Valerien Ismael left delighted by Matt Clarke business at West Brom
Valerien Ismael has had weeks to set his methods on the West Brom squad, and the early signs are positive.
Alex Mowatt and Matt Clarke have arrived with both of them featuring so far in pre-season against Watford.
They represent a couple of smart additions at The Hawthorns, although more will have to be done before the opener at Bournemouth.
Speaking to Birmingham Live this week, Ismael singled out Clarke as one of the major positives for the Albion.
The defender has been praised for his ability to settle in perfectly, and it feels as though he has been around since the start of pre-season.
“There is a reason why we took him because we knew about his quality,” he said. “He will give us more possibilities in the build-up because he is left-footed.
“I am very delighted with his adaptation in such a short time. He has only been here for ten days, but it feels like he has been with us since the start of pre-season.”
More needed.
Clarke is a brilliant addition for the left-hand side of the defence, and we expect him to start in the opener against Bournemouth.
There is more that needs to be done though.
The loan of the Brighton man sorts out the heart of the defence, but the final third and midfield are still two areas that desperately need sorting.
Ismael will know that, and he will be looking for players of similar quality to Clarke in their specific areas.
With only one week before the season starts, any business that is concluded is unlikely to make a difference against Bournemouth.
Going into the final month of the window, Matheus Pereira and Sam Johnstone may need to leave to fund other moves, and that is something we have to accept.
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