West Brom have started the Premier League season very well and if they beat Stoke in this game they will move onto nine points out of a possible nine. They haven’t been flashy in any way, they have done what they needed to and recorded two very good 1-0 victories. Stoke know that they are in for a tough weekend heading to West Brom, but after a 1-0 victory over Arsenal last weekend they are going to arrive full of confidence. Both teams have looked pretty good so far and both will be aiming to finish in the top half this season so we should be in for a good game here.
West Brom Form
I like the way West Brom have started, they have been very effective in their opening two games. They have beaten Bournemouth at home 1-0 and Burnley away 1-0, both times doing what they needed to do to bag an important three points. You will never see West Brom play all-out attack and score four or five goals, but they do know how to pick up points and keep moving in the right direction. This makes them very difficult to beat and Stoke know they are in for a very tough game this weekend. West Brom are not a fashionable team, but they are one that can get the job done. Should they carry on their very effective start then they are going to have a very successful season, resulting in them finishing in the top half of the Premier League table.
Stoke Form
Stoke have also started well this season and are a similar team to West Brom, they know how to effectively win matches. Their opening day defeat against Everton wasn’t too bad, I expect Everton to do well this season, especially at home.
Stoke built on that and picked up their first points of the season last weekend when they played their first home game of the season, a place they will be hoping they are very tough to beat. Their 1-0 victory came against Arsenal, a big team and that will have given Stoke a lot of confidence for this weekend.
In a similar way to West Brom, Stoke are never going to really impress you and score a lot of goals but they know how to get the job done. That know how is very important and plays a big part in their success, they can grind out a result in this league and do so on a very regular basis.
Team News
Signing Jay Rodriguez this summer gave West Brom a very good attacking option for them to build around. While he hasn’t scored yet, Rodriguez has been very good in his first two games for West Brom and I expect he will be hitting the score sheet very soon. Elsewhere Hal Robson-Kanu came on as a substitute last weekend and in an action packed game for him he scored the winner and was later sent off, so he is unavailable this weekend.
The hero for Stoke last weekend was their new signing, former Real Madrid and PSG winger Jese. He was thrown straight into the starting line-up for his debut and scored shortly into the second half. It was a great debut and I am sure we will see a lot more from him in a Stoke shirt. He could turn out to be a very shrewd signing for the club and is another creative piece that they have.
Top Betting Tips
This should be a good game between two teams who have started the season very well. West Brom have really impressed me with their ability to win games and because of that I am more than happy to back them at 29/20, which is on offer with William Hill. Not many teams will take points away from The Hawthorns this season and I think West Brom can make it three wins from three games here in this one.
Stoke have also started well, and will be pleased with their win over Arsenal, but this is going to be a tough day at the office for them and a game in which I expect to see them fall just short.
I am going to back West Brom to win their third game in a row and give them what will be a fantastic start to the campaign as they look to finish in the top half of the Premier League. So far they are going the right way.