Gus Poyet got fans talking as soon as he walked into life with Albion.

The arrival of such a well-known name in his first managerial role captured plenty of publicity.

Now, seven league games into his tenure, there are even more talking points as the new boss gets to know the players he inherited.

Six points from 21 does not look great. Nor does the league position.

But the fact so many of those matches have been against top sides, plus the quality of some of the football in recent games, means the season is coming to a crossroads as we approach Christmas.

An uplifting new year or a springtime of struggle?

It could go either way and these are some of the areas for discussion going into Christmas.

POINTS OR PERFORMANCES?

Albion played well enough in defeat for large parts of their last two games.

The perceived wisdom is that they were poor in victory at Exeter.

The reality is they produced the two moments of quality around goal at St James Park to take the win.

First with a penalty save, secondly with a well-constructed goal.

They were then chaotic at the back for 15 minutes against Colchester and missed chances at the other end.

Albion are playing some attractive football but moments of magic in the 18-yard areas will decide their fate and Poyet has made that clear.

RIGHT BACK

Adam El-Abd seems to have responded to the change in management as well as anybody.

A regular at left-back in Poyet’s opening matches, he was switched to the other flank at Swindon.

That meant the utility man was in ahead of specialist right backs Gavin Hoyte and Andrew Whing.

MIDFIELD SET-UP

Poyet has tried Dean Cox wide and given Kevin McLeod a run but in recent games has opted for three essentially central midfield players in Gary Dicker, Alan Navarro and Andrew Crofts with one of them in a tucked-in left-sided role.

Cox seems to be considered a central playmaker these days, though he produced a moment of right-wing magic to create the first goal of the Poyet era at Southampton.

Whether Poyet sticks with his current set-up, employs Jimmy McNulty on the left or brings in a new face remains to be seen.

But the lop-sided midfield is not really working.

FRINGE PLAYERS

Poyet went to watch the reserves on his first evening in the job on November 10.

It is a good job he took that opportunity. They have not played since and are not due to until January 6.

That lack of action for the second string cannot be helping him make full use of his squad.

RESPONSE TO GOALS

One of the main topics at the club’s press call on Monday was the importance of the first 20 minutes against Leyton Orient. In seven league games under Poyet none have been drawn and the side that scored first has always won.

On five occasions the team that scored first also scored second.

Nicky Forster’s header at Swindon was the first equaliser Albion had scored or conceded in league games under Poyet.

Given that Albion have only led for one minute of playing time in the league since Southampton, that “who scores first wins” rule does them no favours.

It did not take long for Poyet and Mauricio Taricco to pinpoint an inability to bounce back and that has not really been remedied yet.

LONG THROW

Poyet has largely ditched the long throw tactic and it paid off when a short delivery clinched his only recent win, at Exeter. Good move.

OPEN WINDOW

It may be a month long but Poyet made it clear this week that, for him, the transfer window is more about January 1 than January 31.

It will be intriguing to see what sort of business he can pull off and what sort of players he goes for.

It is a big test for the rookie boss, as is the list of seemingly winnable games ahead. Stand by for a key stage of the season.