West Brom defender Chris Mepham has spoken of his pride after the Baggies secured a win over Watford, insisting the result showed a different dimension to a side that has been building momentum through the early weeks of the Championship season.

A different side to the Baggies

Speaking after the final whistle, Mepham was keen to stress that the victory was not simply a repeat of what West Brom have produced in their more comfortable outings. "We showed another side to us," the Welsh international said, a phrase that carries real weight given the recent conversation around the Baggies and whether they can grind out results when the going gets tough.

It is a fair point worth examining. Any Championship campaign that ends in promotion or a play-off place demands more than one style of winning. Clubs that can only beat opponents by playing their best football tend to fall short when injuries, suspensions or a stubborn defensive block disrupts the plan. The ability to win ugly, as Carlos Corberan's squad has been asked to do on more than one occasion already this term, is something supporters will want to see repeated consistently rather than in isolated flashes.

What the result means in context

The match against Watford was always likely to be a stern test. The Hornets, managed by Alessio Dionisi, have invested in their squad during the transfer window and represent the kind of mid-to-upper table side that a genuine promotion contender must be able to overcome. That West Brom claimed all three points, rather than settling for the draw that had looked possible at stages, will matter when the end-of-season table is tallied up.

For Mepham personally, this sort of Championship contest is familiar territory. The centre-back has experienced the particular demands of the second tier before, and his reading of the match after the event suggests a player and a group who are thinking clearly about what it takes to sustain a campaign over a full season, not just a bright opening month.

Caution is warranted

It would be premature, of course, to draw sweeping conclusions from a single audio interview of around seven minutes. We do not have the detailed tactical breakdown or the underlying numbers from the match to say with confidence how the game unfolded, where the key moments came, or whether West Brom's defensive shape was truly watertight throughout. What we do have is a player's honest assessment that something shifted in terms of mentality and approach, and that is a data point worth noting even if it is not the full picture.

What is clear is that consecutive wins over Watford and the wider run of results this season have placed West Brom in a position where expectation is beginning to grow. That can be a burden as much as a spur. Corberan's side have been here before in terms of early-season promise, and the manager himself has consistently tried to keep the focus narrow, match by match.

The bigger question

Mepham's comments point to something that the most successful Championship squads always possess: a collective willingness to do whatever the game requires. Pretty football earns plaudits; pragmatic, competitive performances earn points. At this level, where the schedule is relentless and the margins are slim, a team that can genuinely do both has every right to consider itself a contender.

Whether West Brom can sustain that duality across forty-six games remains the central question of their season. One more piece of evidence arrived on Saturday. The verdict on the larger body of work is still being written.

Frequently asked

Did West Brom beat Watford?
Yes, West Brom secured a win over Watford in the Championship, with defender Chris Mepham speaking afterwards about the squad showing a different side of themselves.
What did Chris Mepham say after the Watford game?
Mepham said West Brom 'showed another side' to themselves, suggesting the victory demonstrated the squad's ability to grind out results as well as play attractive football.
Where does the West Brom vs Watford result leave the Championship table?
The win gives West Brom three more points and adds to their momentum from earlier in the season, though the full table implications depend on other results across the division.