West Brom defender Cedric Kipre praised for reaction

Ivorian centre-back Kipre, 26, has been a leading influence for the Baggies this season after he returned from a season-long loan at Cardiff City.

Kipre, who has played in all but one of the 15 league games so far this term, responded from a poor opening-day error in defeat at Blackburn. Corberan checked with the defender that the mistake would not change his style and confidence – and the centre-back hit back with aplomb.

“I like a lot his reaction in the Leeds game, when we played in that game the next time we were away,” Corberan said. “For me that was a test for him to see how he would react. And he was taking risks based on his personality.

“The key with him is to manage risks, know how much he can take, when you manage the risks and increase concentration you start to be more positive in your behaviours.”

Corberan and his staff analysed Kipre’s impressive loan in south Wales last term and, given the forced sale of Dara O’Shea, felt the defender would be an ideal option, with an ability to play on the right or left side of central defence.”

The head coach said: “We were analysing all of his games in the last year and we found one player – even having some mistakes – had some behaviours that are not easy to find.

“He is a player that when we lost Dara O’Shea, he was an option that we had in the squad with our market restrictions. With his behaviours, there were things I liked a lot in him.

“He was playing in a line of five and line of four last year and he was feeling comfortable in both. This year as a team we wanted to play in a line of four or five and feel comfortable in both, that’s the first thing.

“The second thing, he can play on the right side or on the left side in the line of four. Last year he played even more games on the left of a line of four than the right. When you only have (Erik) Pieters as the left-footed player it is necessary to have another one.”

Corberan added: “To have one right-footed player who can feel comfortable on the left was another important point for us. He is one player with experience in the Championship, but maybe with a lack of positive consistency behaviours.

“At the same time – ask the fans of Cardiff how pleased they would be to keep him, because he was one important player last year in difficult moments. He was a very interesting player for us to work and adapt him to ideas and how we see football, what we want to find in our players.

“He’s a good player and has adapted well to our ideas. Is he perfect? No. It means we keep working with him for him to keep improving more, so everyone can grow, that’s the process.

“As a guy he’s a lovely human being and someone that has the right mentality, and that’s the positive too.”

n Albion's home fixture with Stoke has been delayed one day for broadcast and is now Sunday, December 17 (noon kick-off).