Georginio: I was scared my goal wouldn't stand

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Midfielder wants Albion to be more consistent.

Nick Szczepanik

2025-12-10T07:00+00:00

Georginio scored his first goal of the season in the draw with West Ham. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Georginio believes that Albion are on target to challenge for a place in Europe.

But the team have to put that aim to the back of their minds and concentrate on winning matches over the busy Christmas and New Year period.

Fabian Hurzeler’s men play six Premier League games between now and the FA Cup third round tie away to Manchester United on the second weekend of January. And Georginio agrees that that sequence could make the club’s season.

“Yes, of course, we have some very important games. If we take as many points as possible it can be good for the future and maybe play Europe, but we have to take it game by game, it's more important. If we think already about Europe, you can be a bit confused. We have to take it game by game.”

Speaking after the 1-1 draw at home to West Ham United, the France under-21 forward spoke about his relief at scoring his first goal of the season. His strike from Jan Paul van Hecke’s pass came in the first minute of added time and cancelled out Jarrod Bowen’s opener for the Hammers.

Photo 1/25

Albion left it late to breach the West Ham United defence. Georginio Rutter reacted quickest to fire home the loose ball after a blocked shot from Jan Paul van Hecke and an overhead effort by Babis Kostoulas. Club photographers Paul Hazlewood and James Boardman were at the Amex to capture all the action on a wet and windy Sunday afternoon.

“I'm very happy, but I think today it’s not the most important [thing],” he said. “We took one point today. We wanted to take three points, but it's better to take one point than zero points.

“I'm not a player who thinks about goals. I try to help my team as much as possible. I heard a lot of things about goals, ‘Georginio didn't score this season,’ but for me it's not the most important. If I enjoy playing on the pitch, it's more important. If the team wins, it's more important. If I score, it's good, but if I don't score, for me it's not dramatic.”

However, there was drama as VAR Tony Harrington had a long look at the build-up to the goal before referee Simon Hooper confirmed that Albion’s leveller would stand. Replays suggested that the ball had bounced off Georginio’s upper arm before Alphonse Areola saved his first shot, but it was deemed accidental and not in the scoring phase of the move.

“I was a bit scared, because the ball touched my body and my hand, but very quick. I couldn't do anything, but it's a goal,” Georginio said.

“They are very compact defensively, it's very hard. We had some chances as well today to score. We didn't finish it properly. We have to work on it a bit more. Overall, yes, we have chances. At the end, we scored, but we should score more in this game today.”

And he insists that the team deserved their point. “Yes, I think yes. At the end, if it's a goal, we deserve it. We didn't cheat or something.

“I think we deserve a bit more, but we have to be more consistent. That is a bit the problem, but we have to work on it. I believe in my team, so we're going to do better. I don't have doubts about this.”