Luton v West Brom - Match preview

And Steve Bruce knows he has to quickly find a way to get a tune out of them if his side is going to finish in the top six this season.

Former boss Valerien Ismael effectively lost his job due to Albion’s inability to stick the ball in the net.

Even the Frenchman’s harshest critic would have to admit the Baggies were defensively solid under the former Bayern Munich man.

But it really is alarming how poor the team has been in the final third.

Albion now haven’t scored in their last four games.

In nine of their last 14 outings – they have failed to find the target.

And they have only scored a total of seven goals in those 14 games – with three of those coming against a struggling Peterborough.

It simply isn’t good enough with the likes of Callum Robinson, Karlan Grant, Grady Diangana and the out-of-favour Kenneth Zohore having all massively underperformed.

In a bid to breathe new life into the side, Bruce opted to ditch Ismael’s 3-4-3 formation in favour of a 4-3-3 for his first two games in charge.

But speaking after the midweek draw with Blackburn, the boss said he felt that system also isn’t right for this group of players.

The challenge for Bruce is finding a way to set the team up that will lead to chances for Andy Carroll.

The striker has impressed since arriving as a free agent last month – with his both his hold-up play and attitude outstanding.

But he has barely had a sniff at goal because Albion haven’t played to his strengths.

Bruce knows two things need to change for that to happen.

The first is to get more bodies around Carroll so they can pick up any knock downs the big striker wins. The second is the Baggies have to get more crosses into the box that the 33-year-old can go and attack. One big problem facing Bruce is the likes of Grant and Robinson aren’t traditional wingers.

They like to cut inside, get shots away and link play – whereas Carroll would benefit from widemen who hog the byline and spend more time getting chalk on their boots.

One option for the manager is to return to a back three – and let the width come from the wing-backs.

Conor Townsend is arguably the best crosser of the ball at the club and will deliver dangerous balls from the left.

While on the right, both Darnell Furlong and Taylor Gardner-Hickman have had games where they have caught the eye and looked dangerous this season.

A 3-5-2 with Grant pushed up alongside Carroll could work.

As could a 4-4-2 with the full-backs overlapping and either Diangana, Gardner-Hickman or Matt Phillips – if fit – deployed on the wings. Either way, if Albion are going to start winning games and scoring goals again – they have to get more crosses into the box and give Carroll the support he deserves.