West Brom attacker Grady Diangana to be axed v Sunderland after Leicester City shambles
Carlos Corberan has been left with no choice but to axe Grady Diangana from the West Brom playing XI against Sunderland after the Leicester City clash.
The Baggies suffered a 2-1 defeat against the Foxes at the Hawthorns on 2 December and the Congo international was ineffective on the right flank.
Diangana’s performance against Leicester highlighted several key areas of concern that may justify his exclusion from the starting XI in the upcoming match against Sunderland on 9 December.
Playing on the right wing, his inability to attempt any crosses and take shots with none on or off target, [Sofascore] indicates a lack of offensive contribution from a crucial attacking position.
The low success rate in dribbles (2 out of 6) and losing possession 11 times emphasise a struggle to navigate through the opposition’s defence and maintain control of the ball.
In a game where ball retention and individual creativity are pivotal, these statistics underscore a performance that fell below the expected standards.
Moreover, losing 8 out of 12 ground duels further emphasises a lack of physical dominance and effectiveness in winning battles for the ball.
In a league as competitive as the Championship, winning duels is crucial to provide the team with opportunities and control the flow of the game.
Considering the Baggies’ 2-1 loss and Diangana’s arguably subpar performance in that match, Corberan may opt to make tactical adjustments for the next fixture.
Dropping the Congo international from the starting lineup could be a strategic move to introduce a player who might offer more in terms of offensive productivity, ball retention and physical presence.
In other West Brom news, Guochuan Lai appears to be very close to an exit from the Hawthorns amid a recent development involving a takeover specialist.