Express & Star

Ally Robertson: West Brom need a goalscorer in the window

It’s crystal clear Alan Pardew needs to buy a finisher in January.

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Salomon Rondon has yet to fire Albion up the table, and Robertson believes he needs help up-front (AMA)

Based on the Boxing Day game against Everton, a goalscorer could be the final piece of the puzzle, writes Ally Robertson.

Pardew is getting everything behind the strikers to fit. He’s picked up three clean sheets in six games, and now, the midfield have started to create more. Things are just falling down in front of goal.

I like Salomon Rondon, but he’s missed quite a few chances over the last few games and we’re not scoring enough.

The encouraging sign is he’s getting into the right positions, but he seems to be snatching at the chances.

That might be down to a lack of confidence, but the club can’t afford to wait and see on this one, they need a goalscorer to keep them up.

I would like to see a new striker arrive once the window is opened and Pardew play him alongside Rondon.

The Venezuelan has always looked better in a two and his presence would help create little opening for a proper finisher to gobble up.

Of course, players capable of finding the net at the highest level are not easy to find, and they don’t come cheap either.

Pardew may have to sacrifice Jonny Evans if he wants to get someone of the calibre we need, but that would be a big decision to make.

It would be extremely difficult to let go of Evans, but it may just be the best thing for the safety of the club.

There is a ready-made replacement already in the squad in the form of Craig Dawson.

He’s proven himself capable at his preferred position of centre-back, and looked in fine fettle on his return from injury against Everton.

That was the first time in a long while that I’ve seen the Baggies start a game with such intensity.

It’s a shame we didn’t take the lead in the first half, because then it would have been a completely different game.

The second half grew more and more tense and then Everton nearly nicked it at the end.

Despite this dreadful winless run the team are on, there are still positives to be had and progress is being made under Pardew.

Seven weeks ago Albion were abysmal, and couldn’t create a thing.

They’ve had set-backs, like the Swansea debacle, but on the whole, performances have improved.

Albion dominated Everton for most of the game, the win is getting closer, especially now some of the best players are returning from injury.

Now they just need someone capable of putting it in the net.