September
PL: West Brom 1-0 Tottenham
13 Redmond
Nathan Redmond scored a 40-yard free kick that will contend for goal of the season, the only goal of an otherwise dull yet fiery affair. Tottenham spurned a host of chances to equalise, while Ben Davies found himself sent off for committing two bookable offences.
CL: Celtic 1-4 West Brom
41 Podolski
63 Podolski
83 Redmond
87 Fofana
89 Stokes
West Bromwich Albion’s first European fixture threw up a thumping win that shook the foundations of Glasgow. Lukas Podolski netted a brace, while Nathan Redmond and Gueida Fofana scored one each minutes before full time. Anthony Stokes claimed Celtic’s solitary consolation goal just shortly thereafter.
PL: Stoke 1-3 West Brom
6 Podolski
9 Lansbury
10 Edu
73 Redmond
Three goals within the first ten minutes saw the score roll to 2-1. Lukas Podolski and Henri Lansbury scored for West Bromwich Albion, while Stoke City captain Maurice Edu netted for the hosts. Nathan Redmond sealed the win in the latter stages of the match.
CO: Bolton 1-3 West Brom
39 Sessegnon
63 Lee
72 Ideye
86 Ibe
Stephane Sessegnon opened the scoring shortly before the break, but Lee Chung-yong equalised just after the hour mark. Tim Ream and Joe Riley were sent off, reducing Bolton’s back line to two defenders. Brown Ideye and Jordon Ibe were able to take advantage to secure progression to the last 16.
PL: QPR 1-6 West Brom
30 Podolski
35 Lansbury
37 Gamboa
51 Fer
57 Sako
72 Redmond
84 Podolski
Queens Park Rangers were utterly humiliated in front of their home support as West Bromwich Albion claimed their biggest win under Indi Blue. Jack Robinson’s dismissal allowed Lukas Podolski to score the opener and open the floodgates. Henri Lansbury and Cristian Gamboa added two more, and Leroy Fer pulled one back for the hosts early in the second half. Bakary Sako and Nathan Redmond then scored a goal each, before Podolski netted a second to complete the rout.
CL: West Brom 3-1 Wolfsburg
9 Sako
20 Movsisyan
75 Podolski
90+2 Podolski
Fans of West Bromwich Albion will be thrilled with the result of the club’s first Champions League home fixture. Bakary Sako continued his run of form with another goal to open the scoring, but Yura Movsisyan equalised for Wolfsburg. The teams continued testing each other until Lukas Podolski scored his third goal of the campaign, before adding a second in injury time to send the home fans into a rapture.
October
PL: West Brom 4-1 Swansea
6 Sako
21 Berahino
25 Berahino
72 Berg
80 Delph
The goals keep flying in at The Hawthorns, with Bakary Sako once again opening the scoring inside the first ten minutes. Saido Berahino, leading the line for the first time this season, then added two goals within four minutes of each other. Marcus Berg pulled one back for the visitors late in the second half, but Fabian Delph’s long-range strike ended any hopes of a Swansea revival.
PL: Man. City 0-2 West Brom
Podolski 34
Lansbury 57
Heading to Manchester City full of confidence, West Bromwich Albion faced the reigning champions as favourites for the first time, and the match went exactly the way pundits and fans predicted it would. Vincent Kompany and his men could only watch as they were bossed by a club that was fighting relegation just three years ago, with Lukas Podolski and Henri Lansbury bagging a goal each.
CL: PSG 2-0 West Brom
39 Lucas
73 Dzeko
West Bromwich Albion finally came up against a defence they could not penetrate, though they will be feeling no shame in losing to a team as good as Paris Saint-Germain. The plan to hit the French side on counter-attacks went out the window when an error at the back allowed Lucas Moura to score for PSG. Despite an impressive response, West Brom were powerless to stop Edin Dzeko’s powerful header from sealing their first loss of the season.
PL: West Brom 2-0 Chelsea
6 Xabi Alonso
32 Redmond
The best teams always bounce back from losses both big and small, and West Bromwich Albion did just that to subject Chelsea to their second defeat of the season. Xabi Alonso started the vital fixture and dictated the tempo of the game, beginning his dominance with a crucial goal in the opening minutes. Nathan Redmond added one with a back-heel before the hosts kept Chelsea at bay for the better part of an hour.
CO: West Brom 1-1 Wigan
73 McClean
83 Milner
West Bromwich Albion progressed to the quarter-finals of this year’s Capital One Cup by defeating Wigan Athletic on penalties. The game went largely scoreless until James McClean’s clean strike looked like winning it for the Championship side, before James Milner equalised not ten minutes later. The spot kicks went in one after the other until Wigan missed two in a row to crash out, sending West Brom through to face Manchester City.
