Nick Ware

Tue 5 January 2021 11:06, UK

Cheikh Diaby was named on the West Brom bench against Arsenal on Sunday and Steve Madeley reckons he could prove to be a valuable option for Sam Allardyce as they make a late Premier League survival bid.

With Karlan Grant and Hal Robson-Kanu out injured and missing against the Gunners, there was a vacant space on the bench for a forward and Allardyce chose to hand it to 20-year-old Diaby who joined the club in 2019 from French side Le Havre.

He did not make his first-team debut in the 4-0 Hawthorns thrashing and is unlikely to keep his place in the coming weeks as players, including captain Jake Livermore, make their return to the squad.

However Madeley, The Athletic’s West Brom correspondent, believes Diaby possesses the natural attributes to give Allardyce food for thought, and give the Baggies a spark that will excite fans in a season filled with disappointments.

As part of The Athletic’s ‘20 young Premier League players to watch out for in 2021‘, Madeley detailed Diaby’s abilities, saying: “There is little doubt that the Frenchman is an exciting prospect who has begun to display his potential this season.”

He added: “He has the basic physicality, power and pace to make him a potential option for Allardyce, depending on the business Albion can do in the January transfer window.

“If Allardyce gets the players he wants, Diaby could even be sent out on loan to further his development with a spell of first-team football elsewhere. If not, don’t rule out more appearances in matchday squads and potentially some game-time in the Premier League.

“He can operate wide on the left but is primarily an explosive centre forward with a knack of scoring goals.”

Desperate for additional firepower

West Brom fans will be dreaming of having their own goalscoring wonderkid who can save their season after some worrying attacking displays of late.

The Baggies have scored just the once in their last four games and have only scored two goals in a Premier League game twice this season (in a 3-3 Hawthorns draw with Chelsea and a 5-2 defeat at Everton).

This has contributed to their meagre total of 11 Premier League goals this season, with only Sheffield United (8) and Burnley (9) scoring fewer.

Charlie Austin has come back into the squad recently and has been introduced as a substitute in five of the last six games, but has failed to find the net, while Karlan Grant’s only West Brom goal remains the one he scored at Brighton on October 26.

Callum Robinson’s last goals were even further back than that as he has endured a barren run since his Chelsea double on September 26.

This shows that for all of their defensive inabilities, Albion are still lacking a goal threat and any sort of attacking verve to instil fear into the opposition defence.

Allardyce will be looking to the January transfer window to try and address that but, without boundless funds, he might have to place faith in some young academy players to inspire his troops.

If Madeley’s appraisal of Diaby is half right, then perhaps he can be West Brom’s secret weapon in the second half of the season as they look to stage an unlikely bid for Premier League survival.

In other West Brom news, Allardyce reportedly keen on reunion with Everton striker.

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