Bruce ready for ‘cracking clash’

Baggies chief is excited by challenge

By Chris Dunlavy

WEST BROM v WATFORD

Tomorrow, Kick-off: 8pm

KEY MAN

JOHN SWIFT West Brom

STEVE Bruce believes West Brom’s first home game of the season will also be their toughest.

The Baggies face a Watford side who have retained all of their key players following relegation from the Premier League, including last season’s top-scorer Emmanuel Dennis and £35m-rated winger Ismaila Sarr.

The pair both starred as the Golden Boys beat Sheffield United 1-0 last Monday.

West Brom, though, have no shortage of talent themselves. In John Swift and Jed Wallace, Bruce bagged two of the Championship’s most potent midfielders during the summer, and the pair combined to score the equaliser in last weekend’s encouraging 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough.

Matt Philips and Karlan Grant rounded out a formidable attacking unit at the Riverside and Bruce says his side is capable of going toe-to-toe with the early favourites.

“We couldn’t have asked for a more difficult first home game of the season,” admitted the former Newcastle boss.

“I think Watford will be one of the best teams in this division this year, but you would expect that from them after coming down from the Premier League.

“They’re very strong, certainly in forward areas where they have plenty of pace and are a real threat.

“We’re going to have to defend well, but I’m hoping we can cause them problems too at the other end with the quality we’ve got on the pitch.

“We also have strength in depth here and you’ve only got to look at last weekend to see that. We were able to bring on Grady Diangana, Daryl Dike and Alex Mowatt, while also having Kyle Bartley and Adam Reach available too.

“It should be a cracking night involving two of the best teams in the Championship and I’m really looking forward to the challenge.”

GOOD TUSSLE: West Brom’s Semi Ajayi, left, competes with Middlesbrough’s Duncan Watmore in last week’s 1-1 draw

PICTURE: Alamy

Bruce replaced Valerien Ismael at the Hawthorns in early February, with West Brom lying seventh in the standings.

But the 61-year-old was unable to halt the club’s slide and they eventually finished tenth, eight points adrift of Luton in the final play-off place. The Baggies recorded home victories over Fulham and Bournemouth, who went on to win automatic promotion to the Premier League.

But they also dropped points to Stoke, Bristol City and Swansea, all of whom finished in the bottom half.

Eliminating that inconsistency on home turf will, says Bruce, be key to any hopes of promotion this term.

“There’s no denying that the last few seasons have been disappointing, but we’re now into a new campaign and the slate has to be wiped clean,” said Bruce.

“It’s imperative that our home form is good this season, especially with the season being so condensed with the World Cup taking place in the winter months.

“Games will come thick and fast, and we need to make sure we’re clocking up wins.

“We need to try and make the Hawthorns a really difficult place to come to and get anything from.

“Everyone has seen how important home form can be in this division and we’ll be doing all we can to make sure we’re picking up as many victories and points as possible in front of our own fans.”

Read John Lyons’ column with more on the baggies

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