Paul Scharner in race to get fit
West Bromich Albion's Paul Scharner is facing a race against time to be fit for the match with Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.
Scharner signed for West Brom after leaving Wigan Athletic at the end of last season. He has said that he was impressed by everything about the club and hopes he can get over pre-season fitness problems.
He said: "I trained a lot in Germany, Austria and Birmingham. I think it should take a week to be properly match-fit but I'm confident I'll be ready soon. If selected for the next game, I will be ready."
West Brom has not started the season in fantastic fashion and find themselves in 16th place in the table. It's important Scharner plays against Spurs because he can add real quality to the team.
Important he plays
It's very important that Scharner can play against Spurs because he can add an air of calm and assurance over a West Brom defence that has looked very vulnerable so far this season.
He can bring in the experience that he developed during 145 games for Wigan and this should help to keep the West Brom defence much more compact and organised. He will do this by vocally commanding the defence either side of him.
Scharner is a very good passer of the ball out of the defence. This is not a quality that West Brom have always enjoyed. It will stop the defence from simply smashing the ball forward with no real thought. Passing forward from the defence can often set up many attacks.
He can step up and play in the midfield if required to do so. He has said that his best position is in the midfield but West Brom may initially use him in defence to sure things up.
Scharner added: "The club and the manager gave me the feeling they want me to help them stay in the Premier League. The second half of the season is the most important because then you can see how fit and competitive you really are."
Betting advice
Scharner should help West Brom to slowly score a few more Premier League points. He has said that he feels best when playing in the midfield but his versatility will be crucial to the team holding together. It's crucial he plays against Spurs if West Brom want a better chance of winning the game.
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