‘I believe in him’ – Bilic names West Brom player who needs to get back to his best
West Brom manager Slaven Bilic has said that Romaine Sawyers needs to get back to the form that he hit in the early days of last season.
The St Kitts and Nevis international has come in for criticism from some Baggies fans this season as he hasn’t adjusted as well as others to the pace of the Premier League.
Speaking to Express and Star, Bilic said that he didn’t recruit a new midfielder this summer because of his belief in Sawyers and said he was ‘the best midfielder in the Championship’ at times last season.
He said, “We have extra competition, but we need Romaine, we need good Romaine, we need the Romaine who can dominate the games. He is one of the main players for us.
“We want him how he played last season, especially in the first half of last season where he was – from my point of view – the best midfielder in the Championship.
“We weren’t that active in the transfer window in that position, because of the budget but also because of him and I believe in him.”
Following his contribution in Albion’s promotion-winning season, Sawyers was rewarded with starts in the Baggies’ first four Premier League games of the season but was dropped to the bench for Albion’s home tie against Burnley after his poor performances.
The 28-year-old wasn’t included in the matchday squad for his side’s 1-1 draw at Brighton on Monday but the midfielder was not injured, which gives some indication of how Bilic has rated his performances this season.
Sawyers was a force at times in the Championship last term and if Bilic can get him back to the form he hit in the early days of last season then Albion will once again have a quality player gracing their midfield. But, with West Brom’s poor results this season Bilic needs his squad to be performing at its best, so if Sawyers doesn’t improve soon, don’t expect him to be included in any more matchday squads.
In other West Brom news, four Fulham players have been ruled out of Monday night’s clash with the Baggies.
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