Athletic journo: West Brom player may have to make ‘sacrifice’ for ‘greater good’ v Sheff Wed
West Brom midfielder Romaine Sawyers may have to “sacrifice his own game for the greater good” when his side face Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday night, according to The Athletic journalist Steve Madeley.
The Baggies slumped to a 1-0 defeat against Brentford on Friday evening – a result that leaves them just five points clear of the play-off places and winless in their last four Championship matches.
In their clash against the Bees, Slaven Bilic started with a 4-2-3-1 formation that allowed the 28-year-old to operate in his preferred number eight role.
With his side 1-0 down at half-time, however, Bilic reverted back to the 4-3-3 system that served Albion so well in the early stages of the season.
That formation requires Sawyers to play in a deeper role, and Madeley believes that he may have to do so again when West Brom face Wednesday next week.
Writing in a piece for The Athletic, he said: “Given the second half on an underwhelming evening at Griffin Park was better than the first, there is a clear case for starting with a 4-3-3 system at Sheffield Wednesday next week as Albion search for their first goal in five league games.
“But while the switch may benefit the team, Bilic may find himself again asking Sawyers to sacrifice his own game for the greater good.”
At this stage, Bilic cannot afford to be pandering to individuals.
The 0-0 draw against Birmingham City last week was bad enough, but to follow that up with a defeat to one of our main promotion rivals will really have set alarm bells ringing around the Hawthorns.
With that in mind, a switch to a 4-3-3 seems like a smart idea for the Baggies.
From a personal point of view, however, the stats would suggest that such an alteration could lead to a much less influential role for Sawyers.
As per Wyscout, against Birmingham City last week, the 28-year-old played a total 87 passes when deployed in a 4-2-3-1.
This week, when asked to play half the game at the base of a midfield three Sawyers managed just 44.
That being said, if a change of formation can breathe some life in this West Brom side, Bilic has to push ahead with it, regardless of whether or not Sawyers would be keen.
In other West Brom news, ‘He is going to play’ – Slaven Bilic makes West Brom claim following loss v Brentford.