Watch Middlesbrough v West Brom live on Sky Sports Football from 7pm on Friday night
Friday 24 August 2018 21:39, UK
Jay Rodriguez says Darren Moore has given the whole squad a positive lift at West Brom.
The West Midlands club finished bottom of the Premier League last season despite an upturn in results which saw Moore pick up 11 points out of a possible 15 when he took over as interim manager in April.
Now in the Sky Bet Championship, West Brom have won three of their first four league matches. Ahead of Friday night's clash at Middlesbrough - live on Sky Sports Football - Rodriguez feels Moore has changed the mentality at the club.
"He's given belief to the lads," Rodriguez exclusively told Sky Sports.
"It was a tough season last season and we weren't good enough at all. That's the reason we got relegated and we've got to be honest with that, but he came in and believed in every single one of us.
"He gave us that positivity that we needed at the time and everyone gets on well with the gaffer. He's a great guy."
Dwight Gayle likes how the team is set up tactically under Moore this campaign. He said: "We're setting up to try and help myself and Jay as much as we can.
"Everything is pushed towards us getting the goals and if that's the way we're going to play all season I'm sure us, as well as the ones behind us, are going to score a lot of goals. If we're scoring more than the other teams then we're going to do well."
West Brom have scored 11 goals in their last two Championship matches which included a 7-1 win over QPR last weekend. Rodriguez praises the way Moore has set the team up to ensure himself and Gayle can be prolific up top.
He said: "I think we've been working on different things. Different shapes, how to attack teams better and we've had a lot more of the ball than we did last year. I think that's very important.
"I feel like we're playing with more freedom and more purpose. I'd say we've got great attacking players so there's no reason why we shouldn't be scoring."
Gayle moved from Newcastle to West Brom on a season-long loan earlier this month and he says the club's ambition convinced him to step down a division.
The 27-year-old added: "I looked at what West Brom was about and I spoke to the manager and a few of the players here [before joining the club].
"I knew what they were trying to do and it really turned me to want to come here. We've started so well and long may it continue."
