West Bromwich Albion face Matt Taylor’s Walsall in an all-Midlands pre-season showdown

West Bromwich Albion will ramp up their preparations for the 2021/2022 Championship campaign with a short trip to the Banks’ Stadium to face Matt Taylor’s Walsall.

Valérien Ismaël’s side have begun pre-season brightly and remain unbeaten after fixtures against Woking, Sheffield Wednesday and Watford. Despite the Frenchman maintaining that the implementation of his high-intensity style of play is the priority, Ismaël will undoubtedly be pleased with three consecutive clean sheets.

Whilst the Saddlers represent a different type of challenge for Albion, they already have experience of facing high-profile opposition this summer after clashes against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.

Matt Taylor’s arrival has raised eyebrows in the West Midlands, with the former Portsmouth, Bolton and West Ham midfielder overseeing an overhaul across the summer after replacing Brian Dutton.

The likes of Manny Monthé, Zak Mills, Stephen Ward, Joss Labadie and Conor Wilkinson have arrived at the club with significant EFL experience. Although, key players such as Wes McDonald, Josh Gordon, James Clarke and Stuart Sinclair have all departed.

New signing Jack Earing is one to keep an eye on from a Saddlers perspective, after the 22-year-old impressed for FC Halifax Town last season, netting eight goals from attacking midfield in the process.

Alex Mowatt and Matt Clarke may be the only new arrivals at The Hawthorns currently, though Ismaël’s appointment has provided a new lease of life to a number of players who ended the previous campaign out of favour under Sam Allardyce.

Grady Diangana lit up the second-tier throughout the 2019/2020 season with dazzling skills, electric pace and effective output. However, since making his move to Albion a permanent one last summer, things have not gone exactly how he would have perhaps expected.

20 appearances and one goal did not represent a triumphant campaign for the West Ham academy graduate, yet returning to a division that he has experienced success in previously with a manager who has already gone on record to mention how important Diangana will be, could be vital to the 23-year-old’s development.

Karlan Grant won plenty of plaudits after scoring 19 goals in his most recent Championship campaign with Huddersfield. Though like Diangana, he struggled to make an impact in his debut Premier League campaign.

Ismaël’s trusted 3-4-3 formation will provide Grant with the opportunity to begin the new season in a preferred wide role, that allows the former Charlton man to cut inside and effect games. If Grant can rediscover the goalscoring touch that saw West Brom pay £15 million for his services, Albion have a great chance of bouncing back.

The impending departures of Sam Johnstone and Matheus Pereira are key to any signings that the Baggies will look to make. Chinese owner Guochuan Lai is unwilling to invest, which means the club can only spend the funds that they generate.

Nonetheless, the first meeting between these two teams since 2015 should be an entertaining one with both managers looking to play an attacking style of football.

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