Carlos Corberan: West Brom need to raise levels for Middlesbrough test

One victory in six prior to tomorrow's visit of in-form Middlesbrough has seen the Spaniard’s side lose ground in the Championship play-off race.

The Baggies were caught out time and again at Watford in Monday night’s 3-2 defeat, a fourth away defeat on the bounce.

“It’s a moment where we are not getting the results we want to get,” Corberan said.

“It’s a moment that we are not getting the results because we are not performing at the level we need to perform to get the results.

“So it’s a challenging moment for us to recover and to find the way to solve the situation we are facing right now.”

The Albion head coach explained of recent struggles: “In the first half (at Watford) we defended more than we wanted to defend because we didn’t manage the ball how we wanted to.

“Sometimes when you lose one game you can be thinking the team is too defensive, but sometimes you can be too defensive because of not attacking. We didn’t attack how we wanted to in the first half. Only two or three times we broke their press and had the ball.

“Defensively we managed the game well, the chances they created we lost the ball in our centre-backs, not having a poor defensive structure.

“In the second half, the way we attacked didn’t allow us to defend us well enough.

“The games need a good balance in the situations. Some we are not managing well enough, that is the challenge, more than confident or not confident. We have difficulties to overcome.”

Albion improved as an attacking outlet at Vicarage Road after Corberan brought on Jayson Molumby and Grady Diangana at half-time, moving Jed Wallace to the right flank and John Swift centrally.

The Spaniard sees Wallace as an option as an attacking midfielder or centre-forward but believes he is at his best on the right. He conceded Wallace’s role behind Brandon Thomas-Asante in Watford did not work as planned.

Corberan, whose side start the weekend in 10th, added: “Against Coventry it worked excellent, Marc (Albrighton) was excellent on the right and Wallace was excellent centrally.

“But in a different context the other day, in the first half, we found Swift more useful as a No.10 rather than a No.11 (on the left). Wallace was at his best on the right, than a No.10.”

Albion are still without another attacking midfielder Tom Rogic (hamstring) for tomorrow's clash and beyond. It was thought the Australian had issues with fatigue but ex-Celtic man Rogic has still been unable to train.

Karlan Grant is also a doubt for the clash against Michael Carrick’s Boro. Alex Palmer and Kyle Bartley remain absent.