Carlos Corberan wants West Brom "animals"

Clubs have had a near-two week break during the international break but action ramps up again over the Bank Holiday weekend with the Lions contest followed by Monday’s clash against Watford at The Hawthorns. Albion then go to Stoke the following Saturday.

All opponents are, as Corberan sees it, underperforming relative to the strength of their squad and potential, and the head coach reckons that makes them dangerous rivals. The Spaniard made no effort to hide the significance of the eight games ahead across the next five weeks or so, but stressed that he does not want to feel an added excitement or buzz from his players – instead full focus on the job in hand, regardless of Albion’s current eight-point buffer to seventh.

“It’s true – because it’s true that we are now going to play games that are decisive to where we are going to be in the table at the end of the season,” Corberan said when asked about the season’s decisive crescendo.

“We are close to the end of the season in the Championship and it’s true in the next two weeks we are going to play five (close) games in a row. In the next eight days we are going to play three important games.

“Two of these are away, against teams that for me have a better squad than position in the table, and that makes it more dangerous against these teams.

“We need to keep doing what we are doing, compete as animals, giving our best to make the best football we can do to achieve the results we want to achieve.”

Corberan does not allow for added excitement at Albion’s training ground, instead the head coach expects business as usual.

“Let’s say...I prefer to not see anything special right now, I prefer to see everyone mentally ready for the period we are going to play,” he added. “It is going to be a very demanding period, the fact we are in one position right now doesn’t mean anything. In two games everything changes, in one week we are playing three games so...it’s going to be a very challenging moment for every single Championship team.

“If we analyse the opponents we are going to face, they are very strong, all three in unexpected positions according to their level of players and possibilities of the clubs, we are in front of a very demanding week that demands focus.”

The return to contention of Matt Phillips from a long-term hamstring lay-off adds yet more competition to Corberan’s armoury.

Jed Wallace, Tom Fellows, Mikey Johnston, Grady Diangana, John Swift and Andi Weimann have been competing for forward roles of late, with striker Brandon Thomas-Asante also back and ready to start, with Josh Maja close behind.

Diangana, a winger by trade, has been a regular in an attacking midfield role behind Albion’s striker since his return from the African Cup of Nations in February. Corberan sees the former West Ham attacker as a natural No.10 option – and in that role the DR Congo international is keeping John Swift out of the Baggies’ starting line-up.

“For me, Diangana can play as a seven, eleven or as a ten (right wing, left wing or central attacking midfield),” Corberan said. “I don’t see any problems, or him having any difficulty in playing in any of the three decisions.

“The challenge is for him to find the solution and he can impose his level in the game, but for me it’s not about the position where he plays – he has conditions, skills to play in any of the three positions.

“With the fact that I’ve watched Fellows very well as a right winger, and knowing that Wallace can play there too, Johnston is playing very well on the other side, I considered that the number ten was a position that he could take.

“Swift has been more from the bench, Diangana has been more a starting player, but in the end all these things can change. I like Grady, I like to have him and he’s an important player for us.

“He’s a player who can still keep growing as a player to keep making even more of an impact in the team than normal. Even in a bad game from Grady, you are always going to see something special. The key is to avoid bad games, not only with Grady but with every single player.”

Diangana’s central role, as well as Fellows and Johnston’s flying form on either flank and the likelihood of captain Wallace’s regular involvement has made game time tough to come by for Swift. The latter’s flying season was abruptly halted by injury at Blues in early October and he has struggled to find the same influence since, bar a starring display against Norwich on Boxing Day.

Corberan said: “Swift, for example, was starting very well the season. After he had the injury. Then, after this injury, in some games it’s true he didn’t achieve the same level he was showing at the beginning.

“Sometimes players have these periods. If you don’t have possibilities to play in the same position, after injury you come back and there is no alternative the player can quickly achieve his real level.”

“When you have more strength in the squad, when another player comes into the position and is playing well, you find it difficult to find the consistency you need, to play well too.

“To achieve the level you need consistency. This is one of the things that players need to be – not patient, but constant in working hard until they come back with the group.

“When they have the possibility to help the team, with minutes, make the best that they can do and show that they are still key players so you can always think on them. That’s the challenge that every single player has in the team.”