West Bromwich Albion will look to bounce back to the Premier League immediately if, as expected, they go down this season.
West Bromwich Albion may have preserved their Premier League status for another week following their victory over Newcastle United, yet relegation is almost inevitable and now is the time to plan for next season.
The West Midlands club have suffered as a result of becoming stale in their overall approach, with the team’s style of play turning supporters away and poor recruitment failing to allude to any sort of club identity.
The introduction of Giuliano Terraneo as the club’s new technical consultant is supposed to prompt a new culture and direction at the club, with chief exec Mark Jenkins later issuing a statement of intent.
“We welcome Giuliano who will bring fresh eyes and vision to the task of squad development and future recruitment,” Jenkins was quoted as saying by Fourfourtwo.
“From my discussions with the owners already, I know there is a genuine desire to build a team with greater goal power and attacking threat which can capture the fans’ imagination.”
With the club looking to adopt a new attacking mentality, they need to start from the back, and Derby County’s Richard Keogh would certainly fit the bill as an ideal ball-playing centre-back with bags of experience.
| Team | Total Passes per game | Accurate Passes per game | Fwd Passes per game | Assists | Appearances | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willy Boly | Wolves | 61.17 | 50.78 | 29.06 | 2 | 36 |
| Timm Klose | Norwich | 53.28 | 44.28 | 24.31 | 1 | 36 |
| Tim Ream | Fulham | 57.37 | 50.53 | 23.02 | 0 | 43 |
| Liam Moore | Reading | 52.2 | 43.07 | 18.11 | 1 | 45 |
| Richard Keogh | Derby | 41.56 | 33.46 | 17.78 | 5 | 41 |
As shown by the table provided by Opta, the Republic of Ireland international ranks as the fifth best central defender in the Championship in terms of playing accurate forward passes.
Keogh would undoubtedly place higher in a more possession-based side, with his stats evidently hampered somewhat by manager Gary Rowett’s preference to play defensive, counter-attacking football.
Still, the 31-year-old ranks better than most and, with a pass completion rate of over 80 per cent plus an impressive five assists, he stands out as one of the league’s best and a key reason behind Derby’s promotion bid.
With Wolverhampton Wanderers already promoted and Fulham possibly joining them, Willy Boly and Tim Ream are not exactly feasible targets while Timm Klose cost Norwich City a near £10 million back in 2016.
Keogh represents the most viable, and Derby boss Rowett may feel it would be in his best interests to do a deal as missing out on promotion would no doubt prompt the Rams to make some key changes this summer.
The former Coventry City man has played nearly 300 games at Pride Park and has twice won the Player of the Year award, yet promotion to the Premier League eludes him after several near-misses and a change of scenery may come as a welcome relief.
The Baggies must add some creativity to the side for their forthcoming Championship campaign, while the impending departure of Johnny Evans will leave them with a big void to fill and one they must act upon quickly.
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