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Analysis: Reassuringly routine win should encourage West Brom

There may not have been as many fireworks as previous weeks, and those who came expecting another goalfest might have been disappointed.

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Albion celebrate Dwight Gayle's breakthrough goal. (AMA)

But this was a reassuringly routine victory that – in some ways – sends a stronger message to the league and the fans than some of those high-scoring wins.

Albion have already proven capable of going toe-to-toe with their opponents in open games and coming out on top.

They had the firepower up front to outscore both Norwich and Bristol City in entertaining, madcap thrillers.

But it was when teams like Bolton and Middlesbrough had been tough to break down that they had failed. This time, though, they didn’t.

Millwall may be out of form, but they were resolute and organised, and for 60 minutes they frustrated Darren Moore’s men with two rigid banks of four.

Eventually the Baggies broke through with a goal that owed plenty to both past and present.

Although it was scrambled home by the ever-alert Dwight Gayle, Ahmed Hegazi’s header from a Chris Brunt corner was something of a throwback.

This team barely needs another goal threat, but bring set pieces back into play, and Albion’s bow will have more strings than a sitar.

Encouragingly for the Baggies, it took just eight minutes for them to add a second and thus, kill the game.

Just when it was starting to get a little nervy, they moved up a gear and made their superior quality count.

The whole back three were much better, both in and out of possession, and they were rewarded with a much-needed clean sheet.

The only time that looked under threat was when Sam Johnstone went walkabout in the first half, but Craig Dawson spared his blushes.

There are signs they are all starting to get to grips with the system, none of them look as nervy in possession as they did a month ago. As the games roll by, confidence is building.

Which is why it’s time to give Albion’s head coach some credit.

Even if he has one of the strongest squads in the league at his disposal, he still has to get it firing.

If last season proved anything, it’s that reputation gets you nowhere and misusing talent will be punished.

Alongside the improved performance from the back three, one of the most pleasing aspects of the match was the desire and work rate.

As they probed and probed, moving further forward into Millwall’s half, the hosts were always vulnerable on the break.

But Dwight Gayle, Jay Rodriguez, Harvey Barnes and Matt Phillips – before he came off – all tracked back at different times to stop counter-attacks.

At one point in the first half, Gayle was Albion’s deepest player, filling it at centre-back after tracking his man.

It is that sort of work ethic needed to succeed against teams like Millwall, who may be short on quality, but will pounce on any sign of weakness, complacency or arrogance.

Eyebrows were raised when Chris Brunt returned to central midfield, but he had a solid game alongside Jake Livermore, the sort of 7/10 managers crave.

He is not a central midfielder by trade, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him and Gareth Barry trade places regularly, but it’s testament to him that coaches believe he is good enough to play there.

Moore’s substitutes were spot on. Wes Hoolahan took the pressure off by looking after the ball and and bringing Tosin Adarabioyo on to switch to a back four helped see the game out.

Tyrone Mears was an enforced change, but he had a hand in the second goal.

A left-field signing, bringing him in was Moore’s call and his call alone, and it came out of the blue.

Phillips will always leave big boots to fill because there are few capable of playing wing-back as successfully as him, it is not an easy position to play.

But Mears's half an hour suggests he can be a functional understudy.

It’s still early in the season, but the simple fact is Albion are now third, one point off the leaders having scored the most goals in the division.

After a jittery start yielded just one point from two games, this team seems to be growing into the system, and controlling larger portions of matches.

Custom dictates that you build teams from the back, but Moore has decided to build his from the front, recognising that goals win you games.

Now the defence is beginning to improve, Albion look like they could be a formidable prospect in this division.

In his first ever season as a manager, Moore has navigated a tricky summer of financial downsizing and player unrest, turned the club’s fortunes around, restored the fans’ faith and interest, made the side attractive to watch, and more importantly, made them competitive too.

That is no mean feat. Perhaps the most encouraging thing is that over the past two months we have visibly seen his side grow from an inauspicious and worrying start into heavy promotion candidates.

At the start of the season, fans were nervously excited about the Moore era, praying their inexperienced club legend would turn into the head coach they needed. There are tentative signs that he could be.

Back-to-back home wins of different flavours in the space of five days has cemented this as a promising start.

While there are sure to be bumps in the road this season, Moore has given himself a platform from which to succeed and an important amount of credit in the bank.

This determined and diligent new manager continues to prove his doubters wrong, if indeed there are many left among Albion fans.