Published 11/25/2012 5:25:24 PM by William Montero from soccermogul

Sure there have been bigger stories in the EPL this season so far.  Manchester City's flop in the Champions League Group of Death. John Terry's soap opera. Most recently of course the Chelsea Di Matteo/Benitez switch.  Quietly and behind the scenes has been the rise of West Bromwich Albion.  

They are definitely starting to command some attention.  Are they the real deal though?  Can they extend the fight for a top 4 spot for many more weeks?

It has been a nice move up from a team that was relegated from the EPL in 2008.  They went down and earned their way right back into the top flight the next season though.  The last two season WBA has finished 11th and 10th respectively.

The latest victim was a Sunderland squad that gave up four goals to West Brom.  After the match was over media asked WBA coach Steve Clarke if his side could keep up the fight against the big boys.  "I don't know. I don't know is the honest answer," he said. "All I know is up until now, we have done very well. We have had a lot of plaudits and the players deserve it because so far, we have been a really good team. But you don't get carried away in the Premier League. We are still this side of Christmas, there are a lot of games to be played."

All is going swimmingly so far though as the team currently sits in 3rd place behind only the two Manchester sides City and United.  Looking up at West Brom are powers such as Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham.  Decemer holds huge challenges though.  If West Brom survives they'll be legit.  Trips to Swansea, Arsenal and Manchester United await in the coming weeks.  Home matches with Stoke, Norwich and West Ham will lighten the road a bit for sure, but to be a contender they'll need to get some points on the tough roadtrips.

West Brom sports a balanced attack as five players have notched three or more goals in EPL play so far.  Shane Long leads the attack with five goals and four assists so far, but Peter Odemwingie and James Morrison give WBA a solid attack force. Defensively WBA must termed an average side.  They have allowed 15 goals so far on the season with four shutouts in 13 matches this season.

All in all it could not have been a better opening third to the EPL season for West Bromwich Albion.  Now they must use the next month to prove they are the real deal and not just a flash.

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