1. Gary Megson
Former Baggies boss Gary Megson has been installed as Caretaker Head Coach at the Hawthorns, following the sacking of Tony Pulis.
Megson, who was Pulis’ right-hand man from last summer onwards, now faces a very difficult period in temporary charge.
West Brom will still be feeling the after-effects of Pulis’ tutelage, which included restrictive, defensive, organised football. However, maybe this is the optimal way that the Midlands side need to play their football, as they are dragged ever closer into a relegation dogfight.
Megson’s first game in charge comes against Spurs, who are brimming with confidence, having come from a goal behind to beat Borussia Dortmund away from home in the Champions League.
To state that this is a ‘baptism of fire’ for Megson may well be the understatement of the season.
2. Poch's Platoon
Mauricio Pochettino has every reason to be happy going into Saturday’s game against the Baggies.
His Spurs side shrugged off a poor performance in the North London derby last weekend by going to the German cathedral that is the Signal Iduna Park.
A wonderfully taken Harry Kane strike, followed by a Heung-Min Son screamer, ensured Tottenham a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Baggies fans can only dream of this happening closer to home, as Megson’s outfit are in danger of slipping into a relegation scrap.
Albion need to surprise everyone with a shock victory, or even a draw against a heavily favoured Tottenham team.
3. Squad Resurgence
The more acutely aware football follower will understand the ‘purple patch’ that clubs seem to undergo, which comes as part of a change in management.
Leicester City produced five back-to-back wins following the sacking of Claudio Ranieri, and other teams have followed suit if a change in the structure is needed at a football club in crisis.
West Bromwich Albion are indeed said club in crisis, as relegation into the Sky Bet Championship would mean the loss of the lucrative, highly coveted TV rights deal Premier League clubs revel in.
This sacking, personally, was conducted at the right time in a professional manner, and the squad needed a fresh change.
Expect this ‘purple patch’ to surprise one or two teams in the near future.
4. Harry Kane
The English striker has returned to his white-hot streak of form, to match the white of Spurs in his heart.
He netted a superb finish past Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki (who had provided two excellent fingertip reactions earlier), whilst surrounded by two Dortmund defenders.
YouTube: Borussia Dortmund vs Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 – UCL 2017/2018 – Highlights (English Commentary) HD
His nomination for the UEFA Team of the Year will only add to the confidence that the No. 10 is relishing in at the moment.
This, in what will be his fourth full season as the spearhead of the Spurs attack, has proven that the 24-year-old is on the verge of breaking into the world-class echelon, with the likes of ex-Spurs hotshot Gareth Bale and co.
Along with Spurs fans, Baggies fans will be expecting Kane to net at some point within the 90 minutes.
The only difference is, Tottenham fans will be revelling in it, and the West Brom faithful will be dreading it.
5. Who's next?
Jeremy Peace and co. at the heights of the West Brom hierarchy have gone about the search for their next manager quickly and efficiently.
With current bookmakers’ favourite Alan Pardew said to be interested in the job, it begs the question: ‘Do the board know how football works’?
They have just released from employment the dictionary definition of a manager who plays football the way West Brom need to play.
If it was, literally, any other manager in the Hawthorns hotseat other than Pulis, then West Brom would snap up Tony Pulis within a heartbeat.
The Midlands side now run the risk of sacrificing life in the top division for the sake of ‘entertaining’ and ‘creative’ football.
Whoever the next manager turns out to be, the West Brom players have to focus towards their own issues on the field, and salvage a point against one of the best-performing teams in the Premier League.
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