Boss hoping to take leaf out of Reds' book
BRYAN Robson is hoping Albion can take a leaf out of Liverpool's book and start taking their chances.
The third-placed Reds visit The Hawthorns on Saturday (ko 5.15pm) having smashed 18 goals in their last four games.
But prior to that Rafa Benitez's men were struggling to find the back of the net, scoring just five times in eight matches.
And Robson believes his 17th-placed troops just need a change of luck before the goals start flowing.
"I've seen quite a few of Liverpool's recent games and they're playing with loads of confidence," said the Baggies boss.
"The strikers are scoring goals and when you have people like [Peter] Crouch, [Fernando] Morientes, [Robbie] Fowler, [Djibril] Cisse, Luis Garcia and [Harry] Kewell there were always going to be goals once things clicked.
"What I'm hoping is that it will click in the same way for us.
"I can't ask anymore of my players at the moment.
"They're giving the club and the supporters everything.
"I can't ask them to work any harder than they have been.
"They've put in some good performances and I don't think the players have had their just rewards of late.
"We've been creating good chances in games and somewhere along the line they have to go in for you.
"Hopefully our luck will change a little bit and we'll get more breaks than we're getting at the moment.
"As long as my players keep putting in the effort that they're putting in at the moment, from now until the end of the season, then I'll be a happy manager."
The Reds' last two visits to The Hawthorns have seen them produce 11 goals without reply.
But Robson insists the European Champions will face a different proposition this time round after Albion recently ran fellow top-four outfits Manchester United and Chelsea close on their own patch in 2-1 defeats.
"What happened against Liverpool here last season has no bearing on the game," he insisted.
"We went up to Anfield and lost 1-0 earlier in the season.
"Tactically we were set up to be difficult to break down and the players did that very well.
"Over the last few weeks we've played three of the top four teams and now we have the fourth one.
"We've given them all a good game so far and we're unlucky we haven't got a result in at least two of those games because only United probably deserved to win over 90 minutes."
Liverpool, who currently lie five points behind second-placed Manchester United having played a game more, will be without the suspended Steven Gerrard after his sending-off in last Saturday's 3-1 derby win over Everton.
And Robson is relieved he will not have to counteract the presence of the England midfielder as the Baggies look to pull away from the drop zone.
"Steven Gerrard is one of the best midfield players in the world and on his day he can actually run a match by himself," the Albion chief added.
"I won't be displeased when I pick up Liverpool's teamsheet on Saturday and see his name is not on it.
"They've still got great players though who can come in and fill in for Gerrard.
"It's going to be a really tough game for us."
