West Brom boss Tony Pulis is reportedly considering his future with the Midlands club
If you spoke to the majority of West Brom fans I believe they would tell you their team have probably not been very nice to watch in recent years.
Baggies boss Tony Pulis seems to agree, as according to the Daily Express claims the Welshman is considering his future at the club because of frustration over the club’s transfer activity and the quality of the clubs new signings.
Lack of strength and quality in his squad
West Brom will continue to struggle if they do not bring real quality players to the club. However, they face the reality that the Baggies are not Europe and are not prepared to pay the going rate for a player.
The Baggies signings this summer reads like a who’s who of mediocrity. The permanent signings Matt Phillips, Nacer Chadli, Allan Nyom and Hal Robson-Kanu are average.
The first two have shown flashes of their talent, but most of the time they flatter to deceive, while the latter had a decent Euro 2016, capped by a brilliant goal for Wales, but in truth has struggled to score goals in the Championship.
The signing of Everton youngster Brendan Galloway on-loan may be the shrewdest of the summer, as the defender does have a lot of promise and will no doubt be a useful addition to the squad.
The old saying you get what you pay for applies here. Unfortunately, it seems that keeping in character with past dealings West Brom owner Jeremy Peace was unwilling to spend on deadline day. However, that was expected considering the club is in the midst of a takeover by a Chinese consortium.
The playing style is awful
Tony Pulis is renowned for creating teams that are solid, rather than spectacular. He is a guy that will stabilise a team and keep them in the Premier League. He will never take them any further than that. In essence, he is a firefighter.
West Brom are simply awful to watch at times. If they were playing in my back garden I would shut the curtains. This no doubt starts with the boss, but it is also down to the quality of players available to him.
Pulis created a reasonably attractive team at Crystal Palace, although the Welshman’s time at Palace was the exception rather than the rule in his managerial career. He will argue the team’s style is based on necessity, rather than will.
Just because the Baggies are not going to spend big does not mean that the team’s only tactic is to depend on set-pieces and luck to score goals.
The Baggies will always have bog standards players because do not have the financial clout to compete for the top quality players. Managing the clubs finances is arguably good business for a club that is current mid-ranking in the Premier League.
Maybe the arrival of the new owners will give the Baggies some more leverage in the transfer market and they will bring in better quality players, but that remains to be seen.
One thing that Pulis knew was that he was never going to be heavily backed financially at West Brom, as previously stated they are sensible with the club’s financial resources.
Never going to progress
West Brom will no doubt not be relegated if Tony Pulis stays and the Baggies are odds of 6/1 to finish in the top-ten of the Premier League table this season. The Baggies currently sit 10th in the fledgeling table after just three games, following one win, one draw and a defeat.
West Brom are unlikely to be relegated, but they are unlikely to progress under the current boss. The Baggies are also unlikely to progress any further under the current owners, which is probably part of the reason Peace is selling the club, apart from a financial gain of course.
Neither man can move West Brom forward this season. However, if Pulis leaves the club then the next boss will be stuck with a bunch of average players. They were brought in as the Baggies cut their cloth accordingly and play to a rigid system designed with not losing in mind.
I feel for the Baggies fans. Hopefully, the arrival of fresh investment will bring brighter days for a once-revered football club of English football.
Would West Brom be better off without Tony Pulis?
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