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“We can’t wait’ - Bilić

Slaven Bilić says his side are raring to go as they look to return to winning ways against Cardiff City at The Hawthorns on Saturday (ko 3pm).

The Baggies tasted defeat in the Sky Bet Championship for the first time this season at Leeds United on Tuesday - losing 1-0 despite having the hosts on the ropes for much of the encounter.

And Bilić admits praise of his side’s midweek performance has left them hungry to make amends against one of the teams relegated from the Premier League last term.

“We shouldn’t lose our confidence and plan because we played a good game,” he insisted.

“When you get that many compliments for the performance from their manager or their players, especially for the performance in the second half, still you are not happy, still you are a bit more angry because it was a wasted opportunity for us.

“Considering where we were playing we shouldn’t lose our confidence, on the contrary.

“There is another big game now playing against a good tough team but, as I said, we want to come back on the winning track as soon as possible. It’s an opportunity tomorrow at home.

“It’s that kind of atmosphere, we were down, but we are not down in a worried way. We were down because we think it was a wasted opportunity for us and we think we deserved something from a difficult game. We are a bit angry that we didn’t play in the first half like we did in the second and we can’t wait for tomorrow’s game and another opportunity to come back.

“It’s a product of good form and it’s a trait that every manager would like to have in his team.”

The Bluebirds are unbeaten in seven since losing two of their opening three fixtures and claimed a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday.

And Slaven says he knows what to expect from Neil Warnock’s men - but admits stopping them is an entirely different matter.

“I expect a very tough game, they play a specific kind of football, a specific kind of defending. It’s unique and their attacking is very simple but it’s very productive.

“They are picking up really good results, it’s easy to predict what they’re going to do with the ball, but not easy to stop it over 90 minutes. They don’t let you play the football you would like to play. That’s their plan, of course, but we have our plan and I’m sure we have enough quality to put our mark on the game.”

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