Former West Brom boss Kevin Campbell believes that Albion are 'likely' to win promotion this season as he praised Valerien Ismael for the way he has made the team hard to beat.

The Frenchman was named as the Baggies boss in the summer but he has quickly made an impact at The Hawthorns, with the side currently third in the table and unbeaten.

Despite that, three successive draws have halted the optimism for some of the fans, but Campbell told Football Insider that he has been impressed with Ismael and the way Albion defend, after it was revealed they are one of the best in the country for restricting the shots their opponents have.

"If you are not conceding goals you have got a great chance of winning. Ismael is obviously doing a great job. Yes, there has been a couple of bumps in the road with recent results but they are still up there. They are still very well placed to go up automatically.

"Listen, they are doing really well. I see a grit and a determination about them which tells me they will likely go up. They are not conceding many which is great. Ismael deserves a lot of praise for what he’s done."

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The verdict

Some fans are becoming frustrated with Ismael because of the style of play, but you can't really argue with Campbell's assessment here as the results speak for themselves.

Albion are a tough side, with the back three giving the team a solid outlook that has made them hard to beat.

Whilst improvements need to be made after a tough week that has seen three draws in a row, there's still a lot to be pleased about for the fans and Ismael's men are in a good position at this early stage.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.