BirminghamLive's Baggies correspondent Joe Chapman , who gave us the lowdown on the midfielder.
Cardiff City sign Romain Sawyer
Q. What sort of player are Cardiff getting?
Romaine is a ball player, he can certainly pick a pass. While he struggled to adapt to the Premier League in what was a struggling side anyway, he remains a very decent player at this level. A part of me was quite disappointed to see him leave this summer when Albion had the option to extend his contract, but they've since gone elsewhere and a fresh start for both parties perhaps makes sense.
Q. If you could pick out his strengths and weaknesses, what would they be?
His passing, as mentioned, is a real asset. Romaine is a good carrier of the ball, too, and, definitely in his first few months back at Albion, he was very progressive and positive with his passing. He has quite a languid approach, which can sometimes be interpreted as being lazy, but I don't think that's the case. He covers plenty of ground.
As regards to weaknesses, while he's very technical he's not somebody who you'd back to win every 50-50 they'd take part in, or win headers from corners. He had a pretty clear role at Albion and that was it - to pass, keep play ticking over and knit moves together. Jake Livermore was his partner in crime and he did most of the dirty work.
I think sometimes he was wasted playing deep at Albion, to be quite honest. At Brentford under Dean Smith he played as a number 10, because of his ability to make key passes. He was often nice to watch in an Albion shirt but didn't effect things the way he might've done if he was playing further forward. When Slaven Bilic changed the system halfway through their promotion season in 2020 in a bad run of form, the change worked, but Romaine was played deepest of a midfield three and struggled. He's not a holding midfielder.
Q. He seemed to play a deeper role at West Brom, can he operate more as a playmaker?
I think sometimes he was wasted playing deep at Albion, to be quite honest. At Brentford under Dean Smith he played as a number 10, because of his ability to make key passes. He was often nice to watch in an Albion shirt but didn't effect things the way he might've done if he was playing further forward. When Slaven Bilic changed the system halfway through their promotion season in 2020 in a bad run of form, the change worked, but Romaine was played deepest of a midfield three and struggled. He's not a holding midfielder.
Q. After a terrific rise, some believe he stalled a little at West Brom, does he have more to give?
I think there were a few factors as to why Romaine didn't carry on in the same vein of form. As I say, I don't think he is at his best when playing deepest of a three, or asked to shield the back-line. Then there was just the step up to the Premier League itself, where he dreamed of playing but had no experience of it, and he got found out. Sam Allardyce didn't take to him and he played next to no football in the second half of the season.
I do think he's decent at this level still, though. Michael O'Neill could see it last season at Stoke. In the right set-up, and with the right balance, he can still be a success.
Q. Why should Cardiff fans be excited about his arrival?
It sounds as though it's all change at Cardiff in midfield, and Romaine will bring that sprinkling of technical ability that many sides in this division don't possess. He makes passes others don't see.
Q. And finally, is there anything you can tell us about him that fans may not know?
When he moved back to Albion in 2019, he chose the number 19 shirt as a tribute to Jason Koumas, who was his idol at Albion growing up - and of course has Cardiff links!
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