The Dugout Discussion – West Ham vs West Brom

Following hot on the heels of the midday London derby, West Ham duke it out with West Brom at the Boelyn Ground. The Hammers attempt to recalibrate in the wake of their 4-1 defeat to Spurs, while the Baggies enter this showdown in jubilant spirits following their win over Arsenal.

West Ham dropped their first two home fixtures of the season but have since improved in that area, recording a win against Chelsea and a draw against Everton in recent match-ups. Nonetheless, the Irons’ once effervescent attack has slowed to a simmer over the last four Gameweeks, given that they place in the bottom four for big chances (four) and bottom seven for attempts (46). In addition, West Brom will be emboldened in the knowledge that no side surrendered more shots inside the box (41) than West Ham during that time frame.

As for the visiting team, no side has conceded fewer goals than West Brom (four) on the road. To bolster that point, they also place in the bottom four with regards to shots inside the box conceded (37). As impressive as Tony Pulis’ troops have been on the defensive front, they rank second-bottom for goals (three) in away matches. In fact, they prop up the table for attempts (50), shots inside the box (29) and shots on target (17), which augments the appeal of West Ham’s defensive recruits this Gameweek.