Robbie Keane to miss Albion clash

Albion today received a major boost ahead of their crucial clash with West Ham when long-time nemesis Robbie Keane was ruled out.

The 30-year-old will miss the game at The Hawthorns on Saturday with the calf injury that forced him out of Ireland's 3-0 victory over Wales on Tuesday.

There are fears the former Wolves man could be set for a lengthy lay-off.

But he is definitely out of Saturday's fixture as the injury is assessed.

And that will come as a major relief to Baggies fans, who have seen Keane score nine goals in 15 appearances against them.

That is despite him not having scored in his first four matches against the club in Wolves colours.

Caretaker manager Michael Appleton was preparing Albion for the match today with an onus on the need to tighten up defensively.

"We've kept one clean sheet in 24 games so the perfect scenario for me is to win 1-0 on Saturday," he said.

"If we scored three or four, fantastic, but if we can keep a clean sheet it'll be a fantastic achievement and give us a stepping stone for the next few goals.

"There are little things we can adjust in terms of how we defend when we lose the ball, whether that is winning the ball back quickly, getting into a compact shape, all the little things.

"We will want to keep solid, limit mistakes that we're making and not giving the opposition as many opportunities as they are getting around the edge of our box."

And Appleton has placed his entire squad on alert for the weekend, insisting all players have a chance to impress.

"When there is a change, whether it's to management, structure or whatever, everyone has a bit of a clean slate," he said.

"Everyone has different opinions in everything you do and some of the players who haven't been in the squad or the starting XI will see this as a bit of an opportunity and rightly so, because ultimately I have been given the reins to make sure I get the team prepared and in the right frame of mind for the game on Saturday.

"That basically gives me licence to pick the team I think can win the game and go on to do well for the club so that gives the players who have not been in an opportunity to get themselves either into the 11 or into the 18."