Di Matteo taking nothing for granted
Tuesday 30th March 2010, 11:29AM BST.
Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo has urged his players to take nothing for granted after edging one step closer to the Premier League.
Defeat for third-placed Nottingham Forest at Newcastle last night means the Baggies need just three wins from their last six games to clinch a fourth Championship promotion since 2002.
An instant return to the top flight could be secured as early as Easter Monday if results go Albion’s way, after Forest’s 2-0 reverse left them nine points adrift and only able to reach 88 points if they win their remaining six games.
With a significantly better goal difference, Roberto Di Matteo’s team could probably put themselves out of sight with two wins and two draws from their last half-dozen fixtures.
But Di Matteo is still fighting to stamp out any complacency within the camp.
He said: “Last night’s result doesn’t change anything, although it underline what an important point it was at Reading, as it has moved us a further point clear of third place. We’re in a strong position, but there’s still a lot of hard work ahead of us.
“Because our fate has been in on our own hands for a while, it was always going to be about what we do – and that still remains the case.”
But Forest boss Billy Davies has warned the Baggies his team are giving up nothing, as they pledged to hunt Albion all the way to the automatic promotion shut-off point.
Davies said: “I’m not admitting defeat although I am saying I think Newcastle United, in my opinion, will finish the job. But we’ve got a challenge for second place that is very much still on the go.
“I do think there will be a slip up from Albion. If you look at the remaining six games it is very interesting. Anything is possible.”
Forest face a final half dozen games against Bristol City (a) Cardiff (h), Ipswich (h), Blackpool (a) Plymouth (h) and Scunthorpe (a) while the Baggies begin their big six at home to Leicester on Friday night followed by Watford and Doncaster (a) then Middlesbrough (h), Palace (a) and Barnsley (h).
Gary Megson twice took the Baggies to the Premier League but the earliest he managed it was by April 24 in 2004, while Tony Mowbray’s championship winners had to wait until the second-last game of the season to put their fingertips around a top-flight place.
For Di Matteo, the chance to settle the club’s immediate future ahead of schedule will be important, as it gives him an early start in planning for the club’s fifth Premier League campaign.
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
I see Little Billy is trying to play mindgames by saying we shall slip up at some point, why doesn’t he just concentrate on stopping his side from slipping up which they seem to be doing alot lately and we shall look after ourselves, if thats ok with him of course as it all seems to always be about him.
Report abuse
I watched Billy Davies last night and he really is an obnoxious little man. I remember Phil Brown playing similar mind games when were last promoted when Hull were just behind us. Thankfully RDM does not and need not resort to these tactics we are 9 points in front. Having said that Forest put on a good show and they have some promising young players. They look to be the strongest contenders in the play offs and it would be good to have another Midland side promoted.
Report abuse
On paper the Albion have harder games than Forest, but this league is hard to predict – Bristol City took points off us and Newcastle. Out of the six games left, Forest need three wins and a draw without the Albion gaining a single point in order to overhaul us. Okay, we all remember what we did to the Dingles, but I don’t see the Albion freezing or hitting the panic button.
Report abuse
After last night’s game,little Billy kept saying his young players tried hard against the very experienced Newcastle,but they are young players and they did well for young players….how much more bull can he come out with in an effort to make excuses?As to him saying it will be us that will slip up,does that mean they will have no problem against the likes of Cardiff and Blackpool away?Give it a rest,Mr.Davies,we are getting fed up of all the hot air.
Report abuse
Billy Davies eh….what a caution and no mistake. A more thoroughly unpleasant person it would be hard too imagine. Comes out with total clap trap and condescending comments all the time. Your numbers up Billy, best to admit it now rather than to carry on looking and acting like a total plank !
Report abuse
If we were in their shoes I wouldn’t expect much different from RDM. You either stay positive to put on a brave face for your fans and keep the players focused because you’d need to be in the play offs, or you give in to publically try to get the other team to relax enough for you to catch them. Either way your dammed. Simple truth is from our point of view to keep focused on the next game against Leicester and get 3 more points and let Billy worry about what is going on in Nottingham.
