West Brom boss Tony Pulis has failed to beat a side in the top-nine of the Premier League this season.
West Bromwich Albion suffered a 4-0 defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday, their third loss in their last five games.
The Midlands club have once again come unstuck to a top-half side this season and can’t seem to get a positive result against the clubs around them in the table.
Baggies dependent on form to bottom-half sides this season
Tony Pulis’ West Brom side have picked up just one win against a top-10 club in the Premier League this season – a 4-0 victory over Burnley in mid-November. The Midlands outfit haven’t managed a win in their other nine games to top-half entities, picking up a total of five points from 30 in games versus their direct competition.
Despite sitting eighth in the Premier League table, West Brom have the worst record of any top-half side against fellow top-half sides this season. Albion have been silenced by their elite opponents too, having been shut out in defeats against Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
24 of their 29 points in the Premier League this season has come from sides in the bottom-half of the table, and they may well need to start beaten the teams around them to ensure they don’t spiral down the league in the second-half of the campaign.
Defeatist attitude likely the reason for contrasting top/bottom half form
West Bromwich Albion have adopted a pragmatic style against the better clubs in the Premier League this season, allowing possession to their opposition and retaining their defensive shape. It hasn’t worked as shown from their record, but manager Tony Pulis has been more adventurous against the clubs in the bottom-half who perhaps give away more chances and aren’t as ruthless in front of goal to punish defensive lapses.
Albion are in the top-half of the table but cannot beat sides in and around them in the division. They have perhaps respected opponents too much at times and allowed their opponent too much of the ball rather than trying to assert themselves in games. It would explain why a club breathing down the necks of Everton, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea have picked up just one point against the aforementioned.
West Bromwich Albion are 5/6 to finish in the top-10 of the Premier League table this season with how well they’ve currently fared.
But can they start picking up wins against sides around them in the division?
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