Verbruggen: I love the style of this team

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The goalkeeper made his Premier League debut on Saturday.

Nick Szczepanik

2023-08-28T06:00:00Z

Bart Verbruggen joined us on a five-year deal from Anderlecht in the summer.

Bart Verbruggen was disappointed with the result of his Premier League debut but insists that Albion are playing football the right way despite the 3-1 defeat at home to West Ham United.

“It’s the best league in the world, so the finishes are good as well,” he said. “It’s such a disappointing result. I think we had control of the game for the most part, but a couple of counters did us.”

The Dutch goalkeeper had little chance with any of West Ham’s goals, but he will still analyse each one. “After every goal I feel maybe I should have done this or I should have done that so I don’t know yet. I’ll go home and re-watch them and discuss it in the club and see.

"Billy did a great effort to block the first one and it was a bit unlucky. It happens.

“[West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola] had a brilliant game today, I think probably one of the best of his life. Unlucky for us, but all praise to him.”

Although the news that Bart would be replacing Jason Steele took fans by surprise when the team was announced an hour before kick-off, he was told during the week. “He [Jason] was doing really well but the thing is that we have a team where in every position we have more players who can play and make an impact,” he said.

“Of course everyone has his own characteristics and qualities, but if a person is replaced, there’s no huge changes. I know that’s a strength of the team and everybody needs to be ready every week and that’s what I try to do.”

The former Anderlecht man is an admirer of head coach Roberto De Zerbi’s style and was immediately comfortable joining in the build-up of play from the back.

“I love it, I think it’s a good style - nice to watch, but also the best for winning games,” he said. “That’s the most important thing. I’m always so interested in the mechanics of the build-up and pressing of the opponents. So I enjoy every day working with him and this group of lads and improving.

“I’ve played with more coaches who like to have a lot of possession, like to play out from the back, so in terms of that it wasn’t too big [a change]. But every coach has his own details and his own thoughts and ideas.

“So of course you need to adapt and you need to adapt to the new league as well. But the lads have helped me and it wasn’t as if I came from a team that played kick and rush.

“I’ve always felt comfortable with the ball at my feet and I take a lot of joy out of that and in my head that’s the way you have to play football.”

Albion will learn their opponents in the group stage of the Europa League on Friday but Bart would have been keen to join the club in any case, and he is unaware of any special plans to watch the draw.

“I think we have to focus on the things we can influence, so the main focus will be training and we’ll find out when we find out,” he said. “Maybe we can watch the draw and then train, I don’t know. But we’ll find out anyway.

“Of course Europe is something you look at, a pro for coming here. But it’s more the direction the club is going in, the people here and the way it’s run. It’s so nice so I’m happy to be a part of it.”