Darren just can’t ask any Moore of Gibbs
DARREN MOORE heaped praise on unlikely goal hero Kieran Gibbs just as Millwall boss Neil Harris warned the rest of the Championship that West Brom could rack up 600 goals this season.
The Lions threw a blanket over the threat of Dwight Gayle, Jay Rodriguez and Harvey Barnes only for Gayle to poke home after a wonder save from Ben Amos before Gibbs made the game safe.
“Is Gibbs under-rated?” said boss Moore. “We think Kieran is an excellent player. His calmness and composure on the ball is excellent. His understanding of the game and his intelligence is excellent.
“And he has represented England 10 times, so somewhere along the line he must be a good player and we are pleased to have him at West Brom.”
“He is an absolute joy to work with and he has shown his class and his understanding already in this early part of the season and long may it continue.”
A cagey game was brought to life after the break when Ahmed Hegazi’s header was parried skywards by Amos with Gayle tapping in as the ball dropped.
Gibbs smashed the second after being left unmarked in the box to finish Tyrone Mears’ cross.
Harris was proud of his men who now face Fulham on Tuesday on the back of six Championship games without a win.
“When we are so good, as we were at times in the first half, we have to be clinical and we had three good chances to score,” he said.
Harris believes Albion will be in the promotion shake-up. “They could score 600 goals this season,” he said. “They are just a goal threat. They have got fantastic individual players and Darren Moore has done great to hang on to some of those players, players like Gayle and Barnes.
“There is a group of players there with Premier League qualities, if not international qualities as well, with England.
“You know you have to be at your best to compete with West Brom. That’s why I’ll lavish praise on my squad.”