Semi Ajayi must be prepared to take West Brom opportunity at any moment – Carlos Corberan
Carlos Corberan urges defender Semi Ajayi to be prepared at any moment to take his opportunity in the West Brom starting XI after a spell out on the bench.
The 29-year-old is yet to start a league game under Corberan, having made just two late substitution appearances in the Championship since the Spaniard took charge.
The former Huddersfield manager hinted that he will be looking to return to some defensive basics in the coming weeks and one of the club’s most trusted centre-backs will be a huge part of that following Erik Pieters’ recent injury.
Speaking [via BirminghamLive, 3 March] ahead of his side’s Championship clash with Hull City on Friday night [3 March], Corberan admitted he likes what he sees from Ajayi in training and has urged him to ensure that he is ready to be called upon in the near future.
He said: “At the beginning, it’s of course complicated for the player because he is a player who expects to play.
“He has the habit to play and he has the conditions to play. It’s exactly what you say – football is about moments, and you need to be able to manage the moments in different situations.
“With challenges in life, you can either give up or face them. He is facing the challenge. It’s true that I am watching O’Shea and Pieters and they have been a stable couple as centre-backs, with a natural left foot and natural right foot.
“That doesn’t mean Ajayi can’t play with O’Shea, or Ajayi can’t play with Pieters, probably in this demanding period of games, we’re going to watch Ajayi and what they need to do is be prepared to help the team when the opportunity arrives.”
Crucial player
Despite Ajayi’s limited opportunities this season and Corberan’s trust in the defensive pairing of Pieters and Dara O’Shea, the Nigerian international still remains a crucial component for the Spaniard when needed.
In fact, to some Albion fans, Ajayi’s omission is baffling considering he’s been one of the best performers before Corberan walked through The Hawthorns door. Last season, the player featured heavily for the Baggies, making 31 appearances, and 33 in the Premier League the campaign before last.
A tall, athletic, strong and defensively sound centre-back but most of all, an experienced one, Ajayi offers a totally different profile to Pieters, and there’s a case to be made that the Baggies certainly wouldn’t lose their solidity with Ajayi coming in to replace him.
Ajayi knows O’Shea well and vice-versa which means Corberan’s defence is in very capable hands when the Nigerian starts. The big question lingering over Ajayi now is, can he take his opportunity and keep Pieters out of the XI when he returns?
In other West Brom news, Bilic has shared his verdict on Corberan after Watford’s win over the Albion.