MX23RW : Tuesday, December 24 19:54:25| >> :120:77311:77311:

West Brom boss Sam Allardyce calls for "siege mentality" against Liverpool

West Brom boss Sam Allardyce calls for
© Reuters
The Baggies are 19th in the Premier League with just one victory.

Sam Allardyce hopes West Brom can benefit from a "siege mentality" when they face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Albion head into the contest against the Premier League champions and leaders lying 19th in the table with just one victory, against rock-bottom Sheffield United last month, and seven points to their name.

Jurgen Klopp's Reds have won all seven of their home league games this term, and not lost one since Crystal Palace – managed at the time by Allardyce – beat them 2-1 in April 2017.

The 66-year-old, appointed as Baggies boss last week, said: "The West Brom fans will have some hope, I hope. Certainly I do. But the rest of the football world would say this is going to be an easy game for Liverpool.

"So let's have a siege mentality, let's go out there and say 'right, we will show you, we're going to go out and make life extremely difficult for you, we are going to do our best to try to get a result'."

He added: "Let's try as best we possibly can. I'm not saying we're likely to win with that record (Liverpool have at home in the league), but we can get a result.

"If we miraculously got a victory against Liverpool at Anfield, which can happen at any time in this league, it would be a wonderful achievement by the players."

West Brom's last away game was a 1-1 draw at Manchester City that proved to be Slaven Bilic's final one in charge, before his successor Allardyce oversaw a 3-0 home loss to Aston Villa last weekend.

Allardyce admits taking on a team like Liverpool is something he has missed in his time away from management since leaving Everton in 2018.

But he also said: "I would have liked it to have come later down the line when I knew more about the players and what they can and cannot do. It's a little early for me to have got right in amongst them and know exactly what they are and what they are capable of."

The Baggies go into the contest without skipper Jake Livermore, the midfielder beginning a three-match suspension after being sent off against Villa, while Kyle Bartley is among those unavailable due to injury.

And Allardyce said: "We'll have to have a really hard think about who is going to be the captain for Liverpool and ask whether they feel comfortable with it.

"If they don't, don't take it, because we can't afford anybody to be off their game – in any match, never mind the Liverpool match."

Allardyce was then asked if he thought leadership was something of a lost art, and he said: "The controversy around that is we've coached it out of them.

"I realised in the early days, looking back on them for me, I was so focused on trying to show each individual every single thing he needs to do. In the end, you're taking away the opportunity for them to think for themselves.

"We've taken too many decision-making processes away from the players. There's nothing better for me than players on the pitch taking responsibility for their actions."

Allardyce has also spoken about the forthcoming transfer window and trying to find "maybe more than one, or maybe more than two (suitable players to bring in). We'll have to wait and see."

He added: "Finances will be tight, I understand that, but in that period we may be able to do a bit of trading."

ID:427860: cacheID:427860:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4769:
Written by
P A
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta looks deflated on December 19, 2020
Read Next:
Premier League gameweek 15 predictions including Arsenal vs. Chelsea
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd22155232112148
2Leeds UnitedLeeds22136341152645
3Burnley2212822891944
4Sunderland22127334181643
5Blackburn RoversBlackburn2111462518737
6Middlesbrough22105738281035
7West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom22811326161035
8Watford2110473028234
9Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds229582830-232
10Millwall217772118328
11Swansea CitySwansea227692424027
12Bristol City226972628-227
13Norwich CityNorwich226883734326
14Queens Park RangersQPR2251072328-525
15Luton TownLuton2274112538-1325
16Derby CountyDerby2266102728-124
17Coventry CityCoventry2266102834-624
18Preston North EndPreston2241172229-723
19Stoke CityStoke2257102330-722
20Portsmouth204882535-1020
21Hull City2247112131-1019
22Cardiff CityCardiff2146111934-1518
23Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2146112137-1618
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth2146112245-2318


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!