Report abuse
we are going up,end of
Report abuse
If I were Billy Davis I would have everything crossed that Forest DON’T get promoted based on what happened to him with Derby. He was treated dreadfully just for over achieving.
I dislike the guy but, like Warnock he gets the best out of average sides so fair play.
I remember the start of the season when Mowbray left us (lol) and RDM was appointed – there were many who thought our chance to bounce back up had gone – even I wondered where we would end up….. so RDM and Eddie Newton – plus Jezza Peace & Co must take huge dollops of credit for getting us to this point with 6 games left.
Its easy to feel nervous about us going up again – but the tean aint let us down yet so lets have some faith – we may not be scoring 100+ goals this term – but we are a better TEAM than ever before.
LOVIN IT !!!!!!
Report abuse
So we go up,we come down,so wha,still the best trip ive ever been on,you dont get away days like reading in the prem believe me,aye boing boing
Report abuse
i think leicesters game with cardiff tuesday might take abit out of them for when we play them friday,lets hit um hard with wave after wave of attacking football and grind them down,im hoping for a good win 3 or 4 nil lets finish the season in style,,,,GOING UP THE DI MATTEO WAY ,,IN STYLE OF COURSE ,,OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH YES…
Report abuse
WELL WELL mr davis mee thinks you doth protest too mutch,never mind troubleing your wee little scotch head and sitting in ya little dug out belching like i saw you yesterday too mutch humble pie cause thats all you will be serving up at the end of the season never mind fist waveing and stupid after match chats you got it wrong at derby and like wise at forest,your comments about us is all the insentive we need to get us up thanks mate,,oh one last thing we will have some of that tallent you dont seeme to know how to use like giles barnes anyway lets get behind the baggies and finish in style and keep doing what we are and forget davis whats he know?
Report abuse
From what I’ve heard and read, nobody at the Albion is taking anything from granted. Neither the players or Di Matteo. We just have to concentrate on our ourselves, if we win our games it doesn’t matter what Forest do, so Billy Davies can come out with all the claptrap he likes. Frankly, if I was him I’d be more worried about Forest’s away form.
Report abuse
OK, FOR THE 10TH TIME WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE AGREE WITH ME THAT BILLY DAVIES IS JIMMY KRANKEE IN DISGUISE (FANDABBEDOZEEEEEEE)
Report abuse
5 LB.
Not that difficult. Neil Warnock.
8 Happy.
Like when Gary Megson was appointed, I didn’t know whether to feel pleased or disappointed with RDMs appointment. As you say, perhaps a bit of credit is due for JP, especially from the ones who always seem quick to knock him.
10 Worcester.
Without being over the top your posts always leave me with a nice rosy positive feeling.
Report abuse
Love him or hate him, Davies is a good manager, but you can’t blame him for being scared of losing his job. Finishing 3rd, play-offs, not winning at Wembley, job gone? You can get sacked for finishing second. Ask TM.
Football is the most volatile way to earn a living. They’re all barking mad who get involved, including us, the supporters. It’s a good loff though, ay it?
Report abuse
LOOK LETS NOT GET TOO EXCITED. DI MATTEO IS NOT ALL THAT.
1. HE IS A LUCKY MANAGER
2. THERE IS NO REAL IMPROVEMENT IN OUR SQUAD I FEEL THAT WE ARE PLAY WORSE THAN LAST YEAR
3. HE HAS NOT SORTED OUT THE DEFENCE
4 HE PLAY PLAYERS OUT OF POSITION
5 THE LAST MOAN HE FRUSTRATES ME EVERY SATURDAY WHY DOES HE STAND AGAINST THE WALL AND NOT MOVE… MIGHT AS WELL GET A STATUE
APART FROM THAT HE HAS INHERITED A GOOD SQUAD OF PLAYERS ANYONE WITH A BIT OF FOOTBALL KNOWLEDGE WOULD GET US PROMOTED.
I WOULD GIVE HIM THE BOOT AND GET SOMEONE ELSE IN
BY THE WAY JEZZA WE NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON QUALITY PLAYERS WITH PREMIERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Report abuse
16,Morning shadrag,aye boing boing
Report abuse
17 Sir Terry.
Unusually I must question your judgement. The real Shadrag ie Laughing Wolf’s posts are normally grammatically perfect. Unless he’s in disguise this time as a total moron. Wouldn’t put it past him.
