Carlos Corberan gives passionate take on curious and stuttering West Brom form

Albion's run of form has late has seen them lose ground in the Championship ahead of a trip to Preston on Saturday. A peculiar sequence sees Corberan's troops with just a single win in 11 games, but also unbeaten in nine games, which include a run of eight draws.

The period, which followed five wins from six to start the campaign, has seen supporters wrestle with perspective of glass half-full or half-empty - but one clear fact is one win from 11 must be improved on.

Corberan, during a passionate exchange in his press conference on Friday, suggested he does not allow himself to get tied up and affect positively or negatively by runs of form. The Spaniard said he instead analyses performances in the previous fixtures as he prepares for games ahead. He is fully focused on whether he sees his side "competitive" in matches.

Corberan referenced perspective in terms of his appointment two years ago, when Albion were second-bottom of the Championship and subsequently dropped to rock-bottom. 

He also mentioned the summer on more than one occasion. Albion, as a necessity due to the closing net of financial fair play, reduced the club's wage bill, as well as the average age, in the summer. They will do so again next summer. The next set of accounts, due next spring for the year to June 2024, will show alarming finances as the club sail close to a £39million FFP three-year breach.

The head coach did not reference finances this time but these are the "possibilities" - as owners Bilkul work to steady the ship - he often quotes. He spoke of perspective of a stunning winning start to the season. He stressed again, as he did in August, this did not affect his thoughts on the division and Albion's potential.

"I don't look - because if I look to will affect me in some way, negatively or positively," said Corberan when asked to assess recent results.

"I want to be focused on every game. What affects me is the previous game, to make a conclusion of the team. How have we played? Are we going to play a similar game? What was working and what was not working?

"The target in a season is to add the maximum points. You can do that by drawing or winning. The best thing is to win for three points, but this is what every single team wants! Portsmouth, QPR, Plymouth, Stoke, Cardiff, Millwall, Burnley, Sunderland, Leeds, us, every team.

"Do I prefer to win? Yes. When you cannot win, is one point better than zero? Yes. Much better. But is not the best you can achieve.

"For me the key is to see if your team is consistent and a competitive team, or not competitive. Being a competitive team - are we doing enough or are there things we have to improve? For sure there are things to improve. If there wasn't we would win every game.

"I respect the level of the opponents and know we have things to improve."

Albion snapped a winless run of eight games before the recent international break by winning at Hull. They have resumed action with a 2-2 home draw with Norwich and the stalemate at Sunderland in midweek.

The Baggies - with nine - are the division's draw specialists. Saturday's host Preston are one of two sides next up with eight. Corberan has stressed previously that this season's Championship is the most even and competitive he can recall.

He continued: "Frustration - do I understand the frustration of the people when they are watching us with things to improve? I understand. Do I share this frustration - no! I don't.

"Why? Because I know the reality of my work. I know the competition, I know our squad, our possibilities. I know from the beginning of the season the situation in the Championship.

"Can we be frustrated because we are not winning and first in the Championship? Of course. Clubs in a worse position than us can be frustrated.

"When I arrived to this club it was last or close to last in the competition, with an amazing group of players - which is why I came here. But that is the Championship. I respect it a lot, every game we play. I know the difficulties to win games.

"I want to improve my team but I know the perspective about how difficult it is to win. The fact we won some games at the beginning of the season does not affect my perspective about winning. I know how difficult it is for us to win games in the Championship. For other teams - probably it is different, for others maybe not.

"We are one team that is competing in games. We have played 17 games, we have 27 points, we could have more we could have less, but as a team we are going to keep working lots to have the maximum points we can."