Hope Powell believes Albion have met their pre-season target of maintaining a consistent level of performance in the first part of their league campaign.
After eight games, Albion are third with 15 points to their name – marking their best start to a WSL season.
“I am really pleased because we targeted to start the season with a bit more consistency and we’ve done that,” Powell said. “We’ve performed quite well at times which has put us in the position we’re in. I am pleased we’ve managed to sustain a level of play we set out to do, and now it’s about trying to ensure we carry that on.
“We’ve performed well when perhaps we weren’t expected to – I look at the Everton result as an example of that - but then at times we’ve underperformed.
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“That’s the challenge of the league, as some teams have shown this season. You can pick up points when you’re not expected to and lose to teams you are expected to beat.”
Albion finished the 2018/19 season – their debut campaign in the WSL – with 16 points, just one more than they currently have.
Powell says that is a good barometer of the improvement the team have made since promotion.
“We’d all agree that we’ve improved, but while we’re doing that so has everyone else in the WSL and that’s what you’ve got to keep your eye on. You’ve also got to remember how quickly it can change.
“We now understand the demands of the league and what is required. When you’re coming into the league for the first time can be a steep learning curve.
“We have to keep working hard and picking up points, because we want to try and finish higher than we did last season (sixth).”
Albion were disappointed to head into the November international break on the back of a 2-0 loss to Reading.
“All the players felt low after the game, it felt like we had fallen to the bottom of the league even though we’re still third. That’s testimony to everybody’s attitude. We want to be better and win, to continuously look up.
“Reading was an opportunity to pull away a little bit from fourth place which we didn’t take. The games coming up are tough but we’ll be ready.”
Albion are next in action on 12 December at home to Manchester United.