West Bromwich Albion Championship Odds: Baggies 5/1 to secure promotion

After finishing fifth and then disappointing in last season's play-offs, promotion will again be the primary goal for West Brom as they aim to end their three-year stint away from the Premier League.

West Brom Championship odds

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After relegation from the top-flight in 2020/21, the Baggies disappointed in finishing 10th (2021/22) and ninth (2022/23), but were always within the play-offs discussion last term.

Eventually fifth, they tailed off towards the end of the campaign, winning just two of their last eight games before failing to perform against Southampton, drawing 0-0 at The Hawthorns and being crushed 3-1 at St Mary's.

Despite the frustrating outcome, there were still plenty of positives to take from the season. They won 15 of their 23 home games and had the third-best defensive record behind champions Leicester and play-off final losers Leeds.

However, there were also significant areas for improvement. West Brom's total of six away wins was the joint third-worst in the entire division, while their tally of 70 goals scored was nine fewer than any other side in the top six and 22 less than top scorers Ipswich.

Coach Carlos Corberan's tactics can be reactive and his preference for solid defence can lead to a lack of attacking cohesion. The Baggies are often slow in transition, finding themselves playing in front of the opposition and not doing enough with the ball.

Although potentially unavoidable, it is concerning that Albion have sold 2023/24 top scorer Brandon Thomas-Asante to Midlands rivals Coventry.

Admittedly, he only managed 11 Championship goals, but fellow attacking players John Swift, Grady Diangana and Jed Wallace, who provided nine, seven and six strikes respectively, are all primarily creators rather than scorers.

Those numbers make it no surprise to see 80/1 Wallace and 50/1 Josh Maja, who scored just once in 12 appearances, way down the top goalscorer market and plenty of faith is being placed in another 50/1 shot, new signing Devante Cole.

Inevitably namechecked as Andy's son when coming through the youth ranks, it has almost gone under the radar that the forward is now 29.

However, he has improved with age, starring for Barnsley in League One, netting 15 goals in 2022/23 and 18 last time around.

Baggies fans will be concerned to see he has only ever scored one goal in at Championship level but if he hits the ground running, his signing on a free transfer could prove incredibly shrewd.

Cole is 11/4 to score on the opening Saturday away at Queens Park Rangers and will hope to form a relationship with another former Barnsley man in Alex Mowatt.

Mowett has arguably personified West Brom's shortcomings since he joined them in 2021.

The 29-year-old has incredible numbers, creating 1.5 chances per game last season, 22 more than any of his colleagues. He is primarily responsible for their set-pieces, which helped him provide five assists.

The issue, though, is that he lacks a yard of pace and has to rely on his brilliant distribution to find colleagues as he can fall half a step behind the play, allowing defenders to rest.

After heading to Loftus Road, the Baggies then face Fleetwood in the first round of the EFL Cup before hosting title favourites Leeds.

They return from the September international fixtures with a trip to newly-promoted Portsmouth before games against Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday.

There are real opportunities for West Brom to pick up early points and a play-off place has to be the target, albeit, Corberan will likely have to get the best from what he's got, with the board working with the EFL to ensure they do not break the profit and sustainability rules.

Well-supported and with a talented squad of players, several of whom may feel they belong in the Premier League, the potential is there to win promotion and Corberan has pedigree, having also led Huddersfield to the play-off final in 2022.

However, the same doubts remain - will West Brom score enough goals? Will they gain enough points on the road?

There was a time when the Baggies were Premier League regulars, but with questions remaining it could be another frustrating campaign.