West Brom drew 0-0 against Bristol City on Saturday, continuing Carlos Corberan’s side’s disappointing start to the season.
When he took over as manager of the Baggies the previous season, he inherited a team that was suffering at the bottom. As a result, despite the fact that off-field issues limit what Corberan can accomplish in the transfer market, there is still optimism about what this season will bring.
Albion, on the other hand, are yet to truly get going, despite picking up another point at Ashton Gate after a goalless draw.
The visitors were particularly awful in the first half, failing to put a glove on the Robins, and while they improved after the interval, it wasn’t enough to secure the victory.
And here are THREE things we learned about West Brom from the game…
To be unduly critical about the Baggies seems unjust, since they haven’t had a bad start, with eight points from six games a respectable return.
Nonetheless, it appears like they have a lot more to offer. The first 45 minutes against Bristol City were far from satisfactory, and it shouldn’t have taken Corberan shouting at them at halftime to elicit a response.
Of course, the manager is not blameless, and it appears that Albion need to improve in all departments if they are to truly challenge for the play-offs this season.
Following on from that, it still appears that Corberan is unaware of his better side.
This season has already seen formation changes, and crucial players like Jed Wallace and Okay Yokuslu have yet to reach their peak.
Grady Diangana and Jeremy Sarmiento are two players who have the potential to thrive at this level, and it is likely that they will force their way into the team in the coming months.
There’s no reason for Albion to worry just yet, but Corberan needs to find a strategy that maximizes the attacking potential at his disposal. Because of the upcoming games, all players will get a chance during the next several weeks, and it is up to the individuals to ensure they secure a spot on the team.
The performance of Josh Maja, who came in and made a significant difference with his direct style, movement, and pace, was one of the positives from the draw at Bristol City.
So it was a major concern when the former Sunderland striker suffered an injury near the finish and had to leave the field in a protective boot.
Corberan has been carefully controlling Maja since his arrival, and he appeared to be ready to make his imprint, so they will all be praying that the problem isn’t significant and that he can return to the pitch as soon as possible.
It’s also really upsetting for the 24-year-old, especially as West Brom are about to enter a busy period.
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