West Brom: Irish media react to Jayson Molumby’s display in draw with New Zealand
West Brom midfielder Jayson Molumby started and played the full 90 minutes of Ireland’s friendly against New Zealand on Tuesday 21 November.
Stephen Kenny made several changes to his side and they took an early lead through Adam Idah, but Matthew Garbett’s second-half strike for New Zealand ensured that the spoils would be shared at the Aviva Stadium.
Tuesday’s clash was Molumby’s first start for club or country since September, having fallen down the pecking order at The Hawthorns and it is safe to say the Irish press had a mixed response to the midfielder’s performance.
The Irish Times were incredibly disappointed by the Baggies man, grading his display a 4/10 as the 24-year-old repeatedly “flung” himself into challenges and was “erratic” in possession. When he moved to a more advanced role in the second half, he “offered very little”.
Similarly, the Irish Independent were critical of the 24-year-old’s performance suggesting Molumby was afforded a chance by Kenny having been picked in the starting XI, but the chance was, “not one that he grasped”. They gave him a more forgiving 6/10 as he “struggled” to find his rhythm in the middle of the park.
Molumby’s best review came from The Sun who once again gave him a 6/10 having suggested that he was well “disciplined” in the holding midfield role and his performance allowed those ahead of him “to their stuff” on the ball.
A few cobwebs
It is never going to be easy for a player who has been limited to short cameos from the bench in recent weeks and months to return to the starting XI and it is safe to say that Molumby’s performance on Tuesday had more than a few cobwebs.
The West Brom man actually completed the most passes in the match of any player with 55, but against a fairly weak New Zealand side he wasn’t particularly creative, only laying on one chance for his teammates despite making seven passes into the final third.
While his performance was much more of a middling 6/10 as some outlets have suggested than the 4/10 mark awarded by the Irish Times, Molumby’s display at the Aviva Stadium is unlikely to see the 24-year-old force his way back into Carlos Corberan’s starting XI.
The midfield at West Brom has been one of the most hotly contested positions and with Alex Mowatt, Okay Yokuslu and Nathaniel Chalobah all impressing in recent weeks, an average performance for Ireland is unlikely to see Molumby start against Ipswich.
In other West Brom news, Paul Robinson has been full of support for Corberan this season but does admit he’s found some Albion decisions “strange”