West Bromwich Albion

Alan Irvine: 'Brown Ideye returning to form following slow start'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior ReporterPublished: 18 December 2014 8:30 AM

Alan Irvine reveals that Brown Ideye struggled to score goals in training for West Bromwich Albion, but insists that the striker is now looking much sharper.

West Bromwich Albion manager Alan Irvine intends to give out-of-favour striker Brown Ideye more game time following some positive displays on the training field.

The 26-year-old, who joined the Baggies from Dynamo Kiev in the summer for a fee of £10m, started his first game in three months against Aston Villa last weekend.

Despite failing to find the net to take his tally to one goal in nine appearances this season, Irvine has been pleased by what he has seen in recent weeks.

"He does need games and obviously this is a great time for him to be doing it," he is quoted as saying by the Birmingham Mail. "He's going to get his games. It's really important that he was back to where he needs to be. The signs were that he's started scoring goals again in training on a regular basis. He went through a period where he couldn't score for weeks in training.

"We play 11 v 11 but don't necessarily play them on full size pitches. We play them on smaller pitches when chances should be more frequent and he couldn't score. But now he is. He's in a position where again it's that little bit of sharpness and just him being quick enough to get into positions and be composed when he's actually making that finish.

"Until you get that then you might be quick enough, but you're not composed and it comes off you. He's in a much better place. He just really wants a goal to come."

West Brom are currently 14th in the Premier League table.