Danny Wright

Thu 10 February 2022 8:10, UK

Nigel Quashie is concerned about Steve Bruce’s hopes of getting West Brom promoted after their 2-0 loss away at Sheffield United on Wednesday night.

Billy Sharp scored in each half as Jake Livermore was sent off for the second time this season at Bramall Lane.

Albion, in Bruce’s first game, dropped down to ninth in the Championship table and are now 10 points away from the top-two.

There were positives to take from Albion’s display in Yorkshire, mainly the performance of returning goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

But ex-West Brom midfielder Quashie feels Bruce needs to act quickly to root out players who aren’t going to fully commit themselves to the cause if he wants to revive a top-six finish.

“There’s loads of work that’s been left behind at West Brom for Steve Bruce and his staff,” said Quashie via his personal Twitter account in an instant reaction to the defeat on Wednesday night [9 February].

“Assessment of the players will be needed quickly to see which ones are prepared to fight for everything to try and get into the playoffs.

“16 games left and [time] is running out!”

Spot on

Valerien Ismael never was the problem at The Hawthorns – there are plenty of issues at the Black Country club and not all of them can be addressed midway through a season.

It was still the right decision to get rid of the Frenchman with Bruce inheriting a mess of a squad that’s no doubt going to struggle to adapt to a new way of playing because the old boss was so rigid and stubborn.

Bruce’s new lot will take time to shake off the rust that gathered on Val’s much-maligned 3-4-3 formation and that was in some ways telling at Bramall Lane.

Johnstone played well in goals and Andy Carroll was bright up front again. There are two positives for West Brom fans to take into Monday night’s clash against Blackburn for what will be Bruce’s first game in charge at The Hawthorn.

Another positive might be that Livermore will be banned – Albion are unbeaten in the four games he’s been suspended for this season already.

If Bruce wants to make an impact he needs to take inspiration from what Sam Allardyce did when he took charge midway through last season.

While Bruce doesn’t have the luxury of a transfer window to alter his squad, we would not be against him dipping his toes into the free agent market and we certainly wouldn’t oppose him axing Livermore, like Big Sam did.

In other West Brom news, a new document has confirmed a major behind-the-scenes exit at The Hawthorns in the last 48 hours.