Sam Allardyce places a solid defence at the heart of his gameplan, meaning the form of centre-back Semi Ajayi must be a big plus for the new West Brom boss.
Ajayi, who scored a late equaliser at Liverpool on Sunday, has impressed the fans with his displays despite the club's struggles this season.
But his path to the top has been far from straightforward, taking him from Dartford and Arsenal to trials at Ajax.
"My journey has been a bit crazy" the 27-year-old told BBC Sport.
"It just makes it even sweeter now that I'm finally in the biggest league.