Tony Pulis decides against playing Kieran Gibbs in the U23s
Tony Pulis has decided not to play Kieran Gibbs in Albion's under-23s match against Brighton & Hove Albion tonight, after contemplating ways to build the defender’s match fitness.
Gibbs, a £5million signing from Arsenal last month, made his Baggies debut as a second half substitute during Saturday’s 3-1 Premier League defeat to the Seagulls on the south coast.
It was the 27-year-old’s first action of the season and Pulis considered giving him a run out at the Hawthorns tonight (kick-off 7pm), after last week admitting the left-back needed to bulk-up.
“It was 45 minutes for Kieran on Saturday, which he has needed,” said Pulis. “The question is now whether we play him now in a reserve game on Monday and give him 45 minutes again.”
But the Baggies boss has decided not to play Gibbs tonight in a match that sees Gareth McAuley return from injury, as well as minutes for Oliver Burke, Claudio Yacob, and Sam Field.
Gibbs was one of two Albion debutants at the AMEX Stadium and his cameo performance was one of the few positives in an otherwise disappointing afternoon.
The other new arrival, PSG loanee Grzegorz Krychowiak, experienced a rather low-key first outing for the club, though Pulis is confident the Poland international will improve the more he plays.
“That was his first game for a long time. He’ll get better,” said the boss.
“I thought he done alright on Saturday but he’ll get better with game time.”
Pulis acknowledged his team were second best as they were swept aside by Brighton, who claimed their maiden Premier League win in the process.
The boss described his team as looking “tired and jaded” and later indicated some regret at having chosen to start both Ahmed Hegazi and Salomon Rondon, two players who both had taxing travel schedules during the international break.
“Ahmed travelling to Uganda and then back up to Egypt and then back home,” said Pulis.
“This is different to other leagues he will have played in. Every game the tempo is quick and everything else. You’ve got to be spot on and we certainly weren’t on Saturday.
“I think they scored the goals at the right time and goals change games.
“If we’d have scored the first goal it might have been a different game.
“Full credit to them, they’ve got the three points.”
Albion now host West Ham on Saturday. Asked how his team could bounce back, Pulis replied: “With hard work, plenty of hard work. We’ve got good players in there.
“We’ve got other players out there who are international players.
“We’ve got to tie it all down and make sure every game we play we’re bob on in respect of the effort and commitment we put in.”
