Kevin Campbell shares ‘brutally honest’ verdict on Kyle Bartley after sending off and poor West Brom form
We’re delighted to welcome former West Brom striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
Kyle Bartley has endured a rocky start to the season at West Brom, and things went from bad to worse when he was sent off against Millwall.
Bartley is now in his fourth year as a West Brom player, but the experienced centre-back looks anything but settled at the back for the Baggies this year.
The 32-year-old has been a huge part of a West Brom defence that has conceded 22 goals in 16 games this season, and his confidence looks to be at an all-time low after he was sent off against Millwall last weekend.
When asked about Bartley’s struggles, Campbell admitted he wasn’t solely to blame for West Brom’s poor performances, but insisted he has to improve.
Speaking exclusively to West Brom News, Campbell said: “There are all sorts going on at the club right now – there’s going to be a lot of flak flying about because it’s who to blame.
“We’re talking about an experienced player – he’s very good.
“But let’s be brutally honest, when you’re down there at West Bromwich Albion and you’re a defender you obviously haven’t been playing that well because you keep conceding and keep losing.
“I know it doesn’t always come down to Bartley but he is the main man at the back really. Getting sent off and getting beat every week isn’t great, it’s not good for him or good for the club.
“So of course there is a bit of stick flying about. He’s big enough and strong enough to take it but these things have to be improved. Performances have to improve and West Brom need to get some wins on the board.“
If Bartley wasn’t already devastated at his sending-off last weekend, he definitely would have been after watching Millwall’s last-gasp winner.
And now on top of that, Bartley is suspended for Carlos Corberan’s first game in charge of the Baggies. The Spaniard will be quickly trying to figure out his strongest lineup at The Hawthorns, and Bartley is missing a huge opportunity to impress him.
He now faces an uphill task at West Brom just to get back into the team.
In other West Brom news, a government official insists that the Hawthorns community application ‘is in safe hands’