West Brom’s Graham Dorrans plays down Fulham pressure
Friday 23rd September 2011, 12:00PM BST.
West Brom midfielder Graham Dorrans today played down the pressure on the Hawthorns clash with Fulham and insisted it’s not a “must win” game.
Baggies boss Roy Hodgson locks horns with his former club for the first time tomorrow with both sides in the Premier League’s bottom three, on just three points from five matches.
But Dorrans, who hopes to keep his place after impressing in Wednesday’s Carling Cup defeat at Everton, believes the showdown has come much too early to be considered a season-defining fixture.
He said: “Every game is a big game and we go into every match looking to win, but it’s too early to say that it’s a must-win clash.
“We are going into the game looking to take points, like we do from them all, but there are only five games gone so it’s far too early to be talking about teams being ‘desperate’ for points.
“I’m sure the gaffer will be looking to put one over on his old club and get three points but he will focus on it like he does any other game.
“He will approach it as he would if it was anyone else.”
Dorrans hopes to retain a starting berth against the Cottagers after completing 120 minutes against the Toffees in Wednesday’s 2-1 loss.
It was his longest outing since injuring his ankle in February – a problem that kept him out of the end of last season.
To read our stories in full, log in to the premium 24 website.
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
Good common sense but having heard Graham interviewed previously I can only think they must have used a translator.
It isn’t a must win but I understand why people are saying it is. Anything can happen in an individual game, sendings off, missed chances etc and if you already have points on the board it doesn’t matter but if we lose on Saturday the inevitable talk of a crisis will start.
I think whatever the line-up the team will be unrecognisable from last week.
Report abuse
dorrans,when 100%,is 1 of our top players.once he is fully fit he will terrify lots ofPL defences.starting saturday i hope.
just read on the wba site that gera can start training again next week,they hope.gera and dorrans in a 5 man midfield would be a cracking combo.
Report abuse
at this early stage in the season i don’t believe in must-win games, but i do believe we must win some games. i really don’t want to look on here on monday morning and see albion players lining up to tell us what went wrong and how they plan to put it right at sunderland
not a must-win game but a can-win game, and i’ll be hoping more than anyone for a good performance and a good atmosphere tomorrow as it’s my boy’s birthday and his first ever visit to the hawthorns. i hope we can give him something to fall in love with
Report abuse
I think it is vitally important to get 3 points against a fellow struggler at home but its not a ‘must’ win yet. I’m also desperate to see a good solid performance to help lift their own confidence as well as that of the supporters, who I’m sure like me have had there optimism for a good season dented by our indifferent start. I’d like to see tchoyi start up front. The boy has done nothing wrong and gives us genuine strength up front. On the flip side I’m concerned by how much threat Hangeland can cause us at set pieces. He hammered us last season albeit with 4 full backs across the back 4 due to injuries/suspensions. Come on the baggies!!!
Report abuse