This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
West Brom somehow remain atop the Championship table after a week where they failed to record a victory.
Slaven Bilic’s men currently sit two points ahead of second-placed Preston North End after 14 matches in the league while also keeping the accolade of being the only side with just the one defeat.
Saturday’s game against Charlton Athletic was marred by controversy as the visitors were handed a 94th-minute penalty to salvage a draw at the Hawthorns, not before the referee almost sent off the wrong Baggies player earlier in the match.
Charlie Austin’s struggles in front of goal continued as it is now the ten appearances with only one goal to show for it while Hal Robson-Kanu netted a scorcher off the bench for the second time in three games.
On the Chalkboard
Getting the best from his strikers has been Bilic’s biggest issue of the season so far, which seems hard to believe, considering only one team has scored more goals than they have.
The Baggies have netted 26 this term, with their strikers contributing to less than 20% of that figure – Robson-Kanu (two), Kenneth Zohore (two), Austin (one), per WhoScored.
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Their biggest threat has come from their number ten Matheus Pereira and winger Matty Phillips, so why doesn’t the Croatian utilise one of these two in the forward position.
Instead of being an out-and-out sole striker, a role that isn’t naturally suited to a winger’s frame, they can play as a false nine in what would appear to be a deadly formation.
Albion are practically playing without a main forward anyway as Austin’s contribution has been few and far between for so long.
The aforementioned duo and Grady Diangana as your main three in attack is a scary prospect, considering they account for 12 goals and nine assists between them.
Let’s face it not having a significant presence upfront is going to make too much, if any, of a difference as Austin only has one assist on top of that, meaning he has failed to contribute in that area also.