Slaven Bilic saw plenty in Karlan Grant’s West Brom debut to be excited by what the future holds. Grant, who completed his move from Huddersfield to Albion on Thursday, started in Monday’s goalless draw with Burnley despite having not played any competitive football since July.
Slaven Bilicsaid “He had a couple of chances. He’s really good at running in behind, he’s good with the ball at his feet. He put a smile on my face,” Bilic enthused. He showed me more than enough to know that he’ll be very important for us. That’s why we wanted him. We took the risk today because his last game was a few months ago, when Huddersfield played West Brom before the end of last season. That shows how much we wanted to win. This was a game against Burnley where we were looking for a chance to get three points. We did everything, he was really good. He’s going to become better, fitter, match fitter, he’ll get to know the players and their movements and he’ll gel. I’m extremely positive because here we got a few new pluses from some new players. Was it Ivanovic, who made his debut? Was it Conor Gallagher, who made his debut? Was it Karlan Grant, who made his debut? All the other guys got the confidence from their performances. We’re still doing mistakes, but we’re that kind of a package at the moment. I can tell them you are good enough, you are good enough, you are good enough. But if they don’t feel it, if they don’t have that experience. But points, wins, clean sheets – that is how you feel it. He was really good. He made a couple of great saves – that is why we have got him. He was very good in the Championship. Those saves he made – and more importantly the clean sheet – are giving him and the team confidence and proof they are good enough.”
said “He had a couple of chances. He’s really good at running in behind, he’s good with the ball at his feet. He put a smile on my face,” Bilic enthused. He showed me more than enough to know that he’ll be very important for us. That’s why we wanted him. We took the risk today because his last game was a few months ago, when Huddersfield played West Brom before the end of last season. That shows how much we wanted to win. This was a game against Burnley where we were looking for a chance to get three points. We did everything, he was really good. He’s going to become better, fitter, match fitter, he’ll get to know the players and their movements and he’ll gel. I’m extremely positive because here we got a few new pluses from some new players. Was it Ivanovic, who made his debut? Was it Conor Gallagher, who made his debut? Was it Karlan Grant, who made his debut? All the other guys got the confidence from their performances. We’re still doing mistakes, but we’re that kind of a package at the moment. I can tell them you are good enough, you are good enough, you are good enough. But if they don’t feel it, if they don’t have that experience. But points, wins, clean sheets – that is how you feel it. He was really good. He made a couple of great saves – that is why we have got him. He was very good in the Championship. Those saves he made – and more importantly the clean sheet – are giving him and the team confidence and proof they are good enough.”Karlan Grant was Bilic’s desired summer signing and took most of the window to obtain. He was given the nod over Callum Robinson at The Hawthorns and did have the ball in the net in the first half having been found in between centre halves James Tarkowski and Kevin Long. The header was chalked off after he was found to be marginally offside, and though Grant was withdrawn after running out of gas on the hour mark, Bilic was particularly encouraged by what he saw.
