WBA Prepare to Win Championship at Loftus Road

-
[See also: Past QPR-WBA Encounters] Also WBA's 2007-2008Stats. WBA also lead the shooting stats (on and off target!) And WBA also rank way down in number of yellow cards this season (55 yellow and 3 red, compared to QPR's 86 Yellow and 5 red cards) - Disciplinary

Snideness from Setanta
"QPR v West Brom - Flavio Briatore’s dream of playing in the Premier League will have to wait another year following QPR’s less than perfect season. The home side have won just once in their last six attempts and this poor form has seen them slide down the Championship table. The last time QPR beat The Albion was in 2001 and it seems likely that they will not be beating West Brom this time as the Black Country club are looking to win the Championship title and return to the Premier League in style. WBA have scored ten times in six matches against the Loftus Road based outfit. " Setanta


West Bromwich Albion Official Site - Boss: Taking title won't be easy
TONY Mowbray has warned his men it will be no walk in the park against QPR on Sunday (ko 2pm) if they want to get their hands on the Championship crown.
And the Baggies boss is eager to bring home the club's first league title in 88 years, especially for the fans.
Due to their superior goal difference Albion just need to match Stoke's result against Leicester to guarantee finishing in top spot.
But, although 14th-placed Rangers have nothing to play for in terms of promotion or relegation, Mowbray insists they will be eager to test themselves against his table-topping side.
"It's always nice to reflect in years to come and not just talk about a promotion-winning season but also a Championship-winning side," he said.
"It would be nice for the players to have something in years to come for their achievements.
"We will be going to try and win a football game.
"That said it's always a difficult place to go and get a victory.
"It's a very enclosed arena and it could be an intimidating arena.
"By nature of their club, with the investment they've made and the new players that have come in, there is the anticipation and excitement of what is to come for them.
"They'll be trying to get that big club-feel and maybe in the summer there will be some more investment at the club. "They probably see it as a good guide for where they are and how far they've got to go by playing the team against the top of the division.
"We're aware it won't be a Sunday afternoon out for them.
"I think they will be testing themselves and we've got to be ready for a tough fixture."
If Albion win the title Mowbray has no designs on winning it again as that would mean the club slipping out of the Premier League once more.
"A lot of fans have told me how important they see it and if we can win a Championship we should do," he added.
"They put a lot of stock in that so we will be doing just that.
"Hopefully we won't be doing that very often because we're envisaging staying in the top division for a lot of years and not worrying about having to win the Championship." WBA

WBA Official Site - WBA's Kevin Phillips - Kev: Let's prove we're the best
KEVIN Phillips has urged his team-mates to prove they are the best by clinching the title at QPR on Sunday (ko 2pm).
The 24-goal hotshot was part of the Sunderland side that bounced back from play-off penalty shoot-out heartbreak against Charlton in 1998 by winning the league at a canter the following season.
And Phillips is now hoping history will repeat itself and the Baggies can put last term's play-off defeat by Derby behind them in style by taking the Championship crown at Loftus Road.
"Winning the title is massively important," he said.
"Everyone keeps going on about how we're the best team in the Championship.
"We're only the best team if we win the league.
"If we don't win the league and Stoke do, obviously they will have been the best team throughout the season.
"We want to go to QPR on Sunday and win the game.
"QPR have got nothing left to play for.
"Hopefully they'll have that mind set and we'll go there with the right attitude and win the game.
"There are good footballing teams in this league and good players.
"I don't think the gulf is that massive between the Premier League and the Championship - not like it used to be.
"It's been a tight division this season and it was last season.
"It's been a strange season and one that will be remembered for a long, long time."
Phillips insists no-one should underestimate the achievement of coming back from play-off final despair to immediately seal automatic promotion.
"The players and manager have got to take a hell of a lot of credit for coming back from a crushing blow at Wembley in the play-offs and losing some of the quality players - there is no doubt they are quality - we lost," he added.
"The manager has replaced them with similar quality and it's been a tremendous success this year.
"Not many teams lose in a play-off final and then the following year get promoted.
"Fortunately I did it at Sunderland when we lost that amazing game against Charlton at Wembley and then we came back the next year and destroyed the league.
"We got over 100 points and scored the most goals in all the leagues, similar to what we've done at West Brom.
"It can be done and it's all credit to the team.
"This is up there with that because it's been up and down all year.
"Even on Monday night, at one point, it looked as if we were going to blow it.
"That's sort of the story of the season.
"We've really got to enjoy this moment because look at Derby now.
"This time last year, after the play-off final they would have felt on top of the world and now look at them.
"That's the ups and downs of football and you've got to enjoy the good times when they come around.
The 34-year-old hitman ranks promotion with the Baggies as his best achievement in football.
And he admits it gives him huge satisfaction to be flying the flag for the over-30s in the game.
"This promotion is up there with all my achievements," he said.
"Personally it's right at the top because of my age.
"People assume as soon as you get over 30 that you can't play, run or score anymore.
"I've proved all those doubters wrong so from a personal point of view it's been fantastic.
"It's had its ups and its downs but generally it's been a good season.
"From a team point of view it's been a hard and long season.
"It looked like we were going to run away with it at one point but then we slipped up again.
"We came good at the time of the season that we needed to.
"Ultimately we're judged on getting promotion and we've done that so all those blips and slip-ups are forgotten." WBA


QPR OFFICIAL SITE - THE FRIDAY PREVIEW: BAGGIES
While it's not yet mathematically certain, West Bromwich Albion Football Club are within touching distance of a glorious return to the top-flight of English Football.
Chris Brunt's late equaliser against Southampton on Monday night as good as guaranteed the Baggies promotion back to the Premiership, after Adam Lallana had given Saints a shock lead.
The 1-1 draw left Tony Mowbray's men three points clear of third placed Hull City and the buoyant Baggies have a vastly superior goal difference.
Mowbray, whose side have a +13 goal advantage over the Tigers, certainly agrees his side are almost certainly back in the top-flight, adding: "It will take a strange set of results at the weekend to deny us promotion.
"I generally don't show emotion outwardly, but inwardly I enjoy things just as much as anyone else and, vice versa, when we lose football matches I feel it the same as everyone else.
"I'll enjoy the moment. I feel a certain warmth about the achievement of getting into the Premier League."
After the disappointment of their play-off final defeat last season and the bitterness of relegation the previous year, the Albion faithful were determined to enjoy the night as they watched their beloved Club clinch a return to the Premier League.
Thousands spilled onto the Hawthorns pitch, as the celebrations reached fever-pitch style proportions.
"The aftermath of losing the play-off final was pretty distressing for everybody at the Club really, but we had to rebuild and start again," said Mowbray.
"The players still here have found the courage and resolve and talent to go and do it all again because 46 games is a long, long slog, and the rewards are there with the scenes in the dressing room.
"Even though mathematically we've not got enough points yet, it's got to be some strange weekend not to find ourselves in the Premiership."
Front-man Kevin Phillips, who bagged a brace against the R's in their 5-1 victory at the Hawthorns in late September - has been the undoubted star of the show for Albion this term.
The 34 year-old, this season's top-scorer in the Championship with 22 goals, was the deserved recipient of the Football League's Championship Player of the Year award in March.
Whether the former Sunderland hit-man adds a Championship winner's medal to his ever expanding trophy cabinet remains to be seen though, with Luigi De Canio's men keen to end the campaign on a high. QPR

Also: The Scotsman Profiles Mowbray who Talks of his initial struggles with the WBA players

What it Will Cost for a Championship Club to stay up: FIFTY MILLION POUNDS!
"The Times We would need £50m if we go up, says Mick McCarthy"