View: West Brom loanee has surely shown enough to suggest he deserves permanent deal this summer
When West Brom brought in Callum Robinson in the January transfer window, it was blatantly obvious why they had decided to do so.
With Grady Diangana out injured because of a hamstring complaint, a short term deal for another flying winger from a Premier League side seemed like a smart move – like for like, so to speak.
But now that Diangana looks set to return for the Championship run-in, it leaves Robinson in a peculiar position.
By no means has he played badly for the Baggies, but at the same time, Diangana was such a revelation during the first part of the season that it’s hard to see him being benched if he is fit and available.
Moreover, Diangana has a higher cross completion rate, a higher pass completion rate, a higher total action success rate, and more goals and assists per 90 minutes for the Baggies this term, as per Wyscout.
But that’s not to say that Robinson can’t still be a serious asset for Slaven Bilic.
In fact, his shot accuracy is 3.3% higher than Diangana’s this term, his xG is 0.25 higher, and his dribble success rate is 9% better than the 22-year-old’s.
And there’s an argument to be made for Albion making a permanent move this summer, if the price is right.
Take Robinson’s first goal for the Baggies as an example.
In the image above, the 25-year-old is the Albion player closest to the camera in the final third.
Notice how he is already on the move as soon as his teammate picks up possession.
He’s alive to the threat, and immediately aware of how his own movement can help to increase it.
Cleverly, Robinson makes his run on the blindside of the defender, just curving out of his eye line so that he doesn’t realise he’s there until he is too late.
At that point, when the ball is slotted through, he has travelled a good 15 yards or so without being tracked, and now finds himself through on goal without a defender anywhere near him.
And the finish is superb too.
Rather than taking the easy option and trying to slot one into the bottom corner to the keeper’s right, the wide man gives him the eyes, opens up his body, and places one in the top corner on the opposite side.
It’s not a simple skill to master by any means, but Robinson leaves the keeper stranded, and does so with minimal fuss.
In that same game, Robinson completed seven out of his nine attempted dribbles, as pictured above.
That gives him an impressive completion rate of 78%, but also highlights just how important he can be when it comes to carrying the ball in advanced positions.
This isn’t just dribbling for dribbling’s sake, this is trying drive into the box and to the byline from a berth that can cause defences real headaches.
As mentioned prior, you would still expect Diangana to walk back into the side when we face Birmingham City next weekend, but a football team is about so much more than just a starting XI.
Whether we’re in the Championship or the Premier League next term, we’re going to need good strength in depth, and Robinson has proven that he can offer that.
If a permeant deal is forthcoming, we should take the opportunity.
In other West Brom news, ‘It’s a shame’ – James Morrison reacts to upcoming West Brom exit.