West Bromwich Albion are seeking to get a move on as the end of the transfer period approaches ever nearer. With 3 days left for the window to slam shut, the West Brom boss has reiterated his desire to bolster his squad considerably. The Baggies have reportedly abided by the manager’s desire and have triggered Ignacio Camacho’s release clause. And it’s not just the deal in principle that signals their intent but the fact that the club is on the verge of breaking their transfer record twice in a matter of a day is also shocking to the Albion fans who had grown accustomed to the mundane way the club has been run.
Tony Pulis has often being accused of the one-dimensional and uninventive brand of football his teams play. Stemming from his days at Stoke, his penchant for physical players who would be just about capable of stifling the opposition but do little offensively themselves had resulted in a plethora of non-scoring draws and low scoring affairs. While some of the clubs have accepted such a strategy which more often than not enables them stay in the Premier League but it offers little entertainment-wise for fans and players alike.
But with teams like Leicester winning the league and Stoke changing their philosophy along with teams like Middlesbrough being pro-active in an attempt to play a good brand of football along with securing promotion, it was a cue for Pulis to show some urgency. And he started off with the signing of Matt Phillips which showed an inclination to increase their speed on the flanks in order to facilitate their offensive play. He followed it up with the loan signing of Brendan Galloway. But their displays over the opening fixtures haven’t shown much improvement especially their latest match against Middlesbrough which ended in a depressing 0-0 draw for the spectators.
And after the match, Pulis expressed the need to strengthen the whole squad and not just the position of the striker, which needs obvious reinforcement. The average age of the team is 28.4 years which suggests the requirement of more young players who will add zeal and hard running throughout the team. And Ignacio Camacho is expected to bring that and much more in the centre of the pitch. His tackling and defensive awareness set him a notch above the available players. He is strong in the air and is adept at intercepting opposition passes. His aerial ability will hold him in good stead but the player will have to work on his discipline, especially in and around the box.
With deals for Camacho close and Nacer Chadli on board, West Brom can yet arouse the supporters from their state of slumber this season.
