View: In-form West Brom ace must make way for senior player on verge of return
Conor Townsend’s form has drastically improved over the last month but that does not mean that the left-back is immune from being dropped from the West Brom starting line-up.
The 26-year-old has stepped up his game with Nathan Ferguson and Kieran Gibbs both sidelined with injuries but the latter is set to return from his spell on the sidelines this week – and that casts doubt over whether the ex-Scunthorpe defender will remain in Slaven Bilic’s immediate plans.
Ahead of the FA Cup clash with Newcastle at The Hawthorns on Tuesday night, Bilic confirmed that 30-year-old Gibbs would make his first appearance since New Years Day by appearing in his starting line-up [Express & Star].
The fact that Gibbs will start against the Magpies means that Townsend is going to get a well-deserved break.
Since Gibbs’ injury on New Years Day, Townsend has played every minute of every game in both the Championship and FA Cup – nine 90-minute-long appearances in 60 days.
In that time, the former Hull left-back’s form has kept on improving with a goal in the 1-0 FA Cup win against West Ham being the best moment for him.
However Gibbs’ return shouldn’t be just for Townsend to have a break, it should be a permanent switch made by Bilic once the ex-Arsenal left-back is fully up to speed.
Even though Townsend has done well, you cannot deny that Gibbs sticks out like a sore thumb in the Championship due to his undoubted Premier League quality.
We’re talking about a player with 10 caps for England, two FA Cup winners’ medals and 229 appearances for Arsenal where he’s played in the Premier League, Champions League and more.
Gibbs has made just 10 appearances for West Brom in the Championship this term but his stats still look better than Townsend in his 20 league outings.
According to WhoScored, Gibbs has averaged more interceptions and clearances than Townsend while also being dribbled past less often and conceding fewer fouls.
While Townsend has averaged a lot more tackles, won more offsides and made more blocks, Gibbs’ stats still seem to stand out more than his.
It’s the same thing when you look at their attacking stats too.
Townsend is very much an attack-minded left-back but Gibbs has averaged more shots at goal, key passes, dribbles and been dispossessed less often than Townsend.
This isn’t being written to say that Townsend should be dropped – it’s being written to say that Gibbs needs to be in that starting line-up once he’s fit.
West Brom’s form started to drop last week.
Even though they beat Preston 2-0 it wasn’t the most convincing of performances and, of course, the 1-0 defeat at home against Wigan was simply terrible.
Bilic has had some warning signs that it’s time for a change and bringing Gibb back into the side is something that can help stop a slump in form before it’s properly begun.
In other West Brom news, one Baggies ace was head and shoulders above the rest against Wigan on Saturday.