New recruit urged to take his West Brom chance
Callum Styles has been urged to take his Albion chance and help the team in the final third – from left-back.
Summer recruit Styles, a utility man who Carlos Corberan reckons can play up to five positions, has had to bide his time for a chance with the Baggies this season.
But he played his most minutes so far in the stalemate against Cardiff on Saturday after an early injury to Paddy McNair and with fellow defender Semi Ajayi limping off later on Styles could be set for an extended run in the side.
"With any of the defenders we have I am happy," Corberan said in the wake of the latest 0-0 in which his goal-shy side did record a seventh clean sheet in 12 games.
"I knew the level of Styles. Styles was preparing for this moment and the moment has come now and he needs to compete.
"I love him as a player and there are things he can help us with a lot, especially in attack and we need to keep working with him to attack better and not defend worse."
Hungary international Styles, 24, was an undisclosed fee addition from League One Barnsley in the summer and was handed a four-year deal.
He sees himself as a natural midfielder, but Corberan believes his versatility also offers cover at full-back and wing-back. Due to a centre-back shortage Torbjorn Heggem moved into the middle allowing Styles to enter in the fourth minute. He will now compete with Gianluca Frabotta for the left-back berth.
Meanwhile seven-goal top scorer Josh Maja, without a goal in five games, has been backed by Corberan for a tireless shift with little cover or competitive in the lone front role.
"I think Maja had two big chances," Corberan said after the striker missed a last-gasp header against Cardiff. "One in the first half he was fairly close to touching the ball like the one against Middlesbrough, with the cross of Mowey (Mowatt), which was too close.
"I think what happened to Maja probably is the situation happening to the team. That when you are too close you can have the risk to lose confidence in things you are doing well–- and to insist in this small gap (being close).
"So we need to insist to have the ball better, but I think with fresh legs...the level of effort Maja has been doing has been terrible, an unbelievable level of effort he has put. He is playing many minutes, that I decided because I have alternatives too, but I have the full level of confidence in him."
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