The lack of confidence at West Brom would have shocked Steve Bruce, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

When the 61-year-old replaced Valerien Ismael as manager last month, the Baggies were on a poor run of form and were on the verge of slipping outside the top six.

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Besides a 2-0 victory at Hull on Saturday, which was West Brom's first victory under Bruce, it's been a torrid time for the former Newcastle boss.

When Bruce arrived in the Midlands, he would have been hoping to ignite their season and get them back into contention to secure a top six place and then eventually win the play-offs.

However, he's made almost no impact, with West Brom rapidly sliding down the Championship table at a worrying rate.

Prior to the weekend, the Baggies had collected just one point, conceded eight times, and scored once in his first five fixtures at the helm, which saw them go from 5th to 13th in a little more than a month.

The three points at Hull restored some pride and prolonged their season from petering out into a midtable finish, although West Brom will need to put together a string of results to ensure that doesn't become the case in the coming weeks.

And O'Rourke reckons that the mood in the dressing room might explain why Bruce has struggled to stamp his authority on the squad and get results quickly.

What did O'Rourke say about West Brom?

When asked about West Brom's current situation, he told GIVEMESPORT: "I think he's probably shocked at how low the confidence and morale is at West Brom, no one expected them to be in this position."

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Can West Brom still get promoted?

The victory over Hull kept alive their top six chances, although with many above them in good form, Bruce's side are still outsiders, not to mention the added factor that almost every team above them have a game in hand.

Therefore, the gap to sixth-place could be as big as nine points, which is a tough ask for the Baggies, not only because time is against them, but because their form simply isn't consistent enough.

If West Brom want any chance of extending their campaign, they'll need to serve up two massive performances, with Huddersfield and Fulham visiting the Hawthorns in the coming days.