Grady Diangana confirms West Brom searching for "winning mentality"

The Baggies' 2-0 success at Coventry lifted them to fifth in the Championship as Corberan's men continue to collect points in adversity without several attacking options.

Attackers available have stepped to the plate over the last week, though, with winger Diangana and striker Thomas-Asante notching twice in two games for successive Albion victories.

For Diangana it is a satisfying return to form after six months sidelined with a serious quad injury throughout the second half of last season and into this campaign.

Last night's victory means only Middlesbrough, with 78 points, have a bigger Championship points haul than the 75 Corberan has amassed since his first game in charge at The Hawthorns.

He said: "We're trying to create a winning mentality in the team and hopefully push on to keep growing and winning every game.

"I think with the gaffer, working together, every week it seems to be gelling even more and more, we're going in the right direction."

Diangana netted in back-to-back Albion games for the first time since Project Restart in July 2020 and both goals against Queens Park Rangers and Coventry showed all the instincts of a striker.

He pounced after goalkeeper Ben Wilson' awful spillage from Nathaniel Chalobah's shot to shuffle around the recovering keeper and turn home in front of the away end.

"I love those goals, I've been working a lot in training to make sure I get in the box and to do that every time, so hopefully there's more of those," Diangana added.

"He's a special manager, the detail that he gives us...it's very detailed. He's very demanding and he knows what he wants from us. He keeps pushing us all the time."

Thomas-Asante, who had to make do with a place on the bench at the CBS Arena, was introduced for the cautioned Chalobah shortly after half-time as Corberan added a dangerous counter-attacking dimension to his side.

And the smart move paid off 20 minutes from time as the former Salford man also bagged for the second game running with an excellent finish into the top corner from a wonderful Matt Phillips pass. Replays showed a very tight offside but Thomas-Asante celebrated a fifth goal of the season, more than halfway to his haul of nine last term.

The striker knew he had to bide his time and make his impact felt from the bench at Coventry, who were previously unbeaten at home.

"Credit to them first of all, they were a really strong opposition, I didn't play the full game so I can't take full credit for the work the boys put in, but we knew they were going to be organised but we gave it a good go and are happy to get the result," said Thomas-Asante.

"We've got such a strong squad, there is always going to be changes, sometimes I might be in, sometimes I might not.

"I had to have the mentality to come in and try to contribute to this club. We know what we want to do, we know where we want to be in the table and I'm happy I can contribute."

The striker described his head coach as a "student of the game". He added: "At times it's kind of like a parent and it can be frustrating! You're like 'argh, just let me play'. But as players (we know) he's like a student of the game and we give nothing but respect for that.

"The amount of hours he puts in, he's in every morning, you see him in his office until late, we're just happy we can take it all in, soak it up and apply it to games like this."