Following a third Premiership relegation in May West Brom are back in the Championship relying on two League One success stories to guide them back to the promised land.
Last Season: Bottom of the Premiership and relegated Another one year stay in the Premiership for the Baggies and from a purists point of view that was a shame. While Hull City survived more by luck than judgement and Stoke made a success of things by battering teams into submission with long throws and questionable tactics (the way they were allowed to kick Arsenal off the pitch at The Britannia still makes me angry thinking about it now) West Brom attempted to continue the footballing beliefs and principals of Tony Mowbray that won them so many friends in the Championship and went precisely nowhere. West Brom won once away from home all season and although they looked like they were getting to grips with the new level quite well when they beat Middlesbrough, Fulham and West Ham in four games in September they won just three of their next 15 and two of their last 17 on their way to an inevitable relegation – their third Premiership relegation in recent years, and the second time they have come straight back after only one season. They truly are this decade’s Crystal Palace.
Head to Head: West Brom sealed their promotion to the Premiership at Loftus Road on the final day of the 2007/08 season, although QPR were giving as good as they got until Martin Rowlands was harshly sent off before half time. The Baggies went on to win 2-0 in Luigi De Canio’s last match in charge. At The Hawthorns earlier in the season QPR cost John Gregory his job with an abysmal display and 5-1 defeat. The performances of Zesh Rehman, John Curtis and Chris Barker that day still haunt QPR fans in their sleep.
QPR 0 West Brom 2
West Brom 5 QPR 1
Odds: Favourites for the title, best priced 6/1 with Coral, Stan James, Victor Chandler, SkyBet and others, shortest price 9/2 with extrabet.
Manager: Despite the relegation Tony Mowbray has built a sufficiently good reputation with the Baggies and previously Hibs to attract Scottish giants Celtic and they paid £2m for his services this summer and another £500k for his backroom staff although it doesn't look like it's going to be enough to keep them in the Champions League beyong the first qualifying round. That left West Brom searching for a new gaffer and although former playing favourite Derek McInnes was heavily tipped after his excellent work with St Johnstone in the end the Baggies went for Roberto Di Matteo. Now Di Matteo was undoubtedly a superb player in his day winning most of the game’s major honours and 34 Italian caps, despite being born in Switzerland, however as a manager he has only got one season of experience. Last year he led MK Dons to the play offs where they lost on penalties in the semi final to Scunthorpe. That is reasonably impressive and a good start, but he inherited a good side at MK from Paul Ince and ultimately achieved very little with it. While his style of play should see him fit seamlessly into the West Brom hot seat I can’t help but think back to Sam Allardyce’s assertion that he would be considered for the top jobs more often if he was called Sam Allardici – would West Brom, or anybody else for that matter, have paid much attention had MK Dons got to the play offs and lost under the guidance of Bob Matthews? Nigel Adkins, for instance, has twice won promotion from League One on a tiny budget with Scunthorpe and never gets a mention for anybody's job. Anyway Di Matteo is young, he’s ambitious, he plays football in a way West Brom fans have become accustomed to and he has a good squad, sound financial situation and large average attendances waiting for him in the West Midlands so he has every chance of success.
Survival Chances – 7/10
Players: Although Paul Robinson, West Brom’s thuggish answer to Chris Morgan, has miraculously secured Premiership football for next season with Bolton and Jonathan Greening looks likely to do the same with Fulham the Baggies have maintained a strong squad following relegation. The big summer capture is Swindon’s Simon Cox – a former Reading trainee who caught the eye with 32 goals that saved a poor Swindon team from relegation in League One last season. Whether Cox will be a success in this league remains to be seen. Previously Billy Sharp built a similar reputation as a lower league hitman with Scunthorpe and Rushden but has flopped in the Championship despite playing in a good Sheffield United side. Sharp’s main problem was that his previous success was based on goal poaching rather than scoring, loitering round the penalty boxes of League One where there are more dropping balls than in the changing room at an all boys secondary school. The better quality of defender in the Championship means there are less of these half chances to sniff, and Cox must develop his all round game if he is to succeed at The Hawthorns. Target man Roman Bednar was a success in this division 12 months ago and if he can tear himself away from the day job of dealing drugs on his driveway could be again, and Ishmael Miller is still to return from long term injury. Both look like ideal point men for Cox to work with. Further back Teixera, Brunt and Koren remain and were all excellent in this division when last here – Brunt in particular should be a terrific asset to them coming off the left flank. Former Luton defender Leon Barnett is also more suited to this level than the one above and towering presense Olsson will provide the strength required in a physical league.
Likely Star Player – Chris Brunt
Transfers:
In:
Simon Cox from Swindon Town - £1.5m
Youssouf Mulumbu from Paris Saint-Germain - £175,000
Reuben Reid from Rotherham - Undisclosed
Out:
Jared Hodgkiss – Released
Carl Hoefkens – Released
Pedro Pele – Released
Sherjill MacDonald to Germinal Beerschot – Free
Paul Robinson to Bolton Wanderers – Loan
Prediction: Of the three relegated sides West Brom look to be in the best position to push for an immediate return to the big time. Much will depend on how Di Matteo, still very inexperienced as a manager, fits into Tony Mowbray’s shoes and if Simon Cox can translate his League One form into the Championship. They still look to have enough quality, and be settled enough, to push for the six although the top two may be beyond them.
Verdict: Play off positions.