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da winzada777： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
West Brom boss Slaven Bilic has acknowledged his team’s defensive problems, but he isn’t too worried about it keeping him up at night, per quotes from Express & Star.
What’s he said?
The Baggies have started the Championship season unbeaten after eight matches; the only side in the league to do so.
On Sunday afternoon they were given a scare as rock-bottom Huddersfield twice took the lead at the Hawthorns with poor defending the root of both goals.
Kyle Bartley was the epitome of that when his wayward pass led to Karlan Grant bagging the Terriers’ second goal.
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Albion may well be without a defeat, but they too are without a clean sheet this season.
Bilic even knows it is an issue amongst his squad, though, it doesn’t appear to be that much of a concern to him, he said:
“I wouldn’t say I’m concerned.
“Concerned means I wouldn’t be sleeping because of it.
“Clean sheets aren’t just defending well – there’s an element of luck, the game is 90 minutes, the opposition is strong.
“I’m not going to be obsessed with clean sheets, clean sheets, clean sheets.”
Cause for concern
The Croatian’s nonchalant attitude towards his team’s poor defensive record is a cause for concern, even if he says otherwise, especially if they genuinely have ambitions to return to the top-flight in the immediate future.
There are obviously plenty of positives to being undefeated as of yet, as well as having the ability to fight and come from behind to pick up points – 15 of their 16 have actually come from a losing position, per Transfermarkt.
However, it’s not entirely perfect. Albion are not top of the league after all.
West Brom sit fourth, one point behind both Leeds United and Swansea City in first and second.
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Had the Baggies not conceded first in some of their draws they could well have been clear at the top with some sort of gap starting to build.
On the other hand, it could quite easily have gone the other way as they have twice needed last-minute penalties even to salvage a point – but again, that only emphasises the fact that their defence is a significant issue.
Sir Alex Ferguson, one of the greatest ever domestic managers, once said ‘attack wins you games, defence wins you titles’ – he did win 13 Premier League titles in 21 seasons at Manchester United, just maybe he knows a thing or two that is worth taking on board.
There is only so long Albion can go neglecting their shoddy defensive record.