Robson to make decision on keepers
West Brom manager Bryan Robson has admitted he faces a goalkeeper selection poser for the Premiership clash at Middlesbrough on Sunday, with Tomasz Kuszczak and Chris Kirkland vying for the number-one spot.
Kirkland was in pole position until he suffered a bruised kidney against Bolton at the Reebok Stadium and was advised to rest for up to a month.
But Kuszczak has impressed during the last three matches and kept a clean sheet – Albion’s first since the opening day of the season – in Saturday’s 4-0 demolition of Everton at The Hawthorns.
Robson will make a final choice on who will be between the posts in the next 48 hours after watching how the pair perform in training.
He said: “Chris was doing well before his injury knock and Tomasz has also done well for us. He conceded one goal at West Ham, where he wasn’t to blame, and kept a clean sheet at the weekend.
“We also cannot forget Russell Hoult who did well on loan at Notts Forest and I wouldn’t swap my three keepers for anyone else’s in the country.
“What I’ll do is assess how all three get on in training. It’s up to them to impress me and by Thursday I’ll know which one is playing. It’s a difficult decision but I have to be fair.”
It is inconceivable Hoult would leapfrog both Kuszczak and Kirkland and it is the latter duo who are realistically fighting it out to play at the Riverside Stadium.
Full-back Paul Robinson will also be in contention on Sunday after serving a three-game suspension for his sending-off against Fulham in the Carling Cup after a flare-up with Zat Knight.
But he could also face a fight to gain an automatic recall after Martin Albrechtsen impressed in the role at the weekend.
Robson admitted: “I’ve said if we get a good result I would want to stick with the same players to give us a chance to get some cohesion.”
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