West Bromwich Albion’s poor run continued when they were thrashed 3-0 at White Hart Lane by Tottenham Hotspur. The sense of frustration that grew when they were ousted by Derby County at the Hawthorns from the FA Cup third round, has now ascended further following their terrible display last weekend.
To Pulis’ credit, West Brom have been quite adventurous this season and have juxtaposed that with the direct approach which made Pulis’s system effective in the past. Their rise to the top half hasn’t gone unnoticed but West Brom’s backline has often let the team down in games against the bigger sides this season. They will have to do better if they want to keep their place in the top half of the table.
And Pulis is looking to strengthen at the back with reports suggesting that the Baggies are eyeing a move for Blackburn Rovers’ Jason Lowe. Lowe is quite adept both in the right-back’s role as well as in the midfield and could be a utility addition to Pulis’ setup.
The former England U21 international is out of contract in the summer and is looking to part ways with the club. The Baggies would definitely not wait until then as clubs like Brighton and Hull City are also plotting bids for the former the 25-year-old. Given the West Brom’s current position in the league table, they could edge out the competition if they make a move now.
A Blackburn Rovers youth product, Lowe has now played 210 games, scoring 11 times and assisting 45. At 25, he has garnered good experienced and is approaching his prime years. West Brom could be getting a real asset if they manage to land him at Hawthorns.
For a defensive-minded player, Lowe has been quite impactful. In his 23 Championship appearances, he has created 15 chances and provided one assist. He has completed 642 passes so far with a pass accuracy of 79%, of which 71% were forward passes.
His knack for playing better centrally allows him to hold the ball quite well and his timely tackles could be immensely helpful in breaking counter attacks. He has 46% of his average duels in a competitive league like the Championship, where it is all-attack every time. At 183cm, he could also prove to be a potential threat in the air.
West Bromwich are currently eighth in the Premier League table, and their next few fixtures include all mid-table teams like Middlesbrough, West Ham United, Stoke City and Sunderland, where Pulis would surely aim for wins. And having Lowe before that will definitely make the progress fruitful.
