It’s the second leg play off preview as The Baggies travel down to Southampton on Friday evening knowing a win would take them to Wembley a week on Sunday.
Last time we drew 0-0 to Southampton at The Hawthorns on Sunday in the first leg where both teams provided a few chances that finished goalless and it’s now decided at St Mary’s Stadium.
The Baggies go into this with not the best away records this season and especially when it comes to Friday evenings away from home and when selected on Sky Sports with our last win away on a Friday was in December 2018 at Sheffield United when we won 2-1. Despite our away from we have only won twice since January 1st away by beating Plymouth Argyle and Huddersfield Town, ahead of this play off clash can we come away with a victory knowing that we could be just 1 win away from The Premier League?
Southampton head into Friday’s fixture at St Mary’s Stadium having picked up 15 Sky Bet Championship victories in their 23 matches there this season.
The Saints head into this play off tie with 15 home wins in 23 games this season and we have also gained the same with home record but we are 1 point better than the Saints in the home table.
Players To Watch – Southampton
Adam Armstrong is going to be my player to watch as he is the Saints top goalscorer at St Mary’s stadium this season and he did get the winner for them against us back in November 2023 and with him scoring for fun in front of the home crowd he will certainly be the one to watch on Friday Night.
He has played every game for Southampton this season with 46 appearances and has scored 21 goals and provided 13 assists, if Southampton do not get promoted through the play offs certainly he will get Premier League interest over the summer or if not he will tear the Championship apart again for another season but lets hope we can get past Southampton first so we wouldn’t fear him anymore.
I say he is in the best XI for the Championship play offs and I think in this game we should keep target Armstrong as the player to watch in this encounter and he could have a goal in his belt in this fixture but I hope this game will put pressure to him on Friday and does not play at his best like he did this season.
Players To Watch – West Brom
Alex Palmer made some fantastic saves in the first leg especially when he saved one of Southampton’s early chances at The Hawthorns. Apart from the first leg he has made some excellent saves over the season and should be in the team of the season this year, Palmer has got the most clean sheets in the Championship joint with Leeds keeper Illan Meslier on 13 this season and he would be my player to watch for the Baggies on Friday night.
I hope he can continue his fine showing like he did on Sunday and can provide more excellent saves from Southampton and their dangerous attacking at times with the likes of Adam Armstrong, Che Adams and Will Smallbone. If he can be on top of his game I think we could get a chance here in the second leg and can he be one of those goalkeepers can end our away hoodoo.
My Line Up V Southampton
My line up for the second leg includes a few changes made where I play Kyle Bartley in the back 4 with Cedric Kipre and Furlong and Townsend as my full backs. I would start John Swift alongside Grady Diangana and Tom Fellows and rest Mikey Johnston and make him a second half substitute with Brandon Thomas-Asante leading the line.
Predictions
This is where I am going to make my predictions for the second leg clash at Southampton. This is difficult like I said out of any game but this should be the most difficult. Away at Southampton on a Friday night in the second leg I say there be more pressure on Southampton and for us too like it was 0-0 at The Hawthorns I say there is going to be goals in this one this time around.
Saints will get a early goal and it’s going to be Adam Armstrong in the first 6 minutes knowing it’s going to be another long evening on the road. It would say 1-0 for a while though and near half time we get a free kick and Tom Fellows will get us the needed equalizer to get back level at half time.
Second half I say it be end to end and the Baggies will eventually get a second goal this time Brandon Thomas Asante getting us ahead with just 14 minutes to go and give our fans hope we going to Wembley. I think our lead won’t last long and in added time I hate to say it but Che Adams will get the goal for the Saints and take the scoreline to 2-2 on the 93rd minute with a header from the box that will take it to extra time.
I think it’s going to be intense and it be like the England V Colombia match at the World Cup in 2018 and would be very difficult to watch as it’s extra time. I say Southampton will be all over us in extra time but we would have enough to stop them and near the end of the second half of extra time Josh Maja would have a chance to help us win the game but would hit the post leaving us shaking our heads and it’s going to be decided by a penalty shootout.
I say it’s going to go all the way to penalties even all week I have this feeling it’s going to be but as Aston Villa beat us on our home turf 5 years ago, in my penalty predictions the outcome would be it be 3-3 on the 5th penalty take where Diangana would miss for us and Smallbone would miss his at this point and would say Che Adams would take his penalty with Alex Palmer making a wonderful save meaning the last penalty taker would be Josh Maja knowing if he scores he would take the Baggies to Wembley and he does score the last penalty kick of the shootout resulting in us winning on penalties 4-3 at St Mary’s and hopefully book our tickets to Wembley a week on Sunday.
I don’t know why but I’m a little confident it would go to penalties and we just win it 4-3 I got this World Cup vibes still. Lets hope we come away with something on Friday if not it’s still a great season knowing where we came from 18 months ago and with no money spent on players in the last 2 seasons with new owners the future is bright at the Albion and would see what the Summer brings.
Come on you Baggies….
Prediction: Southampton 2-2 West Brom* West Brom win 4-3 on penalties
Goalscorers for Southampton: Adam Armstrong, Che Adams
Goalscorers for West Brom: Tom Fellows, Brandon Thomas-Asante