Carlos Corberan confident of solving West Brom crisis
Carlos Corberan is confident Albion can find the solutions to deal with a defensive crisis after Semi Ajayi and Paddy McNair were both ruled out for extended spells.
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Ajayi is facing four months out after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury, while McNair is likely to be out until around Christmas with his own hamstring issue.
With Kyle Bartley out for up to six weeks after having a minor procedure on his knee, it leaves Mason Holgate and Torbjorn Heggem as the only recognised centre-backs on the Baggies books for the foreseeable future.
Corberan is remaining upbeat, however, and said: "It is a pity because all the injuries are similar positions in terms of centre backs but it is what it is. We still have very good solutions.”
The Albion boss believes left-back Gianluca Frabotta and midfielder Ousmane Diakite are both options to deputise in the heart of defence if required, though he is keen to keep Darnell Furlong at right-back if possible.
"Always in my life, when I have been facing difficulties, you need to be focussed on the solutions not the problems and we can find solutions according to these needs that we are going to have,” he added.
"When you create a squad the challenge sometimes is there are players not being used but they are in the squad for these reasons.
“Players that didn't play a lot are going to have the possibility to help the team, to compete and to defend our club on the pitch. We can still play with four at the back, or with five at the back.”
In a further blow, striker Daryl Dike is now not expected back until after Christmas after suffering a hamstring injury in training. The USA international had been nearing the final stages of recovery from an Achilles injury sustained in February.