Carlos Corberan to make tough Alex Palmer decision after what he did in West Brom v Portsmouth
Carlos Corberan may have to contemplate dropping goalkeeper Alex Palmer as West Brom prepare to face Plymouth Argyle on Saturday (21 September).
The Baggies claimed their fourth victory of the new Championship campaign, with goals from Josh Maja and Alex Mowatt condemning newly promoted Portsmouth to another game without a win.
Corberan’s side now sit atop the Championship table, one point above Sunderland following their shock defeat to Plymouth Argyle, but the game did not come without its negatives.
Despite the clean sheet, shot-stopper Palmer came under heavy fire from fans due to his performance, and looking at his underlying stats, it’s quite easy to see why.
With new signing Joe Wildsmith ready and waiting to receive his first league appearance for the Baggies, Corberan certainly has the ability to drop Palmer if he thinks it is the right decision.
Carlos Corberan to axe Alex Palmer after West Brom struggles v Portsmouth?
While Corberan’s side only had 46 per cent possession, the ‘keeper was still heavily involved at the back, taking just as many touches as Jayson Molumby (53), who was substituted after 68 minutes [FotMob].
Much of the criticism aimed at the Baggies goalie was due to his poor ability on the ball, having only recorded a 42 per cent passing accuracy against Pompey.
The 28-year-old often went long with his passes or goal kicks, finishing the match with a 33 per cent accuracy with his long balls, which is far from ideal for Corberan’s side.
Portsmouth were relatively ineffective at Fratton Park, with Palmer not needing to make a single save, but the manager should be concerned by his lack of skill with the ball at his feet, especially if the Baggies are striving for promotion to the Premier League.
There is no doubt that Palmer is one of the best shot-stoppers in the division, ranking in the top 93 percentile for goals against and the top 94 percentile for the number of clean sheets [FBref].
However, Corberan may feel that a spot on the bench against Plymouth Argyle will reset his main man in between the sticks and give him a chance to play Wildsmith in the league.
In other West Brom news, Carlos Corbearn has been hailed at The Hawthorns in a new Real Madrid admission.
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