Paul Robinson: These things take time but I am encouraged by new West Brom full-back

Albion hero Paul Robinson has been impressed with the way new full-back Brayann Pereira has developed into life at The Hawthorns.

French-born Pereira was Albion’s 10th and final summer recruit as a £1million deadline day addition from NEC Nijmegen in The Netherlands.

Pereira was bought as back-up and competition to another French right-back, Nolan Galves, signed during the summer. Galves started the season slowly but found some form prior to a serious knee injury at Derby that curtailed his debut campaign.

Pereira endured a nightmare Baggies bow that same night at the Rams’ Pride Park. His debut lasted barely 30 minutes before two yellow cards in a disastrous first half for the defender, before his replacement Galves was injured.

Two-time Baggies promotion-winning left-back Robinson, the new weekly guest on the Express & Star’s Baggies Broadcast podcast, was impressed by some diligent work by Pereira in the Championship draw at Preston on Saturday.

“I thought he grew into the game at Preston, I thought he grew into the game really well,” Robinson said on the Baggies Broadcast, which can be watched below on the Express & Star’s YouTube channel and listened to on usual podcast platforms.

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“He defended much better than last week (against Blackburn). He didn’t take any risks with the ball.

“Sometimes it’s hard. The main right-back has an injury and is out for the season and now you’re asking for a player who has played in a back three to do the best he can.

“But I thought Pereira managed the game really well and grew into it. He sort of links the game.

“When you’re playing against wing-backs it’s hard. You’re not necessarily marking someone, especially when West Brom’s wingers are pinning their wing-backs back.

“There can be all that space. So for someone like Pereira - he’s not going to be as comfortable as someone like (Callum) Styles, who can glide across the pitch.

“Pereira was solid and got more involved higher up the pitch as the game wore on. It’s just working on the quality in the final third of the pitch.”

Robinson, who is assistant boss at Oxford City who are ready to face Leicester in the FA Cup, was a left-back and left wing-back at The Hawthorns and highlighted the challenges and intricacies of the roles.

He also added a new-look side featuring a raft of additions will take time to gel, with new relationships forming in key areas. Morrison’s men have enjoyed a very healthy start overall and sit fifth heading to the London Stadium this weekend.

The Baggies Broadcast guest added: “I played wing-back at West Brom under Gary Megson. It’s a hard position, you’ve got to cover a lot of ground.

“Preston were deep and as a result Albion’s full-backs were on all the time. Stylsey and Pereira should’ve been the ones on the ball, when Preston did press you saw the space in midfield and West Brom did really well moving the ball switching quickly from side to side.

“It’s those relationships, when I look at West Brom they’re still growing as a team, still trying to find those partnerships. It’s going to take a little bit of time to know each other and work on that.

“Mozza and the coaching staff are trying to find that right balance at the moment and I feel it will come.”

You can listen to the Baggies Broadcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube.