West Brom head coach Slaven Bilic has provided a fresh update over the injuries to two of his key players ahead of this weekend’s game against Millwall.
What’s he said?
The Baggies ended their barren run of seven straight games without a win with three points against Championship basement boys Luton Town at the Hawthorns on Saturday afternoon.
Due to results elsewhere, the victory springboarded Albion back into top spot in the table, one point ahead of title rivals Leeds United and now just four points from the playoff positions.
Bilic has been without two of his first-choice regulars in recent weeks, Kieran Gibbs and West Ham loanee Grady Diangana, and the Croatian has since given the latest news on the duo.
He said:
“Kieran started training with us last Friday.
“With Kieran we want to find the balance – we want him back, but it’s happened three times. He could’ve started five, six, seven days ago. We’re going to see how it goes. We’re walking on eggshells a little bit, because of recent history, but he’s there. It’s a great sign.
“Grady’s further [away] than Kieran, but look Grady should be back, we’re talking about the beginning of March, let’s say.
“Grady should be back for the last seven, eight, nine, 10 games, if we’re lucky, and that’s a lot of games.”
Slaven Bilic, West Brom head coach.
Promotion run-in boost
Gibbs is surely bordering on a return to the starting XI following these comments, but given his inconsistent history with injuries this season, the Baggies boss is right to hold fire for now. Although, he may present a better option than Conor Townsend, who fans haven’t been best pleased with this season.
It’s the news on Diangana that is a bit of a double-edged sword, however.
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On the one hand, they are set to be without him for yet another month, which is a devastating blow to their immediate fortunes – as of the Stoke City game on the 20th of January, they had won just 14% of matches without him – since then they have only added one win from a possible two.
But in contrast, Albion will get his services for that all-important run-in towards the back end of the season. His five goals and six assists have proven invaluable to the Baggies so far this campaign.
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The west Midlanders did bolster their attacking ranks during the transfer window with the additions of Callum Robinson and Kamil Grosicki, so Diangana’s absence may not be as bad as first feared.
And in other news, Slaven Bilic’s recent decisions at West Brom cast doubt over this summer arrival…