West Bromwich Albion opinion: James Morrison needs to adapt style, says Richard Sneekes

BBC Sport · World Cup

Former West Bromwich Albion midfielder Richard Sneekes thinks James Morrison needs to be more adaptable if the Baggies are to enjoy success this season.

Speaking on BBC WM's Football Phone-In, Sneekes, who played more than 250 games for the Baggies between 1996 and 2001, said he was disappointed in the manner of Wolves' goal in the derby defeat at Molineux last time out.

Nat Phillips' tame backpass allowed Fer Lopez to score the only goal as Morrison's men missed the chance to go joint-top of the Championship.

Sneekes said: "I think you need to tweak a few things, if you play out of the back and press high and make a mistake, look what happens. I know it's against (Morrison's) philosophy but needs must sometimes.

"I just do not understand why people want to play that way, it's such an easy way to gift people goals. The likes of Barcelona and Man City can do it because they can attract the best players.

"I was disappointed in conceding the goal, you could see it happening in the games before and it could have been easily avoided."

Despite Albion's second defeat in the opening eight games, the Dutchman, 57, remains positive about the campaign as a whole, after narrowly avoiding relegation to League One last season.

"If you look at it until now they have got to be (aiming) close to the play-offs," he said.

But he added: "It's a very young group, how are they going to deal with adversity?

"Sometimes you can't just play the same way. That's where you have to find solutions by doing things a little bit differently."

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