West Brom players benefit from international break on two fronts says Alex Palmer ahead of festive period

The Baggies are in training ahead of Saturday’s return to Championship action against high-flying Ipswich Town at The Hawthorns.

Boss Carlos Corberan gave his troops the best part of a week off ahead of regrouping last Friday, with no more scheduled regular international breaks until March. Some of Albion’s players, including Palmer, caught some November sun overseas.

Albion head into the packed festive schedule amid a run of games against some of the division’s big-hitters, with shot-stopper Palmer grateful of some respite.

“It was nice,” academy graduate Palmer said of the break. “At the start of the season you get a couple of opportunities to have a bit of a rest and I think you need it ahead of the busiest part of the season.

“Having a ‘bye’ week, if you want to call it that, is nice. It refreshes the mind as well, and then you come here and there’s some good training – you get minutes in the legs, tough sessions.

“It’s a tough schedule (ahead) but it’s what football is, the tradition of it. It’s a good period, you get through so many games and then after Christmas and into the New Year you get an idea of how the season is going to play out. We will just look forward to the games coming thick and fast.”

Palmer, who leads the way for clean sheets in the Championship with seven, added: “When you have a busy period coming, with the amount of games you have, it’s generally game, cool down, game, cool down. To have the opportunity was much appreciated by the lads the gaffer gave us that time.

“Mentally it helps massively just to be able to switch off and recharge the batteries.”

After this weekend’s visit of the newly-promoted Tractor Boys, who only trail leaders Leicester on goal difference, Albion then visit Cardiff, currently ninth, on a Tuesday night.

The Foxes are next up at The Hawthorns before a tricky looking midday trip to Sunderland, currently sixth.

The Christmas period also brings home clashes against Norwich and Leeds.

“Everyone could see the effort and the performance we put in,” Palmer reflected on Albion’s last fixture, the tough 2-1 defeat at Southampton before the break.

“The gaffer said the international break would be a good time to slowly digest it and have a few meetings and watch it. We played unbelievably well, especially second half. We caused them a lot of problems.

“We just couldn’t get that second goal and unfortunately they caught us on the break. It was a tough one to take, but there were a lot of positives.”

The goalkeeper added of Saturday’s Ipswich tester: “They’ve done incredibly, but anyone who comes to The Hawthorns, we’re right up for the game. With the fans...I’m just looking forward to getting back on the pitch now.

“It seems like a long time ago that we played. It’s going to be a good game, tough game but if we play like we always try to it’ll be an interesting one.”