Tony Mowbray happy to put trust in West Bromwich Albion squad

Mar 18 2008 By Chris Lepkowski

TONY Mowbray has admitted he is more likely to keep faith with his Albion squad than rush into the loan market.

The manager is tempted to bring in another player after losing Leon Barnett, Chris Brunt (both hamstrings) and James Morrison (ankle) in the last two games.

But all three should return during the next fortnight, which may convince Mowbray to stick by his existing crop of players.

He has until next Thursday's loan window closes to decide whether to strengthen and will scour the market before making a final decision.

But he is happy to keep faith with those peripheral players who have served him this season if he opts against a new signing.

"We'll be looking to see if we need to strengthen or not," Mowbray told the Birmingham Mail.

"I'll be formulating the next team in my mind and looking at the strengths and weaknesses of it, and see if we need to address anything.

"Hopefully injured players will be back shortly and we'll see if we need to do anything.

"It's important to keep a clear head on where we are, what our goals are and what our squad is.

"We need to respect that the players who have been on the fringe are decent players and, if that means they get an opportunity, then fine.

"Just because a player who has played plenty of games is not available doesn't mean you should rush out and bring someone in from another football club, who you know very little about and probably hasn't played in someone else's team for a long time.''