Bilic calls on players to clean up their act
SLAVEN Bilic isn’t altogether worried by West Brom’s failure to post a clean sheet in any of the first eight league matches of his reign.
And the head coach says even usually watertight Leeds ship sloppy goals.
Albion conceded twice against rock-bottom Huddersfield on their way to a 4-2 victory on Sunday, with both goals avoidable from a defensive point of view.
The Baggies have been breached ten times already this term, though they are the division’s top scorers with 15.
While former centre-back Bilic openly admits he would love a shut-out to their name, he is particularly eager to see his players react more quickly in play to prevent such leaks.
Then, he says, the clean sheets will follow.
There is no guarantee, of course; Bilic watched Albion’s Championship rivals Leeds on Saturday lunch-time as they allowed Derby striker Chris Martin to earn the Rams a point they scarcely deserved.
That was despite the fact the league leaders boasted – and still boast – the best defensive record after eight matches.
“I wouldn’t say concerned. Concerned means I wouldn’t be sleeping because of it. Just to exaggerate – you can play better in defence and concede two goals,” Bilic said.
“You can be sloppy and keep clean sheets. It doesn’t happen often, but it happens. Clean sheets aren’t just defending well; there’s an element of luck, the game is 90 minutes.
“I would love us, in the defensive transition, to close them better. To be better on 50/50s, to be better on second balls and in protection of the player who is challenging – make it two against one.
“It’s easy to talk, but if we do them it should put us in a better position to keep a clean sheet.
“I’m not going to be obsessed with clean sheets, clean sheets, clean sheets.
“Let’s improve on those things, and then the clean sheets will come.
“That’s the area – I mean it’s obvious. Look at the teams around us – Leeds conceded a goal on Saturday, a very sloppy goal, in the 93rd minute at home and they were too open.
“But they’ve conceded only three or four goals, so they’re very good. You can’t guarantee a clean sheet but you can make it harder for them.
“We know we have to improve on it, but we can’t score four goals to win games – we have to block or make it harder for them to score.
“We have to make it so they have to do something extraordinary to score. We have to work on it, to improve.”