Corberan makes ‘important’ Diakite admission at West Brom after Sheffield Wednesday struggles
Carlos Corberan acknowledged it is “important” for Ousmane Diakite to improve after struggling on his first Championship start as West Brom were beaten at Sheffield Wednesday.
Midfielder Diakite was named in the starting XI at Hillsborough with Alex Mowatt having struggled with an adductor injury prior to Saturday’s (28 September) clash.
However, Diakite struggled to impose himself and was withdrawn for Mowatt at half-time with the Baggies trailing 2-0 and, despite having briefly levelled, Corberan’s men went on to lose 3-2 to suffer a first Championship defeat of the campaign.
In quotes reported in the Express & Star (30 September), Corberan said: ““He was competing under his level, but more were, we were.
“For example me as a coach, I didn’t give the right solution or probably I prepared the game with many details that didn’t help show the level in the pitch.
“It’s important for Diakite to improve, of course he has to improve, and as a team we have to improve too because in the first 45 minutes we didn’t play in the level we have to play.”
Tough outing for Ousmane Diakite as West Brom lose at Sheffield Wednesday
The Baggies have made a hugely impressive start to the Championship season but it was noticeable how much Mowatt was missed for the first half in South Yorkshire.
Wednesday were having far too much joy in the centre of the park and were able to break through the visitors’ midfield far too easily in the opening 45 minutes.
The introduction of Mowatt brought with it a much-improved performance and his ability to keep hold of the ball and dictate tempo helped to pen the Owls back deeper and deeper.
Diakite – a summer arrival from Austrian side TSV Hartberg – will know that he has to improve if he is to become a regular fixture in a Baggies side that has performed really strongly in the opening weeks of the campaign.
It is hard to imagine he keeps his place in the starting XI when Middlesbrough visit The Hawthorns on Tuesday (1 October) and the 24-year-old might now need to show some patience to gain another opportunity in the starting XI.
In other West Brom news, an update on Jayson Molumby has emerged prior to the Middlesbrough game.
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