betting
West Bromwich
By David, BettingExpert.com | Edited
Fearless Baggies
Despite general lack of trust in the potential of this team from bookmakers all over, the club has sounded convinced that things are much more positive than the picture being depicted of them suggests. The key lies in Di Matteo’s unabating insistence on fresh attacking football. After years of trying the old ‘all men behind the ball’ approach and getting nothing but a quick return to the Championship it is high time that a less fearful approach was put at work at West Bromwich.
Coach: Di Matteo
Tactics: 4-5-1
Players In: Odemwingie, Fortune, Shorey, Tamas, Ibanez, S. Reid, Myhill, Tchoyi, C. Dawson, Hurst
Players Out: Greening
Current Probable Formation: Carson, Jara, Tamas, Olsson, Shorey, Brunt, Scharner, Mulumbu, J. Thomas, Dorrans, Odemwingie
Roberto Di Matteo is the less famous of the three Italian managers currently in charge of Premier League squads. Both Chelsea and Manchester City offer high profile jobs whilst that of West Bromwich is viewed as more of an experiment with many not ready to bet a dime on the success of a foreign manager at the helm of such a small club. This year, however, the team has set the targets as high as possible, which means that they intend to stay up and secure that aim as early as can be. ...which is far from what Albion fans have been used to in the past years.
Last season West Bromwich Albion went straight into the Premier League after having achieved promotion eleven points behind winners Newcastle. There were no play-offs for them as they distanced third placed Nottingham Forest by twelve points. The statement was clear. They were not as good as the highly equipped Newcastle but they were far better than the rest of the competition. It was probably a prelude for what was to come. The club has since made big statements about their chances of surviving the Premier League this time and the intentions seem to be those of reinforcing the squad once that target is achieved. As for now, however, the additions have been low profile and the enthusiasm brought about by the big words on the wave of the promotion has been curbed a little.
Goals were their bread and butter last season scoring just
one less than leaders Newcastle. That same philosophy will be running in their
veins this time round as they put aside fears of the big boys in the league and
insist on playing their game wherever they go. Of course this will not always
pay dividends. 
Going all out, or almost, against some clubs will do nothing but
expose them to fatal possession play from more technically gifted sides that
will cut through their frail backline and carry home their scalps. But Di
Matteo is ready to gamble on his players and is convinced that in the long run
that kind of mentality will help them reach their target.
Striker Odemwingie will surely have been the biggest acquisition of the summer and is the man expected to help keep the club true to this new found attacking policy. He has the touch and the speed necessary to make the Baggies’ attack a fearsome one. He is no Drogba ok but when well supported he can give that unpredictability which transforms a plain striking force into one that does hurt when called into question.
The support will be coming from a beefed up midfield that is not, however, lined up to cover the defence. The man right behind Odemwingie can be either Dorrans, in his third season at the club, or a younger option, James Morrison. Otherwise it can be a player who has in the past played in Ligue 1 like Odemwingie, Fortune. Morrison can also occupy one of the wings although the preferred choice on the left is Jerome Thomas and on the right Brunt. Anchoring midfielders Mulumbu and Scharner cover the four-man backline composed of Tamas and Olsson acting as centre-backs, Jara on the right and ex-international left back Shorey. The ex-Liverpool reserve keeper Carson will keep his place ahead of newcomer Myhill.
New signing Ibanez who came along from last season’s Europa League winners Atletico Madrid, Czech international Marek Cech and Ivory Coast international Meite are the covering defenders available whilst in midfield it is newcomers Reid and Cameroon international Tchoyi that are expected to be the back-up first in line for a place in the starting eleven in case of emergency.
Predicted finishing position: 13th
It is a side that introduces a host of new faces to the team but the backbone of the first team will be largely composed of the players that helped the team achieve promotion last year. The addition of Odemwingie and Di Matteo’s infusion of courage into a team that has high hopes of delivering this season should be the perfect combination for a little joy to a group of faithful fans that have not been repaid for their commitment in the past years.
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