Lewis Cox's West Brom analysis: 2024/25 pain almost over as job scale becomes more clear
The best result from Saturday is that travelling Baggies get some respite from trekking across the country following Albion until August.
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It has been nothing short of a miserable campaign on the road for Albion.
The return of four away victories from a possible 23 at the second tier is totally unacceptable for this club and points to painful failings. Just five clubs have fewer away wins.
It is relegation form and were it not for the flying start to the season in August and September then Albion would be looking over their shoulders.
Saturday's hosts Cardiff were unable to find a way through James Morrison's Baggies, who managed a first clean sheet in nine attempts to claim a point and to at least stop the rot of defeats which saw Tony Mowbray sacked over Easter.
Albion bring a forgettable season to a close at home to Luton next weekend and must win and hope Middlesbrough lose at Coventry to climb a place to ninth and not equal their worst finish since 2000 - 2021/22 under Valerien Ismael and Steve Bruce also ended in 10th.
But the current points haul of 61 is six fewer than three seasons ago and is the worst return since that 21st-placed finish and a return of 49 points at the turn of the millennium in 1999/2000.
Not only did they fail to sign off on their travels with a victory - in keeping with the season - the Baggies will also end the campaign without managing to win successive games since September.
And to think, when Carlos Corberan's high-flying side managed that in the second month of the campaign the Spanish head coach and his players allowed supporters to dream. It was a table-topping start to the campaign none could have imagined.
