West Brom manager Carlos Corberan is working wonders at The Hawthorns once again this season. The Baggies currently occupy fifth place in the Championship table, with 32 points from their 19 matches so far.
It could have been better, of course, had they not fallen to a 2-1 defeat at home to Leicester City on Saturday (2 December). But it wasn’t meant to be as the league leaders netted a dramatic stoppage-time winner to secure all three points.
One player who perhaps felt he could have prevented the defeat is Erik Pieters, with the centre-back forced to watch on from the bench once again.
The 35-year-old has now been in that position in four of his club’s last five league matches, having missed out entirely against Cardiff City at the end of November.
Pieters was a firm favourite for Corberan in the early stages of the season, but has since had to watch on as the likes of Cedric Kipre, Semi Ajayi and Kyle Bartley get minutes ahead of him.
Such a situation surely spells the beginning of the end for Pieters at The Hawthorns, given both his age and the fact his contract will expire at the end of the season [Transfermarkt].
A January exit won’t occur given his experience and usefulness if injuries crop up at the back, but the former Stoke City man is very likely to leave next summer.
Even with the busy schedule, Corberan has not given the Baggies player any game time lately, with his last appearance coming against Coventry City at the end of October.
In other West Brom news, Tony Brown noted something in the clash against the Foxes that will have angered Corberan.
