And keeper says he has already moved on from cup error
BEN Foster insists you will not find anyone at Albion shouting from the roof tops about their chances of beating Villa on Sunday (ko 4pm).The Baggies took four points off their Claret and Blue neighbours last season and finished above them in the table for the first time in 33 years.
But the 29-year-old goalkeeper says Steve Clarke’s men are not taking anything for granted heading into the Villa Park encounter.
And when asked if Albion considered themselves to be the big boys in the Midlands now Foster said: “Not at all.
“We don’t really think about things like that, to be honest.
“Villa are a huge club.
“We’re not a team to go screaming and shouting about our achievements.
“We just get on with it.
“If people want to label it as that, then so-be-it.
“We’re not going to get involved in any talk like that.”
The former Blues keeper is now hoping for a repeat of last term’s 2-1 victory at Villa, although it was not all plain sailing that day.
“It was a great win,” he added.
“I gave away a penalty early doors, which wasn’t a great start.
“But we responded brilliantly.
“The fans were amazing as ever, similar to at Wolves, we heard them all through the game.
“When Scharner scored the winner it was amazing, you see the fans going crazy, and you can’t help but join in yourself.
“When the full-time whistle goes and you’ve got the three points in the bag it’s a huge feeling because you know how much it means to the fans.
“I don’t see any reason why we can't repeat that.
“We’ve had a good start, we’re playing good football.
“We’re just doing what we do best really. We’re just going about our business quietly - and that’s that.
“Villa haven’t had a particularly good start but you saw in their Capital One Cup win over Man City in midweek, they have a lot of quality in the team.
“They’ll be very disappointed with their league position at the minute and wanting to pick up points.
“I’m sure they’ll be up for it as much as we are. Sometimes you can play good football and lose games.
“They’ve brought in a few new players, some of whom haven’t played in this league before.
“But the players who are playing have great potential and people are expecting big things from them in the future.
“They’ve also got some great established players like Gabby Agbonlahor and Darren Bent.
“They have huge experience and can turn a game just like that.
“We need to be aware of that.”
Foster has already recorded three clean sheets in five top-flight games this term.
And he insists no-one at The Hawthorns is dwelling on his mistake for Liverpool’s equaliser in Wednesday’s 2-1 Capital One Cup defeat firmly behind him.
“All the lads realise you make mistakes,” he said.
“The standard of people we have at the club means there are no egos, no big heads, and no-one that goes shouting and screaming.
“We’re all very calm and level-headed.
“People understand that people make mistakes and you just have to get on with it.
“You don’t see us screaming and shouting at each other on the pitch because you kind of lose respect for someone if they start balling at you.
“Everyone knows how it is, you accept it sometimes and move on.”