View: Big Sam must do one thing v Spurs in last desperate throw of the West Brom dice
New recruits are generally given time to settle in at their new club but there is no time to waste with time ticking for West Brom in their survival search.
Tuesday’s chastening 2-1 defeat to fellow basement boys Sheffield United really stuck the knife into Albion’s survival hopes and makes it look like a pipe dream.
There was a further blow on Wednesday evening after Brighton secured a shock 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield to push the Seagulls 12 points clear of Sam Allardyce’s side.
With three wins in their last four Brighton look like they are scurrying out of reach and it now looks as if Newcastle United and Burnley represent Albion’s best hopes of catching a team in the last survival spot with both sides 10 points ahead, though in truth perhaps only the former is a realistic shout.
Victories have been at a premium for Albion this season but they must start picking up three points soon if they are to harbour any chance of taking it to the last few weeks of the campaign at least.
They will face a forlorn Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday with Jose Mourinho’s side ruing the absence of star striker Harry Kane on the back of two damaging defeats to their top four credentials.
It seems rather curious to say given this is a team containing the world-class talents of Heung-Min Son alongside a host of other superstars, but Big Sam must be aiming for victory this weekend.
Spurs have let 12 shots on their goal in the past two games against Brighton and Liverpool, conceding four times and scoring just once.
They are there for the taking.
As such, Big Sam must go all out to capitalise on this opportunity.
That doesn’t necessarily mean going gung-ho and pouring forwards in the first 10 minutes of the game, but it does mean starting his best team and that means including the new recruits.
Sure, they may not have much time to train with their new teammates and might be lacking in minutes but why else would you throw so much effort into these signings if you are not going to place the upmost faith in them to do a job for the team?
Regarding game time, Okay Yokuslu might have found himself out-of-favour at Celta Vigo but he still started two games at the beginning of 2021 before accruing another 45 minutes against Eibar on January 24 and should be raring to go.
His presence in midfield is vital with the side so sluggish and timid at Sheffield United on Tuesday as the side slunk back into the shadows after going into the lead and standing off their hosts, a tactic that ultimately cost them as the pressure told.
Jake Livermore is just not good enough at this level anymore and must be taken out of the starting XI, just as Romaine Sawyers was at Bramall Lane.
Spurs will field the mercurial talents of Tanguy Ndombele on Sunday and he has the ability to make even the best players look very ordinary so it will be a scary prospect if either Sawyers or Livermore are chosen to do battle against him.
Similar accusations could be thrown at a number of other Albion players, including Dara O’Shea and Matt Phillips down the right hand side.
This is where Ainsley Maitland-Niles could come in.
The Arsenal loanee is an established England international and was considered to be a bit of a coup for West Brom but there is some uncertainty over what position he might assume at The Hawthorns, with his preference to be a midfielder sometimes at odds with those at the Emirates Stadium who see him as a full back.
It remains to be seen where Big Sam will slot him in but the main thing is that he is in the starting XI.
Despite Phillips scoring against Sheffield United he is still desperately lacking in quality while Furlong has also struggled at times this season and often looks out of place at Premier League level.
Maitland-Niles’ undoubted quality and tireless energy are two qualities that will be vital against Spurs especially if Son lines up down their left side.
Big Sam might want to wait before throwing his new signings in but there is simply no chance he can do so – time is of the essence, and Albion must spring a surprise at the weekend and pick up a vital three points.
In other West Brom news, £40k p/w Baggie linked to Turkey transfer.
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