West Brom face anxious wait as fitness update emerges on Southampton ace Che Adams
Russell Martin has provided a fitness update on forward Che Adams ahead of Southampton’s clash with West Brom.
Adams was forced to miss the first leg of the play-off semi-final between the Saints and the Baggies which ended 0-0 at The Hawthorns (12 May).
That goalless draw leaves it all to play for when Carlos Corberan takes his side to St Mary’s Stadium on Friday (17 May).
A place at Wembley is up for grabs and ahead of the crunch clash, Southampton boss Martin has provided an update on the availability of Adams.
Martin said (via the Southern Daily Echo, 16 May), “He is in a good place. He is in a better place than he was.
“He has done everything he possibly can to put himself in a position to start. We will have to wait and see (if he starts).”
Che Adams could make the difference for Southampton against West Brom
Everybody connected with West Brom will be hoping that Adams isn’t available.
It was clear that Southampton missed his firepower in the first leg, with the 27-year-old having been such an influential figure for the Saints this season.
As per fbref, Adams ranked in the 95th percentile of his positional peers in the Championship for the number of goals he scored (0.63 per 90), netting 16 times.
He was a constant threat to opposition goalkeepers, ranking in the top 15 per cent of Championship forwards for the number of shots (3.15 per 90) and shots on target (1.22 per 90) he managed.
His passing numbers were also impressive as he ranked among the top 14 per cent of his fellow forwards for the number of progressive passes (3.46 per 90) and passes into the final third (1.97 per 90) he played.
And his take-on success rate (55.9 per cent per 90), which placed him in the 93rd percentile for this particular stat, demonstrates that he can do it all.
West Brom’s chance of getting past Southampton will reduce significantly if Adams plays, which leaves the club’s supporters facing an anxious wait to see if the striker features.
In other West Brom news, an injury verdict has emerged on one player at the club ahead of the clash with Southampton.
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