Ryan Mason makes Alfie Gilchrist admission at West Brom amid key selection claim
Alfie Gilchrist is yet to make his debut for West Brom after his move from Chelsea in the latter stages of the summer transfer window.
The right-back joined the Baggies for a fee of around £1.2million, but has been an unused substitute in each of the last three games in the Championship.
Gilchrist is an exciting signing for West Brom, given the high praise that he has received during his time at Stamford Bridge, and the expectation from many people was that he would immediately break into the team.
However, that hasn’t been the case for him so far, and Ryan Mason has now shed some light on the situation surrounding the 21-year-old.
Ryan Mason insists that Alfie Gilchrist will be involved
George Campbell has filled the right-back spot for West Brom in recent games, with the summer arrival having to play slightly out of position to fulfil the role.
The American is a centre-back by trade, and while he has done an admirable job on the right of the backline, Friday’s defeat to Middlesbrough exposed the lack of balance that his inclusion brought in an attacking sense.
That defeat on Teesside has prompted plenty of calls for Gilchrist to be handed his debut in the upcoming clash with Leicester, and Mason has now provided context to the youngster’s lack of football so far.
- Gilchrist made 30 Championship appearances for Sheffield United in 2024/25
- He has previously been compared to Chelsea and England legend John Terry
- Gilchrist made 11 Premier League appearances for the Blues and scored his first professional goal in a 6-0 win over Everton in April 2024
The Baggies boss has admitted that his new recruit has needed time to get up to speed.
“I don’t know how many days we’ve had Alfie (Gilchrist) in the building, but it’s probably not much longer than two weeks,” Mason told the Express and Star.
“Whereas George (Campbell) has been in for probably two months, so it’s a case of understanding and respecting that as well.
“When you get business done in the last day or two of the window, players are going to need time to understand what we want and what we expect from them.
“We’re certainly going to need Alfie, and he’s going to play a lot of football for us this season.”
West Brom need changes vs Leicester
West Brom face Leicester City in another Friday night clash this week, and Mason has the perfect opportunity to make several changes to his team ahead of the game.
Albion have seen their unbeaten start to the new league season come crashing to a halt with back-to-back defeats in the last two games, and there could be no better time for the likes of Gilchrist to be thrown into the fold.
The Black Country outfit were a little disjointed in possession at the Riverside Stadium, and the increased balance that a natural full-back like Gilchrist would provide is certainly needed, despite Campbell’s best efforts.
The youngster already has ample Championship experience from his loan spell with Sheffield United last season, and he has plenty of qualities that can help Albion get back on track.
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