Steve Bruce has started the mind games as he prepares to bring his West Brom outfit to Nottingham Forest tomorrow night.
The Reds will hope to get back to winning ways at the City Ground after losing at Luton on Friday afternoon.
West Brom scored a last-minute winner to beat Blackpool last time out and they’re five points shy of a play-off place.
They have just four games remaining and reaching the top-six does now seem unlikely. Indeed, if Forest beat them tomorrow, their race will be run.
Bruce has tried to go all-in with the reverse psychology ahead of tomorrow; suggesting that strange results can happen at this point of the season.
He said after Friday’s win: “Do you know something? I’ll tell you, when the daffodils come up when the squeaky bum time comes out; or whatever you want to call it, you see strange results.
“The hardest thing in football is to get over the line and all sorts of nerves come into it. All of a sudden the pitches are a bit lively, the sunshine’s out. It’s always difficult to get it done and all the teams are having a bit of a wobble.
“We’re going to keep asking the question but I think we’ve got too much to do.”
Forest need to focus despite Bruce comments
The West Brom manager has been there done that and got the t-shirt when it comes to success in the Championship.
He will know exactly what he’s doing with these comments ahead of what looks like a truly massive game against Forest.
The Reds know that they have a lot to play for and for them it’s all about getting cemented in the top six.
Bruce is probably right when he suggests that they’ve left themselves with too much to do.
His comments about nerves and getting over the line are clearly mind games in the direction of Forest in an attempt to pile some pressure on the Reds.
Steve Cooper will hope for calm heads tomorrow night as they bid to show West Brom and Bruce that they’re up for the fight.