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London - West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis has urged patience with record-signing striker Salomon Rondon with the club failing to find the net in their first two Premier League matches in the season.
Venezuelan Rondon joined the club from Zenit St Petersburg on a four-year contract for a reported fee of around £12 million and Pulis is confident that he will be a handful for defenders once he adapts to the Premier League.
"For someone whose just come into the country he looked quite sharp. He's quick, powerful, good in the air," the 57-year-old was quoted as saying by the Birmingham Mail.
"Once the ball's wide he's always looking to get in between the goals. We're going to have to be careful with him and patient.
"But he certainly looks a handful," the former Stoke City manager added.
Rondon had a chance to play team mate Rickie Lambert through on goal during the game against Watford but opted to shoot himself, much to the rage of the England international.
However, Pulis is confident his forwards will develop a good chemistry once they get to full fitness.
"Rickie's going mad because he said he could have played it inside and he would have smashed it into the net," Pulis said.
"Those two, get them fit, and Rickie's nowhere near fit because he's not done nothing preseason.
"When we get those two fit, Rickie can drop in the pocket and be clever for us and leave Rondon up front, Saido (Berahino) up front, then you've got a decent partnership."
West Brom are one of the two clubs yet to find the back of the net this season and Pulis said it was due to lack of creativity.
"We have to create opportunities for the strikers as well," the Welshman said. "They'll score goals if we create opportunities.
"At the moment, that's one of the issues we're talking about."
