da apostaganha： West Brom have been one of the best teams in the Championship throughout the season, as their league position would suggest, but they have been far from their best in recent weeks.
da leao： There are signs that the Baggies may be stuttering towards the promotion line and relying on rivals to drop points rather than running away with the title, particularly now that Leeds have overtaken them after last weekend’s results.
Slaven Bilic has provided great balance in his team, who have scored the most and conceded the third-least amount of goals in the division, yet his side have won just five of their 15 league games, not winning win their last three in all competitions.
However, their form may change due to the return from injury of Grady Diangana, who has played for just 24 minutes since mid-December, with West Brom’s results taking a slight hit without him.
He was spotted in training this week and could therefore be back soon, but will he provide the immediate boost that the Midlands outfit need? Our Football FanCast writers have assessed the impact he could have.
Lewis Blain
“West Brom need a spark to reignite their promotion cause and Grady Diangana is the enigmatic sort that can do exactly that.
“His role alongside Matheus Pereira in the number ten position was integral to their early-season fortunes – the Hammers loanee directly contributed to 11 goals before his injury, a feat that no other player bar the Brazilian playmaker can remotely match.
“Callum Robinson has done well in his absence on the left-wing, scoring twice and assisting one goal since joining in January but with Diangana back, he should be pushed upfront and utilised as a number nine instead of the faltering Hal Robson-Kanu, Charlie Austin and Kenneth Zohore.
“That would be Slaven Bilic’s dream, you’d imagine, and one that should steer the Baggies back on course for promotion, while he could win them the title too.”
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Viji Jeevathalayan
“With West Brom stuttering big-time in recent weeks, Grady Diangana’s return from injury is a major blessing.
“The Baggies desperately need some new life breathed into their promotion charge this season just to ensure they get over the line come the end of the campaign, and Diangana could well be that player. Whilst of course it is far too big a burden to place West Brom’s promotion hopes on the shoulders of the 21-year-old, looking to him as a source of inspiration can do them the world of good.
“Even forgetting his footballing abilities, just the sheer fact of him seeing back on the training field and on the pitch can lift teammates and his manager alike. Diangana could hold the key for Slaven Bilic.”
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Charles Jones
“West Brom have to be praying that Grady Diangana’s return will act as the catalyst to spur them on to promotion.
“Whether or not it will remains to be seen, and I’m not all that confident that this will see a huge upturn in form from Slaven Bilic’s side.
“Callum Robinson has come in and been excellent, contributing to three goals in eight games, and with just nine games to go you have to wonder about Diangana’s match fitness after missing three months of action.
“The winger can be brilliant on his day, but I’m not sure he’s the remedy to the Baggies’ current issues. He will have to be better than ever before if he’s going to be the one to get Albion back on track.”
Kealan Hughes
“Grady Diangana has been an absolute revelation for the Baggies since arriving in the summer. His five goals and six assists is impressive but only tells a small story, as his direct running can often be such an effective outlet.
“To evidence that, West Brom lost just one out of the 19 league matches he played before picking up his hamstring injury, and that was away at Leeds, while the team also scored 41 goals in those matches.
“That is a very impressive return, and shows how the Baggies could benefit from his re-introduction. In fact, after failing to score in their previous two league games concern about the attack could begin to grow, and that means Diangana’s return may come just at the right time to ensure promotion.”
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