Jayson Molumby: Regular West Brom minutes helping my game
Midfielder Jayson Molumby feels regular football has helped him bring consistent performances for Albion.
The Republic of Ireland international, who could line up for his nation to face Scotland in the Nations League at Hampden Park on Saturday, has been one of Steve Bruce's more reliable performers in a difficult campaign so far.
Molumby, 23, made his move from Brighton to The Hawthorns permanent in a £900,000 switch in the summer and has been a regular pick in Bruce's midfield.
He was often a substitute in his season-long loan from the Seagulls last term but, after an admittedly slow start, believes a welcome run of starts is helping his game.
"I came in early and, to be honest, maybe some of my performances at the start were not up to scratch," Molumby said. "I wasn't playing at club level quite often.
"Now I feel that I'm playing at club level week in, week out, I feel confident, feel ready and that I'm maturing."
Molumby went as close as any of his Albion team-mates to snatching what would have been a deserved winner in last Saturday 1-1 draw at Norwich, where Bruce's men showed much-needed signs of improvement.
But a seventh draw in 10 Championship clashes leaves the Baggies down in 21st, outside the drop zone on goal difference, for the first international break of the season.
Molumby, who has 14 caps for Ireland, knows the need for Albion to turn results around but feels the side have warranted more.
He said: "The table speaks for itself and we're in a business where we need to win games and climb up the table, but if you have watched the 10 games, then there is no way that we should be where we are.
"That's how it is, that's football."
Molumby is relishing the prospect of running out in front of a hostile crowd in Scotland after the 'horrible' experience of taking his first steps as a senior international behind closed doors.
West Brom midfielder Molumby was thrust into the heart of Stephen Kenny's side, who hope to seal a double over the Scots, when the new manager promoted his former Under-21s skipper to the senior ranks against Finland in the same competition two years ago in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said: "When I first came in to play for Ireland against Finland, there were no fans at the Aviva. Since I was a kid, the goal was only playing for your country. You had a vision of a packed-out Aviva, and I ended up playing 10, 11 games with no fans.
"It was horrible. It was a really strange experience. Personally I didn't feel I'd played for my country with no fans. It just felt so strange."
The 13th of Molumby's 14 caps to date was, however, won in front of a raucous crowd at the Aviva Stadium as Ireland romped to a 3-0 victory.
He said: "That day at the Aviva against Scotland, the atmosphere was something that I've never experienced before. I don't think they will be able to match that atmosphere at Hampden, to be fair."
That game marked Molumby's return to the Irish starting line-up after he had sat out the opening League B1 defeats by Armenia and Ukraine, and he retained his place for the 1-1 draw with the Ukrainians in the Polish city of Lodz three days later.
