Albion have appointed Pepe Mel the former Betis boss as their new coach and whilst he will not officially take charge until after today, I do not doubt he will be in attendance and the players looking to impress. Caretaker boss Keith Dowling will be remaining at the club as Mel's assistant, so there should be no ill feeling and the transition should be fairly seemless. The visitors are very well organised and tough to beat on the road and they have avoided defeat in 7 of 10 away starts, a lot of draws in that sequence, but another would serve us well today and I think that looks the most likely outcome. Ahead of their last league start, I wrote ... Albion are coming off a 3-3 draw with West Ham which they were very unlucky to lose. Nicolas Anelka scored a brace, his first goals for the club on his return after a lengthy absence and he gives them a focus upfront they have been lacking, they played some very nice football in build up and are due a win now. They won that, beating Newcastle United 1-0 and rested a host of players last week in a disappointing home defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup. That decision might be seen as costing Dowling the job permanently, but I think Mel was already on his way and the delay was only down to the board wanting continuity in terms of the backroom staff.
 

Saints are a well established Premier League team now and St Mary's has a bit of a reputation as a fortress, but the truth is that they have won just 4 of their last 13 home league games, including a 3-0 defeat to Albion at the end of last season and the visitors, after resting palyers last week, will be fresher and arguably hungrier following the defeat. The hosts might be wishing they had done likewise, they went close to full strength for the visit of Burnley last week and both Gaston Ramirez and Rickie Lambert (20-6-5) picked up knocks and will be subject to late tests, striker Dani Osvaldo (13-3-0) and key defensive midfielder Victor Wanyama (14-0-0.... one win in 7 when he plays 45 minutes or less) are both definitely missing through suspension and injury respectively.
 

It is Wanyama who gives the biggest cause for concern for Saints, when he is on the field, they concede a goal every 101 minutes, one every 44 minutes without him. I will officially take 1.25 units West Bromwich Albion +0.5 ball 2.07 asian line/Ibramarket. If the 3.75-4.0 for the visitors to score over 1.5 goals is available to you, I suggest you also take a good look at that too.
 

Saints are 1-3 through the opening 15 minutes at home, 7-1 between the 16th and 45th minute.