Dorrans stakes claim to fill Gera’s boots for Roy
The Baggies secured a late 1-1 draw at QPR on Saturday in their first match without the Hungary international, who has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament.
Dorrans was drafted in as Gera’s replacement by Roy Hodgson and the Scotland international believes he can establish himself in the starting line-up.
“Hopefully I can fill the gap that Zoltan has left,” he said. “We’ve got some good games coming up that it would be good to get involved in and if I can get a run in the team, which I think I need, then hopefully I’ll get back to the level I know I can play at.
“Hopefully the goals will come but at the moment I just need to get myself some game time.
“I’ve not played in a good run of games for a long time — first and foremost what I’m looking for is a good run of games and a chance to improve my match fitness.
“Hopefully I’ve done enough to stay in the side but only the gaffer knows the answer to that question.”
Shane Long’s late goal helped West Brom rescue a point from a match QPR will be wondering how they failed to win.
The Rs looked set to secure victory when Heidar Helguson netted for the fourth successive home Premier League match.
However, the west Londoners frittered away numerous chances to extend their lead, allowing Long to level in the 81st minute.
“It was a tough game, obviously going one down in the first half wasn’t ideal,” Dorrans said.
“But we came out and battled in the second half and managed to get back into it.
“I didn’t feel as if I got on the ball as much as I would like but at the end of the day, as a team, we managed to earn a point.
“It was a good away point with games coming up that we feel we can take points from.
“We’ve got Wigan at home now and that’s a game we should be looking to take all three points from.
“Hopefully we can get a win, go on a run, and start climbing up the table.
“We need to keep looking in front of us and not behind us.”
QPR manager Neil Warnock is also looking to the future after what he believes was the Hoops’ best performance of the season.
“I thought we were fantastic,” he said. “I think it was as good as we have played.
“There was some cracking stuff and we created some great chances, but you almost feel like you have lost the game. It is such a disappointment.
“I thought we were so far ahead but that is the Premier League.
“Yeah, we have got to put the chances away but we have moved on so far so quickly it is unbelievable really. I can see us making even more progress. It is a good time at the minute.”
Warnock was quick to praise 34-year-old striker Helguson, who has now racked up six goals this season.
“He doesn’t just get the goals, he leads the line well and the centre-backs never have a moment’s peace,” he said. “I think he did well and Jay [Bothroyd] did too, I thought he was a good foil for keeping the ball when we had to and getting others into play.
“The full-backs supported, it was just everything but the three points.
“If we had got them it would have been a fantastic end product from a good week’s training.
“They have been on fire in fairness to them so I can’t fault them. It is just frustration and disappointment with the result, nothing else.
“I think the whole club is exciting at the moment and I think the fans are enjoying it.”
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