Alan Pardew hopes Chelsea match can be start of West Brom revival
Friday 9 February 2018 15:58, UK
Alan Pardew is adamant his West Brom side have the quality to stay in the Premier League, but admitted the points need to come quickly.
The Baggies, who lost 3-2 to Southampton last weekend, are without a win in their last three Premier League games and are bottom of the table ahead of Monday's fixture against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, live on Sky Sports Premier League.
Pardew saw his side score three goals in an FA Cup victory against Liverpool last month and is confident his players are not far off replicating that level of performance and is buoyed by the return of several first-team players.
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"We need to put some points on the board," Pardew said at the pre-match press conference.
"Our level of play right up to the Liverpool game was probably the best we have been. But to suffer four injuries like we did in those two games - three against Liverpool and one from Manchester City was costly against Southampton.
"Unfortunately we can't change that. Southampton on the day deserved to win but we need to get back to where we were a week and that is all. The good news for us is we should have more players available.
"I think [Kieran] Gibbs, [Jonny] Evans, Grzegorz [Krychowiak] will be available and that is going to strengthen my hand in picking the team and from the bench."
"It has been one of those weeks where we have had to re-position ourselves in our minds and say we really are going to carry the fight and the first point of call is Chelsea."
Pardew referenced the arrival of Daniel Sturridge on loan from Liverpool during the January transfer window as a reason for optimism within the camp and said he was not concerned by the possibility of falling seven points adrift in the table ahead of the Chelsea match.
"There could be but that is hypothetical at this stage," he said.
"At the moment it is four and that is realistic for us. All I do know is at some point this team needs to win three games. It needs to win three games out of three or three games out of four and I think we are capable of doing that.
"If I didn't think we were capable of that then I would worry but I think we have got enough particularly with the signing of Sturridge in our group.
"If we keep everybody fit then we are capable of doing that [recovering the deficit]."
When asked about the pressure his West Brom side faced against an out-of-form Chelsea after back-to-back defeats to Bournemouth and Watford, Pardew preferred to focus on the opportunity his side had to build some momentum ahead of a crucial stage in their season.
Pardew added: "It puts pressure on them [Chelsea]. We are obviously under pressure because we are bottom of the league. I think you are going to see a lot of fight on the pitch in terms of two teams desperate to get points and turn a little bit of a corner for Chelsea and us to get a result that might be the boost that we need.
"I know Chelsea very well. I have watched from a far. They have difficult periods but they do come through them and I have great respect for the manager and I think he will come through it - no problem."
