Carlos Corberan has revealed that the style he utilised in West Brom’s 0-0 draw with Bristol City made it impossible for him to bring on both Jeremey Sarmiento and Grady Diangana.
On Saturday (16 September), the Baggies drew 0-0 at Ashton Gate, and Corberan chose a 3-4-3 shape, with Brandon Thomas-Asante favoured to lead the line between John Swift and Jed Wallace in the starting XI.
Despite a system change and appeals for Sarmiento and Diangana to be brought earlier in the game, as well as rising clamour for the Brighton loanee to start at The Hawthorns, neither offensive midfielder was substituted until the 83rd minute.
As stated by Birmingham Live (16 September), he commented of both players’ positions, “It wasn’t about physicality with these two players.” It was the fact that I needed to adjust the form in order to play with Sarmiento and Diangana.
“If we need to put these two players, we need to change the structure, which is why sometimes these changes are no problem, but they take time and sometimes the game can change until you adapt.”
“The team was devising a strategy to attack the opponent, and I had to postpone the changes I had planned to make.”
Make a plan.
West Bromwich Albion caused Bristol City many of issues in the second half at Ashton Gate, producing 14 shots, but they were unable to test Max O’Leary once throughout the game, with zero efforts on goal.
Corberan’s side has scored 10 goals in six Championship games this season, so there’s no need for Albion to entirely modify their strategy just because they haven’t scored in a single game.
However, Diangana and Sarmiento are both extremely skilled technical players who, at their best, are more than capable of making a difference in the West Brom team. Fans will clamour for Corberan to start the offensive midfielders until both players start matches on a continuous basis.
To play well in the style that the Spanish manager has implemented at The Hawthorns, players must be extremely fit. With Diangana only recently recovering from injury and Sarmiento still adjusting to life in the Midlands, it remains to be seen if either player is ready to play a full 90 minutes in that style.
Perhaps the midweek journey to Vicarage Road against an inferior Watford team is the finest opportunity for one of them.
