Club News

Ridgewell: We’re still a good team!

Defender urges team-mates not to dwell on defeat and focus on Stoke test

LIAM Ridgewell insists yesterday’s 3-1 defeat at Swansea does not turn Albion into a bad team overnight  as they prepare for Saturday’s Hawthorns clash with Stoke (ko 3pm).

The Baggies have now won eight, lost four and drawn two of their 14 Barclays Premier League fixtures this season and remain fourth in the table despite Wednesday’s loss to Michael Laudrup’s Swans.

And the former Blues left-back believes Steve Clarke’s outfit have the quality to return to winning ways sooner rather than later.

“We have done very well so far but we’ve only had a quarter of the season. We want to put this behind us and we’ve got a big game against Stoke at the weekend.

“A lot of people have been talking about us but we know what we’re about. 

“We have got to get back to playing the way we have been and we need to be back at it in the Stoke game.

“We’ve done so well, so we can’t think we’re a bad team overnight. 

“We’re not, we’re a good side and hopefully we can show it on Saturday.

“Swansea played very well but in the second half we were a lot better and hopefully we can take that second-half display into Saturday.

“We’ll go back to the drawing board today and Friday and try to put things right that went wrong.

“We know we’re a good team but we don’t listen to anything other people say. 

“We know what we’re about and our own aims within the club. 

“We don’t listen to anyone outside of the club and we’ll carry on doing what we’ve got to do.”

And the 28-year-old defender is relishing the prospect of playing the Potters who are now enjoying their sixth-successive Premier League campaign. 

“Stoke, Fulham, that’s where we have to get ourselves," he added.

“We’ve done it for the last two years, hopefully we can do it for a third, build on it and take the club where it should be.

“Their way of playing keeps them in the Premier League; I’m sure most teams would take that. 

“We look to those types of teams to make sure we can do the same and remain in the Premier League.

“They know how to get 38 points every season and who cares how they get it, as long as you get it and stay in the Premier League, that’s the main objective.

“Everyone has been used to their style and we’ll be up for it and raring to go.”