OPINION
First team opportunities have been hard to come by at West Bromwich Albion for attacker Hal Robson-Kanu.
The Wales international has struggled to penetrate the attacking triumvirate of Harvey Barnes, Dwight Gayle and Jay Rodriguez, and has had to settle for mostly substitute appearances as a result.
However, he was given a starting opportunity against Leeds United last time out and he took it with both hands, delivering a picture-perfect performance complete with the opening goal in a dominant 4-1 victory over Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
He provided a different option up front for the Baggies, holding the ball up successfully and always looking to bring his team mates into play.
It’s imperative, then, that Darren Moore continues to give the 29-year-old chances moving forward. Robson-Kanu has momentum at the moment and it would surely be a big mistake for the Baggies boss to ditch him after the international break.
Dwight Gayle will presumably come back in after netting off the bench against Leeds, but that doesn’t mean that Robson-Kanu needs to drop out.
West Brom face rock bottom Ipswich Town after the international break, and that game seems like the ideal opportunity for Moore to let all of his attacking talent loose.
There’s no reason why Barnes, Rodriguez, Gayle and Robson-Kanu can’t all play against teams that the Baggies should beat at a canter.
Robson-Kanu’s tactical flexibility means that he can operate on the wing if required, allowing space for Rodriguez and Gayle to flourish through the middle.
Alternatively, Rodriguez also has experience of playing out wide so it’s possible that the former Southampton man could move away from the centre if Moore prefers Robson-Kanu through the middle.
The possibilities are endless for the Baggies boss. The one thing that’s certain is that Robson-Kanu deserves a run of games after his sensational Leeds showing.