Exclusive: Phillips claims West Brom 26y/o lifted ‘massive weight’ off shoulders v N’castle
We’re delighted to welcome former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
Kevin Phillips believes West Brom forward Kenneth Zohore lifted a huge weight off his shoulders by scoring against Newcastle United on Tuesday.
Zohore, 26, has found first-team chances hard to come by since joining West Brom in an £8million switch from Cardiff City in the summer.
He’s made 18 appearances in all competitions this season but only has only started five times in the Championship.
Zohore is viewed by many fans as the worst signing Albion made in the summer, considering how little impact he’s made and the fact he’s the club’s most expensive signing since relegation from the Premier League in 2018.
However Phillips believes that goal against Newcastle could get him back into Slaven Bilic’s good books after failing to make any of his last seven matchday squads in the Championship.
“Yes, definitely,” Phillips told West Brom News when asked if Zohore’s boosted his chances of getting back into Bilic’s squads in the league.
“I was a striker myself and it’s always a massive weight off your shoulders when things haven’t gone so well. He’s had to be patient, just like Charlie Austin, and when you do get your chance you’ve got to take it.
“When Zohore came on he actually bullied the Newcastle centre-halves for a short period. He held the ball up well. He showed good strength, got in the box and then he’s shown he can be in the right place at the right time.
“He’s done his chances of being in and around the squad for the rest of the season no harm whatsoever.
“He came on and looked like he had something to prove and he did that.”
Zohore’s lack of appearances in the Championship also led to Phillips suggesting that the Dane may have boosted his chances of finding a new club in the summer transfer window.
When asked if Zohore had put himself in the shop window for the summer, Phillips added: “Yes, definitely.”
While it remains to be seen what will happen with Zohore in the summer as he’ll still have another three years to run on his contract at The Hawthorns, the chances of him getting much football next term are low.
If West Brom go up, is a player who struggled to play for them in the Championship going to get much game-time in the Premier League? It’s very unlikely.
In other West Brom news, Darren Fletcher has criticised Albion fans for the poor atmosphere at The Hawthorns on Tuesday.