Rotherham v West Brom preview – Draw specialists need to be taken seriously
After six games unbeaten in the league, the Baggies are beginning to look ominous as we near the halfway point of the season.
Darren Moore’s decision to scrap the back three in favour of a back four has delivered a run of results bookended by impressive wins over Leeds United and Sheffield United.
But those stand-out results will be rendered useless if the potential of this inviting festive schedule isn’t capitalised on.
The next three games are against bottom-half sides, but it is precisely this sort of trip that has caught Albion out this season.
Moore’s men have lost just one of their six away games to the current top 10, and that came via a handball goal in the 90th minute.
But defeats at Wigan Athletic and Hull City have been damaging, and they needed a Harvey Barnes masterclass to rescue them at Sheffield Wednesday.
Rotherham will represent a stern test at the New York Stadium, where they’ve only lost once this season.
The Millers are draw specialists, and won’t roll over easily. But it is precisely this sort of game Albion need to win to keep up the pressure on the top two.
Leeds and Norwich have edged away from the pack, and opened up a gap, but the Baggies need to be ready to pounce in case they slip up.
After last week’s impressive second-half performance at Bramall Lane, Darren Moore is set to keep faith in the same starting line-up.
James Morrison and Hal Robson-Kanu are back in training, but Gareth Barry doesn’t deserved to be dropped after his man-of-the-match performance in Sheffield and Moore is expected to keep faith in the current front three.
He will need his squad during this period of four games in 11 days, and may have to delve deeper than he has so far this season.
As a player, Moore scored his first ever Baggies goal away at Rotherham, a first-time 45-yarder into an unguarded net that was a consolation goal in a 2-1 loss.
It was a rare defeat against the Millers. Albion have only lost two of their previous 11 meetings with Rotherham, and scored three or four goals against them in five of those matches.
Goals are probably guaranteed tomorrow. Albion have scored in each of their last six games, and Rotherham in each of their last eight.
Victory would be Albion’s fourth in a row on the road, and would be the first time they’ve managed that feat since 2008, when they won their last four away games of the season to be crowned champions of this very division. The conclusion of this match will mark the halfway stage of the season, a natural point to take stock.
Regardless of the result, the Baggies will definitely be in the top six, but not the top two.
A solid platform then, to mount a tilt for yet another title, but work to be done to achieve it.
The opposition - Rotherham
Before the season started, Rotherham United were one of the favourites to go down.
The Millers, who beat Shrewsbury Town in the play-off final last season, have largely the same squad that played in League One.
“People forget that we finished fourth in League One,” said manager Paul Warne. “Eighteen points behind Wigan who spent in the summer.
“We’ve got virtually the same team. I’m not complaining about that. That was my choice.
“I wanted to keep the group together and give them an opportunity to play together in the Championship.
“I think they’ve shocked a few people.”
Warne is right. After going gung ho in League One, his side have found some resilience in the second tier.
His side are English football’s draw specialists.
Ten of their last 13 games have ended up level, but that means they’ve only lost one of their last 10, and that was away at high-flying Norwich City. They are tough customers at the New York Stadium, where they’ve only lost once all season, and that was back in August.
“I’m pleased.,” said Warne. “But, because I know how hard the players and staff work behind the scenes, I’m not surprised.”
That home form was only kept intact last weekend thanks to a 90th-minute equaliser against Reading from former Albion left-back Joe Mattock. Mattock, an ever-present for the Millers this season, has made more than 120 appearances for Rotherham since joining them in 2015 from Sheffield Wednesday.
Signed by Albion from Leicester in 2009 for £1million, he helped Albion win promotion to the Premier League before being loaned back to the Championship.
This week, he’s had a new coffee mug at the training ground. “All the players who score a goal get a mug off me once they’ve sent me a photo so they have their own mug at the training ground,” said Warne. “I honestly didn’t think I’d be buying Joe a mug.”
That last-minute goal epitomises Rotherham’s endeavour.
Mattock’s defensive colleague Semi Ajayi believes the draws are important.
“The fact that we were able to bounce back from being down and get another last minute equaliser is really good,” said Ajayi. “It just keeps that momentum going and keeps confidence up ahead of the weekend.
“We’ve got a really resilient team, so even if we’re not at our best we’ve got a knack of just managing to stay in a game because we know sooner or later our performances levels will pick up and we’ll come good.
“I think we’ve only lost once at home all season and that’s another big motivating factor in terms of us not wanting anyone to come to our patch and take three points off us.”
Pie and a pint: There are several pubs in the town centre. Closer to the railway station there is the Rhinoceros, which is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
Worth a look: Rob Hulse scored twice on Albion’s last visit to Rotherham, when they still played at Millmoor. Shaun Barker’s own goal had opened the scoring.
The Key man: Albion will need to break down a stubborn side, but Harvey Barnes will be full of confidence after Bramall Lane and his pace will threaten.
