West Brom: Josh Maja will want to put The Hawthorns quirk right - View | OneFootball

West Brom striker Josh Maja will be hoping to improve his home form

West Bromwich Albion have made a positive start to the Championship season and sit fourth in the table, having won five of their opening nine games prior to October's international break.

However, it could be argued that the break has come at the right time for an Albion side who are winless in three games, after a 0-0 draw with Millwall which followed consecutive one-goal defeats at the hands of Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday.

One of the main talking points surrounding the Baggies this season so far has been the form of former Fulham and Sunderland striker Josh Maja, who sits joint-top of the Championship's top scorer charts alongside Norwich City's Borja Sainz on seven goals.

But bizarrely, six of Maja's goals this season have come away from home, which is a trait the 25-year-old will surely be striving to rectify.

Maja must look to improve home form

While the former Bordeaux man is undeniably playing a key role in the Baggies' early-season promotion bid, he will want to turn his home form around.

His hat-trick away from home at QPR on the opening day of the season was highly impressive and has set the tone for his prolific form on the road.

In fact, the Baggies have won 9 of their 17 points so far this season away from home, and only Leeds United have won as many points on their travels in the Championship.

But Albion fans will be disappointed by the fact that their side have been inconsistent at the Hawthorns so far this campaign, with two wins, two draws and one loss on home soil.

Carlos Corberan's men have won eight points at home this season, while league leaders Sunderland, and fellow top-six sides Watford and Sheffield United have all produced a return of 13 points from their home games this campaign.

If the Baggies want to seriously trouble the automatic promotion spots, they will have to start winning more games at the Hawthorns, an effort which Maja can play a major role towards by scoring more goals on home soil.

Turning home form around shouldn't trouble Maja

The Nigeria international has proven his goalscoring ability in the Championship this season and has made a habit of finding the back of the net in high-pressure away games.

In theory, if Maja is able to produce the goods in front of a hostile atmosphere, encouraging his opponents, then surely emulating such form in front of a partisan crowd willing him on should not be an issue.

However, if Maja is unable to rectify this somewhat unusual quirk regarding his goalscoring form, then it could weaken Albion's promotion prospects.

The reigning second-tier Champions, Leicester City, won 17 of their 23 home games last season, more than any other team in the Championship last season, which epitomises the importance of home form.

The Baggies will consequently look to improve their form at the Hawthorns, while Maja could provide a helping hand by emulating his form on the road in front of a home crowd.

Albion's next home game sees them take on bottom-of-the-league Cardiff City, so it is a major opportunity for the striker to rectify his relative struggles at the Hawthorns.