English Premier League – West Bromwich Albion 2010 Preview
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Odds to win the 2010-11 Premiership outright: 5000/1
After being sent down a year prior, the Baggies finished runners-up behind runaway title-winners Newcastle United in the Coca Cola Championship League, which gave West Brom an automatic spot in the Premier League this season.
The Albion rebounded nicely under the direction of new head coach Roberto di Matteo, as they finished comfortably 12 points clear of third-placed Nottingham.
Much of the side’s success can be attributed to some great form from midfielders Graham Dorrans (13G, 19A) and Chris Brunt (13G, 5A), both of whom provided enough offense for the Baggies to make it back into the top-flight for the fifth season since 2002.
The “Boing Boing” Baggies as they have been aptly named, will spend another year aiming to cling onto their place among English football’s elite. It won’t be an easy task for the Albion who have not had much success against any of the top sides in the English Premiere League since the league’s inception in 1992, but Roberto Di Matteo’s squad are confident they can break that cycle in 2010.
Matteo, 30, whose side faces his former club Chelsea in West Brom’s opening match, has been busy strengthening the squad’s defense in preparation of the high-octane offenses they will encounter from English Footballs top squads.
Romanian defender Gabriel Sebastian Tamas, who was brought aboard from AJ Auxerre for last season’s Baggies’ Championship campaign, and Steven Reid who spent the final two months of last season at the Hawthorns on loan from Blackburn, produced a string of consistent performances that helped lift the club to its automatic promotion.
The duo will receive some additional support on the backline in the form of new transfer, defender Pablo Ibanez of Atletico Madrid fame who brings a wealth of top-flight experience, having played the last seven seasons in La Liga’s Primera Division.
Lastly, goalkeeper Scott Carson who skippered the club to automatic promotion last season will return between the sticks as captain for the start of the clubs Barclays Premier League campaign.
Cool under pressure and with a commitment to attacking football, Di Matteo floods the midfield with his 4-5-1 formation with good results. Last year’s +41 goal differential speaks for itself.
West Bromwich Albion 2010 Prediction: West Bromwich is an interesting squad. They have been a side that is too good for the Championship, but not good enough for the Premier League.
Hopefully this year we will find out exactly how good the Baggies actually are as the fight to stay in the Premier League in 2011.
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Matt Martz is a sportswriter for the Bakersfield Californian located in Central California. “ Football (soccer) is a game in which a handful of fit men run around for one and a half hours watched by millions of people who could really use the exercise.”
