'As important as quality': The key ingredient West Brom have added in impressive transfer window

Express & Star

3 months ago

Jonny Drury and Lewis Cox discuss the transfer business done across the summer at West Brom as the window slams shut.

Transcript

00:00And I think quality-wise, like we've said, they're obviously better.

00:03There's been this school of thought that they wanted to add experience as well.

00:07Not experience in terms of, you know, 35-year-olds who've been there,

00:11seen there, done it, going to bring a lot to the changing rooms.

00:13But an experienced player, to point a soccer AM old phrase, a great age.

00:20You know, Chris Meppham, 27, other players of that kind of age group.

00:25So, peak years, isn't it, for a second half like that?

00:30Yeah, and it comes on the back of as well.

00:32Albie may be falling off last season.

00:35At times, we've said they've kind of struggled for that.

00:38Resilience, not experience, but resilience.

00:42Underbelly, Johnny.

00:43Underbelly, yeah, not back, but underbelly.

00:45And maybe these players who've kind of played at that high level

00:48and who've got this quality and this more experience as well,

00:51you know, someone like Nat Phillips played for Liverpool, for God's sake.

00:53But, you know, that's what they're going to kind of bring.

00:58That is as important as the quality, you know, on the pitch.

01:03Yeah, yeah, the mentality of some of these new additions, absolutely, yeah.

01:07I mean, is it Meppham? Did I read right?

01:10I think I meant to check this, but I'm pretty sure it's right.

01:12Couldn't win his 50th cap for Wales this week, is it?

01:15Obviously, seasoned Premier League defender, really.

01:18At Bournemouth, you know, played a good number of times.

01:22Obviously, I wasn't that stoked, but by all accounts, his debut was supreme.

01:25I'm sure you'd back that up.

01:27Philip speaks for itself, doesn't he?

01:28An absolute warrior.

01:30But you're right.

01:31I think the calibre of clubs these players have been at,

01:35the calibre of players they've played with, you know,

01:39you soak that in as a sponge, don't you?

01:41You bring that with you, kind of the habits, the traits, the way,

01:46the aptitude with which players should carry themselves.

01:49And it should, you know, I'm going to turn West Bomber,

01:53I mean, dressing room into Liverpool's or Bournemouth's,

01:56but it should have a positive impact, shouldn't it,

01:58on the players that we'll now play with alongside Phillips, Meppham.

02:03Yeah, it really bodes well.

02:04I mean, you went through almost player by player there,

02:07and it doesn't really always work like that, does it?

02:11You know, you don't, you know, I know it's nine transfers in,

02:15and 11 out if you include, you know, likes of a Ted Can,

02:20backup goalkeeper, but it doesn't always work man for man.

02:25But, you know, I pointed to that versatility, adaptability point.

02:32Albin's squad just feels better for me.

02:35You know, we'll get onto it, but I mentioned fees earlier,

02:40the Heggham fellows, some of the incoming fees, really,

02:44what Albin managed to do, the bang they got for their book, really,

02:49with fees spent on Phillips, the fee that was spent on Meppham,

02:53you know, whatever.

02:53The Meppham ones were different.

02:55One million.

02:55Yeah, I couldn't believe my eyes, really.

02:58I might, you know, I'm really surprised that he's not necessarily come

03:04to the Championship, but come to, with respect to Albin,

03:07I mean, a relegated team, even a promoted team in the Premier League.

03:11You know, I mean, I don't want to build it up too much,

03:13but yeah, that fee, even the Phillips fee, to be honest.

03:17You know, Alfred Gilchrist, there'll be, I know there'll be Albin fans listening

03:23who, you know, are sort of, and I totally understand why,

03:26detached from the Premier League.

03:27And I remember a couple of seasons ago or so,

03:30sort of watching, you know, match of the day or whatever,

03:32and, I mean, cup games and stuff.

03:35I remember Gilchrist coming on for Chelsea.

03:36I remember him scoring for Chelsea.

03:38It was like a lovely story, Boyhood Club, all of that.

03:41He was captain there, youth sides.

03:43And he was really being billed as this prospect.

03:46Now, you know, youth prospects might as well not exist at Chelsea.

03:49You know, it's a waste of time, really.

03:51And that's why their young stars move elsewhere to try and get game time.

03:55Obviously, the same has happened for Gilchrist.

03:57Now, naturally, look, you know, Alfred Gilchrist may, is not,

04:01and may not ever become Rhys James, who, you know,

04:04his position made it at Chelsea.

04:06But, again, I was surprised that was a, you know,

04:11he had a loan at Sheffield United last season, didn't he?

04:13And I think he played a few games.

04:14Not, I haven't had the chance to look exactly into how that went for him overall.

04:19Obviously, they didn't go up.

04:20But, again, I was surprised that Gilchrist's deal was permanent.

04:24You know, a little surprised by the fee.

04:26I expect he'll, you know, become quite popular.

04:29I think he'll, you know, by all accounts, a front-footed fallback.

04:32Look forward to watching him.

04:34Yeah, you made the point about the characters, Johnny.

04:38I think that's a big point, isn't it?

04:40And it stretched right throughout the window.

04:42You know, Nat Phillips was the first of nine editions.

04:44The last of nine editions was Charlie Taylor, 31-year-old left-back,

04:48who Albin had been trying to sign for about, what, 31 years, I think.

04:53You know, how many seasons with Burnley in the Premier League,

04:56where he played a lot, by the way.

04:57Now, I know, look, wrong side of 30 now, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

05:01Obviously, joining Southampton 12 months ago, didn't play much at all

05:05when they came back down.

05:07But that doesn't say that he can't be an extremely, you know,

05:10useful and good championship player.

05:12It doesn't, does it?

05:13And there'll be an interesting debate there come the next game,

05:16obviously, a weak Saturday.

05:18Do we expect Styles to continue at left-back,

05:20or does Charlie Taylor come in?

05:22Don't know.

05:22If I'm having to make a prediction at this stage,

05:24I'd probably just edge to Styles.

05:25But for that Hegem fee, £9-10 million,

05:29and the fees Albin were able to spend,

05:32it transformed the defence, really.

05:34Almost transformed the squad,

05:35but certainly transformed the defence Hegem's position

05:38for half of the fee received for him, you know.

05:42And that's really shrewd and calculated, isn't it?

05:44And exactly what Shilam Patel vowed in the statements we've heard from him.

05:47And, yeah, you know, you can only sort of, I think,

05:52tip your cap at this stage.

05:54I don't think it sounds like I'm getting too carried away.

05:56I think we rated the window 8, 8.5 out of 10, didn't we?

06:01Maybe, you know, but it's hard and dangerous to do so

06:04when the deadline shuts, because you haven't even had a,

06:08you know, you need games and time, don't you?

06:10It's hard to call.

06:11There are unknowns, as we know,

06:13but I think most baggies out there would give the window

06:17a similar assessment, really.

06:19What they've been able to do to the squad is,

06:20you know, where the finances are at.

06:24Star players, I mean, lost star players,

06:26is quite impressive, I think.

'As important as quality': The key ingredient West Brom have added in impressive transfer window

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