Reliable journo: Big chance West Brom loan star is dropped if Bilic gives in to temptation
West Brom welcome Birmingham to The Hawthorns on Saturday when the Championship season resumes and Slaven Bilic has some big decisions on his hands.
Except for long-term absentees Nathan Ferguson and Jonathan Leko, Albion have a fully fit squad for the West Midlands derby clash and that means Grady Diangana is ready to play for the first time since January.
However returning to Bilic’s line-up isn’t so simple for Diangana as since the end of January, the Baggies have flourished with Callum Robinson on the left-wing and Matheus Pereira on the right in a 4-3-3 formation.
Filip Krovinovic has shone in the centre of the midfield but if Bilic opts to play Pereira, Diangana and Robinson and revert to a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Croatian loan star is the most likely player to get dropped to make way for Diangana, according to Express & Star journalist Joseph Masi.
“Robinson, Diangana and Pereira are all Premier League players,” Masi said on the Baggies Broadcast podcast on the Express & Star website.
“To have those three, it must be tempting for Bilic. It must be [tempted] to revert to a 4-2-3-1 and have all those three in.
“If he does that, it’s highly likely that Krovinovic would miss out, which would be a real shame. It’s really harsh.”
It definitely would be harsh if Krovinovic is dropped but if Bilic is going to play the attacking midfield trio of Diangana, Robinson and Pereira, someone is going to have to be dropped.
Jake Livermore won’t be dropped. He’s captained West Brom all season and has been a rock in the defensive midfield role.
Romaine Sawyers is more likely to be axed than Livermore but the ex-Walsall playmaker is a key cog in Bilic’s system due to the way he retains possession and controls the tempo of the game.
Krovinovic does a lot of good and we do hope West Brom sign him permanently from Benfica but he is the least important of those three central midfielders.
Still, we don’t think Bilic will give in to temptation and will go with the 4-3-3 formation that worked so well before the season was suspended.
In other West Brom news, Kevin Phillips believes Gareth Barry could be offered a coaching role at The Hawthorns.
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