James Morrison grateful for one West Brom headache as he consider key position for survival run-in
Albion boss has a call to make between the sticks with one keeper battling back to fitness and the other impressing in his place.
Boss James Morrison is grateful for the headache as he decides on his first-choice Albion goalkeeper for the survival run-in.
Academy graduate Josh Griffiths returned between the sticks for the crucial 1-0 victory at Bristol City last time out prior to the international break.
Griffiths, 24, deputised for the injured Max O’Leary, who was sidelined for the return to his former club with a calf injury.
January recruit O’Leary, 29, has been the No.1 since checking into The Hawthorns but Griffiths, who lost his place earlier in the campaign, gave a solid display with last weekend’s clean sheet.
“I said before that I had no problems with him returning to the team,” Morrison said.
“Sometimes a break can do you well.
“Now he’s given me a headache if Max gets back, so I like it.”
Morrison has led the resurgent Baggies to an unbeaten run of four games and back-to-back wins in the fight against relegation.
The former coach had thrown down the gauntlet to Griffiths to catch the eye at Ashton Gate in a bid to earn his place back.
O’Leary has a calf injury which was not expected to be serious. Albion return to action at home to Wrexham on Friday.
Morrison, meanwhile, talked up his Baggies squad for responding to the huge setback at relegation rivals Oxford exactly a month ago.
The head coach let rip publicly but, having been given the job until the end of the season, the players have responded since.
"I was frustrated that day,” he added.
"But if you reflect on it - we had two days prep, there was a hangover from Eric, there were plenty of factors in it.
"If you watch that game, it was just two set-plays really.
"We had to work. Everyone felt what the fans were like after - and rightly so after Oxford.
"Credit to the players, they have turned it around."