PL: West Ham 1-1 West Brom
41 Delph
90+1 Valencia
This tense affair in Upton Park was nothing to write home about. Fabian Delph’s speculative shot from distance was West Bromwich Albion’s only effort on target, stinging Robbin Ruiter’s palms before rolling into the net for an easy goal. The league leaders had a poor second half and couldn’t add a second, paying the price when Enner Valencia scored in injury time, allowing Arsenal to move back top.
November
CL: Wolfsburg 1-3 West Brom
13 Sessegnon
25 De Bruyne
71 Reid
89 Podolski
Yura Movsisyan, Luiz Gustavo, and second-half substitute Maximilian Arnold were all sent off in a contentious affair that saw five other players booked for dangerous tackles. Kevin De Bruyne scored the only goal for the hosts, while Stephane Sessegnon and Winston Reid bagged the equaliser and winner for the visitors, with Lukas Podolski adding a third for fun just before full time.
PL: West Brom 1-0 Hull
60 Podolski
On a rainy day at The Hawthorns, when Hull City came visiting, West Bromwich Albion showed why they’re being looked at as fierce title contenders with a clinical 1-0 win. Defending wave after wave of substandard Hull attack, the Baggies netted when Lukas Podolski made the most of a mess in the box to net his sixth league goal of the season.
PL: Southampton 2-4 West Brom
11 Sako
24 Sako
31 Gaston
63 Gaston
73 Fofana
90+1 Podolski
West Bromwich Albion faced Southampton in what was billed as the tricky fixture that could end their unbeaten run, but Bakary Sako put the visiting side 2-0 up in less than 30 minutes. Gaston Ramirez pulled one back and then equalised around the hour mark, but Gueida Fofana and Lukas Podolski ensured that the wins kept flowing for West Brom. As an added bonus, Arsenal dropped points against Burnley to send West Brom back to the top of the league.
PL: West Brom 2-1 Man. United
20 Sako
34 Van Persie
85 Redmond
In this season’s key matches against Manchester City and Chelsea, West Bromwich Albion dominated the proceedings, but Manchester United brought pace and power to The Hawthorns to give the hosts a tough time. Bakary Sako opened after a chaotic first 20 minutes, Robin Van Persie equalised before halftime, and Nathan Redmond scored a dramatic winner with minutes to go. At the final whistle, an appreciative stadium applauded not only its vibrant home team, but a fantastic away side as well.
CL: West Brom 1-0 Celtic
68 Sako
West Bromwich Albion have qualified for the knockout stages of this season’s Champions League with a confident 1-0 win over Celtic, completing the double over the Scottish side in swashbuckling style. Bakary Sako scored yet again, bringing his goal-scoring form to four in three games, with two assists to boot. West Brom will likely face a second-placed team from one of the other groups, excluding the other English clubs should they qualify in that manner.
PL: Liverpool 1-3 West Brom
14 Lallana
67 Berahino
78 Ideye
81 Berahino
On a cold and rainy night at Anfield, it was Liverpool who drew first blood as Adam Lallana ghosted into the box to get on the end of Gonzalo Higuain's cross for a tap-in at the far post. West Bromwich Albion then stepped up their defensive work rate, repelling wave after wave of Liverpool attack, before Saido Berahino scored an equaliser an hour later. Brown Ideye put the visitors 2-1 up with a header, before Berahino put the result beyond doubt with a shot from distance.
CO: Man. City 0-1 West Brom
78 Ideye
Brown Ideye's goal late in the second half was the only one of the match, as Manchester City once again failed on their home turf, yet again unable to contain a rampant West Bromwich Albion side. The quarter-final win places West Brom against Championship and Welsh side Cardiff City. The two teams will contest the two legs home and away, while Chelsea square off against Manchester United in the other semi-final.
December
PL: West Brom 3-2 Arsenal
16 Berahino
19 Welbeck
24 Welbeck
43 Lescott
62 Berahino
Just two points separated the teams at the top of the table. West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal both entered the pitch with undefeated records at stake, with only an unsatisfactory draw capable of ensuring they both walked away with those bragging rights. Saido Berahino continues his fine form with the opening goal, but a quick-fire double via Danny Welbeck gave the visitors the lead. Joleon Lescott equalised from a corner just before halftime, and Berahino slotted home the winner with 30 minutes to go.
