Carlos Corberan calls for West Brom to learn from Bolton defeat
Carlos Corberan insists important lessons were taken as his Albion side closed pre-season with a chaotic 4-3 defeat at Bolton.
Albion led twice at the hosts’ Toughsheet Community Stadium home but still fell to Aaron Morley’s 95th-minute winner.
Albion’s final friendly before Saturday’s Championship kick-off 20 miles further north at Blackburn swung this way and that after the visitors led 1-0 and 2-1.
Jed Wallace opened the scoring early on with a neat finish after Corberan’s side looked bright in the opening exchanges. Kyle Dempsey equalised from distance on the stroke of half-time.
Brandon Thomas-Asante tapped home for 2-1 before Dempsey and Will Forrester handed the hosts the lead after the hour. Albion striker Thomas-Asante took advantage of a hapless error from Trotters keeper Nathan Baxter for 3-3 – but Morley had the last laugh from 22 yards deep into stoppages.
“I think we showed a lack of consistency in the good things we did, that’s why we couldn’t make the difference that the team is able to do, that I’d like to see on the pitch,” Corberan said.
“I think we started really well in the first minutes, scoring one amazing goal and showing confidence and dominance in the game.
“But I think little by little we started to defend worse, first with not good positions that allow them to find more opportunities and to decrease our chances.
“In some moments in the game, especially in the second half, we had good positions in defence but no possession in defence. Little by little we were more deep and they scored three of their four goals from the edge of outside of the box. This means we didn’t compete enough, to allow the opponent to find the possibility this close to the box.”
Albion were without sole summer signing Jeremy Sarmiento, the loan attacking recruit from Brighton, who is catching up with his fitness. It is likely he will be available to play some part at Blackburn.
“In attack there were some good moments and some unforced losing of the ball which means we didn’t have the continuity in attack that was more important to me than the result,” Corberan added.
“That, for me, has the consequences to the result. If we score three goals and lose the game it means there are things we need to keep working on, that is exactly the target of pre-season, to tell you where we need to work.
“For me there are two key points – one to defend better and two to not allow unforced losing of the bas that reduce your attack and increase the opportunities of the opponent.”
Jayson Molumby sat out as a precaution after feeling some pain in his knee during training last week.
Goalkeeper Josh Griffiths was beaten four times during the 90 minutes. Griffiths featured as Alex Palmer was left at home due to an approach from Luton Town. Albion remain in negotiations over the offer and no fee has yet been agreed.
Albion (4-2-3-1): Griffiths; Furlong (Hall, 84), Ajayi (Bartley, 71), Kipre, Townsend (c) (Pieters, 71); Yokuslu (Chalobah, 71), Mowatt; Wallace (Fellows, 84), Swift (Gardner-Hickman, 78), Phillips (Malcolm, 78); Thomas-Asante (Faal, 84).
Subs not used: Button, Cann.
