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WEST BROMWICH ALBION v LEICESTER CITY After a three week absence, football returns to The Hawthorns this Saturday in what could be a vital game in regards to manager Bryan Robson’s future. After the embarrassing defeat in front of the Sky TV cameras at Sunderland, many fans made it clear that they felt that the time for Robson to go had arrived. If the performance and result against the Foxes is anything like what was witnessed at the Stadium of Light then the first full scale protest against Robson’s reign as manager is almost certain to happen. Robson’s cause will not have been helped with the news that club captain Curtis Davies could be missing for a couple of months after suffering a broken foot in the game at Sunderland. Davies’ form has been one of the bright spots of Albion’s season so far and his absence will be a huge blow for the Baggies but it does give a chance to recent signing from Manchester United, Paul McShane. After impressing whilst on loan at Brighton last season, the Irish born star now has the opportunity to make a name for himself at the league’s other ‘Albion’. Whilst Davies will miss out against the Foxes, the game could see the return of ‘bad-boy’ midfielder Jason Koumas, just weeks after it appeared his Hawthorns career was at an end. After reportedly patching up his differences with Robson, the Welsh international belatedly returned to training and put in an impressive 90 minute display for the reserve team against Shrewsbury on Monday night. With Albion crying out for someone with creativity in the team, could Koumas be the man to provide that and so help to keep Robson - the man he said he couldn’t play for - in his job? One player whose commitment can never be questioned is City midfielder Andy Johnson who returns to The Hawthorns for the first time since leaving for the East Midlands in the summer. Whilst perhaps never really good enough for the Premiership, he is more than capable at Championship level and is one to be ‘watched’. AJ’s new team are in good form and are unbeaten in their last four matches. After losing their first two games of the season against Luton and Burnley, City have since registered victories against Ipswich and Southend as well as knocking Macclesfield out of the Carling Cup. Despite Leicester’s current good form, Albion certainly should be looking at the game as a good chance of picking up all three points. City, somewhat like Albion, have struggled for goals this season and if Perry, McShane and co. can add to the three clean sheets already achieved this season, we certainly have enough firepower in Hartson, Phillips and Ellington to grab a winner at the other end. With that in mind I’m going for a 1-0 home win. TEAM NEWS Albion In goal, the out of form Pascal Zuberbuhler looks likely to retain his starting place after recent signing Luke Steele failed to impress for the reserve team in the week. Paul McShane will make his league debut for the club in the centre of defence alongside Chris Perry. Paul Robinson will start at left-back whilst Steve Watson looks likely to hold off the challenge of Martin Albrechtsen to start at right-back. Curtis Davies, Neil Clement and Thomas Gaardsoe are all missing due to injury. In midfield, Baggies’ boss Bryan Robson will be hoping that Nigel Quashie shakes off the dead leg he suffered during Scotland’s win over Lithuania on Wednesday night. If fit, Quashie looks set to line-up alongside Ronnie Wallwork in the centre of midfield with Richard Chaplow dropped. Jonathan Greening and Zoltan Gera should start out wide with Darren Carter and the returning Jason Koumas looking set for places on the bench. Despite returning to full training, Diomansy Kamara is not yet considered fit enough for first team duty. Up front, John Hartson looks likely to be partnered by Hawthorns debutant Kevin Phillips with Nathan Ellington dropping to the bench. Young striker Stuart Nicholson looks likely to miss out altogether despite scoring for the reserves against Shrewsbury on Monday. Team From: Zuberbuhler, Steele, Watson, Albrechtsen, Perry, McShane, Robinson, Gera, Wallwork, Quashie, Chaplow, Carter, Koumas, Greening, Hartson, Phillips, Ellington, Nicholson. Leicester City Paul Henderson looks set to continue in goal for the Foxes with Scottish international Rab Douglas currently lacking match fitness following his recent shoulder problems. In defence Foxes’ boss Rob Kelly looks likely to keep faith with the quartet of Darren Kenton, Patrick Kisnorbo, Patrick McCarthy and Nils-Eric Johansson, who all started last time out against Southend. The versatile Richard Stearman should be on the bench. Former Albion midfielder Andy Johnson will start in the centre of midfield, possibly alongside the tough tackling Australian Danny Tiatto. Levi Porter and Gareth Williams are on standby should Tiatto fail to recover from his recent thigh injury. Josh Low and Stephen Hughes are likely to complete the midfield quartet. Up front former Walsall hotshot Matty Fryatt will start most probably alongside youth team product Chris O’Grady. Former Tranmere man Iain Hume will provide back-up on the bench. Team From: Henderson, Douglas, Logan, Kenton, Kisnorbo, McCarthy, Johansson, Stearman, Low, Johnson, Tiatto, Hughes, Porter, Williams, Fryatt, Hume, O'Grady. LAST LEAGUE MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS
Albion:
Stuart Naylor, Daryl Burgess, Phil King (Shaun Cunnington HT), Stacy
Coldicott, Paul Mardon, Paul Raven, Lee Ashcroft, Dave Gilbert, Bob Taylor,
Andy Hunt, Ian Hamilton.
Subs not used:
Paul Reece (gk), Paul Edwards
Goalscorers:
Hamilton
57, Raven 87
Leicester City Goalscorers: Taylor 15 & 44, Roberts 30 Referee: Roger Gifford (Llanbradach) Assistant Referees: B Coddington & CJ Foy Half-Time: Albion 0-3 Leicester City Attendance: 16,071 CURRENT CONNECTIONS Russell Hoult started his career as a trainee with Leicester but failed to gain a regular first team place, being loaned out to a number of clubs before being sold to East Midlands rivals Derby County in 1995. He spent five years at Derby before moving on to Portsmouth, and then in January 2001, Albion, for whom he has now made almost 200 appearances. Andy Johnson spent almost five years at The Hawthorns after signing from Nottingham Forest in September 2001. The Welsh star made over 140 appearances for the Baggies' and scored eight goals, before moving to Leicester in June of this year. PAST CONNECTIONS Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Ian Banks, Trevor Benjamin, Tony Brien, Ally Brown, Franz Carr, Nicky Cross, Laurie Cunningham, Peter Eastoe, Ike Evanson, Graham Fenton, Billy Garraty, Phil Gilchrist, Mark Grew, Paul Groves, Jackie Haines, Billy Harper, Derek Hogg, Paul Kerr, Steve Lynex, Des Lyttle, Peter McKennan, Roddy McLeod, Lee Marshall, Kevin Pressman, Arthur Randle, Arthur Rowley, Riccardo Scimeca, Frank Sinclair, Fred Shinton, Arthur Smith, David Speedie, David Walker, Gavin Ward, Winston White, Harry Wilcox and Paul Williams.
Brian Little managed both Albion and Leicester; Allan Evans
was Little's assistant at both clubs; Jock Wallace played for
Albion and later managed City; Gerry Summers played for Albion
during the 1950's and later coached at City; Cyril Lea coached at
both clubs; Former Albion loanee Steve Walford later became
Leicester's assistant manager. |
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