Things to ponder for Carlos Corberan during West Brom international break

A second international break of the season does nothing for teams looking to build early momentum, but it is more time on the training ground for Carlos Corberan and his troops.

The Baggies, who slipped from fifth to 11th following the weekend’s action, will relish back-to-back Championship games against Plymouth and QPR at The Hawthorns when league action resumes.

First, though, there is important work for Corberan and his staff to oversee at the club’s training base in Walsall following the most frustrating of defeats across the West Midlands.

Mood

Somewhere near the top of the head coach’s list of priorities will be to ensure any lingering frustration doesn’t continue to swirl.

It would be easy for it to stew. The best way to put wrongdoings behind you is on the pitch next time, but that will have to wait.

Instead, Albion must re-focus their energy on things they can control. There are other aspects to work on and improve on, as Corberan acknowledged, and time to get stuck into those.

Set-pieces

A promising run of three clean sheets on the spin came to a shuddering end at St Andrew’s.

Blues’ first and third goals, from contentious refereeing decisions, were largely out of Albion’s hands. The key second, headed in by defender Dion Sanderson from a second phase set-piece, was not.

Albion were drawn out after partially clearing a quick corner, but forgot their marking duties as a unit with Sanderson free to convert. It was a mess.

Treatment room

The latest addition – and latest attacking addition – to the treatment room is six-goal top scorer John Swift, which comes as a worry.

He joins Jeremy Sarmiento, Josh Maja and Daryl Dike out of action. Only the former is expected back shortly, and the hope is Swift’s calf problem is not serious.

Albion medical director Tony Strudwick, new medical consultant Rafa Aranda – a University of Valencia lecturer and injury prevention expert who previously taught Corberan – and the sports science staff have their hands full in the coming days and weeks.

Attacking impetus

Goals scored haven’t been too big an issue this term – just four teams, including the top two, have netted more than Albion’s 18.

But after Swift’s fine opener from distance at Blues, the visitors struggled to carve clear openings. Right-back Darnell Furlong spurned the only one.

There were a couple of good openings to shoot, but Albion and notably Grady Diangana were unconvincing. There was lots of good play at Blues, but it warranted more creativity.

Eyes on Africa

Diangana, for his senior international bow, and Semi Ajayi head out on duty with Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria respectively for friendlies in Spain and Portugal.

Winger Diangana’s availability for Albion is crucial, with other options dropping like flies. He has just overcome a bout of illness following a long injury lay-off and any further setbacks during the international friendlies would be a big blow.

Likewise Ajayi, for the most part in Corberan’s XI this season, is recently back from an ankle knock. Albion are “sensitive” at the moment, at the boss put it, and will have everything crossed.