Bilic happy to suffer same problem as Pep
SLAVEN Bilic says his striker conundrum at West Brom happens to all managers fortunate enough to have options – even Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola with his embarrassment of riches.
With Charlie Austin toiling in the earlier parts of the season, Hal Robson-Kanu would often replace him and become the hero late in the day for West Brom.
The memory that stands out was up at Middlesbrough, when the Welshman poked home the winner from close range.
It happened at Stoke, against Charlton at The Hawthorns and, eventually, Bilic gave him the nod to start.
Austin, who arrived in the summer, could at that point have sulked. Instead, the roles have been reversed, and it is he who has stepped off the bench in recent weeks to rescue Albion when they’ve been in need.
That run culminated in him scoring his seventh and eighth goals for the club at Blues on Saturday, and Bilic has likened his selection dilemma to that of Guardiola, who has Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus to call upon.
“I am sure that he would rather start at the moment,” Bilic said of Austin. “It’s great to have that kind of player, that is what Hal was doing for us for a few games also. He came off the bench against Stoke, at Middlesbrough and a few games. Now Hal has got his chance and deserves his chance, but it’s impossible to play with one striker, in every club you have to share.
“Is it Aguero, is it Jesus? You need a minimum of two and they are basically sharing the games between them.
“That
is
the
best
for
us,
it
is
all about the club, the success of club. It’s not about individuals.
“They are great servants, they are really good friends, and it’s working!”
A summer arrival that was expected to put a dent in the number of goals Albion had lost in outgoing
the players last season, Austin is finally doing so. Indeed six goals in five games represents a spectactular return, but what sets apart the goals at St Andrew’s was perhaps the quality of them – these weren’t penalties, tap ins or indirect free kicks.
Austin, though, has reasoned that he’s fine in his current role, even if that means less minutes.
“No it is not a frustration. I don’t think people realise how good our squad is. I can’t keep repeating it,” Austin added.