Tony Pulis says West Brom haven't lost intensity after reaching 40 points
Tony Pulis has denied the suggestion his teams slack off once they reach 40 points. <!--more-->
Losing to Everton 3-0 on Saturday means Albion have lost back-to-back games since hitting the magical marker the head coach starts out every season hunting for, conceding five goals and scoring none.
Last season the Baggies didn't win any of their six games after hitting 40 points, although they drew three of them including games against Liverpool and Tottenham.
In fact, Pulis has only won five of 36 Premier League games he's managed for Stoke, Crystal Palace and Albion after guiding those teams to 40 points.
He drew 15 of those fixtures which means he picked up 30 points from 36 games, well below his usual points to game ratio.
But he says there is the same intensity on the training pitch as there has been all season.
"If you come and watch us train, I’m not doing anything different to what I did in the previous 24 or 25 games," he said, when those figures were put to him. "If you’ve watched the game (against Everton) I think the players had a right go.
"What killed us was the five minutes before half time. It wasn't through lack of effort or commitment from the players."
Albion's players are growing frustrated at the insinuation they have now downed tools, and in Pulis's favour, the season before he arrived, the club didn't even reach the 40-point mark.
The Welshman put Saturday's defeat to Everton down to the financial disparity between his side and the top seven.
"We haven’t got the money Everton have got to splash," he said. "There’s quite a few sides below us who have spent a lot of money as well.
"Money has always been the calling card for the top players. If you're getting top players in you have to pay that money. If you’re not doing it that way you have to try and produce your own.
"We’ve got some good young players at our place. But you then have to be very clever and very good at recruitment and that’s the difference."
Albion's trip to Manchester City on Saturday, April 22, will now be rescheduled for a date to be confirmed because City have reached the semi-final of the FA Cup.
