Mowbray eyeing back-to-back wins

02 April 2009 11:30
Tony Mowbray admits West Brom have to win their next two games against Stoke and Portsmouth to revive their hopes of Premier League survival.Bottom-placed Albion entertain Tony Pulis's side on Saturday and then make the trip to Fratton Park the following weekend.Mowbray is hoping his team will take heart from their last two performances in drawing at West Ham and then coming from behind to share the spoils with Bolton at The Hawthorns.The Baggies boss said: "I saw a team against Bolton that was generally in a positive frame of mind, which is encouraging."We understand every game is tough. There are no easy fixtures although we have been talking all season about the importance of winning your home games."We strived to win the game against Bolton, as we will strive to win the game against Stoke."We understand the next game is going to be very, very tough. But if we win the next two games we'll give ourselves a real genuine opportunity."I think the team still believes. It does become more difficult as the games start to run out and the negativity piles up."We need another performance on Saturday that gives us a chance to go and win a football match."Mowbray is hoping West Brom can capitalise on Stoke's dismal away record - the worst in the top flight - which sees them without a victory on the road during the current campaign.He said: "I haven't seen Stoke away from home too much this year but the style of play that they use means they don't have much of the ball."They allow the opposition to have the ball and they sit back and defend in lots of numbers and play a counter-attacking style."That's fine and it can reap dividends but sometimes, depending on the quality of players you play against, you don't have enough opportunities to score a goal, particularly away from home."But they can score at any given moment from a throw-in or a free-kick and (Ryan) Shawcross has scored in the last three or four games."Mowbray's philosophy of playing a passing style of football is in contrast to the direct approach of Stoke.But he insisted: "I fully respect what they do. It's different from the way we choose to play but I'm not saying our way is better."We play the way we decide and they play the way they decide and ultimately they've got more points than us, so I can't sit here and do anything other than respect what they are doing."[LNB]

Source: Eurosport