Baggies skipper speaks after Hornets triumph
CAPTAIN Darren Fletcher reacted to Albion's 3-1 victory over Watford at The Hawthorns on Saturday.
Jonny Evans' header and Chris Brunt's free-kick put the Baggies in firm control at the break before Christian Kabasele set up a nervy final 30 minutes.
Yet Matt Phillips made sure of all three points in injury time, coming after Roberto Pereyra had seen red for the Hornets.
Speaking afterwards, midfielder Fletcher was delighted to see Albion make it 10 points from 12 and an impressive 20 points for the campaign in early December.
Fletcher on Albion flying high in the Premier League table...
"When I first came here I thought let's try and do something we've not done for a while.
“Always first and foremost it’s about getting to that 40 points but for me it was not to set our sights low and just happy to be the fourth worst team.
“I didn’t want that and the manager is of the same mindset.
“I’m not saying we’re going to do these things but we try to aim for them, give it our best shot and try to win every game and try to get as many points as possible as quickly as possible and see where it takes you."
Fletcher on what's clicked in the last four unbeaten matches...
“A combination of everything really. I think that getting Mozza and Brunty back is almost like two new signings and Nacer Chadli has come in.
“We’re getting the ball in the box, getting more people in the box and attacking a lot more and a lot better and I think it’s just a combination of things.
“We were unfortunate before the last international break when we dropped a few points that I thought we should have held on to win them.
“Before the Leicester game we looked at the table and we were fourth from bottom and had been sucked right back in because we played last but we have responded to that and made that the benchmark.
“We speak every week about the standards that need to be set and we have achieved that in most games since then."
Fletcher on head coach Tony Pulis...
“In football it’s always nice to have fans sing your name and it’s great for the West Brom fans to do that, to realise how hard he’s working and how hard the team are working.
“We are always trying, we are a very honest bunch with a lot of good pros and there are a lot of men in the team.
“We’ve got a really good group and the manager is a big part of that because he is the one that has signed the players and instilled that mentality.
“When things are going well it is pleasing and you want to enjoy the moment but for us it is about keeping that level-headedness throughout the season.
“We don’t want the other side of chanting. It’s nice when people are singing your name but for us it is about keeping level-headed, keeping doing the things we’re doing and not looking at the league table too early.
“It gives you great confidence but at the same time we can’t think we’ve made it. We’ve got to keep working hard."
Fletcher on the January transfer window...
“We always want to add quality and have competition for places and we’ve signed a lot of quality recently.
“I think that’s important - adding all the time with one or two.
“Wholesale changes with five or six players doesn’t really work but the manager has worked really well in the transfer windows adding one or two, or maximum three.
“January is a really difficult window so if we can add one or two more that give us great quality it will really help us kick on for the rest of the season.”