West Brom v Hull: James Shan play-off plan starts with Tigers

Before Jimmy Shan took over, the Baggies had failed to deliver a home win in 2019 but tomorrow he will be searching for his fourth in a row.

Albion have finally nailed their colours to the mast ahead of the Easter weekend, and confirmed that Shan will be in charge until the end of the season.

It was a welcome piece of clarity after a fraught month of uncertainty, and Shan believes it will help.

“I’m happy that we can now move forward with clear planning and direction for the remainder of the season,” said Shan.

“It won’t change the work ethic and application of the players and the staff but it enables us to crack on with a clear target in our sights.”

Before the announcement there were concerns such a statement may have a detrimental effect on form.

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer at Manchester United, Craig Shakespeare at Leicester City, and even Darren Moore at Albion – football is littered with cases of temporary bosses struggling to make the transition to a more permanent role.

But Shan is still a caretaker boss, he has been given the job for a defined period. There is not enough time this season for his message to grow stale.

He will be keen to start the next stage of his tenure with a win, and will likely name a strong line-up.

But Albion’s place in the top six has been all-but guaranteed thanks to him, and he will no doubt have one eye on the play-off semi-finals looming next month.

No risks will be unnecessarily taken, and players like Kieran Gibbs and Matt Phillips will be managed carefully.

Shan is expected to replicate the 3-5-2 formation that brushed Preston North End aside last weekend, because it partners Dwight Gayle and Jay Rodriguez up front together.

With 42 goals between them already this season, those two could fire Albion through the play-offs if they remain in shape.

Ironically, it was the reverse fixture against Hull at the KCOM Stadium back in November that consigned the back three to the cutting room floor under Moore.

An anaemic performance saw the Baggies lose 1-0 on an embarrassing afternoon during their worst run of the season.

But Albion are more pragmatic under Shan, more direct, and the system could be enjoying a renaissance.

Their place in the play-offs could very well be cemented after the Good Friday round of fixtures, but with rivals Villa charging up on the outside, it is important to hold on to fourth place.

That guarantees a home fixture in the second leg of the play-off semi-final, and having been in the top four since November, falling out of it now would have a negative mental impact.

Albion need to ride into the play-offs with momentum if they’re going to be successful.

Likely line-up:

Subs: Bond, Harper, Murphy, Robson-Kanu, Adarabioyo, Townsend, Phillips.

Hull City (4-4-1-1): Marshall, Lichaj, de Wijs, Burke, Kane, Grosicki, Irvine, Henriksen, Bowen, Pugh, Campbell.

The opposition: Nigel Adkins worked wonders to get Hull City in the mix

Hull City were rock-bottom in October and still in the relegation zone come the start of December.

But with four games left in the season, the Tigers still have an outside chance of making the play-offs.

Despite ongoing uncertainty at the club, Nigel Adkins has steered his side into ninth place, just five points behind the top six.

It’s a remarkable job with a team that finished 18th last season and has had little investment.

Although it would probably take a perfect finish to the season to pull off the miracle, Adkins insists his side are still not out of contention.

“We are still in a promotion race for the play-offs,” he said. “We need to get over 70 points so therefore we need to win the remaining four games.

“However, taking that to one side we just focus on the process of trying to do the best we can for the team and supporters to win the next game.

“We have to keep trying to play the way we have been playing because it has been exciting.”

City gave their chances of sneaking into the top six a shot in the arm with consecutive wins over Ipswich, Reading and Wigan but a 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough last time out put a big dent in their hopes.

What’s more concerning to supporters is the long-term future of the club, with several contracts running out in the summer, including Adkins’s own.

“We are just focusing on where we are now,” said the former Southampton, Reading, and Sheffield United manager.

“We need to keep enjoying the moment and then come the end of the season, the business side of things takes care of itself, as it does with all football clubs.

“Instead of looking too far down the line we just concentrate on what we are doing now. You can see the effort, the commitment and the passion of a group of players to do well for the team.

“The spirit among the players is phenomenal and we will keep that going.”

Hull are much better at home than they are on the road, though.

They’ve lost six out of their last seven away games, with a victory at rock-bottom Ipswich Town their only joy on their travels since mid-January.

But Adkins will have an almost fully-fit squad to pick from with defender Stephen Kingsley the only absentee due to a thigh injury.

“Everyone is looking to be fit,” added Adkins. “I probably expect Stephen Kingsley not to make it this weekend.

“He’s been out for the last three weeks, but everybody else has put themselves forward.”

Even if Hull do manage to spring a surprise over Albion, it doesn’t get any easier for them. They play Sheffield United, Swansea and Bristol City afterwards.

The boss says:

It enables us to crack on with a clear target in our sights. From a personal point of view, there is huge, huge pride to be given the responsibility

Memory lane:

The sides last met at The Hawthorns in the top flight in January 2017. Goals from Brunt, McAuley and Morrison gave the Baggies a 3-1 victory.

Key man:

Albion fans will hope to see Stefan Johansen kick on from his performance last weekend with another impressive display

Danger man:

Jarrod Bowen

The 22-year-old has been brilliant this season, scoring 20 goals from the wing to give Hull an outside chance of making the play-offs.

The Tigers will do well to keep hold of him in the summer, because there are already plenty of Premier League outfits sniffing around the former Hereford player and Villa fan.