When Nathaniel Chalobah was substituted, the Hawthorns crowd duly acknowledged him after he put on an outstanding performance while wearing a West Brom shirt.
Although the final score against Plymouth wasn’t what anyone wearing a Baggies shirt was hoping for, Nathaniel Chalobah made his way back into the West Bromwich Albion starting lineup on Saturday. It’s safe to say that he took his chance.
Chalobah, a midfielder, was named to the starting lineup for the first time since the season’s first game against Blackburn. Chalobah was an unexpected addition to the team at Ewood Park, having failed to leave much of an impression during his initial few months there before suffering a season-ending injury. Then, in the summer, the former Chelsea player came dangerously close to joining Maccabi Haifa, but he ultimately chose to stay.
He had trouble understanding the game at Blackburn and became hooked in the second half with Albion behind. Then, as Chalobah was leaving the tunnel at halftime for the EFL Cup loss against Stoke City, he got into a fight with a small group of people gathered in front of the away end. He then expressed his regret over the exchange in public.
Re-entering the starting lineup for Plymouth’s match, Chalobah contributed favorably in the first and then really started to take command in the second before being substituted. Corberan told the media that his recall was due to a consistent high level of performance in training, happy with his performance.
“Chalobah is a player who has publicly said that his time at the club, last season, was not the time that he wanted to do,” Corberan added. Players may experience this for a variety of reasons. When I gave him minutes, it was because I knew he deserved them. He’s one player that I didn’t offer anything to.
“I observed him exercising in a different manner than he had previously, with a great deal of dedication and without irritation. Occasionally, having the expectation to play significant minutes for a team may mentally tire you and keep you from realizing your full potential.
“In the past month or so, I have witnessed in Chalobah a very positive response from the players around what they can do when they are not playing: they need to concentrate on the things that they can control. This was seen by Chalobah. The minutes he played at Birmingham were quite enjoyable to me. He broke past the lines with courage and aggression.
“I chose him for the starting XI because I admire the way he has been working lately. He’s a really talented player in my opinion, and if you look at the pitch, he was among the players who was competing the hardest.”
It was impossible not to observe the significant shift in attitudes about Chalobah. After being vociferously jeered when he first entered the field in recent weeks, he received a standing ovation and praise for his efforts here. This followed a respectable cameo at Birmingham before the international vacation.
“He acknowledged in public that he was mistaken and incorrect,” Corberan continued. It was directed towards specific individuals, rather than West Brom supporters specifically. I appreciated how he apologized for the incident, but as coaches and players, we have to take criticism from time to time.
“In addition to speaking, he has demonstrated his reflection in his actions during these public remarks. He has worked hard on the field, received excellent training, and is now a valuable asset to our squad as we strive to be the best we can be.”
