Express & Star

Sam Johnstone was targetting home clean sheets for West Brom

SAM JOHNSTONE has challenged Albion to start keeping clean sheets at home.

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Kenneth Zohore of West Bromwich Albion and Darnell Furlong of West Bromwich Albion celebrate the win and the clean sheet with Sam Johnstone of West Bromwich Albion.

The goalkeeper has registered three consecutive shut-outs on the road with the Baggies winning at Middlesbrough, Stoke and Hull.

In total, Slaven Bilic’s side have conceded just five goals in nine Championship outings away from The Hawthorns this season.

But they have conceded 12 in seven appearances at home. And Johnstone says they need to tighten up in front of their own supporters.

“We’ve been picking up some great results away from home and our confidence is really high as you’d probably expect,” he said.

“But we want to start adding clean sheets at home now as well. We haven’t had one yet and we’re determined to start keeping teams out at The Hawthorns.”

The 26-year-old added: “It’s so important, not just for goalkeepers, but for the whole team to be keeping teams out. It goes a long way to securing important results and victories.

“We drew our last two home games against Charlton and Barnsley so we want to get back to winning ways in front of our own fans.

Johnstone has been key to Albion’s impressive defensive displays with the glovesman making a string of fine saves.

But he says to keep clean sheets everyone has to play well.

“Goalkeepers will always get the most credit when a team keeps a clean sheet because they are the ones who are paid to keep the ball out,” he continued.

“However, if you keep a clean sheet it normally means the whole team has defended really well and kept a solid shape. So I really do think that it’s a collective achievement.

“I’ve got great defenders ahead of me who are always blocking shots and making it difficult for strikers to get opportunities.

“The midfielders work really hard and it’s down to the front man to either press or hold a shape so everyone has a part to play.

“There have been some games where I haven’t had too much to do in terms of saving shots which shows just how well the whole team is defending.”

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