Albion blog: Derby dazzler

Another derby, another high stakes game, with both clubs looking to enhance their chances of promotion the derby tension is higher than normal, writes Albion blogger Jarrod Hill.

Saturday's game was just typical of the Baggies this season; we keep giving teams a goal head start, and then dominating the rest of the game. Even the manner in which we conceded was stereotypically Albion, set piece, poor marking, a goal down.

Our bad luck with official's decisions is hurting us at the moment; Bednar was ruled off side when the linesman believed Phillips had flicked the ball onto him, however, the TV replays clearly showed the goal should have stood. A point was enough to take us into second spot and we still have a game in hand on Stoke who are now top, I said last week that I would happily have taken two points from our games with Watford and Wolves and I have not changed my mind.

Wolves are in good form and pushing for a play off spot, and I can see it being another high tension game. The wide pitch should suit our style of play and with Brunt and Gera providing balls into the box our strikers should get chances. At the other end our defence needs to be on their collective toes as Ebanks-Blake continues his impressive form; his goal against Charlton was one of the best I have seen this season.

Recently voted the best derby game in the country, I am simply staggered the TV companies continue to ignore it. With so many drab and boring games covered, you would have thought the Black Country derby would be a game of interest to many fans, both neutrals and our promotion rivals.

A popular subject of conversation among both sets of fans currently is the prospects of Championship teams promoted to the Premier League. We have all witnessed Derby's disastrous season and for many it has raised fears for own clubs if we were lucky enough to get promoted.

I believe the key to staying up is having the ability to score enough goals to win games, obviously when promotion comes your way it is also coupled with extra funding for playing staff, and it is how you invest that money which is imperative. If we look at the teams promoted last season only Sunderland look safe from relegation, they spent £30million+ on new players to join a squad that cruised to Promotion from the Championship. So is it simply about how much money you have to spend?

If it is then most Championship sides are going to struggle, we have seen clubs gamble with the clubs future by placing heavy financial demands on success, and when that success fails to materialise the debts quickly snowball out of control.

I do not want to see that happen to my club, but on the other hand fans want to see success. Albion are run on a strict but stable financial footing, we are never going to compete money wise with many of the established Premiership clubs, and so we have to rely on the Manager and his scouting team to provide success within our budget.

Tony Mowbray has so far proved he has a good eye for unearthing unknown players, (with the odd exception, Beattie!!) and hopefully his scouting team are prepared for which ever division we find ourselves in next season.

Anyway back to the game tonight, I love the derby games, and hope that the next one is in the Premiership, the TV companies would not be able to ignore our wonderful Black Country roar then!!!! Or would they??

I hope everyone enjoys the game and gets home safely.