Di Matteo weighs up loan signings
Thursday 25th March 2010, 9:27AM GMT.
Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo is weighing up possible loan signings after winger Chris Brunt joined the Hawthorns injury list.
The head coach was awaiting a bulletin on Brunt’s ankle injury this afternoon and pondering a deadline-day dip into the loan market.
Brunt limped out of last night’s 1-0 Hawthorns win over Coventry and is now a doubt for Saturday’s trip to Reading.
Although a straight replacement for the winger is unlikely, Di Matteo is considering into the transfer market before today’s 5pm deadline.
He said: “Chris Brunt came off and has a problem with his ankle. We’ll see how he is and see who is coming back. I might have one more player back for Saturday.
“We’ll assess it and see what the situation is like.”
Defender Jonas Olsson is the man most likely to return to the squad for the weekend after his groin problem, but Roman Bednar is still further away from fitness with a thigh injury.
A temporary replacement for Bednar is the most likely loan signing should Di Matteo opt to explore the market.
But the return to full fitness of Ishmael Miller has reduced the chances of any new recruits, with Baggies staff keen not to upset the spirit that has powered the squad to five successive League wins.
That is their best sequence since Gary Megson’s second promotion campaign, when his side won six consecutive matches spanning late March and early April.
But Di Matteo is remaining cautious despite seeing his side regain their eight-point lead over third-placed Nottingham Forest, with both having seven matches remaining.
The head coach said: “It’s a great run at this stage of the season to be able to do that. We knew how important our home games were and we’ve managed to get six points from the last two home games.
“There is one less game to go but we haven’t achieved anything yet.”
UK Sport
Latest Blog — A week is a long time in football
This time last week we were staring down the barrel, third from bottom with a worse record than at the same stage last year, writes Saddlers blogger Mark Jones.
Saddlers Blog
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
brilliant result last nite we showed fight and determination which is good 2 see, i still think we need 2 players a striker as cover 4 bednar and a left back whos better than mattock,1st half he done ok 2nd half he was a different player made lots of mistakes and needs addressing because if he plays saturday reading strikers will av a field day. i thought the ref and linesman last night were awful decisions were poor, linesman was 3yards of the play and missed a goal that was over the line, SHOCKING, i hope we can keep this run going if the results go our way and we keep winning we can be promoted by easter monday, good work di matteo
Report abuse
James Beattie of Stoke cannot get in the side. Loan till the end of the season?
Report abuse
Stick with what we have,Zuiverloon could fill in as a forward.Thomas can cover Brunt.Who would be
available the likes of Ebanks/Blake the Hof,the
likes of those wouldn’t bolster our third team.
~~~~BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
Report abuse
Bringing back Keiron Richardson would be a welcome move but to be fair I think we have enough players in the squad right now to finish the job.
Another well fought contest last night against a tricky opponent in Coventry. I expect more of the same at the Majeski on Saturday. Keep it going lads.
Boing boing. Nearly there now.
Report abuse
HERE WE GO!!! HERE WE GO !!!! HERE WE GO !!!
Report abuse
I put a comment on here earlier but it has dissappeared. I think Kieron Richardson would be useful as he already knows his way around.
Also if it is possible would Nicky Shorey like a month or so at left back – not sure if the rules allow him to be loaned to us but he did a good job for Forest. O’Neill probably will need him as coverin the run in and there’s the FA Cup semi for him to consider.
Other than that I think that we should be okay to be honest as most players we could bring in are not up to standard required and not match fit. Just read that we need to organise a continued loan for Reid until the end of the season if we want to keep him on which I think we should.
On another note I wrote about Schmeicael from Notts County as a potential summer purchase and now apparently Blues are looking at him as an option if Hart can’t stay another term. Clearly he will be hot property come May and will be moving since County’s plan is in tatters. If we want him we need to move fast.
Report abuse
I’m not knocking Ish, but I do question this:
“….the return to full fitness of Ishmael Miller”
I think he isn’t really match fit and struggled at times last night. If a striker is needed, it has to be someone who can hold the ball up. Playing with ‘one up’ means Cox will only play in an emergency, for example chasing a game.
Report abuse