‘Strange’ – Steve Madeley questions key Bilic decision against Palace
Steve Madeley has labelled Slaven Bilic’s decision to start Grady Diangana during West Brom’s defeat to Crystal Palace as ‘strange’.
Speaking on his personal Twitter account after the 5-1 defeat, The Athletic’s West Brom correspondent was asked by a fan about the decision to take the former West Ham man off, to which he responded: “I’m in the opposite camp. I think the decision to start him was strange, given his and Robinson’s respective recent form.”
Diangana was hooked at half-time for Filip Krovinovic following Matheus Pereira’s red card.
West Brom had just levelled the game through Conor Gallagher prior to the red card, which ultimately swung the game back in Palace’s favour.
While Diangana did not necessarily do too much wrong against Palace, his inclusion in the side could be viewed as something of a missed opportunity for Slaven Bilic and West Brom.
Having won just two of their last five league outings, Palace are a side that could have been there for the taking. A more positive line-up from Bilic, possibly including Callum Robinson from the start, could have seen the game end very differently.
Robinson, who has scored twice this season in the Premier League, can consider himself unlucky after an impressive performance against Sheffield United last time out.
Having played 152 minutes fewer than Diangana, Robinson has had more shots on target (12) in the Premier League this season compared to the former (9), according to Wyscout.
The Irish forward has also delivered three more crosses and only marginally trails Diangana when it comes to touches inside the opposition box, as per Wyscout.
Having impressed mostly off the bench now could be the time for Bilic to call upon the club’s joint-top goalscorer in the Premier League this season.
Pereira’s red card could now put the onus on Bilic to start with out-and-out strikers against Newcastle, in what could be a huge game for the Baggies.
However, given the Covid outbreak that’s currently ongoing, that game may well be postponed.
In other West Brom news, Steve Madeley makes big Bilic claim ahead of West Brom PL clash v Newcastle