By 8pm next Monday, The Hawthorns will be packed out under the lights and dripping with a tangible excitement as West Bromwich Albion play host to their closest of local neighbours, Aston Villa. Extending their unbeaten record which has now stretched to 5 Premier League matches against their claret and blue visitors will be the target and if they can achieve that aim, it would result in the longest spell of unbeaten league matches ever against our colourful neighbours.
On 3 separate occasions, Albion have ran up 5 unbeaten matches in the league, once exactly 100 years ago, again in the mid-1930’s, including a best ever 7-0 win (at Villa Park no less) and finally once more in the mid-1960’s. There is a lot of talk of late about this current West Brom squad being as good as anything that the fans have seen since the team that challenged for the league title in the late 70’s. The names from that team roll off the tongue in a way that, even for someone who never saw them play live, (I wasn’t born until 1981) you just can’t suppress a smile and a warm feeling inside. Cyrille Regis, Laurie Cunningham, Tony Brown, Bryan Robson, Derek Statham. If you are an Albion fan reading this, I know that you’re doing so with a nostalgic smile at this point, for they are true legends of the club. If the current crop can extend the unbeaten hold over their rivals, they will etch themselves into the fans memory in much the same way that those former greats are still remembered so fondly.
The current 5 match unbeaten run started off with two victories before a run of three successive draws, the last of which required a fightback from 2-0 down at home thanks to club captain Chris Brunt and the now-departed derby day hero Peter Odemwingie. This is a fixture which can make a hero of a player and that is exactly what happened in April 2011 when Albion pulled off their first league win over Villa since 1985, as first Peter Odemwingie levelled matters up following an Abdoulaye Meite own goal before a late Youssouf Mulumbu goal gave ten-man Albion the win the fans had wanted for so long.
Indeed, it was the first time I had seen a victory against the Villa. That Mulumbu is a firm fan favourite is obviously as much down to his all-round tenacious style of play and footballing qualities as it is to that goal, but that goal certainly guaranteed himself a place of affection amongst Baggies everywhere. Just this week I read that someone’s favourite ever Albion goal was Paul Robinson’s late headed equaliser at Villa Park in 2005, a match which saw current Albion left back Liam Ridgewell dismissed for Villa along with then Albion captain Jonathan ‘The Scarborough Pirlo’ Greening. Now I’ve seen plenty of goals which eclipse that header for quality, but for sheer drama and relief? It is definitely right up there.
The overall league head-to-head record currently stands at 35 Albion wins, 45 Villa wins and 26 draws, with the home team having the upper hand on both grounds. The overall league record for games played in West Bromwich stands at 16 draws, with Albion winning 23 to Villa’s 14. The current run of 3 successive draws is also a league record between these two old rivals, who are separated by just 3.6 miles.
Whilst we have all heard the old adage about the form book going out of the window as derby day approaches, Albion fans would like to believe that they are currently the superior of the two sides, as successive finishes above their more illustrious neighbours would attest and it will be up to the team that Steve Clarke sends out onto the pitch to assert their authority on proceedings. With Christian Benteke having picked up a knock which kept him out of Belgium’s recent internationals but looking likely to play on Monday night, Villa’s major threat will need to be marked much better than he was when allowed to turn unmolested on the edge of the area before firing Villa into the lead in the last instalment at The Hawthorns.
With fitness returning to the Albion squad, it appears that only Ben Foster and Billy Jones will be missing on Monday night. Stand-in keeper and former Villa player Boaz Myhill has performed admirably in place of Foster and Steven Reid, disappointment of the soft Ramires penalty decision aside, should not let anyone down and indeed, with his character I am sure that he is looking forward to the atmosphere of derby day now that he is back in the first team fold. A lot will rest on the shoulders of the centre back pairing and the screening Claudio Yacob ahead of them in restricting space for Benteke to turn and shoot. It could easily be said that Benteke is Villa’s only threat and their only out-ball but on derby day, heroes can turn up in the most unexpected form, so everyone will need to be 100% on their game.
If the defence and defensive midfield pairing carry out their jobs, I would be hopeful that the attacking talent in the Albion side can unlock a Villa defence that has so far only conceded 3 goals in their 5 matches on the road. With Albion only having conceded 4 in their 5 home matches, it is sure to be a tight and tactical affair and after coming so close to a deserved victory in the last outing at Stamford Bridge, Steve Clarke will be hoping that the side has retained that self-belief gained at Chelsea through the international break to carry into the most important fixture of the season so far.
There is no better match to come back from a break to and the fans of both sides will be eagerly counting down the days until Monday night, with Mulumbu already having spoken of his pride at his vital late winner 5 meetings back. I believe that Stephane Sessegnon can be the key player for West Brom and if he could notch a goal in doing so, he would join the list of modern-day derby legends alongside the likes of Peter Odemwingie, Mulumbu, Kevin Phillips and Jordao. Sessegnon’s direct style of running can pose serious questions of a young Villa side and with both teams amongst the 6 worst in the Premier League in terms of bookings received, a first sending off this season for either side shouldn’t be ruled out, especially with Fabian Delph and Ashley Westwood in the Villa engine room attracting their fair share of bookings, much like their opposites in blue and white stripes.
Personally I cannot wait for Monday night to roll around and will be wishing my time away between now and then. I just hope that come the full time whistle I am looking forward to Tuesday morning just as eagerly.
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