Adrian Chiles makes admission about West Brom showdown v Wolves in FA Cup
Adrian Chiles has admitted that he has “got a bad feeling” ahead of the FA Cup fourth-round clash between West Brom and Wolves at The Hawthorns.
The Black Country rivals will meet on Sunday (28 January) in front of fans for the first time in 12 years in a crucial FA Cup fixture, with Carlos Corberan’s side knowing that they can book their place in the fifth round with a famous derby win.
However, former BBC presenter and diehard Albion fan Chiles isn’t exactly confident and is worried that the Baggies could be due a thrashing after winning three of the last four meetings, including a 5-1 win at Molineux in 2012.
As quoted by The Athletic on Thursday (25 January) he said: “I think most Albion fans have got a bad feeling — well, actually, I have. Both sets of fans remember the 5-1 game…
“Hear me out. Then there was the game under Sam Allardyce behind closed doors when we’d beaten almost no one but we went to Wolves and won.
“I think a lot of Albion fans are thinking, ‘Hang on, is it our turn to get our [expletive] handed to us on a plate.’ If we lose 2-0, fine, but it can’t be four, five, or something like that, please God.”
Game on
There will be an element of fear in the West Brom camp as no supporter wants to see their side get thrashed in the FA Cup, particularly against such fierce local rivals, but the Baggies should be much more confident than Chiles has suggested.
While Wolves are a Premier League side, they haven’t been particularly consistent this season and should Albion perform as they have done at their best this season, there is no reason why they cannot cause a cup upset on Sunday.
In derby clashes, form and standard often go out of the window because of the nature of the fixture. Corberan’s side may be the weaker outfit on paper, but that won’t matter when they step over that white line onto The Hawthorns pitch on Sunday.
Hopefully, West Brom can avoid the result that Chiles is fearing, but they should be backing themselves to book their place in the next round. It won’t be easy, but if you can’t be confident in a derby clash on home soil, when can you?
In other West Brom news, a potential new sacrifice has been mooted for the Baggies during the January transfer window
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