Of the two strikers apparently available, Shatskikh and Ellington, I would probably have plumped for the Kiev striker, at least in terms of ability. The fact that he has scored goals in the Champions League should count for a lot, but being unaware of the behind-the-scenes financial wrangling that apparently took place, it is difficult to be sure that he actually was available, at least at a price that Jeremy Peace was willing to pay. There is also the issue that players from Eastern Europe so not always settle and do not always produce the goods. Albion have been lucky with Zoltan Gera, particularly having paid such a relatively small fee, but Spurs' £11 million experience with Sergei Rebrov is enough to warn any club to exercise caution.

So it is Nathan Ellington that Peace and Robson have gone for, and given their respective records both in running the club and buying players, I'd not be willing to criticise either at this point. The Bradford-born striker has certainly been prolific throughout his career from the point when Ian Holloway took him to Bristol Rovers in 1999. He scored 44 goals in 95 starts for the Pirates, often partnered with Jason Roberts, who of course followed the "Duke" to the JJB albeit by a more circuitous route.

Ellington's £1.2 million move to Wigan in March 2002 was arguably the start of the dramatic rise in fortunes of the club. He scored 22 goals in 2002-03, including a hat-trick against the Baggies in the League Cup, helping Wigan to the Second Division title. He followed that up with 43 goals in the next two seasons helping the Latics to win promotion to the Premiership.

Robson believes that Ellington brings something to the club that our other strikers haven't got, a combination of strength and pace. Campbell and Horsfield have the former, Kamara and Earnshaw the latter, (Kanu just has amazing feet, and not just in terms of size) but it is true that none of our strikers have both. There is a question mark as to whether he'll be able to make that step up to the Premiership, but he has all the raw materials and he is only 24.

There are obvious comparisons to be drawn with Jason Roberts. They are similar types of player and both prolific at Division One / Championship level. At Albion, Roberts failed to make the jump, whether that was a lack of experience or a poor attitude, I'm not sure. Watching him against Chelsea on Sunday, I saw the same flashes of brilliance that he occasionally showed at the Hawthorns, but I also saw the same sulking figure who feels that world is against him. I've not seen enough of Ellington to be sure, but I've never seen any similar tantrums from him and I'm sure that Robson will ensure he has the right approach to the game.

One major bonus of bring Ellington to the Hawthorns is, of course, that he's no longer at the JJB. Paul Jewell paid £3 million for Henri Camara this summer, probably one of the things that unsettled Ellington, but the Duke's departure still leaves him with only three strikers. There are rumours of a £7 million bid for Dean Ashton which would certainly be a coup if they could bring it off, but time is running out before the transfer window closes.

Comments on Wigan fans' websites seem to have been a little sour, which suggests they are upset at him leaving and that can only be a good thing. There are one or two suggestions that his "dodgy shoulder" would've made it tricky for him to pass a medical, but Robson has acknowledged the slight injury and I would trust the Albion medical staff to pick up any long term problem.

All in all, I believe that it is a good signing for the Baggies that gives us yet more options up front. There could be an issue in keeping everyone happy, but players should now realise that football in the Premiership is increasingly a squad game, and I'd expect Robson to pick a horses-for-courses approach through the season. Additionally, the increased competition will hopefully spur the players on to better performances.