His appearance against Blackburn was explained by Cathal McCarthy starting the game, more than his readiness to play. He came on with about three minuites to go to shore up the back four.
Indeed, but he was deemed ready to play and now isn't, supposedly. It doesn't really stack up that he was able to play that emergency role then but is unavailable entirely now. He hasn't had a major injury and it's been months. Since then, Belloumi has been eased back from his ACL, injured his hamstring and then recovered again. I doubt anyone thought when Williams signed that he'd need to spend a third of the single season that he's contracted with us for, playing in the U21s to get his fitness up, and if that had been mentioned at the time it would have raised a few eyebrows. Surely there is something else to it, and with his history you have to wonder whether it's something attitude related.