"Since losing Carlos Corberan" - West Brom play-off doubts raised with Burnley, Sunderland in mind | OneFootball

The Baggies have stuttered recently and could drop out of the top six if their poor form continues

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

West Bromwich Albion are chasing the play-offs again in 2024/25.

Tony Mowbray has come in to try and keep the momentum going at the Hawthorns, but a run of just three league wins since the Spaniard’s Christmas Eve departure has dented their hopes of finishing in the top six at the end of the season.

A 2-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers in midweek damaged those chances even further, with the Black Country side looking sharply over their shoulder at the chasing pack behind as we head into the final few months of the season.

Dreams of a return to the top flight seem to be reducing with each week, so we asked Football League World’s Albion fan pundit Callum Burgess his predictions for the rest of the campaign.

West Bromwich Albion play-off prediction made

Having been built on the basis of a strong defence at the start of the season, Albion have been as porous as any Championship side of late, with no clean sheet to their name since Corberan departed the club seven weeks ago.

Costly defeats to play-off rivals Middlesbrough and Blackburn have been added to by reverses against Derby County and Plymouth Argyle since Christmas Day, as all the promise of the start of the season begins to be unraveled.

After looking like a side who could potentially challenge for a top two spot in the early proceedings, just clinging on to a place in the top six would be seen as a success for Burgess between now and May, with the Baggies fan not hopeful for what the future holds.

When asked if he could see his side in the Premier League next season, he said: ”I think that at best, Albion’s season will face a similar end to last season, where their season ended at St Mary’s in the play-offs.

“I don’t think we are quite as good as the best teams in the league like Leeds United, and then you have the chasing pack competing for second place, in Burnley, Sheffield United and Sunderland.

“Would you fancy Albion’s chances against them in the play-offs? I probably wouldn’t say so. I think they all have better squads than Albion, and they have shown they are better teams as well.

“Since losing Carlos Corberan, Albion have lost that solidity, they have actually failed to keep a clean sheet in all the games since, so you lose that aspect of going into the play-offs with someone who could grind out results.

“You obviously have that match winner in the shape of Adam Armstrong, but is that enough to get you over the line? I don’t think so, unfortunately.”

West Bromwich Albion should be hopeful ahead of 25/26 campaign

Unless things turn around dramatically at the Hawthorns in the next few weeks, Albion could well be facing the reality of playing catchup for a play-off place this season, and could easily miss out on the end-of-season lottery altogether.

Having written off his side’s chances of success this season already, Burgess believes a promotion push in the 25/26 campaign could be the more realistic target, with the potential within the squad to be challenging at a higher level.

With plenty of attacking personnel in their side and a defensive structure that can be built upon, the Baggies fan has higher hopes for the following campaign than he does this one, with the quality of sides in the division a key aspect for his prediction.

He continued: “I think Albion will make good progress to make another push next season with some of the signings we have made this year, and some of the development we have seen in the likes of Tom Fellows, if he is able to remain here for another season.

“Then hopefully, Albion can be in better shape to make a push next year, in what I believe will be a weakened division, with hopefully Leeds and two of Burnley, Sunderland or Sheffield United promoted.”