Club News

Baggies sweating on Gera

Fortune also injury concern while Keen discusses Thomas' future

ALBION are sweating on the fitness of Zoltan Gera after he limped out of today’s 1-1 FA Cup draw at QPR with a knee injury.

The Hungary international was forced off in the 21st minute and will now undergo a scan to assess the full extent of the damage.

To make matters worse, his replacement, Marc-Antoine Fortune, had to come off seconds before half time due to a hamstring problem, with Jerome Thomas filling his boots.

“Zolly had a problem with his knee,” said assistant head coach Kevin Keen.

“He’ll have it scanned tomorrow and we’ll go from there.

“We’ve all got our fingers crossed, knowing Zolly’s history, that it’s not too bad.

“Hopefully he’ll be back in a West Brom shirt pretty soon.

“But until we see the scans and see specialists, and things like that, we’ll have to wait and see."

Albion’s injury problems are mounting, with Jonas Olsson (groin), Steven Reid (shin), Claudio Yacob and Goran Popov (both hamstring) missing the Loftus Road tie.

And Steve Clarke will reassess his squad to see if there is any call to consider dipping into the January transfer market.

“Perhaps after today we’ll have to reassess,” Keen added.

“But up until today we were quite happy with what we've got, as long as we didn’t lose too many and there were no surprises.

“We’ll have a little look after today and reassess again.

“George Thorne has come in as a 20-year-old and gone to Old Trafford and done well.

“And he’s done fantastically today.

“I think if we can promote players like that it would be more in our favour.

“There are no imminent plans to make a marquee signing – that’s for sure.”

Fortune’s misfortune handed Thomas his first Albion appearance of the season after returning from a successful loan spell at Leeds this week.

And Keen admits the former Charlton winger could still have a big part to play for the Baggies between now and the end of the campaign.

“Jerome has gone away and got himself fit with games at Leeds,” he said.

“He’s come back, come on today and done a real shift for the team.

“He nearly created himself a goal.

“Has he got a future at the club? That’s something you’d need to speak to him and Steve about.

“He’s a massive part of the squad between now and the end of the season and because of the injury situation he could have a really big part to play.

“He could become a mainstay in the team.

“We’ll have to wait and see.

“That will be up to him and the way Steve goes with his selection.”