‘Worst’ West Brom in 20 years have lost Valerien Ismael strong point under Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce had to try to make West Brom more creative but has lost now the defensive solidarity of Valerien Ismael, says The Athletic’s Steve Madeley.
The Baggies have conceded six times in the four games under their new manager, while scoring only once, and haven’t yet won a game in falling to 11th in the Championship.
The form has seen them drop to a point where it looks impossible for a finish as high as fourth in the league, which since the 2001/02 season is their joint-lowest finish.
Writing in The Athletic, Madeley says: “In the quest to give West Brom more creativity and goal threat — a quest he was duty-bound to embark on — Bruce has seen his side lose a little of the defensive solidity that was the only real positive to come from the Ismael era.
“The reality is that this flaky, uninspiring team are West Brom’s worst for a fifth of a century.”
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There is very little for the West Brom support to cling to at the moment as the situation appears to be worse not better.
The style of play under the French former manager was highly unpopular so the new man in had to make changes, but that has apparently on balance made the side worse.
While excitement at the appointment of Bruce was thin on the ground, there was at least a hope that his experience in the second-tier would pay dividends.
There is probably still time for that to materialise but right now there are no signs of it developing.
The fact that Jayson Molumby scoring a goal was seen as an improvement is a damning indictment of the current state of affairs.
Before conceding twice to Millwall and Preston respectively, the results immediately preceding Ismael’s sacking, the team hadn’t conceded more than once since October.
So with the gains in attack marginal at best, and the trend defensively heading in the wrong direction, the current outlook for the end of the season is not bright.
Unless there is a significant improvement soon the chance to even take their chances in the playoffs will be gone.
In other West Brom news, a former player has pointed the finger of blame at the players instead of the manager.
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