Steve Bruce learns key lesson as West Brom's familiar problem haunts them

Steve Bruce’s West Bromwich Albion reign began with a defeat at rapidly improving Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Wednesday night, on an evening where the Baggies’ ill discipline reared its ugly head again.

Albion are now ninth in the Championship after this third successive 2-0 defeat, inflicted by Billy Sharp, as captain Jake Livermore saw red for the second time this season.

The one positive note for Albion on the night was the long-awaited return of Dara O’Shea, who played for the first time since August when introduced late on, but this has done nothing other than open the eyes of Bruce and his staff as to the size of the task in hand.

Here are the talking points.

Albion have failed to score a goal in nine of their last 14 league games. Nine! It’s relegation form in front of goal, no two ways about it.

This side just don’t have the goals in them that previous Albion sides in this division have had. As mentioned previously, Kevin Phillips, Diomansy Kamara, Dwight Gayle and Jay Rodriguez - among others - covered up the defensive shortcomings of their respective teams, but it feels like an immense effort for this Albion outfit to hit the net.

They actually started well at Bramall Lane, but bar Karlan Grant’s chance from outside the area, only Grady Diangana’s howler was worthy of mentioning when it came to clear goalmouth openings.

Same old story. That’s what we witnessed so much of towards the end of Valerien Ismael’s reign, and it’s how Steve Bruce’s has begun. When Grant doesn’t score - he’s scored twice in 14 games since that September to November purple patch - Albion have been painfully blunt at the front.

It’s left them where they are in the league table - in touch of the play-offs, but now on the