Ally Robertson: West Brom must end this run now

It seems I have been saying the same thing for several weeks now, but now we really are approaching the point where it is now or never if the Baggies are going to dig themselves out of trouble.

One look at the Premier League table is all that’s required to see how serious the situation is.

But if you are looking for positives, the fact Albion have gone 20 league games without a win and still remain in touch is certainly one.

Under most circumstances, such a dreadful run might see you cut adrift, but the chance is definitely still there for us to get out of trouble, if we can grasp it.

The home games are almost certain to be key. You only need to look at the opponents.

Southampton, Huddersfield and Swansea all visit The Hawthorns between now and early April. All are teams in and around the relegation battle, as indeed are Saturday’s visitors.

The Seagulls, promoted from the Championship last season, have proven tough to beat but won just one of their last 11 in the Premier League and struggled of late on their travels.

Albion must take whatever confidence they gained from last weekend’s FA Cup win over Exeter and go and end this rotten run in the league.

People will obviously point to the fact we only beat a League Two club. Frankly, when players are in the situation they find themselves now, the opposition is irrelevant.

Big favourites or not, the likes of Salomon Rondon and Jay Rodriguez will have got a boost from scoring. The entire dressing room will have felt a lift.

For boss Alan Pardew, meanwhile, there was finally a bit of relief after such a difficult start to his tenure. He got his reward for fielding a strong team.

Now he has to ensure the players face Brighton on Saturday in the best frame of mind possible.

From my own experience, the biggest issue you have to tackle as a player in these situations is uncertainty. You go out on the pitch, not knowing what to expect in the opening 15 minutes. You often feel you can’t trust your own game.

One moment – good or bad, the bounce of the ball one way or the other – can determine how the performance will pan out. The home crowd can certainly play their part, though it is also up to the players to inspire.

For Albion, there is simply no more time to waste.