Mark Brailsford wonders if Oscar is an Albion legend in the making
Could Oscar Garcia turn out to be an Albion legend in the making? That last bloke, (what was his name again? Began with a P…), he did well enough, but this new fella, who comes across as a more understated version of Pep Guardiola, has certainly impressed in his first few months in charge.
Gus Poyet deserves to go down as one of the great Albion managers, after all, he did lift Albion from near the bottom of League One to the verge of the Premier League. However, there are signs that Albion may have found an even bigger legend in the making in this phlegmatic and urbane head coach. It’s a bit like having a tumultuous first marriage, full of fights and fury, going through an acrimonious divorce, then finding yourself contented with the girl next door. It’s a tad too early to tell, of course, but arguably, the signs are all there that this second marriage in the ‘Cathedral of Dreams’ will last.
The excellent hard fought draws at (supposedly Premier League standard teams) Reading and QPR, and the turnaround against Bolton Wanderers (a team made up of mostly top flight players, have made all the summer doom and gloom around the Amex dissipate somewhat.
“One of the most uplifting sights was the pairing of two wingers on the pitch at the same time”
The truism at this stage of the season is to never look at the table until the clocks go back and it is very early days. But whisper it quietly, Oscar’s impressive start has made this correspondent eye up the fixtures for the play-offs, it’s looking very promising thanks to the more nuanced señor in the hot seat. Oscar’s settled in well, he’s handled the grumpy relatives, appeased the mother in law (Paul Barber) and won over the kids. Marriage guidance with the League Managers Association doesn’t look like it will be required.
Autumn playlist
One of the most uplifting sights at the start of the Bolton match was the pairing of two wingers on the pitch at the same time, something Poyet only ever did when Albion were losing and only then when he used them as substitutes. That this is the first time in nearly two years that the Albion have come from behind to win a game at home, shows you how negative that approach can be at this level.
The Championship is a tough league, but fortune favours the brave in this division and it is this approach that should serve Oscar Garcia’s team well. It is not just for this campaign that this approach matters; Oscar Garcia has been appointed not just to get Albion promoted to the Premier League, he has been given the remit to enable them to stay there. Therefore, this approach should be encouraged with half an eye on what might happen if Albion go up. The reason for this train of thought is this: having an established and progressive pattern of play is arguably how you achieve success long term in the top flight. You only have to look at Swansea to see proof of that. That Albion sit comfortably mid-table during a period of time when there is a lengthy injury list and still managing to get draws away to teams of Premier League quality augurs well. Once CMS and Bridcutt return and Ulloa has served his suspension, this is going to be one hell of a squad to pick a team from. Let us hope CMS can slot in behind Ulloa and Bridcutt can provide the anchor for Buckley and Lua Lua to take to the wing in tandem. We could be about to witness something special.
Coming up
The squad has been fortified of late with a pair of loan signings that may not appear to have set the pulses racing in the stands, but they may prove to be two of the most astute signings of the season in the Championship. Ward and Andrews have been excellent and when you factor in the heart-warming emergence of players such as Solly March and wonderfully impressive Rohan Ince, it’s hard to see why a lot of pundits left Albion out of their tips for promotion. So, with games against a poor looking Sheffield Weds and Yeovil but tough assignments against Nottingham Forrest and Watford to come, we could be about to show the rest of the division what this Albion team is made of. When the injury list clears up, as autumn deepens, we could be in for some vintage Albion displays that could rival bonfire night.
