Carlos Corberán says he really values the level of effort and determination his players displayed in the goalless draw at Sunderland.
The Baggies, depleted in defence, held high-flying Sunderland at the Stadium of Light despite being without three first-team defenders and having to change the line-up moments before kick-off.
Ousmane Diakité was named in the starting XI but picked up an injury in the warm up, meaning Kyle Bartley, who had missed the previous six matches with a knee issue, had to play.
The club’s No.5 completed the first half, with centre-midfielder Uroš Račić slotting in at centre-back for the second 45 as the Baggies switched from a four-man defence to five at the back.
Corberán believes his players “overcame difficulties” in the north east and stated the “courage” on show is an attribute he admires.
The boss said: “We know that we are experiencing some defensive difficulties at this moment.
“We have been missing three centre-backs, but today we recovered Kyle Bartley. The advice from the medical staff was that he could only play 20 to 30 minutes if it was necessary.
“However, with the problems of Ousmane Diakité in the warm up, he stepped up and said that he wanted to play. I like when I see this behaviour and this courage from my players, especially in moments when you know you’re not at your best level to compete.
“It was decided Kyle Bartley would only play for the first 45 minutes because there was no possibility he could play any longer.
“After he came off, Uroš Račić, who is a number eight, played at centre-back for the rest of the game which shows you the challenge we have at the back.
“He had some problems too and wasn’t feeling his best, but he also showed a good mentality and courage.
“It’s true, it wasn’t our best display and Sunderland were probably better than us. They created more chances than us, but I value the mentality of the team so much.
“In difficult circumstances, they have put in a lot of effort to achieve the point.
“The was so much resilience and commitment out there. You have to overcome difficult moments and we’ve done that tonight. You have to keep going and you have to defend well.
“We tried to attack in some moments but we couldn’t break the press. It was difficult to put the game in the attacking half. We were defending more than we were attacking and they created many more chances than us, but it’s important to be mentally strong to compete in the Championship.
“It’s important for the players to understand that they are going to go into some games where moments will be difficult and they will face challenges. We have lost important players, but the more challenges you face, the more personality you need to put on the pitch.
“I liked the reaction from the players today.”
