Steve Bruce challenges West Brom to back up impressive week after Fulham win
Boss Steve Bruce has told Albion’s players they have to follow up their impressive win over Fulham by beating Bristol City.
The Baggies put in their best performance in months – and arguably their best of the season - to deservedly beat the Championship leaders at The Hawthorns.
A solitary goal from Callum Robinson was enough to win it – but Albion should have won by a much greater margin following a first-half display in which they dominated.
After a run of one win in 13 games, the Baggies promotion hopes looked over. But with nine matches still to play, they now sit six points outside play-offs.
Asked if they can make a late surge for the top six, Bruce said: “It’s turned into a decent week – we have taken seven points from nine.
“Now I’m going to put the pressure on all of us. We’ve got a huge game at Bristol City on Saturday. Can we go and repeat that kind of performance?
“Can we go on a run? Let’s hope we can. We have to win at Bristol before the (international) break. Let’s see. We aren’t going to give it up.”
On his team’s overall display against Fulham, Bruce said: “We thoroughly deserved it. We played, very, very, well against the best team in the league.
“We had a game plan and it was manful the way the players stuck to it.
“They made it very difficult for Fulham. I think they had one chance with (Aleksander) Mitrovic but that was about it. I can’t remember Sam (Johnstone) having a shot to save.
“In that respect, I was very, very pleased.”
Despite not scoring in the first-half, Albion’s players were given a standing ovation by The Hawthorns crowd at half-time because their performance had been so impressive.
That was in stark contrast to just a few weeks ago when the crowd chanted ‘you’re not fit to wear the shirt’ at the players following a 2-0 defeat to Swansea.
And Bruce hopes that Swansea game is the low point of the season.
“There were a few harsh truths spoken, it wasn’t acceptable,” he said.
“And I think they (the players) realised that the performance against Swansea wasn’t good enough.
“You can get beat sometimes. But it’s about the manner in which you get beat. And the manner upset everybody.
“That might have been the low point. I hope it is. We have had a decent week but that’s all we’ve had. We should be playing like that more often.”
On the half-time standing ovation, Bruce added: “I think they enjoyed watching their team play. I have been saying for weeks that we have to bond the team with the supporters.
There is an element of the fan base that aren’t happy of course. When this club is in this league you have to be at the top which is quite understandable. They aren’t going to accept anything else. That is what it demands.”
