'It is one area they are lacking': Jonny Drury makes West Brom pace claim ahead of Leicester clash

Express & Star

Jonny Drury and Lewis Cox discuss selection issues ahead of Albion's clash with Leicester City on Friday night. In the latest episode of the Baggies Broadcast, they looked at a number of different topics ahead of Friday's live clash. Jonny gives his opinion on the two players who need to feature from the start on Friday - and outlines an area where Albion are lacking in options.

Transcript

00:00One thing, we can talk about selection to a blue in the face.

00:03I think, for me, on Friday, I think he has to start with Illing Jr.

00:09And I will explain as for why we've had this conversation off pod.

00:13You know, we're in some chats with some of our older colleagues.

00:18I think what Friday underlines the selection of it is that when Michael Johnson's not in the team

00:23and when Illing Jr. is not in the team, Albion really lack any pace to beat a man.

00:30I know Cullen Grant's out on the treatment table at the moment.

00:33He's a wide player who I kind of like, but he's not somebody who's going to beat a man.

00:38Jed Wallace is not going to do that.

00:39He put in a couple of decent crosses, but he's not the player to do that.

00:42I think when you play Price out wide, he has got that pace and that quality to beat a man,

00:47but his better position is inside.

00:50And I think my wider point is that I've waxed lyrical about Albion's trance window

00:57until I'm blue in the face.

00:58So we've done very, very well.

00:59You know, they've been very, very decently built.

01:02The quality's better now than what it was.

01:03But if it's one area that Albion are lacking, it is a lack of pace beyond two wingers out wide.

01:11And that is the one area.

01:13They're not going to cover every area in trance windows.

01:16I don't think it's feasible at the moment in the business that Albion have done.

01:21And, you know, Tom Fellow's going, well, there's always going to be a big miss.

01:25But I think it's underlined a little, maybe chink in the armour of Ryan Mason's squad,

01:30is that when you don't play with Johnston from the start,

01:33and you, you know, Illing Junior's going to come in,

01:35and I think he will be a regular starter, but obviously he's new to the side.

01:38But when you don't play with Johnston from the start,

01:40Albion severely lack pace.

01:42And that, in that first period against Borough, you know,

01:45aside from Borough's goal, I thought Albion were pretty comfortable.

01:48You know, there were times where it looked like they may get in behind

01:51and have a real go at Middlesbrough,

01:53and they didn't have the pace to do it.

01:56And I think Albion look a better side when they've got pace out wide.

02:01So when you haven't got Johnston, you haven't got Illing Junior starting,

02:05because he's got pace rapid, you know, you're losing something a bit.

02:10And that's not me criticising his overall selection.

02:12I get the sentiment of what he tried to do.

02:14But I think it underlined that in that one area,

02:17despite strengthening in a number of areas in the summer,

02:20in that one area, they probably are surely of depth.

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