3:10pm Monday 8th March 2010
By Andy Naylor
Marcos Painter is banking on Albion’s giant goalkeeper Peter Brezovan rising to the challenge at Colchester tonight.
Brezovan, at 6ft 4ins, will just about be the tallest player on the pitch but he will have plenty of competition in the Colchester ranks.
Fit-again midfielder Kemal Izzet and livewire striker Steve Gillespie will be dwarfed in the home team’s line-up by a host of six-foot plus team-mates.
Brezovan has only conceded two injury time goals in three games since winning his place back from Michel Kuipers.
The towering Slovakian has an opportunity to establish himself as No. 1 for the rest of the season now that Kuipers has been ruled out by a broken finger.
Left-back Painter said: “In all the games I’ve played in since I’ve been here he’s been brilliant and a six-foot four goalkeeper has no trouble coming for crosses.
“That’s a benefit for us and hopefully he can use his height to his advantage.
“When you come up against a big side you are faced with a few long balls and that could be one of their strengths.
“It won’t be anything we haven’t come across before and, as long as we stay focused throughout the 90 minutes, I think we can deal with that and hopefully get the result we need.”
Albion have eased themselves away from the relegation zone with a draw at Leeds and back-to-back wins away to Charlton and at home to Exeter.
Painter, signed on loan from Swansea in January, said: “The last few results we’ve had have proved we are capable of pushing on. I don’t think we belong down the bottom of the table.
“I always knew from when I’d played Brighton in the past they must have been under-achieving, because to see Brighton down the bottom end of the table just isn’t right.
“I could see there was quality in the team and I knew it was only a matter of time before we turned it around.
“Don’t get me wrong, we have still got a job to go, because there are 13 games left and the job’s not done yet.
“But I’d be disappointed if we were just scraping above relegation. We don’t just want to avoid relegation but push on and finish as high as we can.
“It’s no good me saying that, we have to keep producing week in and week out. It’s the consistency you need.
“It all starts with the next game and we have got to be ready to get another three points.”
Painter played for Gus Poyet’s good friend Roberto Martinez at Swansea. He enjoyed himself then and he is enjoying himself now under Albion’s Uruguayan chief after recovering from a cruciate knee liagment injury last season.
“I know they both played in Spain together and maybe that’s got a lot to do with it,” Painter said.
“Gus pays a lot of detail to tactics with his number two, Mauricio Taricco. It’s great playing under him, I’m really enjoying it.
“He just lets you go out and play your football but he makes sure you maintain your standards week in and week out. If we fall below that, no place is safe.
“The more games I am playing the fitter, stronger and sharper I’m getting. I’ve had to work hard to get back to where I am now and I’m proud of that.”
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