekend, the five that sailed past Hull were a comforting reminder that our players still know where the net is. The question now is whether we can carry the momentum onto the road, with back-to-back away trips to Huddersfield and Wigan.
It would appear to have been an unhappy start for the Terriers, with just one win from their four games, though relegated Burnley and Norwich figured amongst their opponents so far. Their recent record against Albion is, of course, exemplary; defeated only once in seven league encounters since the beginning of 2001, their last three home matches against us have all seen the points remain resolutely in Yorkshire. A 3-1 win against Stoke a fortnight ago, with goals from Yuta Nakayama, Danny Ward and Jordan Rhodes, is probably a decent indicator of how Huddersfield can perform on home soil against mid-table opposition, which - for the time being, at least - is what Albion are. But as the Baggies are fighting hard for turnovers high up the pitch during our best spells of play, with the most of any team in the Championship at present, we'll hopefully give a positive showing on Saturday and look to give as good as we get.
Newly-promoted Wigan are more of an enigma, unbeaten in their four games so far, but with only one victory leaving them a place below us in the table. Everton loanee Nathan Broadhead was the super-sub who supplied the Latics (down to ten men for eighty minutes) with their goal and three points at St Andrews last Saturday, though Josh Magennis is preferred as striker in the starting XI, supported by Will Keane and a certain James McClean. It's been almost a decade now since Albion last won at the DW Stadium in November 2012, and manager Leam Richardson seems like a man who isn't held back by minor difficulties (such as his apparent inability to spell the name "Liam" correctly), so I wouldn't be too surprised if the Latics give us yet another tough battle. Two points would be an acceptable week, but if we have any ambition of rising to the table's more fecund extremity, three or even four are what we need to get us in the hunt.
"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
