Sam Johnstone: West Brom boss Slaven Bilic has remained on an even keel
Slaven Bilic stayed grounded and refused to change his methods after Albion’s ‘eye-opening’ start to life back in the Premier League, goalkeeper Sam Johnstone has revealed.
Albion had to wait until the 10th time of asking for their first three-point haul in the top flight.
After a poor defeat at fellow promoted side Fulham at the beginning of November, Bilic’s men were unfortunate to come out empty-handed from encouraging performances, albeit one-goal defeats against Tottenham and Manchester United.
But Bilic’s persistence in remaining confident and true to his methods was rewarded last time out against Sheffield United, where Conor Gallagher’s early strike was the difference.
“No game is easy, we’re always up against top players and top clubs, we gave it our all and it wasn’t to be in those first few games and it was an eye-opener,” said Baggies goalkeeper Johnstone, who has been instrumental in his side’s recent improvement.
“The manager went about his business in the same way – you can’t get too high when we’d won or too low when we’d not. We knew it’d be different to last year when you win the majority of the games.”
Johnstone admits that a change in expectations is something that promoted sides like Albion ‘have to accept’ when adjusting to life in the top division.
He added: “I think that’s something you have to accept, although you go out to win games, you have to accept it’s not the Championship and you’re not going to be in the top two all season.
“We dug in, kept things the same, worked hard, and hopefully those things are starting to reward us.”
Ex-Villa and Walsall loan keeper Johnstone is among the leading players in his position in Europe for saves made this season.
He shone at the home of his former club Manchester United – where he spent nine years coming through the ranks – but a second-half penalty cruelly denied him a clean sheet.
“We’re a newly-promoted team in difficult circumstances and we are finding our feet,” Johnstone said. “It’s difficult. The step up from the Championship is massive and the last few games we have definitely played well.
“We were unlucky against Spurs and Man United and got the first three points on Saturday.”
