WBA vs QPR - Previews

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Phillips and Hartson and Ellington and Quashie and Koumas and...: Could be a tough night!

West Bromwich Albion - Official Site
TV NEWS Mowbray calls for fear factor
Baggies boss wants Albion to enhance their reputation as a goalscoring outfit when QPR visit Hawthorns....

WBA Official Site - Phillips boost for Baggies
Mowbray: "Kevin's trained today and if there is no reaction he should be involved in some capacity."
TONY Mowbray has been given a timely fitness boost with the news Kevin Phillips could play a part in tomorrow's (Tuesday) clash with QPR (ko 7.45pm).
The Baggies striker has not figured in the last four games after sustaining a calf injury in training in the wake of his stunning Portman Road hat-trick more than a fortnight ago.
But he returned to full training today (Monday) and the Albion chief is keeping his fingers crossed Phillips suffers no adverse reaction.
"We hope Kevin is very, very close," said Mowbray.
"He's trained today and if there is no reaction he should be involved in some capacity."
The Hawthorns boss also expects John Hartson to be available for selection despite suffering a wrist injury.
Although Darren Carter (hamstring) is out of the running to face John Gregory's men, he is edging closer to fitness.
"Darren isn't too far away," Mowbray added.
"John has trained today and is fine.
"The protection on his wrist is precautionary after he felt some soreness and stiffness.
"We're hopeful John will be involved again tomorrow night."
With Neil Clement (knee) still on the long-term injury list, Mowbray does have a quandary over who to play at left-back in the absence of the suspended Paul Robinson.
"We don't have a natural left-back as a replacement," he admitted.
"But I'll discuss it with the staff, chat it through with the players and we'll hopefully pick a team that can win tomorrow night."
WBA

Matchday betting guide,,,Nigel Quashie
MEMORY LANE...Quashie 10/1 with Baggiesbet to score first or last against former club QPR
NIGEL Quashie made his professional debut as a 17-year-old at QPR.
And he is set to face his former club in tomorrow's (Tuesday) Hawthorns clash (ko 7.45pm).
The Albion midfielder is priced at 50/1 with Baggiesbet to score first in a 2-1 win for Tony Mowbray's men.
Quashie is also 10/1 to notch first or last and 11/4 to bag at anytime.!...
WBA

WBA's Squad

QPR Official Site -BAGGIES
The R's face arguably their toughest away test of the season to date, when they travel to The Hawthorns on Tuesday evening.
Three different manager's before the end of October is hardly the recipe for a successful season, yet few would bet against the Baggies being there or thereabouts come the business end of the Championship campaign.
Bryan Robson and Nigel Pearson have already departed The Hawthorns this term - the latter albeit only in a caretaker capacity - which leaves new gaffer Tony Mowbray with the seemingly thankless task of impressing the Baggies board.

Surely only promotion will suffice for the former Hibernian boss, who made a stunning start to life at The Hawthorns.

Goals from Jonathan Greening, in-form front-man Diomansy Kamara and John Hartson helped clinch a 3-0 victory against West Country rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers - a win which, thanks in part to Pearson, extended their unbeaten run to seven matches in all competitions.

Indeed Pearson - who has now joined Newcastle United as their assistant manager- could count himself extremely unfotunate not keep the job on a full-time basis, after guiding the Baggies to three victories and one draw in his four-match stint in charge, including a stunning 5-1 win at Ipswich and a 4-2 triumph against Leeds.

Baggies boss Tony Mowbray

But the past is the past and with Mowbray at the helm, Baggies Chairman Jeremy Peace is confident his new man can guide the Club back to the top-flight.

Peace is anxious to get back to the top tier of English Football before West Brom's Premiership parachute money runs out.

"It is very important we try and take the opportunity, hopefully this season, to get out of this division," he said.

"We believe with Tony, we will optimise the opportunity."

Saturday provided a brief setback to Peace and his fellow board members, however, when local rivals Birmingham City inflicted a 2-0 defeat on the Baggies at St Andrews....

Top scorer: Diomansy Kamara 6 (pictured, below)

Last league game:
Birmingham City, 2, West Bromwich Albion 0.
Coca Cola Championship.
October 28th 2006.
WBA: Zuberbuhler, Albrechtsen, Davies, Perry, Robinson, Gera, Greening, Quashie (Hartson 67), Koumas, Kamara, Ellington.
Subs Not Used: Hoult, Watson, Chaplow, McShane.

Mowbray on Blues: "I was tempted to say we could have scored 14 goals today and we had plenty of opportunities. That's football.
"But I was generally happy with the performance of the team.
"You can't win every game but I've said to the players if they perform like that for the remaining games they will win a lot more than they lose."

Superhoopsbet.co.uk match odds:
WBA 2/5
QPR 7/1
draw 11/4

Zoltan Gera (left) celebrates after scoring
against Crystal Palace

Key player: Zoltan GERA
THE 'Magic Magyar' joined Albion from Ferencvaros in a £1.5million deal in July 2004, fresh from winning the domestic league and cup double with his former club.
The Baggies beat off competition from several top European clubs to land the attacking midfielder, who penned a three-year Hawthorns contract, with a further year's option in the club's favour.
Gera was a revelation in his first season in English football during 2004/05. His all-action displays on the right wing caught the eye and his six Premiership goals helped the Baggies pull off the Great Escape.
Gera also skippered his country under former Hungary coach and Germany legend Lothar Matthaus.

Head to head:
WBA wins: 10
QPR wins: 10
Draws: 6

Last meeting:
QPR 2 (Plummer, Koejoe), West Bromwich Albion 0.
Football League Championship.
January 13th 2001.

Latest News:
Birmingham skipper Damien Johnson has learned that he suffered a fractured jaw after a challenge by West Brom defender Paul Robinson on Saturday.
Robinson was shown a straight red card for elbowing in the dying minutes of Birmingham's 2-0 win at St Andrews - although he protests his innocence.
Johnson will now see a specialist to determine whether he needs surgery.
But Robinson insisted: "It was a 50-50 ball and I actually pulled out of the tackle because I saw Damien coming in with his foot up. I jumped out of the way to protect myself. That's the only reason my feet left the ground.
"The linesman, who was close to the incident, did not even flag for a foul and I was astonished when the ref showed me a red card.
"I hear that Damien has come off worse but there is absolutely no way I would deliberately hurt or 'do' a fellow professional."
(Source: BBC News)
QPR

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