Carlos Corberan shares ‘important’ message on what West Brom need as four players named
Carlos Corberan has shared what West Brom need from other players as disappointing injury news has emerged on Josh Maja.
Speaking to BirminghamLive on Tuesday (19 September), the Albion boss said it’s “important to keep everyone fit” after revealing that the 24-year-old forward has been ruled out for at least two months with an ankle ligament injury he picked up in the goalless draw with Bristol City.
He added that the Baggies are going to need one of their wingers to play as a striker, naming Matt Phillips, Jed Wallace, Tom Fellows and Grady Diangana as the potential candidates.
“The key now, the focus, is to develop the players that we have,” said Corberan. “It’s true that we couldn’t bring the player who could play as a third striker, that’s why we need to play with players who, if Asante isn’t playing, can play as a striker.
“It’s important to keep everyone fit, because the more players you have fit and ready, the more options you’ll have to compete in the games. Let’s see who is the player. Just because [Matt] Phillips has played there, doesn’t mean that he will play there again, [Jed] Wallace can play in this position, Phillips of course can, [Tom] Fellows can play in that position – even knowing that they’re all wingers.
“In the end, we need a winger who can play as a striker, or a playmaker who can play as a striker – the playmakers are [Jeremy] Sarmiento and [John] Swift. The wingers are Phillips, Wallace or even [Grady] Diangana, who can play there. We’re going to need them to play there.”
Left short
It was feared by many that West Brom had been left a little bit short in the forward areas when the transfer window closed and those fears have now been realised.
While there are other options that can do a job up front if Brandon Thomas-Asante isn’t available, it’s not exactly the decision Corberan would want to have to make.
It’s also a good job Albion decided to stand firm on their valuation of the 24-year-old after receiving bids from Stoke City towards the end of the transfer window, as they could have been in a really tricky position now.
The Maja news is a serious blow because, although goals haven’t been hard to come by on the whole so far this season, they could soon dry up from other areas.
The hope is that one of the wingers won’t have to play as a forward over the next couple of months, but that could be required when the number of midweek games ramps up.
In other West Brom news, one player is facing the axe after his shocking performance against Bristol City.