The main difference between the Premier League and the Championship is the standard of attacking play, so any team with an average defence has little hope of staying up – just look at Norwich last season.
It leaves the newly promoted sides with a few different options of bolstering the defence when they come up, but every one carries a big risk.
They can rely on their existing players or take a chance on players from the lower divisions in the hope they can handle the step up, but there’s no way of knowing how good they are until it’s too late.
They can also take a chance on a player from abroad, but the Premier League is notoriously fast and physical so it’s common to see defenders struggle when they don’t get a free kick every time an opposing player has the audacity to put the slightest bit of pressure on them.
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The final option is to take a chance on a veteran player who has a lot of experience in the league, and it looks like West Brom are going to go down that route.
A report from Noticiasaominuto has quoted the Telegraph in saying that West Brom are in advanced talks with the former Chelsea and Zenit defender Branislav Ivanovic, and it looks like the move is going to happen.
On the plus side he’s played 261 times in the Premier League for Chelsea, he’s vastly experienced and he’s also handy for a few goals each season so you can understand why he could be seen as a good addition.
It’s absolutely worth pointing out that he’s 36 years old and you’ll almost be able to hear his legs creaking as the season goes on, so they won’t have any chance of playing a high pressing game.
He usually played at right back for Chelsea but you have to think he would play centrally for West Brom, but his age does suggest this is a gamble that might not pay off.
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