West Brom now ‘serious play-off contenders’ as pundit issues verdict on ‘off-field saga’ at The Hawthorns
West Brom have emerged as “serious play-off contenders” thanks to a strong run of form and could be even more of a threat if the club is sold, says Carlton Palmer.
The BBC pundit told Football League World on 6 October that the Baggies are “a solid and hard side to beat” while predicting Carlos Corberan’s side as it currently is will record a lot of draws.
But amid the ongoing “off-field saga” around the ownership and the finances the ex-England midfielder has suggested that new regime that is ready to invest in the squad would improve increasingly impressive displays on the pitch.
Palmer said: “West Brom have entered the play-off spots after winning their last two games. I think they are serious play-off contenders and if they can sort out the off-field saga with the sale of the club, and get new owners in to invest in the playing side, they might be even in a stronger position.
“It’s early days but they are looking strong defensively, only conceded 10 goals, they’ve scored 17 – only four clubs have scored more than them so they’re a solid and hard side to beat and likely to pick up a lot of draws on the evidence I’ve seen, four already in their first 10 games.”
From the flames
To be five games unbeaten and sitting near the top of a sizeable contingent of play-off rivals, behind a top two that look likely to pull away this season, is a far more positive position than many would have feared in the summer.
The need to shed players from the wage bill thanks to a worrying financial position contributed to understandable fears that last season’s near miss would be the closest West Brom would come to a play-off place for some time.
But once again it is a testament to Corberan’s work that the past two wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End, with the 4-0 hammering of the high-flying Lilywhites in particularly impressive, has pushed the Albion this high already.
A sale to new ownership who are actually present and available has been a dream of fans for some time, but with dire verdicts around the funding and the club’s future it has made all the more important.
If Corberan and his squad can achieve this much with the controversial majority shareholder Guochuan Lai in place then surely a new regime would allow the manager to challenge for promotion in a big way.
West Brom weren’t gutted in the transfer window to the extent that some might have feared, but it would stand to reason that a squad that is more concerned with adding talent than letting it leave would be a greater force to be reckoned with.
In other West Brom news, one of the exits that the club were obliged to sanction in the summer has already “come back to bite them”.