By Mark Heys
December 27 2005

Manager Sam Allardyce has been disappointed with the form and progress of Wanderers loan star Hidetoshi Nakata in recent matches. The Japanese international initially impressed when moving over to England from Italian club Fiorentina in the summer transfer window but recent displays by the former Asian player of the year have disappointed Allardyce.

"I thought he was progressing and improving very nicely," said the manager in response to Nakata's recent performance in the West Bromwich Albion game.

"But he seems to have hit a brick wall in terms of his development and, at this moment in time, he isn't hitting the heights, especially in terms of his ability in possession, which is the main reason he is here.

"The things he should be giving to the team - what we expect and what he expects - have been missing."

The 28-year old was missing from the Wanderers starting line up which gained a point away at Sunderland yesterday afternoon.