Bilic makes clear the league is top priority at Baggies
WEST Bromwich Albion manager Slaven Bilic has defended making numerous changes for his side’s FA Cup defeat to Newcastle United, stating that the league is the Baggies’ priority.
The Midlands side head to South Wales this weekend to play Swansea top of the Championship and seemingly heading for a return to the Premier League.
The visitors went into a 3-0 lead at The Hawthorns before being pegged back to 3-2 late on, but the home side had left themselves too much to do and bowed out of the competition.
Bilic, though, made no apologies for the side he put out, which included nine changes. In doing so he sent a warning to Swansea, their next opponents in league competition, and their other rivals that there will be no let-up in their quest for a top-flight return.
“No, no. I told you yesterday, the reasons why I decided to go with this team. Two reasons: one, the league is the priority,” Bilic said. “Maybe we were greedy, we wanted both, which is not wrong.
“Some of the players needed a rest, needed a break, considering the league and the situation we’re in. The second reason is that I have a very strong belief in the players who played tonight. They deserved a game and the chance.
“I’m not disappointed with anyone. Some players got big pluses, some players got smaller pluses, but nobody disappointed.”
The Croatian feels that defeat to the Premier League side will actually boost his players ahead of the trip to the Liberty on Saturday. After 36 games of the season they are 15 points above the SA1 club, but just one in front of a resurgent Leeds side who are pushing them week-in, week-out.
Defeat to Steve Bruce’s Newcastle side will only spur them on, Bilic said, starting this weekend.
“It doesn’t matter. When you lose, you lose. What’s important for the next game is the performance, and this performance was a very positive one,” he reasoned.
“We’re going to approach Swansea preparations in training in a more positive way than before this game. That’s how I see it, that’s how the lads are seeing it.
“Some of them played really well, especially second half. First half we were too respectful – Matt Phillips, Kyle Edwards, they unleashed themselves. Very positive performance.
“We shouldn’t be proud to lose, but the character and quality we showed considering the team we put out and they put out — we put out top-quality players who were lacking rhythm because they haven’t played so much.
“We are disappointed coming out of the game but it’ll give us a boost before the crucial remainder of the season.”
Newcastle’s Allan Saint-Maximin shone against the Baggies and was a menace throughout, using his pace and trickery to cause the home side’s backline all manner of problems. Toon boss Bruce dismissed talks of a rift between the pair after the match.
“He was a doubt. Then there was nonsense in a newspaper that there was a fallout. I don’t know where that came from,” Bruce said.
“He didn’t train Sunday as we were wary for him, and you have to be careful after two hamstring injuries. He was sore on Thursday.
“That made my mind up to not risk him. He trained well on Monday and declared himself fit.”
Saint-Maximin’s success running at the hosts should give Swansea head coach Steve Cooper food for thought. Jordon Garrick could easily step into that role, providing a spark to carve open defences that has been missing for large parts of the campaign. Swansea’s attack has lacked pace and width in recent months and Garrick’s return is a welcome boost to their attacking options.
Saint-Maximin should provide a blueprint for Swansea this weekend as Cooper’s side hope to bolster their own promotion hopes with a win over the Baggies.