Report abuse
Baggie Steve
1) If he’s as lucky as that other Italian fella, Capello, I think we should keep him.
2) We got relegated from the Premiership, the squad was never going to improve.
3) We’ve conceded less goals than last time we were in this division.
4) In Saturday’s team, there’s only Steven Reid who you could argue was out of position, and I don’t think any of us are complaining at the job he’s doing. Brunt is now playing on the left.
5) Capello, Ferguson, Mourinho…..is he any less animated than those? If his players do what he asks of them beforehand, why does he need to rant and ball?
6) Middlesbrough started this season with a good squad of players, they’re not exactly flying. Give RDM some credit.
7) Sacking him’s a ridiculous suggestion, but if we did, who would you replace him with?
8) Your CAPS LOCK is on.
Report abuse
Warren i like your style!
Report abuse
Steve wants RDM to jump around like his hero Mad Mick. Mick jumped around enough this season wait till next season, when there are no Pompeys or Burnleys in the division he will jumping around in blind panic, especially when the ritual beating of Wolves starts up again.
Report abuse
19 – Warren, a very comprehensive response!
13 – Sid, this made me laugh because I watched the Newcastle match in the pub with my geordie mate and he said exactly the same thing. Incidentally there was one Forest fan amongst a host of Geordies and a few Albion fans and he got some stick alright!
Report abuse
A Newcastle fan on forest’s site this morning said they were by far the best team at toonie towers this season,the only time it’s felt like a premier game there.Obviously this guy missed the three games this term where the Baggies outclassed them,the only reason our match up there wasn’t like the premiership is because the home side were second class.They have delusions of being a top club at the toon,but truth is they haven’t won a thing for 55 years.
Report abuse
BAGGIE STEVE
Albion are very lucky to have
Roberto Di Matteo at the helm ,the bloke has
only been in the mangement buisness for a few
years and is still learning his trade,he has
made a few mistakes but he`s learnt from them unlike previous managers ie.MEGSON,ROBSON,
and MOWBRAY.If Jeremy Peace had employed
Alan Irvine then I question if our better players would actually have played for him.
Roberto Di Matteo has certainly sorted the
defensive side of our game out with the
signings of Gonzalo Jara and Gabriel Tamas
and has included Marek Cech and
Yousouff Mulumbu a lot more this season,
Ben Watson and Stephen Reid were also brought
in to make us a better defensive set up.
If I have one down fall on Roberto Di Matteo
then its that sometimes his team selections
can be a little negative, although Albion have
scored about 77 goals we can be pretty boaring
at times.
ROBERTO DI MATTEO`S TEAM FOR LEICESTER WILL BE
Carson,Reid,Tamas,Olsson,Mattock,
Koren,Watson,Mulumbu,Brunt,Dorrans,Bednar.
ROBERTO DI MATTEO`S TEAM SHOULD BE
Carson,Zuiverloon,Tamas,Olsson,Cech,
Barnes,Koren,Reid,Brunt,Dorrans,Bednar.
Report abuse
Wulfie-Steve, silly boy, you’ve not even bothered to dress up properly as a spy. Now Molly New is to be your love for 999 years from today, you can look forward to a quite a few ommerins off The Baggies in that time. So don’t waste any more time on us, you’ve got to help MicMac keep you up ready for next season. Off you go now.
Report abuse
Little billy, look over your shoulder. I don’t think you will stop Cardiff from catching you.
(post 5)
Lena Bacon! No fat on that then?. Niel Warnock 100%.
(post 16)
Steve, I’d like to see the bottom of Micks photo on the dark side,the one he’s spinning like a prima donna. bet he’s wearing a pink TU-TU. DO you
mean thats how Roberto should act?.O.K. now back to Dingleton Farm. ALBION are the only boys of the
BLACK COUNTRY.
To all dingle posters on the dark side. You’re
frightened to death of facing DORRANS,aren’t you?.
Don’t forget Woolfies Friday night is FOOTBALL
night.
Report abuse