Graham Dorrans set to fill key role

Roy Hodgson today insisted a fit-again Graham Dorrans can help Albion overcome the loss of Hawthorns hero Zoltan Gera for the rest of the season.

The Baggies boss handed Dorrans the chance to replace Gera at QPR on Saturday as the Hungary international had knee surgery at a London hospital.

And Hodgson believes that Dorrans, who has struggled in the last year with injury, is one of those who can fill Gera's boots after the 32-year-old was ruled out for six-nine months with a ruptured cruciate ligament.

"Graham hardly played last year," said Hodgson. "I came here in February and he hardly played for me, then he got injured this season so he's had about seven or eight months without regular competitive football.

"He needs to play more games and the same applies to Peter Odemwingie.

"We have several players who can play in that position behind the striker.

"We have people like Odemwingie or Shane Long, who can drop deep, we have Simon Cox and Somen Tchoyi, and James Morrison has played there too.

"So we're not short of people who can play in that 'second striker' position, it's just a case of having someone who can interpret the role well and I thought Graham did well in that position on Saturday. It was just that last pass or the last piece of control that was missing, but I thought he did well."