West Bromwich Albion boss Tony Mowbray has called on winger Tom Fellows to maintain the form that has seen him become the Championship’s assist leader among players under 21 – even ahead of the likes of Lamine Yamal and Florian Wirtz in Europe’s elite leagues.
The 21-year-old was instrumental in Albion’s 2-1 win over Watford, registering two assists and taking his league tally to 13. No player under 21 in Europe’s top five leagues has more, underlining the academy graduate’s growing reputation.
Mowbray’s Push For Consistency
Fellows has started 31 of West Brom’s 42 league games this term and featured from the bench in 10 others, but inconsistency has at times affected his game. Mowbray, who also worked with Mikey Johnston in a similar role, said he had recently held talks with both wingers to help them sharpen their end product.
“I think it’s fair that generally all wingers are inconsistent,” Mowbray said. “Sometimes Fellows and Johnston haven’t done it for long spells. They keep running down blind alleys, keep giving the ball away, don’t get past their man… It was about giving them some confidence and belief.”
According to Mowbray, Fellows’ recent success has come from rediscovering the aggressive, direct play that earned him his chance in the first team. The manager noted that Fellows had a habit of cutting inside too often – a trait he is now looking to iron out.
“Tom keeps driving inside the full-back on his left foot – where are you going? The goal is that way. So every time you get it, face up the full-back and take him on. He’s started doing it. That’s what he’s about, that’s his game.”
The young winger was this week named Albion’s Young Player of the Season for the second year in a row, and Mowbray believes the best is yet to come.
“He can get to the Premier League – hopefully with this club of course – if he can eliminate full-backs and put the ball in the box. He’s a special talent.”
Fellows now sits ahead of Barcelona’s Yamal and Bayer Leverkusen’s Wirtz in terms of assists by players under 21 in European domestic football – an impressive feat for a player still working on polishing his game.
Writer’s View
Tom Fellows is showing the potential to be West Brom’s next breakthrough star. While his raw numbers are already impressive, Mowbray’s desire for more consistency is a testament to just how high the ceiling could be. If Fellows can marry his creative flair with reliability, he could become a central figure in any future Premier League push.
