Express & Star

Ally Robertson: West Brom's open approach is fine as long as it keeps delivering results

If you score four goals every match, you’re unlikely to lose too many, and at the start of the season the majority of fans would have taken fourth place after eight games.

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Darren Moore. (AMA)

Regardless of how far off the edge of your seat this approach it leaves you, ultimately, it’s the results that matter.

Against Bristol City, Albion might have been 3-0 down after 15 minutes, but by the half-hour mark they were 3-0 up.

It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to see where this side’s strengths and weaknesses are.

Darren Moore has built a team that is absolutely electric going forward, and at times, unplayable. But there is still a lack of confidence at the back.

It seems churlish to criticise a team that has scored 20 goals already this season, and there is plenty to be encouraged about.

Harvey Barnes and Dwight Gayle look like two of the best summer signings in the league, and this team won’t fear anyone.

It has been compared to the entertaining sides of yesteryear under Johnny Giles, Ron Atkinson and Ossie Ardiles – but I’m sure we were never this open at the back under Gilesy and Big Ron.

One thing that does need fixing is the communication at the back. The back three don’t appear to always know who should be going to the ball.

Perhaps it’s the system, perhaps it’s the new partnerships, but it needs sorting.

One similarity between this crop and our lot is the keeper.

Sam Johnstone, just like Tony Godden, is a top-class shot-stopper, but not completely convincing coming to claim crosses.

Me and John Wile used to tell Godden to stay on his line, because we’d head everything away.

Johnstone’s only 25, so he can probably develop is presence in the box, and it’s worth pointing out he helped set up two of the goals against Bristol City, but it is something the whole back four need to work on.

At the moment, we are travelling to games wondering if they’ll finish 5-5, and there’s no doubt plenty of supporters are enjoying the entertainment value.

As a former defender, I’m watching some of it with my mouth open, but results are king.

There’s no difference really between a 4-2 or a 2-0. As long as this approach keeps delivering victories, it’s fine by me.