West Brom boss Sam Allardyce: Players must do their homework

Particularly during the first coronavirus lockdown, when football was suspended, clubs across the country were relying on technology to communicate and do group sessions to stay in shape.

But Allardyce has thought for some time that players should be using everything available to them to improve – mentally and tactically – and has urged his Albion players to take on that challenge.

“The players don’t think about it as long and hard and deep as we do,” Allardyce said.

“I don’t think they should, but they should be thinking about the next game they’re playing.

‘And they should do more homework themselves, I’ve thought that for a long time.

“On the basis of what’s available to a player now, they should do a little bit more when they’re not here.

“That’s not physical that’s mental, that’s tactical.

“We can stream as little or as much as they want down the line, that means we don’t have to spend a lot of time continuing to practice it here.

“It makes the training more enjoyable.

“But players have a bigger opportunity than ever before to do more homework when they’re not with their clubs.”

Meanwhile, Allardyce admits the Baggies are approaching ‘must win’ territory in the Premier League, but for now is determined for his side to avoid defeat.

Albion sit 19th in the league, two points off the foot of the table and 12 points from safety.

Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United has offered the club hope after what has been largely dubbed their best performance of the campaign so far.

However, it took a last minute Sam Johnston save to deny a Harry Maguire header from snatching away the points and Allardyce is still disappointed with his side’s defensive fragility – as he urges them to make the goalkeeper’s life easier.

“We’re getting close to ‘must win’ but I’ve been in the forefront of saying ‘must not lose’,” Allardyce added.

“The sad thing is that I’ve been saying that for the entirety of the time I’ve been here, if you can’t win, make sure you don’t lose.

“The only trouble is, the amount of times we’ve failed to do that has been really discouraging for me,

“It’s all about the goals we’ve let in, Burnley have only scored 15 and look where they are.

“We have failed miserably in terms of not letting goals in, we are top of the Premier League in terms of letting goals in against you.

“We have a keeper who’s top of the Premier League for making saves – that can’t be right. they should have grasped it sooner but they haven’t.

“If they do between now and the end of the season hopefully, if they do that gives us a chance.”