Zuiverloon seeks cutting edge

Baggies defender rues missed chances

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 27th November 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Zuiverloon seeks cutting edge

Zuiverloon: Troubled times

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Gianni Zuiverloon believes West Brom's timid attack is the reason behind their struggles this term.

The Baggies have scored just 10 goals in 14 Premier League matches so far, giving them the worst attacking record in the division.

As a result, Tony Mowbray's men currently sit rock-bottom of the table and have collected just one point from their last seven top-flight outings.

Dutch defender Zuiverloon believes the club's passing philosophy remains the best tactical choice for getting themselves out of trouble, but admits that a cutting edge is required if an immediate return to the Championship is to be avoided.

Confidence

"We have to keep confidence because we are not playing badly," he said.

"We have good movement around the park and only in the last part of the pitch is it a little bit difficult for us.

"It is a little bit difficult for us to score. That is what we are missing. We are playing good football and, if we were scoring goals, the back four would have less pressure than we have now.

"We can't afford to make a mistake. If we are scoring goals, the back four is more relaxed.

"The teams we are playing against, don't have so many chances against us but, with the chances they get, they score.

"We get two or three chances and we don't. That is the lesson we have got to learn. Not taking the chances is costing us - and also stupid mistakes by the back four sometimes."

Tight

However, Zuiverloon believes there is no need to panic just yet as a couple of positive results would see the Baggies wipe out the four-point gap which currently separates them from safety.

"I think the alarm bells will ring when the gap is too big between us and the 14th-15th placed clubs," added the Holland U21 international.

"At the moment it is still tight. We have to win two games to get above the relegation line.

"I don't think the alarm bells will ring because we have the team to play in the Premier League and the team to win games."