Forward says he has more to offer than brute strength
VICTOR Anichebe says he is ready to put his body on the line for Albion this season.
The selfless 6ft3in striker made his Baggies debut in Saturday's dramatic 1-1 draw at Fulham after joining the club from Everton on transfer deadline day.
The Nigeria international says he is happy to lead the line for Steve Clarke’s side, although he is adamant he has more to offer than brute strength.
“I’m a team player and I have no problem holding the ball up for the team,” said Anichebe.
“I’m maturing all the time and in addition to holding the ball up I want to get on the end of chances.
“I’ll take a battering if that’s what the gaffer needs me to do.
“That’s what I do and I think most people who’ve seen me play know that.
“Hopefully, I can keep doing what I did on Saturday - but I want to get some goals as well.
“I have to mix it up sometimes.
“If I can keep adding different qualities to my game, I will keep improving.
“I have a lot of other qualities but when the team need me to, I will offer my strength.
“The gaffer is already telling me to do different things.
“He wants me to run in behind defenders. That way, people may not be able to predict what I’m going to do.
“I’m still young and I have plenty of time to improve. The sky is my limit.
“I’m not a selfish player and I don’t need the headlines.”
Anichebe netted his first-ever Barclays Premier League goal in a 2-2 draw with Albion at Goodison Park in May 2006.
The then-18-year-old turned Williams Martinez in the 84th minute of that clash before slotting the ball past Tomasz Kuszczak.
He says that moment ran through his mind when he was presented with a similar opportunity in Saturday’s stalemate at Craven Cottage.
“I thought I should have scored,” he added.
“I was on the spin and hopefully next time I’ll score it.
“It would have been great to get off the mark and I’ve done that so many times before.
“Even my first Premier League goal, that’s what I did.
“I spun an Albion defender and scored so that was already in my head before I even took the shot.
“Next time, I will show more composure.
“Maybe if I’d got a few more games under my belt things could have gone differently.
“That was my first game of the season.
“I might have scored it if I was sharper but it wasn’t to be.”