Carlos Corberan: West Brom 'not ourselves' in Sheffield Wednesday defeat
Carlos Corberan felt Albion paid for 'not looking themselves' in a below-par first half before falling to defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.
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The Baggies lost their unbeaten record in a 3-2 reverse at Hillsborough in which the visitors appeared to have salvaged a draw with a two-goal fightback.
But, barely two minutes after Alex Mowatt's 84th-minute strike for 2-2, substitute Anthony Musaba struck a winner on the counter-attack.
Corberan's men put in their worst half of the season in the first period in South Yorkshire. A new-look midfield of full debutant Ousmane Diakite and Uros Racic struggled early on but every player was guilty of slipping below lofty heights set by the league leaders going into the weekend.
"There is something simple to tell you – we were not ourselves in the first 45 minutes," Corberan summarised.
"We showed our level in the second 45 minutes. When you don't show your level you give the opponent the option to beat you.
"They did the game we expected them to do. With pressing, with balls in behind. We didn't manage the situation well but especially we didn't manage the game well enough in attack.
"Even with this we had some opportunities – I remember a clear Grant opportunity where the keeper made a very good save – but they broke the press. We wanted to be solid. In one of the first actions they broke the press and find the (own) goal through Furlong.
"After there was one long ball in a transition to the back of the defenders, the two situations with set-pieces they could score goals, and we didn't manage these situations."
Diakite was withdrawn at the break and Albion improved with Mowatt – who was a fitness doubt heading into the clash – back in the side.
"In the second half I saw my team," Corberan added. "We saw ourselves. We put our level to control the games, but unfortunately with the emotions to go forward when we score – or the lack of a habit in players in different positions – we couldn't protect the result we achieved."
Josh Maja's seventh goal in seven games reduced the deficit after the hour before Mowatt's leveller, but the Owls had the last laugh.
Corberan admitted Albion had been tweaking options in the hunt of an equaliser, with players playing in different positions.
"At the moment (2-2) it is more than thinking, it is about making decisions with the actions," the head coach said.
"We lost the ball in the left side. We gave them the ball, they switched the attack and in this moment to try to draw we were putting players in different positions, Swifty was playing the second half as a right midfielder, I changed to attack more before we scored with Frabotta at left-back, Heggem in the midfield and Bartley more on the right.
"The goal arrived on this side. Bannan made a run, our centre-back didn't defend the box, our midfielder didn't follow the run."
A medical emergency in the away end around the half hour at Hillsborough saw an Albion fan receive treatment from paramedics and sent to hospital. Many of the 3,000 in the away end called for the game to be halted, but action continued.
Corberan sent his best wishes in his post-match press conference. He said: "Before we start I would like to say that all of our thoughts from the club, from me and the players are with the fan that was feeling unwell during the game.
"They had to move him to the hospital so hopefully he can recover because all of our thoughts are with him.
"There was something there (in the away end) that we were feeling but we were just concentrating on the game so the incident isn't an excuse for anything. This type of situation, I think there is a protocol of the league to follow, that I don't know in detail.
"Now the most important thing is the have a good response for the people who suffered the incident. That's why I tell you all of our thoughts are with him, his family. We all wish an improvement because we love our fans and we will like to see a good recovery."