Former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips has said that he will be surprised if Branislav Ivanovic plays another game for a while.

Ivanovic set for axe

Ivanovic only signed on a free transfer during the summer, but he has struggled to really settle back to life in England upon his return to the Premier League.

Speaking to West Brom News, Phillips believes that Ivanovic's time at the club may already be coming to an end. He said:

"It might just be a little bit too much for Ivanovic.

"He’s been an unbelievable player in the Premier League. He’s experienced but I think he’s struggled.

"I’d be very surprised if he plays again for a bit but unless they bring someone in, he might have to or they’ll jiggle it about a bit."

Hard to disagree

Ivanovic has a fantastic track record in England. He made 377 appearances for Chelsea across a nine-year spell, netting an impressive 34 times, and his time at Stamford Bridge brought him three Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy.

However, he is now 36, and his age is clearly catching up with him. His lack of pace is starting to become a real issue, and his arrival has done little to help the Baggies' backline - they have conceded 39 times already this term in the English top flight, six more than any other team. An overall WhoScored average rating of 6.25, the worst of all of Albion's regular central defensive options, is another indicator of how poor he has been.

As Phillips said, it is hard to see Allardyce continuing to use a player who is so disappointing, and he may choose to give others a chance to help West Brom improve.

In other news, West Brom fans react to this worrying news on one star player.