Let me start by giving great credit to Steve Clarke. He's one of the most tactically astute managers in the league for me (learning from Jose Mourinho and Kenny Dalglish can't harm you I guess). What I liked about him last season was how pro-active he was. He'd rotate depending on who the Baggies were facing, and the opposition's strengths and weaknesses. Lukaku up top for some games, Long others, etc. Trust me, their finishing 8th was no fluke.
The impression I get from their team is that of a defensively sound, very organised side. Olsson and McAuley are centre backs of an old fashioned mould, big bruisers and battlers who give 110% and no less. They remind me a bit of the Birmingham pairing from a few years back, Roger Johnson and Scott Dann. Better than the sum of its parts. That pair kept loads of clean sheets because they had such a good understanding and were set up to their strengths, much like West Brom's pair. They have plenty of protection to the side and ahead of them. Their full-backs are both old school, too. Neither Ridgewell or Billy Jones are going to bomb forward at every possible opportunity, because both are first and foremost defenders, there to keep out the opposition at all costs. Jones I think is underrated, a good player who's come along way since being a CM legend for his versatility! Ridgewell's okay, but I do think he is their main weakness and can be exposed by skill and pace, of which we have plenty down that side in the form of Johnson, while SaS may feel inclined to drift out there if they sense Ridgewell can be got at.
Mulumbu and Yacob is a really solid double pivot at the heart of their midfield. Both are warriors who cover every blade of grass, and I'm sure they will be instructed to stay fairly close to our front pair so as to allow Olsson and McAuley to be caught in 2v2 situations against SaS.
While I do think WBA are mainly set up to soak up pressure, make no mistake about their attacking credentials. Berahino, Sessegnon and Amalfitano is a good attacking midfield trio with plenty of pace and poise. They could trouble us if we're immobile as we have been in some games this season. Lucas in particular will need to be alert around Sessegnon. Then up top they've got plenty of options. I doubt Vydra will start but it could be any of Anichebe/Anelka/Long. Clarke opted for Long in both games last season, who worked his bollocks off before Lukaku was thrown on to score against our tired defence on each occasion. I reckon they may go with the Lukaku-lite, Anichebe, from the start due to his Everton link and therefore big determination to 'do us'. His pace and power would be worrying last season, as it was with Lukaku, but Toure and Sakho are much better physically than Skrtel and Agger so should be able to deal with that. Else they could go with Anelka's experience and link-up ability, or Long's never-say-die-attitude which would add further food for thought for us when it comes to dealing with pace. I'd like to think we can deal with all three of those, however. Their AM three is more of a threat for me, even if they bring in, say, Sinclair, for one of them.
I earmarked Southampton as a massive banana skin and was unfortunately proven right. WBA are slightly less of a threat for me at Anfield, but still it will be a real toughie. They don't press to the extent of Saints, instead sitting deep with men behind the ball to combat their weakness of being exposed behind their slow defence. They'll then look to hit us on the counter attack with their front four. Either that, or they may be thinking they could unlock us from a set-piece a la last season via McAuley, which is our obvious flaw seeing as the likes of Southampton, Crystal Palace and Newcastle have punished us there already in the league this season.
Coutinho will be a miss, especially with them likely to sit deep and challenge us to unlock their watertight defence. Alberto could be useful from the start for this. I certainly hope we don't persist with Moses in the hole, as he's quite clearly a winger. Ideally, we switch back to 4-2-3-1/4-3-3. Put Suarez or Sturridge on Ridgewell, it's not like they'll need to track back much because he barely gets forward. That way we also get to play three in the middle, which will be useful against their mobile midfield and lessens the chances of us being overrun. Gerrard would also hopefully get more time to work some magic on the ball if he has others around him taking up some Baggies players' positions.
WBA have been a bogey team for us of late. Four wins in five against us in the league. Let's put an end to that. It will be tough. I'd love a good performance to go with a comfortable win but acknowledge that won't be easy, with us not yet reaching the performance heights of last season.
Therefore, a narrow 2-1 win with SaS each bagging would suffice.
Come on Redmen!
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