Stoke City vs West Bromwich preview - Jones just needs a goal - Kemp

Posted Monday, February 28, 2011 by PA

Out-of-form Stoke striker Kenwyne Jones has been told to forget the softly-softly approach as he looks to end his goal drought.

Jones scored four goals in four successive games, and six overall in his first 14 appearances, following his club record £8million arrival from Sunderland last summer.

But since the middle of November the Trinidad & Tobago star has found the net just once in his last 15 matches, and is currently on an eight-game barren run.

It led to Jones being dropped for the first time this season for Wednesday's 1-0 loss at Arsenal, where he was an unused substitute.

City assistant manager Dave Kemp has hinted at personal issues for Jones' loss of form, but maintains that rather than being molly-coddled, all he needs is a goal.

"Things go on in people's lives, little things that affect them - I don't want to discuss someone's personal stuff too much - but he'll be back buzzing very soon," said Kemp.

"You can do all sorts of things like put an arm around someone, but it's up to Kenwyne. He's a big boy.

"He just needs a goal - that's the biggest thing. If he can score it will give his confidence a boost. He doesn't need somebody blowing sweet nothings in his ear.

"His own inner belief will take over and we'll see the old Kenwyne back."

Asked whether Jones' personal problems were something he could overcome himself, Kemp added: "I had a big electricity bill the other day that upset me.

"Things go on in everybody's life, and some affect you more than others.

"But Kenwyne's fine, no problem at all. He'll be back firing on all cylinders very soon.

"He is a fantastic talent - someone who did very well when he first came here. He is just going through a dip right now.

"There is no doubt his form will return because he is a class player, and he has all the tools to cause teams major problems.

"We've complete faith he'll be performing at the highest level very soon."

It remains to be seen whether Jones will be restored to the line-up.

City have lost just one of the last 26 league meetings between the two sides stretching back to 1988, and since 1983 are unbeaten in the last 17 at home.

Winger Matthew Etherington is doubtful with a back-related injury, while defender Abdoulaye Faye is poised to miss a fifth successive game with a hamstring problem.

Meanwhile, Roy Hodgson believes his West Brom players need to concentrate on their own game rather than worry about the threat posed by Stoke.

Hodgson has not ignored the danger of Stoke's set-pieces and Rory Delap's long throw-ins but has spent time working out how to hurt Stoke.

A win at Stoke for the first time in 28 years would take West Brom through the 30-point barrier and leave them only two behind Tony Pulis' men.

Hodgson admitted: "Every week, you come up against a team which has a slightly different focus to its play. At the start of the week, you begin to prepare your team around that focus.

"However, although it is a cliche, it is important we do things right as far as we're concerned and that we don't totally change our game to suit the opposition.

"We must have a game plan of our own and make certain we attack and defend well against all teams," he added on the club website, www.wba.co.uk.

Hodgson also admitted he would like to have a player like Delap at his disposal.

"There have been many players down the years renowned for their long throw-ins but Rory Delap will probably go into the history books as the most successful and difficult long thrower to deal with because of the trajectory and pace of his throw-ins.

"There's also the size and organisation of the Stoke players in your box. That's added another dimension.

"From free-kicks, you can adjust things, like the height of your defence and, even to the extent that Wolves do, push everyone out to catch your opponents offside.

"From corners, the ball always comes in from certain angles.

"But with Rory's throw-ins, not only do they come in from different angles - anywhere along the 18-yard line or even deeper - but most importantly of all, people can't be offside so you've got to defend it close to your goal."

Albion back-up goalkeeper Scott Carson missed last weekend's 1-1 draw in the Black Country derby with Wolves due to illness but, like midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu (hamstring), will be available for the trip up the M6.

Graham Dorrans and Jonas Olsson should also be fit after a slight knock and a bout of illness respectively.