Debrief as table-topping West Brom lead the way across the board

Four wins from five is the result of an excellent, unbeaten start for Carlos Corberan’s team as the Baggies picked up where they left off before the international break.

We debate some talking points from the 3-0 success in Hampshire.

Leading the way

Albion boast the division’s leading goalscorer and assist-maker after five games. Striker Josh Maja has already netted five of Albion’s nine goals this term and Tom Fellows has laid on four assists.

Only Erling Haaland has outscored Maja – who was millimetres from another goal – in the top four divisions and the forward’s ruthlessness in front of goal, to add to his wonderful ability to drop deep and link play, has been key to the Baggies’ flying start.

Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka are alongside winger Fellows in the leading creative lights in the country. If Maja and Fellows maintain this level of productivity, Corberan’s side can stay among the top spots.

Tempo and creativity

Albion’s class of 2024/25 do not hang around when it comes to moving forward, with or without the ball.

A result of that has been a spike in clear chances created. Albion had 19 shots at Portsmouth, seven on target and a strong expected goals (xG). It seems at this early stage Corberan’s idea this term is to flood more bodies forward. There is an onus on two of three midfielders, including the No.10, to attack the box.

Albion have created the best xG from open play in the first five games and it points to a bigger desire to attack. Having moved on from a side containing Okay Yokuslu in midfield, who was excellent for Albion, there appears to be a quicker tempo with Alex Mowatt and Jayson Molumby the heartbeat.

Bartley brilliance

Albion have been superb defensively since Corberan was appointed almost two years ago. The head coach has largely transformed Baggies careers for Kyle Bartley – who was immense at Fratton Park – and Darnell Furlong.

There is no better side at clearing their own third and Albion have recovered well from the loss of Cedric Kipre. Semi Ajayi has stepped up and new recruits Torbjorn Heggem, who was excellent at left-back, and Gianluca Frabotta are yet to settle into their own positions.

Bartley, 33, continues to excel. His experience and knowhow speaks for itself but it looked like he may never play for the club again prior to Corberan’s entrance. Things have moved on some way since.

Momentum

Corberan named the same starting line-up for a fifth consecutive league game to start the season at Pompey – that is an incredible stat and says much about the start to the season.

Tougher tests are clearly to come, but it points to the incredible consistency and momentum engineered from the first month-and-a-bit of the season.

Corberan is rewarding his players for fine performances and work-rate without the ball. The Spaniard’s ‘if it isn’t broke then don’t fix it’ approach is paying off.

Changes will come, with form, fitness and other factors, but another weapon in the armoury this season is a deep squad for the head coach to turn to. The changes on Sunday, Grady Diangana, Jed Wallace, Uros Racic, Mikey Johnston and Lewis Dobbin, will all play big roles this term and any would be comfortable starters for the Baggies.

Dare to dream

It took approximately 54 seconds for Albion fans in the away end to begin chanting about their position at the summit of the Championship.

Josh Maja’s opener, a really intelligent move, got the party started among the 2,200 in the south coast sunshine.

By the time Mowatt made it two shortly into the second half Baggies fans had chanted regularly about the Premier League. Mowatt’s fine curled strike made sure of the result against a spirited but lacking Pompey.

It was the first time Albion have climbed to the top of the pile since October 1 2021, when the rapid but short-lived start under Valerien Ismael began to fade, starting with a Friday night in Stoke.

There felt a real belief and assuredness to the celebration in the away end. The players and staff were calm at full-time with a steely focus suggesting business.