Carlos Corberan could be set to axe both Nathaniel Chalobah and Brandon Thomas-Asante as West Brom prepares to take on Championship high-flyers Ipswich Town on Saturday (25 November).
The Baggies will be seeking to get back on track against Kieran McKenna’s men at The Hawthorns on Saturday, after suffering an unfortunate setback against Southampton before the international break.
West Brom’s four-game unbeaten run came to an end as they were defeated 2-1, dropping them out of the top six, and the Baggies will be eager for a quick comeback should they achieve an amazing win against one of the division’s best.
And in order for that to happen, Corberan will try to have a team that is steely and organized, but also extremely threatening on the counter, which might result in the axing of senior talents Thomas-Asante, Chalobah, Darnell Furlong, and Conor Townsend.
The Spaniard may be tempted to return to the rigid 3-5-2 formation that has proven successful so far this season, and it is one setting that could be the best option to limit and counter Ipswich’s possession threat.
Alex Palmer, who has surrendered 17 goals in 16 games while keeping seven clean sheets this season, should be retained in goal.
Cedric Kipre will return to the starting lineup on the right side of the back three, joining Kyle Bartley and Erik Pieters in a much-changed but competent defensive unit after his injury against QPR proved to be far from serious.
Corberan has made a few changes to his backline this season, one of which was against Coventry. Pipa was given his Baggies debut, but Darnell Furlong returned against Hull City and Southampton – a change that proved unsuccessful – so the Spanish full-back could start at right wing-back.
Matt Phillips has nailed down the left wing-back berth for the Baggies this season, and he appears certain to hold it following some outstanding individual form, registering two goals and two assists in his previous eight outings [SofaScore].
Molumby hasn’t started a game for the Baggies since September, but Corberan will badly need his industry and aggression against the Tractor Boys, and the Irish midfielder will be hoping to impress considering his limited minutes this season.
The Spaniard may have been tempted to start with Nathaniel Chalobah again, but the former Watford man has been underwhelming in recent games, particularly against Southampton before being replaced on 56 minutes, which might give Molumby a starting spot in midfield with Okay Yokuslu and Alex Mowatt.
Brandon Thomas-Asante should be benched in attack as his inconsistency persisted against Southampton with another blank.
In another wasteful performance, the striker only touched the ball 27 times against the Saints, won only three of his eleven duels, and squandered two great chances [SofaScore].
As a result, Corberan will almost certainly return to the attacking setup that has proven effective in recent weeks, with Grady Diangana joining Jed Wallace in attack.
The Spaniard will also likely have both Josh Maja and John Swift available to him after injury, but they would almost surely start on the bench if they were to return. Regardless, having both players back and ready to play when needed is a significant help.
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