Carlos Corberan mulls over starting role for West Brom starlet Tom Fellows
Albion head coach Carlos Corberan admits exciting youngster Tom Fellows is in his starting thoughts for Queens Park Rangers tomorrow after another lively cameo.
Academy graduate Fellows, 20, was a highlight for the Baggies in an otherwise forgettable 0-0 draw at The Hawthorns against newly-promoted Plymouth Argyle.
A direct, nippy winger, Fellows made it consecutive bright showings from the bench having impressed at Blues before the international break as Albion fumble through without several attacking options.
Corberan said: “When you don’t have all your offensive resources, the solution needs to arrive from the players we have right now. It’s something we’re conscious of and we must give the right answer.
“The most positive thing I can tell you of our attack was again the minutes from Tom Fellows. He was a player who helped the team to create something against Birmingham and he gave another step today to show he can help from the bench or even from the first XI.”
Asked if the youngster is pushing to start against the struggling Rs at home tomorrow, the head coach said: “I will see, I will analyse. It’s a process to mature as a player.
“Sometimes in the process they need confidence from the bench, and to have minutes which are different from the first XI. When you play against an opponent with 60-70 minutes in the legs, it’s different when they’re fresh from the beginning.
“He is someone ready to mature, ready to help the team and he has very good conditions. We will use him from the bench or from the start, but now he has proved that he is one solution more.
“That’s why when we created 20 pitch players, he was one of this group.”
Fellows shone in pre-season having returned from a season-long loan at League Two Crawley Town last season.
Corberan opted against loaning out he and central defender Caleb Taylor again this term. The head coach decided they were needed to bulk a squad low on numbers and would get their turn in the first-team set-up when injuries arrive.
Lively Plymouth were the better side in the first period and went closest to scoring having hit the woodwork and been denied by Alex Palmer. Albion improved after the break but could not find a way through.
