NOTHING UNEXPECTED IN BAGGIE AREA
Corberan says play-off race will go right down to the wire
CARLOS CORBERAN says West Brom must keep their foot down in the play-off chase after predicting a fight to the finish.
Fifth-placed Albion today travel to an in-form Hull side who are just one point behind them in the Championship table after an impressive win at high-flying Southampton in midweek.
Coventry, Norwich, Preston and Sunderland are in hot pursuit and Corberan admits the small gap to those teams means there can be no let-up from his players.
“Four points is nothing,” said the West Brom boss. “We know how difficult this season is going to be.
“We are playing for two places in the play-offs and it is going to be a battle. You cannot give up if you fall out of those positions. From fifth position to 10th position we are a group of teams who are going to compete until the end. The team which finds the best performances will get a play-off position.
The team which does not fight until the last moment, either because they have relaxed or because they think they are there, will not achieve.
“The key is to have a strong mentality to fight to win every single game. That is how you achieve something.”
Corberan has picked out Nathaniel Chalobah (below) for praise after he impressed on his first league start since November in the midweek win over Plymouth.
“Previously, for different reasons, he didn’t find the continuity which players need,” he said.
“Sometimes it is because of a small injury or perhaps because other players are playing with consistency in this position. He played in the first XI twice in the cup. The most recent was against Wolves at home. That and the minutes he’s had from the bench has helped him to grow because there is no doubt he is a very good player.
“Sometimes players just don’t find the consistency enough to show it.”
Hull have a better away record than home record in the Championship this season. While they’ve won seven times on home soil, the’ve won nine on their travels