Bitesize Baggies: John Swift has joined the party

Swift has been the go to man for many to criticise since he arrived from Reading, and a lot of that has been down to a high expectation of him.

He is now certainly living up to that expectation. He has netted five times this season and has been the main creator for Albion.

He is the centre of everything they are doing going forward and when Swift is on it Albion create chances.

It was difficult to really carve out chances with Wednesday's two banks, but he managed to do it.

And his goal would not have been out of place in the top flight.

Shaky to solid

After last season's shut outs, we were in a position a few weeks back where we were questioning Albion defensively.

Now it is three clean sheets on the bounce and four in five, what a turnaround.

Not only have Albion now started scoring more freely, they are keeping it tight at the back and that is a recipe for success.

More pleasing for Carlos Corberan will be the fact they are doing it in his style, playing out from the back.

It brought mistakes early on and will do at times this season, but the Albion backline are growing into it.

Unlocking low blocks puzzle

If you are being ultra critical of Albion, they struggled to find an answer to navigate their way around Wednesday's parked bus.

It is difficult, and they did it on one occasion and kept the back door shut so they did enough for the three points.

But unlike Preston, they weren't as intense on the ball and that annoyed The Hawthorns crowd, with some even booing, which personally I thought was a little over the top.

Against these sides who come and sit in they have to do that. Swift, Alex Mowatt, the wide players, they are the ones who need to be able to pick those locks.

Re-enforcements dwindling

Albion's squad is already small, but now, on top of their big money signing from January 2022, they have two summer signings on the treatment table.

In recent games we have said the bench looks strong with options, but with Jeremy Sarmiento injured, they only had Grady Diangana to come on and give them a boost.

Sarmiento's injury is a blow, not just because of his talent but time wise with Josh Maja also out.

Again, it'll mean Corberan having to get creative again, or giving the likes of Tom Fellows a chance.