We ask whether Darren Fletcher deserves his place in the West Bromwich Albion team.
Darren Fletcher arrived at West Bromwich Albion in January of 2015 and was immediately installed as the club captain. Since then, Fletcher has been ever-constant in Tony Pulis’ starting line-up but not all Albion fans are convinced by the ex-Manchester United midfielder.
Fletcher anchors the midfield alongside Claudio Yacob and they are primarily tasked with shielding West Brom’s back four. Yacob is employed to break up play but his style, at times, can be erratic and puts his own team under pressure. At his best, Fletcher offers a calming influence next to the Argentine and brings needed stability to their partnership. What Fletcher lacks in dynamism he makes up for with bravery on the ball and Albion need players like that when things get tough.
Fletcher is the ideal leader of a Pulis team that values hard work and cohesion above all else. Along with Jonny Evans, Fletcher has no shortage of ‘big game’ experience that can only have a positive impact on the Albion dressing room. He leads with his professionalism and down-to-earth manner which are sorely lacking attributes in the modern game.
However, the Fletcher-Yacob partnership showed its limitation last weekend as they struggled to move the ball forwards against a poor Sunderland side. The duo play very deep and often restrict Albion’s potential for counter-attacks with their inability to move the ball incisively. This is one of West Brom’s biggest problems at home, as they find themselves pinned back in their own half for long spells of the game, without having the capability in the centre of midfield to relieve that pressure with telling forward passes or runs. Fletcher did provide that when he helped set up Nacer Chadli’s second goal against West Ham but the Baggies need that type of play on a regular basis.
Albion do not have many options to replace Fletcher. Sam Field and James Morrison are possibilities but they also come with their limitations. Morrison didn’t impress in a deeper role against Northampton Town in the EFL Cup and wouldn’t suit the responsibility of playing alongside Yacob in this system. Instead, Morrison should be considered competition for Chadli in the role behind Rondon. Field would be the better alternative, although his inexperience means he is unlikely to keep a consistent spot in Pulis’ team.
Fletcher does an unspectacular but effective job for Tony Pulis’ side. In many ways, he epitomises Pulis’ reign at the club – lots of effort to make up for a frustrating lack of quality. For the time being, West Brom should persist with the Fletcher-Yacob partnership with one eye on bolstering this position in January. Fletcher is a welcome part of this squad but genuine competition in the centre of midfield is desperately needed.
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