West Bromwich Albion will be seeking out their first Championship win in three games when Sheffield United come to town this coming weekend.
The Baggies have fallen victim to far too many draws in the second tier so far, with a staggering ten already accumulated in league action, which has come at the cost of only six wins being notched up.
Still, only two defeats have come their way, with Carlos Corberan at least pleased with how defensively resolute his side can be, even when victories aren’t always collected.
West Brom's defenders this season
Amazingly, Watford – who occupy sixth spot in the Championship currently at the expense of the West Midlands outfit – have conceded double the amount the Baggies have leaked, with West Brom only shipping 12 next to the Hornets’ 24.
The latest draw away at Preston North End could have easily ended in a disappointing loss if it wasn’t for the likes of Kyle Bartley and Mason Holgate at the back, with the imposing centre-back duo winning 11 duels between them come full-time to keep the Lilywhites at bay.
Alongside Bartley and Holgate, both Darnell Furlong and Thorgen Heggem have also been reliable presences down the flanks for Corberan and Co this campaign to date, with both players everpresent members of the first team even when results haven’t always been rosy.
Of course, everyone at the club would want more wins to ensure a playoff spot is achieved, but the ex-Huddersfield Town boss will still be proud of his players for continuing to battle to stave off any unwanted losses.
Even though he will be content with the defensive numbers he has at his disposal, Corberan would be very unlikely to reject this former loan star’s presence if he returned in a theoretical world, with the centre-back in question going on to star at the very top after lining up at the Hawthorns briefly.
West Brom's loan star is now shining
It might well be forgotten about now that Tosin Adarabioyo was once a wide-eyed youngster on loan at the Baggies, with the towering 6 foot 5 gem attempting to make a name for himself away from then-parent club Manchester City in 2018.
Adarabioyo would impress in his new surroundings, going on to make 36 appearances for the club in total and picking up two assists along the way, as his loan employers entered into the Championship playoff picture.
Off the back of this formative stint away from the Etihad, the now 27-year-old would eventually go on to prove himself as a Premier League capable performer at Fulham, before a major move to near neighbours Chelsea then took shape.
Adarabioyo would go on to tally up 132 games at Craven Cottage before leaving for Stamford Bridge, which would lead to football journalist Zach Lowy labelling him as “incredible” and his transfer value would rise too far above the measly amount he was worth when once donning a West Brom kit.
Stat
Adarabioyo
Minutes played
90
Goals scored
1
Touches
105
Accurate passes
97/98 (99%)
Accurate long balls
8/8
Clearances
4
Stats by Sofascore
This summer, the brand new Chelsea number four was worth in the region of £16.5m – according to Transfermarkt – after once having a low £2.8m value next to his name as a youngster at the Hawthorns, which is a mammoth increase of £13.7m or 489%.
Chelsea wouldn’t even have to fork out a single dime to win their man in the end, having purchased him on a free transfer at the expense of the Cottagers, which looks to be a very wise investment when you consider his promising numbers in Europe for the Blues recently.
He would even score against Noah in mid-November, having also impressed with 97 accurate passes registered, as Chelsea fans long for more from their fresh recruit as 2025 comes into view.
Whilst Adarabioyo continues to knock on the door for more first-team minutes at Stamford Bridge, Corberan’s mind will be on steering his team to more wins in the division below, away from his side being stern at the back.
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