Tom Fellows slammed by ex-Wolves star in West Brom first half v Middlesbrough
Tom Fellows was at fault for spurning two “big” opportunities in the space of two minutes for West Brom against Middlesbrough, Chris Iwelumo has said.
Speaking on commentary for Sky Sports+ (21 January, 8:07pm), the ex-Wolves striker slammed Fellows’ decision making as Albion blew two chances to score minutes before Boro made it 1-0 at the other end.
Grady Diangana scuffed a poor shot into a crowd of bodies after Fellows failed to let him know he was behind him, and the young winger then failed to execute Karlan Grant’s cross at the far post.
Iwelumo said: “When it falls for Diangana he has to be aware – Fellows is behind him, just a little back-heel and there’s going to be an opportunity there.
“Just communication, isn’t it? Fellows has to let him know that he’s there, but it’s a big, big opportunity.”
Following the second chance, he added: “Wait until you see this again – why does he go with his left foot? Why does he not just open up the right foot?
“He has to go with the right, has to go with the right, and just go with the instep, go with the accuracy, the contact.”
Tom Fellows fails to make impact for West Brom v Middlesbrough
As his first game back in football management reaches the halfway stage with his Albion side 1-0 down at the Riverside Stadium, Tony Mowbray could have some decisions to make at half-time.
Hauling off Fellows for his costly first-half decision-making is a non-starter for the 61-year-old given his form so far this season, producing double-figures worth of assists as Albion’s most dangerous outlet.
However, Fellows’ finishing is clearly still in need of improvement, given he chose to break stride and attempt a left-footed strike goalwards from Grant’s cross despite a right-footed finish being simpler.
With no Josh Maja to aim at up front due to the Nigerian’s injury absence, Fellows is having to push further forward to provide more threat in the final third – and that means being in one-on-one situations.
Fellows will be one of the players Mowbray and the travelling Albion fans look to in their bid to turn things around in the North East, and he’ll hopefully find his shooting boots somewhere during the break.
In other West Brom news, Jeff Stelling and Ally McCoist reacted to “the best” news to come out of The Hawthorns in recent days.
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