‘It would be a crushing blow’ – Exclusive: Phillips worries about West Brom slip into play-offs
We’re delighted to welcome former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
Kevin Phillips is worried about how West Brom would respond if they were to drop into the play-off spots once the 2019/20 Championship season resumes.
Although Albion are currently sat second in the table and six points clear of third, there are still nine games left to play and no one can guess what kind of form teams will be in once the coronavirus-enforced suspension of football is lifted.
Phillips has a lot of experience of playing in the play-offs and suffered defeat in the final at Wembley in 2007 when the Baggies lost 1-0 to Derby.
He admits it would be a major setback for West Brom if they do drop out of the automatic promotion spots but that doesn’t mean they cannot win at Wembley this year.
“I’ve been in that situation before and it’s very, very difficult,” Phillips told West Brom News. “Having led the way for most of the season and losing in the play-offs last year, that could possibly play on their mind if they have to go via that route.
“If I’d been top of the league all season, have this big break, go back and slip into the play-offs, it would be a crushing blow.
“They’re certainly good enough to get out of the play-off positions but anything can happen. We saw that last year when you get your top scorer sent off in the first-leg and he can’t play in the second-leg. These sort of things go against you.
“West Brom will be desperate to get over the line in those top-two spots.”
West Brom haven’t had the best of luck in their last two play-off campaigns in the Championship.
That 1-0 defeat against Derby in 2007 was a tough one to take as Albion were the better team throughout the 90 minutes but just couldn’t get themselves an all-important goal.
Last season, Dwight Gayle was unlucky to have been sent off in the first-leg against Aston Villa and the Baggies side was riddled with injuries and fitness issues in the second-leg but still managed to go all the way to a penalty shoot-out.
Let’s hope that doesn’t happen again this season and instead, West Brom can win promotion by finishing in the top-two.
In other West Brom news, Albion have been linked with a Croatian centre-back who Bilic handed his international debut.