Scott Parker should consider player U-turn v West Brom
Recruited in the summer from Santos, life in a Burnley shirt started well for Lucas Pires but he’s since fallen out of favour at Turf Moor.
Pires’ arrival was celebrated in the summer as, after Charlie Taylor left, Burnley didn’t have a recognised left-back on their books and there were high hopes that he would be the person to come in and make that spot his own.
After laying on two assists on debut against Luto Town, most Clarets fans acknowledged that the defender looked to be the perfect replacement at full-back but that joy was short-lived, as after a string of indifferent performances, he lost his place in the side.
Bashir Humphreys was elected to deputise by Scott Parker and he initially impressed at left-back but he’s since stagnated, leaving Parker with a huge decision of who he picks at left-back on Thursday night.
Is he brave and goes with the more attacking option of Pires, or does he play it safe and stick with the more solid option of Humphreys?
The left-back situation is something of a selection headache for Parker, who has two completely different types of player to choose from, thus giving him two completely different ways of setting up.
Going away to West Brom, one of the more difficult games in the league, it would be easy to suggest he’ll stick with Humphreys, who’s the more defensive of his two options, to keep the back line shored up.
