Albion stopper focused on repaying fans' support
BEN Foster admitted Albion were way below par as they slumped to a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Sunderland last night and is determined to bounce back immediately for the club’s supporters.
The Baggies never really got going at the Stadium of Light and were put to the sword by first-half goals from Jack Colback and Fabio Borini.
Victory secured the Black Cats’ survival in the Barclays Premier League while Pepe Mel’s side were already all but mathematically safe and now head into the final-day showdown against Stoke.
But after such a flat performance in the North-East, goalkeeper Foster is determined to round off the campaign with a positive display against the Potters at The Hawthorns on Sunday (ko 3pm).
“Sunderland probably just wanted it a bit more than us,” Foster said.
“They were pretty good in the first half but our standards were way below what we’re used to putting out and it’s not really good enough.
“Maybe it was something to do with the big relief that we’re pretty much safe now.
“There has got to be some stupid turnaround in goal difference for us to be relegated so there was a big relief for the lads, but still we had a job to do and we didn’t do it.”
Close to 1,000 Albion fans made the lengthy journey to Sunderland last night and Foster was quick to hail those in attendance.
“We’re really disappointed for the fans, who did a really good job and were really loud and noisy but we didn’t put a performance on,” he said.
“It was a good following and we should have given them more than they got.
“We are pretty much safe now but we need to finish on a high against Stoke for the fans.
“Then we just need to look towards next season.”
Foster added: “It was almost like we were just going through the motions and there was no kind of fight there.
“So we’re disappointed, we understand that the fans are disappointed. We let them down a bit.
“We need to look to Sunday now to give them something to cheer against Stoke.”