Slaven Bilic provides injury update on Kieran Gibbs and Grady Diangana
Slaven Bilic says Albion are taking extra care with Kieran Gibbs as they guide him back from injury – while Albion’s head coach also revealed he expects to have Grady Diangana back in March.
Gibbs has endured an injury-blighted campaign, with the full-back first picking up a back injury in September.
But it is a hamstring problem that has blighted him since – a problem he first picked up against Swansea in December.
Gibbs battled his way back from that injury, but lasted just 18 minutes when he returned to the first team against Leeds.
And that setback means the Baggies are being extra cautious with him now.
“Kieran started training with us last Friday,” Bilic said.
“With Kieran we want to find the balance – we want him back, but it’s happened three times.
“That’s why he started with us on Friday. He could’ve started five, six, seven days ago. We’re going to see how it goes. We’re walking on eggshells a little bit, because of recent history, but he’s there. It’s a great sign.”
Asked how long he expects it to be until Gibbs is available for selection, Bilic said: “It’s great news that he’s training with us.
“We’re expecting him to be physically fit now, more than normal when you bring players in.
“For the first week you normally be the spare man, or put the bib on, play one touch and nobody touches him, it’s not that situation.
“But it’s one thing to train individually but it’s another to train with us.
“We’ve had timescales for him, even now we have one, but the last couple of times showed we have to find the balance.
“We don’t want him to start playing and then every 15 minutes you’re asking him if he’s okay, and then for him to think is this cramp, or what is this? No, he wants to be free, and we want to be free of that.
“That’s why it takes a little bit of time.”
Diangana is currently sidelined with a back/hamstring injury. But Bilic is excited to have the winger back for the run-in.
“Grady’s further (away) than Kieran,” the head coach added.
“But look Grady should be back, we’re talking about the beginning of March, let’s say.
“Grady should be back for the last seven, eight, nine, 10 games, if we’re lucky, and that’s a lot of games.”
