‘Power and presence’ – Madeley names 2 ‘obvious’ players West Brom can sign to play Big Sam way
West Brom should be after crucial January signings who possess ‘power and presence’, according to The Athletic’s Steve Madeley.
With the January transfer window open for Premier League sides to reassess their options, the Baggies are desperately looking for players that can make a substantial impact and help lead them to what looks like an increasingly impossible survival mission.
Sitting in 19th, six points behind 17th placed Brighton, West Brom risk being cut adrift if they cannot turn around their fortunes quickly, and Madeley has outlined some key characteristics that Sam Allardyce should be looking for in new recruits.
Writing for The Athletic, the West Brom reporter shared his view on the problems Allardyce must address in January, saying “Aside from the superb athlete that is Semi Ajayi at the heart of defence, Albion’s squad is a lightweight one.”
He added: “And in attack, none of Albion’s wingers or forwards would worry Premier League defenders physically.
“To play the Allardyce way, Albion must add some power and presence to their side, with Crystal Palace defender Mamadou Sakho and Everton striker Cenk Tosun both obvious answers should deals prove possible.”
Aerial angst for West Brom
Madeley’s calls for some “power and presence” to be added to the side certainly look like being obvious remarks with a quick glance at a number of alarming statistics.
Per WyScout, West Brom possess the fourth worst aerial duel success rate in the Premier League, with 45.7%.
Given that only four teams contest more aerial duels than them per 90 (38.76), this is a worrying aspect of their game that needs addressing quickly.
They also face more corners than any other Premier League team, with 6.52 awarded against them per 90.
This shows that more power and presence in the air, certainly from a defensive standpoint, would be a welcome addition to the team, as they are being put under severe pressure.
A striker with these qualities would also be welcome as the Baggies aim to assert more dominance in the opposing box.
For all of their running abilities, strikers Karlan Grant and Callum Robinson do not have the required stature in the air to cause defences much of an issue, while Charlie Austin does not seem capable of starting Premier League games these days.
As such, targeting a forward seems like a wise move for the Baggies, and could go a long way to helping them add goals to a team who have scored a measly 11 goals in 17 league games this season.
In other West Brom news, Allardyce details how his January transfer plans have been hit by this barrier.
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