Express & Star

Carlos Corberan: West Brom back ups will benefit from FA Cup

Carlos Corberan is confident Albion’s second string can benefit from a rocky experience in the FA Cup.

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The Baggies are set to ring the changes again tomorrow as Corberan’s side return to Championship action at Luton – where the head coach will utilise the side that have triumphed in eight of the last nine league outings.

Albion’s squad players almost bowed out of the Cup at the first hurdle at Chesterfield last weekend and only a stoppage-time equaliser from the since-suspended Brandon Thomas-Asante salvaged a replay. It is likely Corberan will rely on his supporting cast to progress to round four by beating the Spireites in next Tuesday’s Hawthorns replay.

Corberan said: “When you make these changes, the (back) line of four having never played together.

“Gardner-Hickman, for example, is a player that is it’s not his main position to play as a right-back even though he’s been playing in that position before I arrived at the club and I agree he can play (there).

“Zac (Ashworth) was not playing with the first team, (Semi) Ajayi was a long time injured and (Martin) Kelly too.

“It’s normal that there is a lack of adaptation in the game that can create some problems that you are not ready to solve.

“The positivity is that in the passing minutes it was adapting better and especially managing the basics of football, the duels, second balls, because in the first half they were doing better than us, winning (in) areas, winning challenges, having players in one-v-one in the back of us.

“The draw is going to help us compete better next time and we will react, this is what we have to do to show we deserved to continue in the competition.

“We have one opportunity more (with the replay) to show this.”