Burnley v West Brom - Match preview
Carlos Corberan is demanding consistency from Grady Diangana as he seeks to extract the best from the winger ahead of tonight’s clash at leaders Burnley.
The 24-year-old is likely to be called upon from the off at Turf Moor due to the absence of Matt Phillips, who is awaiting scan results from a quad injury sustained against Chesterfield.
Diangana started the season in fine form under Steve Bruce but has struggled for more regular starts since Corberan’s October appointment due to the re-emergence of Phillips.
The Spaniard remarked on ‘special’ Diangana, a player who does not allow excuses to get in his way.
“He’s been an important player for the club, and he must continue to be an important player for us,” said Corberan when asked about Diangana’s impact.
“He’s one player who I feel it’s special to be working with him. He has some skills that are very difficult to find in football. He has some strengths that allow him to make a difference in some moments of the game.
“His dribbling skills are so high. His skill to make one or two passes in quick succession, when close to opponents, is high.
“He has special skills, but of course consistency in football is key. He knows this, he has the commitment to show this consistency because he wants to be the best player he can be.
“He wants to use his skills, but some moments they don’t appear. Sometimes you don’t have problems, but sometimes you do and you need to face them.
“It’s true that when he’s not competing well, he’s someone who takes a lot of responsibility. It’s why I like working with him because he’s not one who will look for excuses. He takes responsibility.”
Albion’s head coach sees his side lock horns with the leaders and form side – along with Albion – in the division. Vincent Kompany’s hosts have been almost impeccable of late and have won 13 of 15 games.
Corberan’s men, on the back of nine wins in 10 in the league, can climb to third by inflicting a first Turf Moor defeat on the Clarets this season and before rivals are in action tomorrow.
Albion, though, are hindered by absentees. Phillips has been in excellent form but will spend a time out the side with the muscle problem. Brandon Thomas-Asante, whose first Albion goal was a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser against Kompany’s men, serves the final match of his ban.
Karlan Grant, another attacking option and potential Phillips stand-in, may only be fit enough for the bench.
“I don’t think so (it’s a measure) – the game tomorrow is going to tell us how we are in this moment, that’s all,” Corberan said.
“When you change the circumstances it changes everything. Right now, in this moment, without (Kyle) Bartley and Phillips, injured players, without Asante – how we are now.
“After we played two days ago in the cup, after how we won in Luton, the game tells us how we are now after the things we have lived in this moment.
“It doesn’t mean anything – sometimes you win these games and you lose the next against the bottom of the league. What does it mean? That you are not ready to compete against anyone.
“It’s one game, one specific context of the game, we need to manage the game in this context to be the most competitive team.”
Corberan has spent time with legendary former Manchester City defender Kompany in recent months when the two teams contested a training match at Albion’s training ground in Walsall during the World Cup break.
Albion’s boss did get one over Burnley, then of the top flight, during his time at Huddersfield. It isn’t far off a year to the day since the second-tier Terriers ousted the Clarets from the FA Cup third round at Turf Moor.
Kompany – who recently pipped Corberan to the Championship’s manager of the month for December – has ripped up the style adopted by long-term former boss Sean Dyche and the Baggies boss has been impressed watching on.
“I had the possibility to play one training game with Kompany, during the international (World Cup) break, and I said to him you can only congratulate a coach who has done what he has been doing,” the Spaniard said.
“Because I agree with you, it was a club with one identity for a long time, with one style – a 4-4-2 – being very focused to defend and to use the strength in attack.
“I played against that team in the last year in the cup with Huddersfield and we won. When you analyse that team with the team they have right now it’s totally different, another style, another type of game.
“The fact he was achieving this means how good a coach Kompany is, he’s making something really, really good and it means we play against one of the best coaches in the country right now.”
