West Brom gave minutes to three of their new signings in their Premier League 2 match against Stoke City, and that paid dividends in a 5-0 win.
Devante Cole, Gianluca Frabotta and Callum Styles all started for the under-21s against the Baggies’ Midlands rivals, but it was young midfielder Harry Whitwell who really stole the show.
Whitwell and Cole both netted braces at the WBA training ground, while Frabotta stroked home a free-kick as all three new arrivals, as well as the academy starlet, staked their claims to Carlos Corberan.
The Baggies noted on their website (1 September) that Cole and Frabotta completed a full 90 minutes against Stoke, while Styles played just over an hour as the trio look to establish themselves at Albion.
West Brom transfers can give Carlos Corberan selection headache
Frabotta, Cole and Styles have all featured off the bench during Albion’s unbeaten start to the new Championship season, but additional minutes in the PL2 will undoubtedly help their starting chances.
While Styles only signed for the club in the hours of Transfer Deadline day, his versatility will provide Corberan with options both in midfield and out wide in a similar vein to Adam Reach’s role last season.
Cole and Frabotta, meanwhile, were given starts in the Baggies’ EFL Cup tie at Fleetwood, but a disjointed performance from front to back in that match led to a shock first-round exit.
Whitwell was another player who had a mixed evening in the North West last month, but he too will be chomping at the bit to establish himself in Corberan’s plans after his brace against Stoke.
The headline signing of Mikey Johnston did mask the Spaniard’s desire for Albion to sign a new striker before Deadline Day.
Regardless, the second-placed Baggies have still shown plenty so far this season to suggest they’ll be firmly in the promotion race, and with new signings still to come into the side, things are firmly on the up.
