Lewis Cox analysis: New boys provide hope for run-in
That had the feeling of a significant goal and victory – the kind that can change the dynamic and spark momentum.
For the first time this season, and on the back of the January transfer window, Carlos Corberan and Albion entered a match with an array of attacking options, and it didn’t take long to make the difference. The club’s loan recruitment, conducted on a shoestring with ongoing issues, paid off immediately.
Andi Weimann has scored almost 100 goals in a fine senior career in England and Saturday’s match-winner will be among his favourites.
He let travelling Blues know about it at full-time, too, did the former Villa forward. As home debuts go, Weimann’s 20 minutes from the bench could hardly have gone more to plan.
The Austrian, along with fellow new recruits Mikey Johnston and Callum Marshall, unsurprisingly started as substitutes against Blues. They were joined on the bench by Daryl Dike.
Corberan must have felt like all of his Christmases had come at once. The Spaniard might have little sleep for a while with wife Claudia giving birth to Dario on Friday night, but at least he has options now. All season the head coach has had nowhere to turn when in need of attacking inspiration late on. The emergence of Tom Fellows has been the only benefit.
Brandon Thomas-Asante, Jed Wallace and John Swift have had to carry the load all season and for the former pair, in particular, it has been a drain at times. Striker Thomas-Asante, as regularly detailed, has had to carry the burden and weight of goals as the sole available frontman all season.
