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Gareth McAuley insists West Brom wanted better

Player of the season Gareth McAuley today admitted West Brom are "kicking themselves" despite a record-breaking season at the Hawthorns.

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The Baggies achieved a best-ever Premier League points tally of 49 and a highest finish of eighth place.

But centre-back McAuley admitted he and his team-mates remain annoyed they fell short of their pre-season target of 50 points.

The Northern Ireland international said: "We got to 40 points ages ago. It seems like an eternity.

"We just couldn't get to 50, unfortunately, so I think when the dust settles in a couple of weeks' time we will be kicking ourselves because we threw points and games away really.

"When you look back over the season we could have been well over 50."

And McAuley admitted Albion's stuttering form in the second half of the campaign is a frustration after they rose to eighth in the top-flight table in November.

He said: "Finishing in the top eight is a great achievement but there is a little bit of frustration.

"In the second half of the season, we haven't been as good and we could maybe have finished a bit higher if we had kept it going.

"We just hit a period where we had a few injuries and a few key players out of the team. That carried on for a long period.

"When we got them back we picked up a bit of rhythm and picked up a few more points,.

"If we can keep people fit and playing, hopefully we can carry on our form throughout next season."

Meanwhile, Baggies sources have dismissed reports they are in talks with Belgium midfielder Jonathan Legear, who plays for Terek Grozny in Russia.

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