Express & Star

Ally Robertson: West Brom need new striker to secure promotion

Slaven Bilic has said he wants to make a couple of signings this month.

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Charlie Austin (AMA)

And that is music to my ears because I really believe we need them – with the number one priority having to be a goalscorer.

As it stands we’re in a strong position in the league with a nine-point gap over third-placed Brentford.

But the last thing I want to see is that gap get cut simply because we have picked up a few injuries.

Injuries are the biggest thing in football in this day and age.

With the number of games you play, it is so easy to pick up a niggle.

And it’s then very easy for those niggles to become serious problems that keep you sidelined for weeks or even months.

It’s also true you tend to get more injuries in the second half of the season.

And what I want is for Bilic to have options up there, the more options you have the better.

I think centre-forward is the one area of the team where there are still genuine question marks.

Hal Robson-Kanu has played very well and Charlie Austin is now scoring goals.

But Kenneth Zohore hasn’t really got going following his big-money move from Cardiff.

And I just feel there are players out there who could come in and find the back of the net more regularly.

I’ve said before in this column Dwight Gayle is the one I’d be going all out for.

But there are plenty of other options out there.

The fact we are in such a strong position in the league does complicate matters slightly.

I do feel we have to be looking at players who can not only improve us this season but will also be able to cut it in the Premier League.

But there are plenty of those in the Championship. I do believe if you are an elite Championship player you won’t have too many problems with the step up.

Aside from a striker, I think we only really need to add to the squad if there are any departures.

We all hope Grady Diangana stays with us for the season.

But if West Ham do decide to recall him, we will have to bring in another player who can play on the left wing. And if Nathan Ferguson departs we will have to bring in someone to rival Darnell Furlong at right-back.

We don’t need a lot. And I was pleased to see Bilic say he will only wants to add quality players to his ranks - there is no need to bring anyone in just for the sake of it.

In my opinion, though, an out-and-out goalscorer would make a big difference.