Sheffield Wednesday v West Brom: Adapting to change key for flying Albion

The Baggies head to Hillsborough to tackle Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow lunchtime, where a hapless 3-0 defeat in late April threatened to derail a play-off charge.

Corberan’s unbeaten table-toppers have started like an express train this time around, but the Spanish head coach has identified a specific part of his side’s game that can improve – in-game adaptation.

Corberan is well aware Championship tests come in different shapes and sizes. Danny Rohl’s fired-up Wednesday – currently in the bottom three – carried far too much intensity for the Baggies as they sought survival in April.

The Baggies boss admitted after his side saw off Plymouth 1-0 last weekend that he was surprised with how Wayne Rooney’s men played. Corberan expected a front-footed pressing machine from the lively Pilgrims attacking side, but found them happy to settle into a defensive block.

Corberan admitted an “adaptation” took his side some time to adjust to. He said: “The most important thing to me is the adaptation to the type of game you are playing.

“Against Plymouth I expected to be more aggressive in terms of the pressing and they were more defending in a block. We lost the ball early when we shouldn’t have done. So let’s say game understanding, to give the right solutions to different situations.

“When the opponent press you need to play quick to break it. When they wait you need to be patient to break the defensive structure.

“In defence there are always things we can do better. When we were pressing their keeper, they broke the press three or four times and in our defensive half we need to work on the relationship between our full-back and winger to not allow them to create crosses.”

Albion were also dealt a lesson in patience last weekend as the woodwork was struck three times during a frustrating first half. The hosts had to wait until after the hour for Josh Maja’s winner but Karlan Grant, Alex Mowatt and John Swift were all denied as strikes cannoned the post.

Asked about patience from his players and supporters, the boss replied: “It’s consistency. Sometimes you need to insist, insist, insist and insist until you achieve what you want to achieve. We would like to be winning three or four zero in 10 minutes but this is not football, this is not the Championship.

“You need to be ready to compete in the Championship. The demands of the Championship.”

It remains to be seen whether midfielder Jayson Molumby (calf) will be available to play any part against the Owls tomorrow, with Corberan due to face the media today.

Loan midfielder Uros Racic made his first start for the Baggies and impressed as he laid on a fine assist for Maja.

Despite Albion’s unbeaten and table-topping start to the new campaign, just four clubs have made more clearances than Corberan’s men so far.

It points to an open style allowing opposition to ask questions of the Baggies’ defensive third, but also underlines Albion’s strength and clearing their own penalty area, with a back four of Darnell Furlong, Semi Ajayi, Kyle Bartley and Torbjorn Heggem excelling so far this term.

“Sometimes you are going to suffer more, sometimes you are going to enjoy more, this is part of football,” said the head coach. “You need to find a way to be better than the opponent.

“We have found a way to be better than the opponent during many games but you are playing against opponents that will make you suffer and as a team you need to find solutions.”