West Bromwich Albion needs more experience, says Mowbray

Feb 28 2009 by Christopher Lepkowski, Birmingham Mail

TONY Mowbray admits a little more experience might have made the difference to his Albion side.

It’s a fairly bold admission to make when your team is bottom and struggling to survive.

After all, if Albion are relegated this season it’ll be on his CV.

But the Albion boss appreciates that defensively the relative inexperience of Gianni Zuiverloon, Ryan Donk, Leon Barnett and even Jonas Olsson, who had never played a Premier League game before, had proven costly, along with injuries.

“In hindsight we need to look at that as we move on.

“I do try to build teams and build something from the bottom with a philosophy and trying to get them to play a certain way.

“But your first season in the Premier League maybe requires experienced footballers who have been there and seen it and know what it’s about.

“In hindsight that’s where we are.

“Abou Meite has played in a team that’s finished seventh in the league in a couple of seasons but he hasn’t stayed fit consistently for us.

“When I look at the defensive line it’s been unusual for us to have the same people playing week in, week out, be it through injury or suspension.

“Abou has been out a fair bit and now Jonas is out for a fair bit, and the two young centre-halves we’ve got can play fairly well but then suffer lapses of concentration.

“Without making excuses, that is a part of the team that we have lacked consistency in.