Sam Allardyce told his post-match press conference that Arsenal loanee Ainsley Maitland-Niles should get ‘better and better’ after his debut for West Brom.
The 23-year-old, who made a Deadline Day switch to the Hawthorns, saw his first game for the Albion result in a defeat to Spurs.
It’s not the start the Arsenal academy product wanted, but he has been brought in to get his current side out of the mess they find themselves in.
Allardyce shared an honest verdict on Maitland-Niles’ debut and shared how this is the ‘first time’ he is playing for a team with ‘these difficulties’.
“He should get better and better,” said Allardyce. “He’s used to the Premier League. He knows what the Premier League is all about.
“He hasn’t played in a team with these difficulties. This is the first time for that.
“But quality and energy are very important. And probably more important for us in the position we are in.
“And he has got quality, real energy and pace, by the way, so that will hopefully give us more athleticism and quality when he gets it.”
Given the way West Brom are going, they are heading one way and that’s back down to the Championship.
Not only cannot they stop losing matches, but it’s the volume of goals they are conceding – 15 defeats for the Midlands outfit this season, only bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United have lost more.
Added with that, they have the worse defence in the league – a staggering 54 goals conceded, the next worse is Leeds United with 38 goals conceded.
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