CL: West Brom 0-0 PSG
The first goalless draw of West Bromwich Albion's season came as Paris Saint-Germain arrived in England for the return fixture of their 2-0 win in France. The same team to inflict West Brom's first (and so far only) defeat of the season prevented them from scoring yet again, as they shared the points. The Baggies finished level on points with PSG but behind on head-to-head results, and have drawn European titans Bayern Munich in their round of 16 matchup.
PL: West Brom 2-0 Burnley
5 Podolski
47 Sako
A routine win over Burnley began as Lukas Podolski opened the scoring on five minutes, while Bakary Sako scored from the penalty spot early in the second half, after James Milner's shirt was adjudged to have been grabbed by Kieran Trippier in the box. The win and clean sheet increased the gap between league leaders West Bromwich Albion and title rivals Arsenal from five points to eight.
PL: Aston Villa 1-1 West Brom
38 Clark
87 Fofana
Republic of Ireland defender Ciaran Clark scored a rare goal as West Bromwich Albion were uncharacteristically dominated by heated rivals Aston Villa. Only a late equaliser from Gueida Fofana kept the unbeaten record in shape. Lukas Podolski dislocated his shoulder and is expected to be out of action for two weeks, but the German could miss the rest of the year's fixtures in a bid to remain fresh for the remainder of the season.
PL: Fulham 1-1 West Brom
30 Smith
68 Ideye
Yet another 1-1 draw played out today, as former Leeds United forward Matt Smith scored on 30 minutes when he caught Stefanos Kapino napping, placing an exquisite shot into the top corner. Brown Ideye scored an equaliser with just over 20 minutes remaining, coming on after Gueida Fofana was subbed off with a fractured elbow. The injury is expected to keep the Frenchman out until mid-January.
PL: West Brom 3-1 Norwich
2 Milner
23 Boudebouz
38 Lansbury
72 Ideye
West Bromwich Albion returned to winning ways against star man Nathan Redmond's former team, with James Milner scoring not two minutes into the game, rounding John Ruddy for an easy opportunity. New signing Ryad Boudebouz scored from the spot after being fouled by Fabian Delph, who became West Brom's first red card of the season. Henri Lansbury and Brown Ideye ensured that the Baggies ended their back-to-back draws with a convincing win.
PL: Newcastle 1-1 West Brom
53 Kweuke
76 Sessegnon
Leonard Kweuke hit a wonderful free kick that riocheted off the post and into the back of the net, winning the set piece after being fouled in the second half by Joleon Lescott. Stephane Sessegnon, making his first appearance since coming on against Southampton, netted the equaliser with minutes to go. West Bromwich Albion will be concerned after post-match tests confirmed a sprained ankle for Nathan Redmond, requiring a minimum rest period of four weeks.
West Brom's rewards, plus transfer watch
UEFA yesterday distributed the first round of payment to clubs participating in the group stages of this year's Champions League and Europa League competitions, and local heroes West Bromwich Albion received a cheque worth £10.2 million, while manager Indi Blue was awarded as Barclays Premier League manager of the month. The funds from UEFA, combined with the club's remaining transfer budget from the summer and any proceeds from the impending sale of Craig Dawson, are likely to be put towards key January signings.
Known to be on the club's radar is Chelsea left back Ryan Bertrand, who may be open to a move after finding himself third in the pecking order behind Filipe Luis and Cesar Azpilicueta. Long-term target Nathaniel Clyne has been on the club's wishlist for some time, but he is not expected to be available in the January window. The big rumour surrounding The Hawthorns is that club captain Joleon Lescott will not be offered a contract extension. West Brom see Juventus and Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci, whose contract with last year's Serie A runners-up is set to expire in the summer of 2017, as his replacment. Bonucci will be available for negotiation of a free transfer starting tomorrow. Also reportedly set to depart the club is Xabi Alonso, whose replacement could come in the form of highly-rated Athletic Bilbao midfielder Ander Iturraspe. Like Bonucci, the Spaniard is free to speak with other clubs from January 1, making him a cost-effective solution to the loss of an influential player. Stephane Sessegnon is also set to be released at the end of the ongoing campaign, and though we understand that the Benin international's replacement will not be considered until the summer window opens, West Brom are believed to be scouting Ross Barkley of Everton and Lewis Baker of Chelsea.
Fraser Forster will be glad to know that he is on the shortlist for West Brom. With his game time at Southampton limited in the face of competition from Jasper Cilessen and compatriot Ben Foster likely to be moved on in the summer, the imposing goalkeeper could find it hard to resist moving to a club that is almost guaranteed to be in the Champions League, possibly as English champions. Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Rohan Ince could also find himself plying his trade at The Hawthorns next season, as could Sunderland forward Connor Wickham, whose deadline day move was scuppered after his club quoted West Brom an unreasonable price of £30 million. The Baggies are also looking to make permanent the transfer of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, currently on loan from Chelsea, though much of this depends on whether or not they secure either Barkley or Baker.
