Terry Wills talks about the in-form Albion.

There’s an old saying that lightning doesn’t strike in the same place twice. Don’t you believe it. For me and every Baggies fan this proved a complete nonsense as in the second successive home game against high-flying Arsenal, scoring opportunities were discarded that if taken would surely have sent Arsene Wenger back to the Emirates in a sombre mood.

Albion leading 1-0 courtesy of Claudio Yacob’s first goal (and what an improvement on his recent form), enter Nicolas Anelka who in the space of five minutes somehow managed to spurn not one but two gilt opportunities.
A 3-0 lead and even Arsenal would have found it difficult to salvage a point. But it wasn’t to be and as the crowd looked on in amazement the feeling was rife. We’d pay for missed chances that should have meant three points, and Arsenal would bless their good fortune by grabbing a result.

Yes, eventual disappointment but the overall display was well worth the plaudits handed out by the media in general. Television, radio, press, plus phone in programmes agreed that Albion had played some great football and deserved to win.

All complimentary and proof that Steve Clarke, thanks to his last day transfer dealings, had moulded a team capable of testing the best. Again, as against Manchester United, they looking composed in defence, creative in midfield, and capable of carving out goal-scoring opportunities.

However, creating them and taking them is a difficult ball game. Nicolas Anelka, despite his skill and ability to distribute the ball, is continually giving the supporters the feeling that at present he is a weak link.
Those misses will live long in my memory – and, I suspect, his .

So to the international break, meaning no Greed League matches this week. England at Wembley in an attempt to win games against Montenegro and Poland to ensure they qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

They should be successful, but this is England so I’m certainly not counting my, and probably Roy Hodgson’s , chickens before they’re hatched. Especially if our strikers decide to follow Nicolas Anelka’s none-scoring
abilities so painfully displayed against Arsenal.

But I’ll take a look back at England’s hoped-for progress, and the Baggies trip to Stoke next week.

Come on you Baggies, and England.