Darren Moore keeps his West Brom rivals guessing

When the likes of Matt Phillips and Harvey Barnes flood forward at speed, it can be difficult to stop them, particularly if Jay Rodriguez and Dwight Gayle are hot on their heels.

But head coach Darren Moore and particularly his assistant Graeme Jones are advocates of possession-based football.

In their ideal world, the Baggies would control the ball and control the game.

That is the long-term plan for this side but Moore is a realist, and knows that different teams will throw up different tests this season.

The key, in his mind, is to be adaptable.

“If you look at the Brentford game we played possession-based football,” said Moore.

“Sometimes it’s what the opposition give you. With Brentford we had to be patient.

“They put up a rearguard, we had great possession and made lots of chances. The Villa game was very different.”

That derby was played a far more ferocious pace than the match earlier in the week.

But this Albion side is deadly when gaps begin to appear in behind, and Gayle’s equaliser in the first half of that game is a case in point.

It’s fair to say that at the start of the season, Albion were trying to run before they could walk.

A squad moulded predominantly in the image of Tony Pulis was attempting to play out from the back and through the press.

And while this high-risk, high-reward football worked for a while, it was eventually undone to staggering effect by Derby County.

Moore returned to the drawing board, simplified the message, and started getting results.

It’s now five games unbeaten, and even though his side still has just one clean sheet in the league, a second feels just round the corner.

“I’m really pleased in terms of where we’ve come as a team, trying to work out the challenges in front of us,” said Moore.

“We’ve caught teams on the hop, teams have caught us on the hop, all we can do is prepare as best we can.”

Supporters and players alike are far more comfortable with the current approach.

Albion look more solid in a 4-3-3 system that plays to their strengths.

It’s worth noting all league defeats this season have come when they’ve enjoyed the lion’s share of possession.

And their best performance – the 4-1 demolition of Leeds – came with just 26 per cent of the ball.

The long-term aim may be something slightly different to what we’re seeing now.

But that will require time, games, and maybe even different personnel.

“While I’m happy with the team, I’m not satisfied with it,” said Moore. “Every day is a working day.”

For now though, Albion should continue to play to their strengths, which is counter-attacking at blistering speed. Because few teams seem able to live with it.