Gareth Barry: Mason Holgate will help improve West Brom
Gareth Barry is confident former Everton team-mate Mason Holgate will add a new dimension to the Baggies’ back-line.
Holgate has joined Albion on loan until the end of the season to help bolster Darren Moore’s options in defence.
Capable of playing right-back or centre-back, Barry says the 22-year-old is good on the ball and will improve Albion.
“I know Mason from Everton,” Barry told BBC WM. “He’s a good quality player, very composed on the ball.
“He’ll add something different to our squad and hopefully he can improve us when he gets a chance to play.”
Holgate has become Albion’s fourth loan signing of the season from the Premier League behind Dwight Gayle, Harvey Barnes, and Tosin Adarabioyo.
Gayle and Barnes have sparkled up front, and the 21-year-old from Leicester won a penalty against Blackburn Rovers on New Year’s Day which Jay Rodriguez converted.
Barry admitted that he and his fellow midfielders need to try and get Barnes on the ball more regularly.
“He’s been fantastic all season,” he said. “We need to get the ball to him more often throughout the 90 minutes. He makes it tough for the full backs. Harvey played well again.”
Despite Rodriguez tucking away the penalty, Albion lost to Blackburn, ending an unbeaten run of nine games.
“It was the last game of a busy period and we’ve been on a good run but things started a bit flat, especially at the start of each half,” said Barry.
“We looked dangerous on the attack towards the end of the first half, but the first goal is important. We’re disappointed with how both goals went in.
“The positive is the character we showed right to the end, even with 10 men, we might have equalised. It’s about how we bounce back now.”
Albion take a break from league action this weekend when they host Wigan Athletic in the third round of the FA Cup.
But when they return to the Championship schedule they have a crucial match against fellow promotion hopefuls Norwich City at The Hawthorns.
“We’re in a good position,” said Barry. “We’ve got big games coming up right the way until the end of the season.
“If we beat Norwich, we know we can go above them, and it gives us something to build on.”
