And Baggies boss delighted to see Brunt return to action
ALAN Irvine is hopeful injuries picked up by Joleon Lescott and Sebastien Pocognoli in today’s 1-0 pre-season defeat at Nottingham Forest are nothing serious.
Lescott, returning from a tight calf, was handed his first public run-out in a Baggies shirt at half-time – but lasted just 35 minutes after feeling pain in his knee following a clearance.
Pocognoli was taken off four minutes from time as a precaution after being flattened by a robust challenge and battling with a minor hip and groin niggle throughout the City Ground encounter.
“I’ve just spoken to Joleon and he feels okay," said Irvine.
“He just felt something on the outside of his knee.
“He felt it when he was warming up and when he cleared from the corner of the pitch he felt it go.
“He says it has settled down now.
“He was a little bit worried about it at the time but it has settled so hopefully it’s nothing too bad.
“As far as Seb is concerned, he had been complaining in the first half about being a bit tight in his groin and hips.
“We did a bit of work on him at half-time and then, of course, he got clattered going for a header.
“At that point, I just thought ‘take him off!’”
The Baggies boss was delighted to see skipper Chris Brunt get his first pre-season action as the skipper played the last 18 minutes on his comeback from a groin injury.
“The positive was Chris Brunt getting his first 20 minutes or so of pre-season," he added.
“I was pleased about that.
“He’s come through that fine after only just starting training with us.
“He’s quite a way off - but it’s progress.”