Darren Moore: West Brom not neglecting defensive duties

The Baggies may be the Championship top scorers by some distance this season, but they also have the worst defensive record in the top half.

Only four teams in the league have conceded more than the 22 Albion have let in, and the Baggies have only kept one clean sheet in the league so far.

Moore’s cavalier approach was punished on Wednesday by a clinical Rams side, but he claims there is work taking place behind the scenes on trying to fix it. And he still believes it’s early days for both this season and his team.

“We’ve been working on the defence,” he said. “We’re working on all areas of the team, the whole aspect. We’re a team in transition, so you’ve got to work on all areas. Every area in and out of possession of the ball.

“It’s the 14th league game of the 46-game season. It’s only the beginning. We had a chance to go top of the league, I don’t get too highs on the highs and too lows with the lows.”

Despite the poor result on Wednesday, Moore was pleased with midfielder Sam Field, who made his first start in the league.

“He was very good I thought,” said Moore. “He came in in the absence of Jake Livermore.

“I thought he took his chance well, he tried to get the team going, we saw a very good and mature performance from Sam.”

Moore will be boosted by the return of Jake Livermore on Saturday following his one-match suspension for a red card against Wigan.

But he is sweating on the fitness of several players, including Dwight Gayle and Kieran Gibbs, who were forced off at half-time on Wednesday, as well as Ahmed Hegazi, who missed that match with a hamstring stain.

“We think Dwight’s might have been a muscle spasm,” said Moore. “Kieran picked up another injury, this is the demands and the physicality of the league.

“Ahmed had a tough gruelling international campaign and he had just two days to recover (before Wigan). That injury’s come through fatigue. He had a little strain.”