January signings could just be enough to save West Brom from relegation

Newly promoted Premier League teams who have made a poor start to the season — like West Bromwich Albion this time out — have traditionally responded in two ways.

The first method is to begrudgingly accept your fate, maintain the manager and structures that got you promoted in the first place and quietly prepare for the next campaign. This approach was typified by Norwich City most recently, who stood by Daniel Farke and their low cost recruitment, despite being seven points from safety when last season's winter transfer window opened.

The other approach clubs have taken in the past involves parachuting in a head coach who specialises in firefighting, before attempting to overhaul the squad in the notoriously tricky January sales.

West Brom fit firmly into this latter category, casting the popular Slaven Bilic aside for the pint of wine drinking, Premier League survivalist Sam Allardyce on an 18-month contract back in December. There adherence to the approach was then further strengthened by their transfer activity. A frantic final few days saw the Baggies complete four signings — five if you count backup keeper Andy Lonergan — before the transfer window slammed shut on Monday evening.

The new arrivals were well needed as well. So far, there has been little to no evidence of West Brom mutating into your typical Big Sam team. Since Allardyce took over, his side have conceded three goals per Premier League game on average, shipping 24 in eight matches. This number would have been even more depressing, if not for the fine form of Sam Johnstone.

This has included 5-0 humiliations at the hands of Manchester City and Leeds, while Arsenal also put four past them to no reply last month. However, perhaps their most worrying defensive display of all came against Fulham on Saturday.

In the first half, the Cottagers — who had only scored 15 Premier League goals in their prior 19 matches — tore through West Brom like a hot knife through butter. Bobby Decordova-Reid scored and hit the post as Fulham registered eight shots in the first 45 minutes. A shift to four at the back after Dara O'Shea came off did help to stem the tide somewhat, but Fulham's dominance was another stark reminder of just how hard a job Allardyce has on his hands.

Despite their poor first half, the Baggies did rally to secure a point, with one of their new arrivals, Mbaye Diagne, making a significant impact.

The 29-year-old, who is on loan from Galatasaray, has had a peculiar career, but by setting up his new side's second goal he has already started to repay his loan fee. In Diagne, West Brom seem to finally have a striker capable of netting on a regular basis. This has been an issue since both Jay Rodriguez and Dwight Gayle departed the club, with Charlie Austin top scoring for the Baggies last season with a measly 11 and Callum Robinson managing just three goals this term.

Diagne is not the only encouraging signing West Brom have made in January either. They also managed to pick up Okay Yokuslu on loan from Celta Vigo. The 26-year-old should help provide some bite in midfield for the Baggies, an area in which they have been lacking at times this season.

While Conor Gallagher's and Romaine Sawyers' energy have been commendable, often they have been played around far too easily, with neither breaking into the top 25 for tackles and interceptions, despite West Brom spending more time without the ball than any other team in the Premier League this season.

Yokuslu registered an impressive 97 combined tackles and interceptions during the 2018/2019 La Liga campaign, even though Celta enjoyed the sixth most possession in the division. He has continued to post encouraging ball recovery numbers since then and this type of active destructiveness in the middle of the park is exactly what West Brom have been crying out for. He is also a decent passer of the ball, suiting him well to feeding the talismanic Matheus Pereira from deep.

Meanwhile, adding Ainsley Maitland-Niles is another big boost to their survival chances. As he slipped down the pecking order at Arsenal this season, it is easy to forget that the 23-year-old won three England caps at the beginning of the campaign. The move is likely to suit both parties, offering Maitland-Niles a chance to fulfil his desire to play in a wide midfield berth, while West Brom are gaining a proven Premier League player with a strong mentality.

Rounding off West Brom's quartet of winter arrivals is Robert Snodgrass. A near ever present since signing, his on-field contributions have been negligible so far but he knows exactly what a relegation scrap. and Allardyce-ball, entails.

So, can these new boys really help the Baggies make up the nine points they are currently shy of safety? Well, one advantage is that integrating these signings into the starting XI should not be too much of an issue.

Allardyce's methods are effective, but simple. Tactical instructions, although based on considerable opposition scouting, are concise and to the point, leaving the players with little excuses for any lack of understanding.

The new arrivals also seem to address a lot of weaknesses from the Baggies and although a new centre-back would not have gone amiss, Yokuslu's addition should help to stop them leaking goals.

West Brom still have a lot to do of course, but they can be quietly satisfied with their January business. It could make all the difference as the Premier League survival race hots up.