View: Bilic must give forgotten West Brom star with Premier League pedigree another chance
It will not have gone unnoticed by West Brom fans that Slaven Bilic’s side have scored just six goals from their opening eight Premier League matches.
With just 4.7 expected goals generated (via FBRef), the Baggies cannot argue that they have been unlucky. Instead, they simply have not created enough.
With Karlan Grant tasked with leading the line and the Croatian rotating between a three and a four at the back system, it clear that Bilic has not yet worked out how to get the best out of talented attackers Grady Diangana, Matheus Pereira and Callum Robinson.
One option could be to reintroduce Charlie Austin, with the 31-year-old fit and “working really hard”, according to the boss.
“Charlie is with us,” Bilic said late last month (via Birmingham Mail).
“We are not overloaded in that area. At the moment with Hal Robson-Kanu injured, we have three strikers with Charlie. He can get his chance. He is working really hard, he is a good professional. He is working very hard in training so we will see.”
While Grant is the far younger and more dynamic option, he is relatively inexperienced at the Premier League level, having spent half a season with Huddersfield Town during the 2018-19 season where he scored four goals in 13 appearances (via WhoScored).
Austin, on the other hand, has scored 34 Premier League goals over his career and remains a reliable finisher when given the opportunity (via WhoScored). Last season he bagged 10 goals and two assists from 18 Championship starts and it is a surprise that Bilic has not yet used him in the league this season.
Now this is not to say that Austin should become the Baggies starter going forward. Rather, it is strange that an experienced player with a record of scoring goals in the Premier League has been completely excluded by a team that is struggling to create danger.
Aged 23, Grant is a really promising player and someone that could lead the Baggies line for years to come. But Austin still has plenty to offer and could, given the right system and service, continue to play a part this season.
In other West Brom news, View: Tools to hurt them – 25y/o West Brom star who must start v Man United