West Brom blog: Craig Dawson deserving of his new deal
Craig Dawson putting pen to paper for another three years is great news for all Baggies fans; a reward for the player’s consistency and application since he joined the club in 2010.
It’s also a statement of intent that we want to and can hold onto our key players, especially given Burnley and no doubt several other sides have been sniffing over the last few years, writes Albion blogger Nathan Carr.
Dawson is perhaps one of the more underrated players in the Albion team – somebody whose no-frills style can sometimes go unnoticed as he quietly goes about his business in an efficient and reliable manner.
He had to be patient early on in his Albion career by dropping down a division to Bolton Wanderers – indeed, I remember plenty of Trotters fans saying they desperately wanted him to sign permanently - but he hasn’t really looked back since he was properly given a chance at the start of the 2014/15 campaign.
One of the most impressive aspects of Dawson’s development on the pitch has been his adaptability. He arrived from Rochdale as a centre-back, and although that is arguably still his favoured position, he was converted to a right-back at the beginning of Tony Pulis’ tenure.
This was a new position for him and I was admittedly rather sceptical about the transition at first. But he took to it well, often becoming an outlet for us up and down the right flank when play got congested in the middle.
Having said that, I see Dawson more as a centre-back due to his strength in the air and ability to read the game. If Jonny Evans does leave before the transfer window slams shut, then we might well see Dawson continue to play in the heart of defence. I hope that is the case.
He has of course started this season there, forming an effective central defensive partnership with newcomer Ahmed Hegazi to help register back-to-back clean sheets in Albion’s opening two Premier League games.
According to WhoScored, he made nine interceptions across the opening two fixtures – the most of any Premier League player so far. That just underlines how much of a rock he’s been for us.
He’s also chipped in with a handful of important goals since establishing himself in the starting lineup, most memorably a brace in the 3-1 win over Arsenal last season which was just our fourth win over the Gunners this century.
Talk of an England call-up has been reignited once more and that really would be the icing on the cake, wouldn’t it?
For now, though, Dawson has made himself one of the first names on the Albion team sheet and looks set to see out a decade at the Hawthorns.
For me, that is more than deserved.
You can follow Nathan on Twitter by searching for @njcarr_.
