Jed Wallace's West Brom win prediction as play-off race intensifies
Winger Jed Wallace hopes a welcome international breather can help 'tired' Albion re-charge ready to achieve the seven wins from nine needed for the play-offs.
Wallace, one of the Baggies' star men and a strong contender for Player of the Season at The Hawthorns, reckons Carlos Corberan's squad need to reach 76 points to breach the Championship's top six.
Albion are currently eighth, five points adrift of their target of sixth with nine games to go. They are currently amid a two-and-a-half week international break – though those not on duty with their nations are in training at the club's Walsall training base, with Corberan focusing on delivering style and tactical methods.
By chance, Albion would need to repeat exactly the record from the nine league games following the winter World Cup break. Albion won seven of nine league matches as action resumed in December following the Qatar showpiece.
Wallace, who turns 29 this weekend, also admits a recent spate of injuries has increased tiredness levels within the Baggies camp at the end of a long season.
"The manager said after it felt like a loss," Wallace said to BBC Radio 5Live of his side's most recent outing, the 1-1 draw in Cardiff a week ago.
"We've been struggling away, but we've been amazing at home. I think it's ten wins in eleven and only one goal let in.
"The problem is that when you're 17 games in and you're rock-bottom of the league, every game is a must win from that point to try and achieve your target of getting into the top six.
"It's still not over. I know we're needing a certain amount of wins in the games remaining, we have nine games to get seven wins which we have done this season before. It was disappointing (Cardiff) but I think there are a lot of tired squads around the Championship and the EFL at the moment.
"Ours is certainly one, we've had a lot of injures, but hopefully we get a couple of people back over the next couple of weeks going into what will be a massive game against Millwall at The Hawthorns."
Millwall, where Wallace was an admirable servant for more than five years including loan deals, visit the Black Country when actions resumes following the break on Saturday, April 1. The Lions currently sit sixth. Other play-off rivals to test Albion's exceptional home record under Corberan include Norwich and Sunderland.
Hawthorns hope is not lost the Baggies can make one more, late, Corberan-inspired charge to get where they need to.
Wallace, who has started in all 37 of Albion's league games this term, continued: "It can change so quick. Luton were two goals down at Millwall, they quickly get two goals and then they go and win back to back games, it can look very different.
"It's the same with us, five points in the Championship can be nothing because there are so often three games in a week.
"We know we need to improve our away form. There have been a couple of hammer goals – Blackburn we let one in in the last minute, two points there are massive.
"Us and Boro have been on such a run to get into that top six, Boro have gone a little bit better than us – certainly away from home – but we know it's still all to play for. We'll have a right go.
"I'm watching the other results coming in, you're hoping other results go your way, as are every other team at the bottom and the top, but it's important that every team focuses on themselves – I know the amount of wins we need to get in the play-offs."
