Mowbray expects Valero to respond to shock therapy

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The West Bromwich Albion manager, Tony Mowbray, has backed his record signing Borja Valero to shake off the disappointment of his debut to make a positive impact in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old Spaniard, a £4.7m acquisition from Real Mallorca, was thrown straight into the starting line-up for Tuesday night's Carling Cup second-round trip to Hartlepool just hours after his international clearance came through. One hundred and twenty gruelling minutes later, the newcomer trudged off the pitch at Victoria Park, having been brought quickly up to speed with English football's capacity for cup shocks.

The Premier League side were eventually well beaten by their League One hosts as extra-time goals from the substitutes David Foley and Richie Barker eased them to a 3-1 win. But Mowbray was at least able to console himself with the knowledge that Valero had made his first appearance for his new club. He said: "It was an interesting game for him. It would have got him up to speed with the English game very, very quickly.

"He took a few, as all our players did, heavy challenges – but there is nothing in the rules that says you are not allowed to tackle and be physical, so good luck to Hartlepool. It will be a good learning curve for him very quickly in his career.

"He played a very, very technical game in Spain. I don't think there's as much physicality as he might have found last night, and he probably had a bit more protection in Spain. But there you go, that's the English game."

The Baggies head for Bolton Wanderers on Saturday on the back of three successive defeats, and Mowbray will hope that Valero can play his part in addressing that situation as a matter or urgency.

The Stoke manager said: "He will be fine for us. He has a lovely range of passing, he has nice soft feet to pass the ball. That's what our team is about – not necessarily last night, but when we put the team on the pitch we trust and think he can do the job week in, week out. He will flourish, I am sure."

League reverses at the hands of Arsenal and Everton in their first two top-flight games were no disgrace, with the manager more than satisfied with the performances his side produced. However, as Mowbray begins his preparations for Saturday, he will be slightly more concerned about the way they were brushed aside by Danny Wilson's men.

Having swallowed his disappointment, Mowbray insisted that is now the only focus. He said: "It's gone, it's finished with me now. It is finished, we are looking forward to Bolton now."

Meanwhile Tony Pulis, the manager of another newly promoted club, Stoke City, is finally hoping for some Carling Cup success after a decade and a half of failure in the competition.

Pulis reached the third round for only the second time when Stoke overcame Cheltenham 3-2 at Whaddon Road. The victory was achieved despite Pulis making 10 changes from the side which had triumphed 3-2 over Aston Villa in the Premier League 72 hours earlier. Pulis said: "I've got a very poor record in this competition. I think I've got through once to the round we are through to now, the third round, in 15 years."

Pulis is undecided what policy he will adopt at other stages of the competition, but was delighted that the players not in his Premier League line-up did themselves justice. "I was pleased that players were able to get some action under their belts. The whole squad is very important this year."