Andrew Flintoff has been talking about 'having fun' all summer and Paul Robinson is convinced Albion need to follow suit to arrest their worrying slide.

England's biggest cricket star has enjoyed himself all summer - especially during his open-top bus ride through central London - and Robinson wants to lift the gloom that is in danger of enveloping The Hawthorns.

Harsh words were exchanged in the dressingroom after Albion's woeful performance against Wigan last week. Three straight defeats finally saw Bryan Robson turn on his players, as he gave them a public dressing down, with the promise of hard labour on the training ground this week.

However, while the squad have taken their medicine, Robinson insists it will be an upbeat squad that travels to Sunderland on Friday.

He has taken on the role of games co-ordinator on the coach, and has even been elected chief bingo caller on arduous away trips in a bid to lighten the atmosphere.

And Robinson will be ensuring it is a case of 'eyes down' on the way to the north-east, despite the importance of the fixture.

"I think we will be having another game of bingo, as that keeps the lads on their toes," said Robinson, with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"We look sharp in training and that is a good sign. If we had come to work and looked down in the dumps, that would have been worrying.

"We have been bubbling once again and looking forward to playing Sunderland. You need to be positive though and the atmosphere has been excellent all week.

"We have tried to put all the negative thoughts to the back of our minds. However, you sometimes need to look at the negatives in football to turn them into positives, and we have been working hard on getting get back to basics.

"The manager and the players all had a rant after the game and sometimes you need that to liven a few people up. We need to look forwards."

Saturday's trip to Sunderland - who are still without a Premiership point - is already in the category marked 'must win' for Albion.

A repeat performance of their last trip to the Stadium of Light wouldn't go amiss. Robinson was part of a side that virtually sealed promotion back to the Premiership following a classic smash and grab raid with Jason Koumas claiming an injury- time winner.

However, despite Albion's predicament, Robinson believes that they should enjoy the occasion, give the fact that Sunderland look doomed to relegation even at this early stage of the season. "No disrespect to Sunderland, but we we will be looking to get at them and claim three points," he said. "With the squad we have got, we shouldn't be in that relegation dog-fight again. "We should be looking to push on like Birmingham did in their second Premiership season. We want to be where Wigan and West Ham are at present because, no disrespect to either of them, but we are better equipped."

Although Robinson is part of the defence which has leaked goals at an alarming rate recently, he was absolved of any blame after the Wigan fiasco.

Although the management team warned the squad that nobody was safe after their barren run of form, it would be a major surprise if Robinson faced the axe this Saturday.

But he is adamant that Albion's generosity to opposition strikers cannot continue indefinitely.

"At present, for whatever reason, we are not gelling. But it is down to the players to give themselves a lift.

"It is a massive game, as last week we let ourselves down again. We all hold our hands up after making individual mistakes and we learn from them, but you can't keep doing that in this league.

"If you do, then you will continue to get punished.

"We have got to start doing the same to the opposition and we have a great chance to start this weekend."