Steve Bruce: West Bromwich Albion players have to handle pressure, says boss

West Bromwich Albion's players looked dejected at the final whistle following their side's 2-0 home defeat by Swansea

West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Bruce says his players must handle the pressure of expectation better.

After Monday's 2-0 home loss to Swansea City, the Baggies were booed off at the final whistle by fans who also barracked the players with chants of "You're not fit to wear the shirt".

"There's a lot of anxiety around the area, on the terraces," Bruce told BBC Radio WM.

"But we should be able to handle it better."

The 61-year-old added: "One win in 12 games, for a club of this stature in the Championship is simply not good enough."

It was a fourth defeat in a winless five-game start to Bruce's 12th job in 24 seasons. Bruce himself is also on a 14-game winless streak since the final game of last season with Newcastle United in the top flight.

But, in 397 games as a Championship manager, although he also went five games without a win at Sheffield United, Huddersfield Town, Birmingham City and Hull City, he has endured only one longer winless run, across the city at Aston Villa in 2016-17, when his side failed to win in nine games.

Steve Bruce has had only one worse winless run as a manager in the Championship, at Aston Villa in 2016-17

Albion have now failed to score in three successive Championship games at The Hawthorns for the first time in almost 20 years, since Gary Megson's final full season in charge. And in the seven games since their three late goals to beat struggling Peterborough under previous boss Valerien Ismael on 22 January, they have netted just once.

Although key players were missing on Monday, Bruce now fully realises the size of the task ahead of him, trying to get back on his side a dispirited home following, a lot of whom have voted with their feet this season - and are now staying away in increased numbers.

Their 12th loss of the season against Swansea left them 13th in the table.

"This club's been in the Premier League for 13 years out of the last 20," Bruce added. "With that there comes pressure.

"But I've told the players 'You've got to expect that expectation. That's why you're here.' You expect West Brom to be at the top end of this division, not mid-table.

"We looked nervous, as if the ball was a problem. We have to be better than that. We've got some experienced players here who have been around the block for a long time.

"It was a difficult night. But, even with all the years I've been doing it, it becomes more difficult when you put on a performance like we witnessed. And, if I'm being honest, that's two or three now.

"When Swansea went ahead, you could almost see the confidence drain out of us. We made a change and two minutes before that Callum Robinson hits the post. We need something like that to go our way.

"All I keep seeing is that we have a good squad on paper, but we're not seeing performances on the pitch. That is what we have to address - and quickly."

Time to bring in the kids?

Bruce is now expected to shuffle his pack again for Saturday's trip to one of his old clubs Hull.

That is then followed by successive home games against two of the Championship's current top three, Huddersfield, another of Bruce's old clubs, and then runaway leaders, free-scoring Fulham.

Skipper Jake Livermore is scheduled to return from his four-game ban at Hull, where Bruce will also have the option of restoring 10-goal top scorer Karlan Grant.

But big money January signing Daryl Dike is another month away after his hamstring injury and Scotland international Matt Phillips has now missed all five of Bruce's games in charge with a fractured toe.

After seeing three young strikers go out on loan in the January window, the Albion fans have called for youngsters like midfielders Quevin Castro and Taylor Gardner-Hickman to be given a run.

But Castro had only a limited impact when he came on for the last 25 minutes for his league debut against Swansea - and Bruce is still to be convinced that Albion's misfiring midfield is the best place for Gardner-Hickman, who has primarily been a full-back in his journey through the Albion youth ranks.

"It's always a bit difficult to bring in a young player when the team are struggling," Bruce added. "You'd prefer it when people are a bit more confident, when we get a couple of wins under our belt.

"But, if we keep getting the response we're getting, then it might be time for the young ones.

"I've seen Castro play twice now. He gives you a certain energy. He is a young player who I like a lot - Gardner-Hickman is knocking on the door. He trains with us all the time.

"The big strength of the team is of course the centre-backs. We've got lots of those. But I'll have a look and see what we can do."