McAuley backs misfiring striker

Baggies defender wants to found solution to poor home form

Last Updated: February 6, 2012 2:00pm

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Peter Odemwingie: Baggies striker has not managed to hit the heights of last season

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West Brom defender Gareth McAuley has backed Peter Odemwingie to rediscover the form that made him a feared Premier League marksman.

The 30-year-old plundered 15 league goals last term but this season the goals have not flowed as easily for the striker.

Odemwingie was linked with a move to Fulham in the January window but Roy Hodgson was adamant he wanted to retain the services of the Nigeria international.

However, he was left frustrated as the striker's poor form continued as he missed a great chance against Swansea on Saturday in their 2-1 loss.

Important

But McAuley is confident Odemwingie will recapture his impressive form of last term.

"Peter is a confident chap," he told the Express and Star. "He will get his head down and keep practising and hopefully it will come.

"Hopefully one will hit him and go in and that will get him off the mark again and he can go on and score a few important goals for us before the end of the season.

"He is upbeat and he scores goals in training and he's working hard."

The defeat against the stylish Swans was the eighth in 12 games at The Hawthorns and the experienced defender has urged the players to hold an inquest into their form.

He added: "We haven't really sat down and talked about it but we will probably have to now and go through it."