West Bromwich Albion host Derby in the FA Cup on Saturday. Here are five reasons why Baggies fans can dream of Wembley before a ball has even been kicked.
1) Points in the bag
With 29 points on the board, West Bromwich Albion can start thinking about a top half Premier League finish rather than a nervy relegation scrap. Albion’s impressive points haul also gives them room to give more attention to a potential cup run.
Last season, Watford and Crystal Palace’s Premier League form trailed off as they went all the way to Wembley. It is a tough balance to find, but January additions should give the Baggies squad the necessary boost to handle the extra fixtures that a cup run would bring.
2) Match winners
In last season’s FA Cup, West Brom struggled to overcome Bristol City and Peterborough before being unceremoniously knocked out at Reading. Albion’s lack of a cutting edge meant they struggled to break down lower league opposition and limped through to the fifth round.
However, Tony Pulis’s side have shown in recent weeks that they have the quality in front of goal that they so desperately missed last season. With the likes of Nacer Chadli, Matt Phillips and Salomon Rondon firing, Albion should be able to finish off lesser teams and avoid dreaded replays.
3) Tony Pulis’s love for the cup
“The FA Cup is a meaningless competition” – This is a sentence you’ll never hear from the mouth of Tony Pulis. The former Stoke City manager reached the final with Stoke City in 2013 and he has shown he still holds the competition in high regard during his time at West Brom.
Pulis won’t think twice about naming a strong side on Saturday to avoid an early exit against Derby County.
4) Competition at the top of the Premier League
The stakes in the top six of the Premier League seem to be higher than ever. Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, are all contesting a closely fought battle for a top four finish and the league title.
These sides might not neglect the FA Cup but it certainly won’t be a priority, especially for those still in the Champions League or Europa League.
If Albion do get drawn against a Premier League giant, there is a good chance that their opponent’s league and European obligations will provide a distraction.
5) Past cup heartbreak
The FA Cup defeats to Aston Villa and Reading were two of the most painful days to be an Albion supporter in recent years. But that should spur on a highly professional Baggies’ side to make a mends for this heartbreak and finally reach Wembley.
When mentioning “Wembley” and “heartbreak” in the same sentence it is still hard not to think of the agonising 2007 Championship play-off final defeat to Saturday’s opponents Derby County. It would be a nice way to start this year’s FA Cup run by banishing an old Wembley demon.
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