‘Really good attributes’ - West Brom boss Tony Mowbray lifts lid on ‘chats’ with £500k defender

Tony Mowbray has revealed he’s had conversations with a defender about adapting to a new position following an impressive run in the team at centre-back.

West Brom’s head coach is still getting to grips with the squad following his January arrival, teetering to achieve optimum performance levels in the hunt for play-off qualification. Victories aren’t flowing as Mowbray would hope - and a record of two defeats in the first eight isn’t ideal - but Albion are doing enough to stay in the top six for now.

Mowbray is determined to get the Baggies playing confident, possession-based football but he’s very aware of the importance of a strong defence. It’s been difficult to achieve continuity with selections due to injuries and illness for Kyle Bartley, Mason Holgate and Semi Ajayi but one defender has been everpresent so far.

Torbjorn Heggem hasn’t missed a single minute of Mowbray’s first eight matches in charge, very rarely putting a foot wrong, even when the team isn’t performing to standard. The Norwegian has been a dream for Mowbray to work with, just as he was for former manager Carlos Corberan.

"He's a very low maintenance footballer really. He just gets on with the job and does the job. He plays wherever you ask him to play,” Mowbray said of Heggem during Thursday’s press conference.

"I have had a few chats with him about trying to step in a little bit more with the ball because he is actually really comfortable with it. He is fast when he needs to be, he put his foot on the gas once the other day where he looked second best and got there.

"He has got really good attributes. He is not a gregarious outgoing character who you know he's around everyday. He just quietly gets on with it and is pretty good when he is getting on with what he does.

"He is very committed, wants to win everything that he does even the small sided games, very competitive. We are delighted he is contributing and hopefully he can be here a long time. We are enjoying him."

Mowbray hints at Heggem role change

With some tough fixtures coming up against Burnley, Norwich City and Sunderland in the next five, Mowbray may be tempted to make a slight tweak to his defensive tactics.

Having more height and physicality is rarely a bad thing in the Championship, so Callum Styles could drop out of the lineup in favour of Heggem on the left. He played well there under Corberan and Mowbray has hinted he could be utilised wider under his stewardship.

“The point is the mobility sometimes with players who play in wide areas and I think he has undoubtedly got the mobility,” Mowbray added.

"He has got the strength, he could be an asset as Darnell is down the right. He has got some strings to his bow that are good. Most coaches like these players that are versatile and he is very much versatile. We are delighted he is here."

It’ll be interesting to see if Heggem does switch positions soon and there are opportunities to make the change as Albion play host to Queens Park Rangers this Saturday before heading away to Burnley on Tuesday night.