STAT PACK: Will Albion need super-subs?

TOTTENHAM are this weekend's visitors to The Hawthorns, and ahead of the clash football stats website WhoScored.com have crunched the numbers.

Albion have taken a few giants steps towards safety of late, with last week's 1-0 win at Norwich the latest in a line of positive recent results. 

It followed a draw against Cardiff that was so nearly a victory and another win came earlier in March at Swansea. 

In fact, in terms of form over the last six games, the Baggies rank in the top half of the Barclays Premier League, having taken eight points.

That should give Pepe Mel's team confidence going into this Saturday's clash with Spurs (ko 3.07pm), against whom they picked up a 1-1 draw earlier in the season. 

The side have started to find some rhythm and have rediscovered their creative and goalscoring touch, with chances and goals abundant in recent outings.

Tottenham come to The Hawthorns with their away form wobbling. 

Only three away games ago, they had the best away record in the top flight this season, but they have lost each of their last three matches on the road without netting a single goal, following a 1-0 loss to Norwich with consecutive heavy 4-0 defeats at both Liverpool and Chelsea. Albion's win last week came against the Canaries while both of the latter two sides have come away from the Hawthorns with only a point during Mel's reign.

There is certainly reason for him to believe his team are capable of another positive result.

Mel has shown a fantastic capacity for effecting matches with his decisions on the touchline with comebacks a regular occurrence. 

In fact, Albion's substitutes have scored more goals (11) than any other side in the Premier League this season. 

That's 29.7% of the Baggies goals that have come from the bench, with Victor Anichebe (3), Saido Berahino (3), Matej Vydra (2) and Thievy (2) all among the top flight's leading substitute goalscorers.

Vydra led the line brilliantly from the off at Carrow Road last week and deserved a reward for his efforts. 

The winner didn't come from the bench in the end, but the fact Anichebe and Thievy were left as unused subs only serves to highlight the strength in depth that Mel has at his disposal in attacking areas. 

Given that Spurs have conceded more goals in the final 15 minutes of their Premier League matches this season (11) than they have in any other 15-min period, those appearing from the bench could once again make an impact.