Exclusive: Phillips suggests ‘Tough’ West Brom run-in for one player as he predicts injuries
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 does not see attacker Kamil Grosicki playing much of a role for West Brom in their final nine games despite scoring against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Grosicki, 32, hasn’t started a Championship match since joining the Baggies from Hull City in January but had a chance to show his worth in the warm-up game at Villa Park last week.
The Polish winger got himself on the scoresheet in the 2-2 draw, giving Slaven Bilic some food for thought ahead of the season restarting next week.
However, Phillips cannot see Grosicki breaking into Bilic’s starting line-up unless there are injuries to players who are higher up in the pecking order.
“He hasn’t had many opportunities but he’s a good player,” Phillips told West Brom News. “He’s had to be patient, as a lot of players have done.
“When you get an opportunity you have to take it and playing behind closed doors in a friendly match, it doesn’t matter, you’ve still got to impress.
“I feel he’ll only get his opportunity if someone gets injured or if there’s a loss of form in the space of the nine remaining games. It might be tough for him.
“His only opportunity might be through injuries. You expect injuries because players aren’t completely up to scratch and there’ll be injuries early on. You have to be ready to play.”
Grosicki’s has had varying degrees of impact in his seven substitute appearances since joining the Baggies in January.
He assisted Dara O’Shea’s goal in the win against Millwall on his debut but fast forward a few weeks to the Preston game, he squandered a few chances to get on the scoresheet or assist another goal.
Grosicki played seven times before lockdown and Grady Diangana was injured for all those games.
Now Diangana is fit again, we might not see Grosicki as regularly unless, like Phillips says, there are injuries.
In other West Brom news, Albion are set to play two matches against Premier League opposition this week.
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