The 25-year-old West Brom goal statistic has been broken by the current crop

The 25-year-old West Brom goal statistic has been broken by the current crop

After winning five of their first six games in the league, Albion then went on an eight-match winless run during which they drew six games.

They spoke about the setback at Hull City in their last game before the last international break, but their stats when it comes to goals scored are still sensational.

Albion scored just once in October and of their 15 games this season they have scored two or more goals on only five occasions.

Only five teams have scored fewer goals than Albion across the division, but their watertight backline has softened the impact of the lack of goals.

Their missed chances and inability to turn 0–0 draws into wins on a number of occasions have resulted in them scoring just sixteen times in their first fifteen championship games.

And that is uncharted territory for an Albion team in the second tier.

Including this current season, Albion has had thirteen campaigns in the Championship or the old first division in the past 25 years.

And you have to go back a quarter of a century for the last time Albion scored fewer goals than the current side have so far this year.

Here’s a look back at all those campaigns, some with many more goals than others.

2024/25 – 16 goals scored

Albion’s goal problem is well documented, but it is largely down to poor finishing rather than inability to create chances.

Albion averaged less than one goal per game. Will that change now after the recent win over Hull?

Josh Maja celebrates his opener (Photo by Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images)Josh Maja celebrates his opener (Photo by Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images)

2023/24 – 25 goals scored

After his first full summer, Carlos Corberan tried to make Albion more attacking, and it worked. In the first fifteen games they scored four and three, including a memorable 4-0 win over Preston.

They had reached their limits, with goals coming from all angles without a clear goalscorer. What Corberan could also have done is keep it tight at the back.

2022/23 – 19 goals scored

Surprisingly, Albion have scored fewer goals in the current season than they did in 2022, when they fell to an all-time low under Steve Bruce.

After 15 games, Richard Beale was temporarily in charge. One of the biggest problems was keeping goals off the goal line, something Corberan quickly rectified when he came on.

2021/22 – 19 goals scored

In 2021, Albion were in a new era and had flown out of the traps. Unbeaten in ten minutes, the highlight was a four-goal run over Sheffield United as they climbed to top spot under Valerien Ismael.

But as they got closer to the fifteen-match mark, the goals started to dry up and by the end of January Ismael was gone.

2019/20 – 28 goals scored

These will go down as the most memorable campaigns for Albion.

Slaven Bilic’s Baggies were pouring in goals from all angles, and by the time the fifteen-game mark arrived they were almost thirty.

Grady Diangana and Charlie Austin scored key goals in Albion’s promotion-winning season (AMA)

At first it was narrow wins or draws, but as the games progressed they scored four against Huddersfield and Cardiff, and three crackers against Blackburn, including a stunner from Grady Diangana.

2018/19 – 33 goals scored

Despite being slow at the back, Albion were powerful going forward.

Dwight Gayle and Jay Rodriguez’s attack was firing, and after fifteen goals they had scored four at Norwich, and at home to Bristol City and Reading, as well as a 7-1 thumping of QPR.

The goals continued to flow in all season, but their downfall was the inability to keep them out at the other end.

2009/10 – 29 goals scored

Before 2019, Albion’s last spell in the Championship was way back in the 09/10 season, under Roberto Di Matteo.

After returning from the top flight, Albion retained many of their big hitters and were unbeaten in their first eight games, only two of which were drawn.

Roman Bednar’s goals brought Albion back to the top flight

Roman Bednar and Luke Moore had started the season well and with a relatively tight back line, Albion were second behind Newcastle after 15 games.

2007/08 – 31 goals scored

Regarded by many as one of the best Albion sides in the second tier, Tony Mowbray’s side were renowned in the division for their goals.

With a front line of Bednar, Kevin Phillips and Ishmael Miller, supplied by the likes of Zoltan Gera and Robert Koren, it was a recipe for entertainment.

They would retain four and five previous teams – ultimately finishing the season with 88 goals scored.

Kevin Phillips led the charge for Albion in the 2007/08 season

2006/07 – 27 goals

The start of this campaign was indifferent, with Bryan Robson being sacked.

But Albion scored regularly, between Robson’s departure and Mowbray’s arrival, Albion scored nine goals in two games against Leeds and Ipswich.

Then, as usual under Mowbray, Albion thought ahead throughout the campaign and scored a number of goals in some memorable wins.

2003/04 – 21 goals scored

After a 4-1 defeat to local rivals Walsall on the opening day, the goals started to flow for Gary Megson’s side as they searched for an immediate return to the top flight.

Lee Hughes and Scott Dobie’s goals contributed to the 03/04 promotion winning season

Scott Dobie, Lee Hughes, Jason Koumas and Rob Hulse all provided the ammunition for some early season form. By the end of the season they had scored just 64 goals, but a tight backline ensured they finished second.

2001/02 – 18 goals

Albion’s famous promotional campaign in 2001/2002 was often played with the chant ‘1-0 for the Albion’.

So it’s no surprise that the column’s goals haven’t been bulging all season.

Dobie finished as the club’s top scorer with just ten league goals and twelve in all competitions.

In total, Albion only scored 61 goals, but their 29 goals conceded are the stats that saw them rise against all odds. The next team on the list of goals conceded was Wolves with 43.

2000/01 – 18 goals

The previous season showed much the same pattern as the following season.

They scored the same number of goals in just fifteen games, and by the end of the campaign they had scored sixty times as they lost to Bolton in the play-offs.

1999/2000 – 13 goals

You have to go back to 1999, when Albion last scored lower than the current total after fifteen games.

Lee Hughes and Kevin Kilbane were the main goal threats but found themselves at a premium in the early stages.

And things didn’t really improve under then boss Brian Little, who was sacked in March to be replaced by Megson.

By admin

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *