THIEVY BIFOUMA: SCOUT REPORT
Josh Bland
West Bromwich Albion are currently staring relegation
directly in the face, so it was with an air of desperation that they rushed in
Espanyol attacker Thievy Bifouma on a season long loan. It was a signing that
had few Albion fans
particularly excited - a relatively unknown youngster with a relatively average
goal record in Spain.
Fifty seconds into his debut at Selhurt Park Thievy had left one
defender for dead, and swept home his first goal for the club in sumptuous
style. So who is this young forward, and what can he bring to
Albion's side?
Spotted playing for Strasbourg as an 18-year-old in his
native Frances third division, Thievy was signed by Barcelona-based club
Espanyol (then managed by Mauricio Pochettino) in 2010, and within weeks he had
made his first team debut, impressing with a series of pacy displays. He firmly
established himself as one of the hottest prospects in Spanish football at the
start of the 2011-12 season when a 19-year-old Thievy scored a hat-trick against
Barcelona in the Catalan Cup Final.
Thievy's pace and ball skill was there for all to see,
however, it quickly became clear that while he showed the occasional moment of
brilliant technique he was inconsistent and there were question marks over
whether or not he had the discipline to improve. He was subsequently loaned out
to Spanish Second Division Side Las Palmas, where he scored an impressive 11
goals in 38 games (mostly playing from the wing) - enough to convince Espanyol
to sign him to a long term contract until 2017.
However, limited first team football this season had led
Thievy to take matters into his own hands with the French youngster missing
multiple training sessions in order to force a January move - this is where
Albion came in, signing
Thievy in an initial £400k loan deal, with an option to buy for around £2million
in the summer.
So what have
Albion signed? Clearly, a man with fantastic hair, and clearly a
man with some disciplinary issues - and should be get sufficient game time under
Pepe Mel, a man with the potential to develop into a top player.
The first thing to say about Thievy's game is that it is all
about pace. Thievy is one of the quickest footballers along the ground anywhere
in the world, and he will inject a much needed lease of life into an otherwise
relatively lethargic West Brom attack. Furthermore, Thievy has a real instinct for goal, and is
technically a very gifted player, possessing a wicked left foot.
Employable either through the middle or on the wing, what
Thievy lacks in height and physical presence, he makes up for in work ethic and
nuisance value. Furthermore, Thievy should fit right into the style of play that
Spanish coach Pepe Mel wants to employ at
Albion. With his natural pace
and awareness, Bifouma will be well served playing in a system where the team
tries to get the ball on the floor and forward as quickly as possible, and will
be able to hurt even the Premier League's best defences on the counter attack.
Of course, it is idiotic to base your judgement on a player
on one game - however, the 45 minutes that Thievy played against
Crystal Palace was more than
encouraging. The young Frenchman seemed to lift the team significantly when he
came on, and had it not been for an unfortunate penalty decision with Albion
pushing for an equaliser, Bifouma's introduction could well have catalysed an
inspired second half comeback.
Seemingly, much to be excited about then.
It appears that
Albion have got themselves another potential bargain. Whilst the
name Thievy Bifouma may not have led many people to jump off their seats in
excitement, back Bifouma to become a real force to be reckoned with at the end
of the season.
Not convinced? Well perhaps this short montage of Thievy's
best moments from the past year and a half on the football pitch will...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WinNdZCTwY&noredirect=1
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