Why letting Dorrans go could be a mistake
Ross Kinnaird/Getty ImagesWith a rash of injuries affecting the squad, selling the versatile Graham Dorrans may not be the best move for West Brom.Steve Clarke today confirmed in his pre-match press conference that providing the deal is right for both club and player, central midfield Graham Dorrans can leave in this transfer window.
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Dorrans has struggled to tie down a place in Albion's side over their time in the Premier League, but I still feel that losing the Scottish international could be a mistake for West Brom, although I do understand the reasoning for allowing Dorrans to leave if the price is right.
At the moment he is behind both James Morrison and Zoltan Gera in his preferred role playing behind the lone forward. Dorrans has mostly been used as a utility player filling in both the deep midfield role and the wide positions in the side. At the age of 25, Dorrans is reaching a time where he needs games and it seems as if he won't get them at The Hawthorns. However, it is this versatility that makes me believe letting Dorrans go at this time could be a mistake, with Albion carrying plenty of injuries in the midfield area.
It is a shame that Dorrans looks set to leave because although he has never really reproduced the form that saw him score 17 goals in Albion's promotion season in the Championship when he was named player of the season, he has, on occasion, shown he has the ability to play at the highest level.
He had a run in the side at the end of last season under Roy Hodgson, albeit in the wide left role, where he scored two superb goals: a long range drive against QPR and then a strike against Arsenal where he knocked the ball on with his head before volleying in. In the previous season, Dorrans was brought back into the side when Hodgson took over and put in a hugely promising display against Stoke in Hodgson's second game but was injured in the same match.
There is probably a lot more to it than this but it is fair to say that injuries have fallen at the wrong time for Dorrans, picking up a knock in the final pre-season friendly under Roberto Di Matteo which seemed to leave him playing catch-up in terms of match fitness and the aforementioned injury he picked up against Stoke.
The issue with selling Dorrans is that the asking price seems to be four million pounds. The Baggies turned down similar bids following Dorrans' superb season in the Championship, and with Dorrans not having hit those heights since, I struggle to see many teams who will pay that price for the Scotsman.


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