Steve Clarke has confidence in West Brom strikers
Albion boss Steve Clarke today handed his strikers a vote of confidence as they hunt their first goal of the season.
The Baggies head coach insisted he is happy with his frontmen despite a lack of output so far.
Youngster Saido Berahino, who is yet to operate as a centre-forward for the first team having been deployed in a wide role, is the only recognised forward to find the net so far this term with Nicolas Anelka, Shane Long, Victor Anichebe and Matej Vydra still looking for their first goals.
Clarke said: "None of them have scored yet but they have contributed to team success and that's the most important thing. It's great for strikers to score because every striker wants and needs goals.
"But the day I start worrying about them is the day they're not getting in positions to score goals.
"They've all missed chances in the games they've played and it's more worrying if they're not getting in those positions."
Anelka, who was Clarke's highest profile summer recruit, was left on the substitutes' bench for last weekend's goalless draw at Stoke.
But Clarke insisted the decision was no reflection on the early-season form of the 34-year-old former Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool man.
The Scot said: "Nobody is guaranteed their place.
"We've got good competition for all the places and from game to game my job is to decide what the best starting XI is for that particular game.
"That was the thinking last week and it will be the thinking again this week, next week and the following week.
"We have to make the best of what we've got."