WBA back in the promotion race?
In the first half of the season, WBA, relegated from the Premier League, was one of the favorites for promotion. Fourth in the table, the Baggies were only four points behind league leaders Fulham FC at the end of the first half of the season. In the meantime, the gap has widened to 27 points.
While the Londoners are already within sight of promotion, West Brom is even worried about making the promotion playoffs after a disastrous second half of the season. There are still realistic chances of a comeback in the second half of the season. However, with ten second-round games remaining, the margin for dropping points is minimal.
There is a real test of maturity coming up for WBA during the week. Namely, the Baggies will host the leaders from West London. As expected, the bookmakers see the hosts from West Bromwich as underdogs, which is partly due to their recent form at “The Hawthorns”.
The Baggies have not won any of their last four home games at home. Betting enthusiasts who would nevertheless like to place a bet on the hosts at West Brom vs. Fulham can pick up betting odds of up to 3.65 in the event of success. However, WBA has not won a home game against FFC since October 2010.
West Brom – statistics & current form
The Baggies have not yet ticked off promotion back to the Premier League. However, hopes of a return to the English top flight have shrunk. WBA was hardly convincing in the second half of the season and even slipped down to 14th place in the table after a false start to the second half of the season.
So far, West Bromwich have picked up just two wins in a total of 13 second-round matches. The Baggies are among the three worst second-round teams in the Championship. Only Reading FC and Peterborough United have taken fewer points than WBA in this period. The failure was mainly due to the lack of goals on offense.
WBA scored just nine goals in 13 second-round matches. By comparison, the Baggies averaged 1.30 goals per league game in the first half of the season. WBA coach Steve Bruce’s team is a far cry from that at the moment, even though the offense has been clicking in the last two matchdays.
Will WBA take the recent momentum with them?
Against Huddersfield, third in the Championship table, Bruce’s side made a positive impression, at least in the second half, taking some of the momentum from the match against Hull with them. For the second time in a row, the Baggies scored two goals in a competitive match.
A big part in this was played by star striker Karlan Grant, who now has 13 goals this season. Against their upcoming opponents, Grant will once again be the lynchpin of the offense and may get support from veteran Andy Caroll. However, the Baggies are not expected to make any major changes from their last starting eleven.
After all, WBA kicked last Friday and thus had enough recovery time before Tuesday’s game against FFC. Head coach Steve Bruce will be able to draw from a full complement of players against the league leaders and has no major personnel concerns.
Predicted lineup of West Brom:
Johnstone – Ajayi, Bartley, Clarke – Furlong, Gardner-Hickman, Livermore, Mowatt, Townsend – Grant, Robinson
Last matches played by West Brom:
Championship
03/11 2022 – West Bromwich Albion 2 – 2 Huddersfield
03/05 2022 – Hull 0 – 2 West Bromwich Albion
02/28 2022 – West Bromwich Albion 0 – 2 Swansea
02/22 2022 – Middlesboro 2 – 1 West Bromwich Albion
02/19 2022 – Luton 2 – 0 West Bromwich Albion
Fulham – Statistics & current form
Of all the compulsory tasks – the Cottagers missed out on a win last matchday against Barnsley FC, of all teams, the Championship’s 22nd-placed team – and thus failed to score three points for the first time since matchday 33. The point gained was nevertheless pleasing, after all, the west Londoners were behind for long stretches.
It wasn’t until just a few minutes before the end of regulation time that right winger Harry Wilson scored the equalizer for the Cottagers’ otherwise potent offense. It was Wilson’s 24th scoring point of the season. The west London winger is one of the most dangerous attacking players in the Championship, with ten goals and 14 assists.
However, the best goal scorer in the FFC ranks is Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Serbian international may have disappointed in the Premier League, but the 27-year-old has flourished again in the Championship. So far, Mitrovic has scored 35 goals this season. That also makes the Cottagers’ top scorer in the Championship.
No win at WBA again?
Statistically, Fulham FC provide the best attacking department in the league anyway, averaging 2.50 goals per league game. Behind second-placed Bournemouth AFC, the Cottagers also have one of the strongest defenses. In total, they have conceded only 31 goals in 36 matchdays.
The goal conceded last weekend was therefore all the more surprising. Barnsley FC, FFC’s most recent opponents, have the weakest offense in the Championship with 26 goals in 36 league games. Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that the West Londoners will concede at least one goal in the upcoming away game at WBA’s “The Hawthorns” as well.
FFC has not won at the Baggies since January 2013. There have been three consecutive points draws in the last three away games against West Brom, including the 2-2 draw in the 2020/21 Premier League. If the away misery ends this time, West Brom vs Fulham betting odds of up to 2.10 are paid out for tip 2.
Predicted lineup of Fulham:
Rodak – Williams, Adarabioyo, Ream, Robinson – Reed, Chalobah – Wilson, Carvalho, Cavaleiro – Mitrovic
Last matches played by Fulham:
Championship
03/12 2022 – Barnsley 1 – 1 Fulham
03/08 2022 – Swansea 1 – 5 Fulham
03/05 2022 – Fulham 2 – 0 Blackburn
02/26 2022 – Cardiff 0 – 1 Fulham
02/23 2022 – Fulham 2 – 1 Peterboro
West Brom – Fulham Direct Comparison / H2H Balance
For the 84th time, the two clubs will meet. The Baggies from West Bromwich lead the head-to-head comparison against their upcoming opponents from West London so far with a record of 35-20-28. However, WBA has not won a competitive match against the Cottagers since October 2010. Meanwhile, West Brom have been winless for twelve matches in a row.
In the first leg of the current season, WBA lost 3-0 away at FFC, the Baggies’ second defeat in their last three competitive matches with Fulham. In the process, a prediction of more than 2.5 goals in the game paid off for the second time in a row in West Brom vs. Fulham.
West Brom vs Fulham betting tips
For the Cottagers, a return to the English top flight is just a formality given their current lead over their promotion rivals. West Brom, on the other hand, are still fighting for a place in the promotion playoffs and have ten crucial second-round matches ahead of them. Each of the last ten matches has the character of a final.
After all, the Baggies are already seven points clear of sixth-placed Sheffield before Tuesday’s clash with the Cottagers. The match against FFC is therefore all the more important, especially as a successful result will reduce the gap to the starting places for the promotion playoffs for the time being. At home, WBA will be aiming for a home win against Fulham for the first time since October 2010.
Because Steve Bruce’s side scored against third-placed Huddersfield last week, WBA will be going into the home game against the west London leaders with a big chest. The recent home record against FFC is encouraging. In the last three home games, WBA remained unbeaten against Fulham.
