Express & Star

Analysis: Victory – but defensive worries are persisting for West Brom

They played some excellent football, scored four goals and extended their unbeaten start to the season.

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Matt Phillips challenges Christopher Schindler of Huddersfield Town during Saturday's match (AMA)

But for all the positives, it was Albion’s defence that came under the spotlight following an otherwise convincing win against Huddersfield.

This time last year – under former head coach Darren Moore – the Baggies were making needless errors at the back that led to them conceding goals.

The same is happening again this term.

But while that is a concern, there is still plenty of time to cut them out and become the defensively solid team fans crave.

This visit of Huddersfield always had the potential to go wrong.

The Terriers arrived having tasted victory just once in the last 10 months.

But the appointment of Danny Cowley as manager is a shrewd one.

The 40-year-old knows how to get a team organised and make them a threat from set-plays.

He is also good at pulling off an upset, as Burnley found out when they were beaten by his Lincoln side in the FA Cup two years ago.

Here, his game plan was a simple one.

Cowley set traps to encourage Albion to play out from the back.

He then urged his players to press them high in a bid to force mistakes.

And it's important to remember that Huddersfield – despite their dreadful run of form – still have some very good players.

They still have footballers who not only helped them win promotion to the Premier League, they also kept them there for a year.

And they got themselves ahead through a fantastic goal from Lewis O’Brien.

After collecting the ball in the middle of the park, the 20-year-old played a neat one-two with Frazier Campbell that saw him race through on goal.

Romaine Sawyers will be disappointed with the way he was drawn to the ball when he should have been tracking the man.

But O’Brien’s finish from 18 yards was outstanding, with the ball nestling into the corner and beyond the reach of Sam Johnstone.

What Albion have shown time and again this season, though, is that they have bundles of character.

And they were level just three minutes later.

Furlong did wonderfully well to nip the ball through the legs of Terence Kongolo before finding Charlie Austin the box.

And he then teed up Matt Phillips who buried a strike in the bottom corner from eight yards.

You felt from that point, Slaven Bilic’s side would go on and win comfortably.

But then disaster struck. After receiving the ball from Johnstone, Bartley played a pass out of defence that was never really on.

It was intercepted by Elias Kachunga who then played an exquisite through-ball with the outside of his boot to find Karlan Grant.

And he then held off Furlong to fire in from close range.

The goal left The Hawthorns stunned.

But Bilic has already shown multiple times this season he is a master at reading games and making the right changes.

At the break he took off Filip Krovinovic – who had barely had a kick – and replaced him with Grady Diangana.

Trevor Chalobah of Huddersfield Town and Nathan Ferguson of West Bromwich Albion. (AMA)

That change saw Pereira move from the left flank to the number 10 role.

But Bilic also tweaked the positions of Jake Livermore and Sawyers ever so slightly to ensure they weren’t marked quite so tightly.

That proved to be a real master-stroke with the midfield duo suddenly getting on the ball much higher up the pitch.

And suddenly, Huddersfield had no answer with the match becoming like a training exercise of attack versus defence.

Livermore went close with an effort from the edge of the box.

Phillips hit the post with a cross-cum-shot that was begging to be nodded home.

And then Kamil Grabara produced a spectacular stop to keep out an Austin header he met a cross from Furlong.

It is, of course, very easy to write this now, but you did always think Albion would go on and score one if not two.

As the clock ticked past the hour mark, Huddersfield were having to endure long spells where they had nine or 10 men behind the ball.

They were essentially asking Albion if they had the quality to break them down.

But Bilic’s Baggies do have that quality – in fact they have it in abundance.

They levelled with a little over 20 minutes remaining after forcing a corner.

They took it short with Phillips and Diangana taking their time to send the ball in. But when they did, it was met by Furlong who powered a header against the post and in.

Four minutes later, Albion were ahead thanks to a goal made by Diangana.

Despite having four men on him inside the box, the winger’s quick feet ensured he kept the ball. He then delivered a cross from which Phillips could hardly miss.

Just to make sure the end wasn’t too nervy, Semi Ajayi powered in a header from corner. And with that the game was won and the turnaround complete.

Speaking post-match, Bilic understood all the questions about his defence and the poor goals his team has conceded.

But he was also keen to stress the positives. In his words, Albion were ‘breathtaking’ at times.

And there is no denying, in Diangana, Phillips, Pereira and Kyle Edwards, they have four outstanding widemen.

Yes, they need to cut out the mistakes. But Bilic is adamant they will.

He wants his team to play out from the back. But they aren’t going to be the finished article just eight games in.

And shape and structure wise, they improved significantly here in the second half alone.

The flaws are there for all to see.

But even with them, Albion are unbeaten and playing some excellent stuff.

Tighten up at the back – and everything is in place for them to be genuine challengers for a place in the top two.