West Brom v Middlesbrough - Match preview

It almost feels like a state of limbo. ‘Don’t take these results too seriously’ or ‘it’s hard to fully judge yet before the squad is complete’.

The truth is both of those statements have a small element of truth but are also wide of the mark. The start of a season, even a handful of games before the end of the window, can shape the next nine months.

Teams expected to do big things can trip up. That is unlikely to be terminal for the big-hitters after just a few games, with so long to make up ground. Look at Albion and Boro’s revivals last season under Carlos Corberan and Michael Carrick after replacing Steve Bruce and Chris Wilder.

Tomorrow’s visitors from the north east have endured another rocky start this term. Last season’s beaten play-off semi-finalists are second-bottom and yet to win after three games, taking just a single point. That’s not an ideal opening but Boro, without last season’s influential top scorer Chuba Akpom who has joined Ajax, will fancy themselves to turn things around with new additions in the next week.

Corberan’s hosts have won, drawn and lost from three and can’t afford to be in the mood to let any chance of points pass by before next Friday’s deadline.

The head coach hopes his squad picture will be different in seven days’ time, in an ideal world with players fit and ready for when Huddersfield visit The Hawthorns the day after the window shuts.

But a successive home victory with the squad still incomplete puts Albion on a useful platform for months ahead. Victory would lift the Baggies into the top half and leave supporters’ glasses, at least when it comes to the on-field stuff, half-full rather than half-empty.

There is no doubt Corberan has work to do in the market. A midfielder, likely on loan, will replace Taylor Gardner-Hickman, who exited for Bristol City on a loan deal.

The head coach is also looking to bolster his defence and attack, likely out wide. But these could depend heavily on players out the exit door.

Meanwhile, on the field it remains tricky to analyse where the Albion squad is.

Blackburn was underwhelming. Swansea, for the most part, was encouraging and Leeds was middling – the result better than the performance.

A clearer picture won’t develop until at least the international break, after Huddersfield next week, by which time Corberan will have his squad.

Jeremy Sarmiento, one of two signings so far, should be finally ready to start tomorrow. Josh Maja isn’t. The wait for those two typifies Albion’s difficulties.

Corberan must and will work with what he’s got for now.

The more early points, the bigger bonus.