Jordan Henderson could be in line for a surprise transfer from Liverpool, but only if James Milner finds takers in the summer. The former Aston Villa and Manchester City midfielder has picked up ten assists in 17 appearances during the ongoing Premier League campaign, but Indi is thought to be keen on finding a new club for his hardest-working player, not least because his lack of pace frequently causes moves to break down prematurely. West Brom believe that it would be detrimental to their wage bill if they sign Henderson but are unable to sell Milner.
Mattia Destro is the final name on West Brom's list of potential signings. The Roma forward is in excellent form, having scored a staggering 11 goals in the group stages of the Champions League, but has rejected the Italian side's offer of a contract extension in order to "move to the Premier League". The Baggies will be on alert, but while Destro could be signed on a pre-contract in January, the club would then have to reconsider their forward options. Lukas Podolski is in fine form and ranks as the top striker on that basis, while he is usually partnered by one of Brown Ideye or Bakary Sako. Saido Berahino is considered by Indi as the long-term future of West Brom's attack, making him virtually untouchable in terms of a transfer, and Connor Wickham's arrival would further complicate matters. The signing of Destro, whether made in January or July, would likely spell the end of the line at West Brom for both Ideye and Sako.
Possible 23-man squad for West Bromwich Albion in 2017-18
Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (ENG), Stefanos Kapino (GRE), Emiliano Martinez (ARG)
Defenders: Leonardo Bonucci (ITA), Winston Reid (NZL), Omar Gonzalez (USA), Sebastien Pocognoli (BEL), Ryan Bertrand (ENG), Nathaniel Clyne (ENG), Cristian Gamboa (CRC)
Midfielders: Fabian Delph (ENG), Rohan Ince (ENG), Ander Iturraspe (ESP), Jordan Henderson (ENG), Gueida Fofana (FRA), Henri Lansbury (ENG), Nathan Redmond (ENG), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (ENG), Ross Barkley/Lewis Baker (ENG)
Forwards: Lukas Podolski (GER), Mattia Destro (ITA), Connor Wickham (ENG), Saido Berahino (ENG)
League Table
1. West Bromwich Albion 50
2. Chelsea 44*
3. Manchester City 42*
4. Arsenal 40*
5. Tottenham 38
6. Manchester Utd 38
7. Liverpool 36*
8. Newcastle Utd 33
9. Aston Villa 29
10. Hull City 28*
11. Swansea City 26
12. West Ham Utd 24
13. Southampton 21*
14. Sunderland 19
15. Fulham 18
16. Queens Park Rangers 17
17. Everton 16
18. Stoke City 13
19. Burnley 9*
20. Norwich City 8
*Teams marked have played 19 games. All others have played 20.
By the Numbers
West Bromwich Albion are currently enjoying what could end as the best season in the club's history, leading Chelsea by six points and Arsenal by ten, though both have a game in hand. The Baggies also remain undefeated after 20 matches, winning 15 of them. In honour of their fine achievements, we bring you a look at their league season so far, with the numbers doing most of the talking.
0
No team in the Premier League has managed to keep a clean sheet against the free-scoring Baggies.
1
Joleon Lescott has captained West Brom in every match except one, the 3-1 comeback against Liverpool at Anfield, during which the team were led by Xabi Alonso.
2
The two teams to have conceded fewer league goals than West Brom (17) are Chelsea (12) and Arsenal (15).
3
Only three teams have managed to put away more than one goal against the Baggies – Newcastle, Southampton and Arsenal – and all of them lost.
4
With just four matches ending with a score of 1-0 and no 0-0 results, West Brom are the highest-scoring Premiership side on 46 goals.
5
The Baggies have drawn five matches this season, all of them ending 1-1 and most of them come-from-behind results.
6
Ben Foster has kept six clean sheets in 19 appearances, beating his own tally of five in 28 from last season.
7
Nathan Redmond has seven league goals to his name, with only Lukas Podolski (8) scoring more.
8
No team has had more opponents sent off than West Brom, who have lost only one player to suspension.
9
West Brom have been awarded nine penalty kicks this season, scoring from all but one of them.
10
James Milner is the first Premier League player this season to register double figures in assists.
11
Xabi Alonso has made 11 starts this season, re-asserting himself into a first team packed to the brim with supreme talent.
11-07-2014, 10:24 AM
