Interviews

Carlos Corberán aiming for three points in Coventry City clash

Carlos Corberán.

Carlos Corberán says his Albion side are aiming to bounce back from their FA Cup defeat at Bristol City with an improved performance and result against Coventry City.

The Baggies host the Sky Blues on Friday evening (ko 8pm) looking to put a run of two losses in two separate competitions over the past fortnight behind them.

And the boss believes it's crucial his team return to winning ways under the lights at The Hawthorns.

He said: "I think it’s important for us to come back to the league and come back from our last defeat.

"We want to go out and show what we can do on the football pitch, to show our personality in attack and to show our aggressiveness in defence.

"We also need to show our fans and give them the best on the football pitch, and of course that’s what they want to watch.

"We’re going to work for the result we want to get, that’s always the three points. That’s always our target when we step onto the football pitch."

The Baggies are well aware of the threat Mark Robins' side pose following their 1-0 defeat at the CBS Arena in December, in which a late Viktor Gyokeres penalty proved the difference.

Corberán is hopeful that his squad have learned from that fixture and will be able to turn this result in their own favour at the start of what could be a pivotal month for the club.

"We know that they are a very competitive team, that’s why we didn’t achieve the result we wanted to when we played them before," he said.

"We need to use that game, and the previous games, to learn about the things we need to do on the football pitch to get a better result. This is the mentality the team will take to the pitch.

"Of course, we know the Championship is a competition which is very equal and small details can make a massive impact in the games and on the table.

"This type of competition demands very high concentration and very high respect for the opponent. We are going to remain very focused in every game because we know we must always try and make the result a consequence of our performance. The better we perform, the better results we can achieve."

The boss will also have two new players to choose from heading into the fixture, with Marc Albrighton and Nathaniel Chalobah both linking up with the team following deadline day moves from Leicester City and Fulham respectively.

Despite a quick turnaround, the boss confirmed that both players could have a role to play in the clash.

"I’m really pleased with the market. I think we needed to cover one position in the middle of the pitch and that’s why we brought Chalobah into the team and added him to the squad.

"And after losing Matt Phillips we understood that we needed cover on the wing with a player with experience and a good character, that it was necessary for us to complete the squad.

"Both players for me can make an impact in the Championship because they have the skills and the experience.

"Both players are fit, both were involved in their previous teams before they arrived. One was playing more, Chalobah less but he was on the bench, so it means that both arrive in the condition, mentally and physically to be in the squad."

Friday's meeting between the sides also promises to be an emotional one, with each club paying tribute to iconic striker Cyrille Regis, who featured for both sides over the course of his playing career.

Corberán believes it's vitally important for the club to detail Regis' impact on and off the pitch in breaking boundaries and battling racism within society and football alike.

"It’s very important and it makes me very proud to be part of a club with a past and history which details how much players fought any kind of difference between the colour of the people.

"I know the work he was doing on and off the pitch to help this cause. For me, to have this game dedicated to him is very important to always keep in our minds the work he was doing."

  • Corberan