After four straight draws at Championship, West Bromwich Albion finally snapped out of that poor run with a simple 2-0 win over Coventry City on Wednesday night.
The Baggies then now occupy the final coveted play-off spot in the tough division, knowing that their resolve in the promotion places will be sorely tested as December wears on.
Carlos Corberan He’ll just need more from his players in matches to continue racking up wins to fall victim to more draws, with the likes of Mikey Johnston arguably needing to up their game down the left-hand side for the promotion contenders.
Johnston’s return to West Brom
After an explosive loan spell last campaign, it was always going to be difficult for Johnston to bounce back and pick up where he left off, having linked up with Corberan’s camp on a permanent deal right at the end of August.
The full-throttle winger’s first spell would see him take a stunning seven strikes from 18 league games as his heroics allowed the Baggies to clinch a play-off spot with ease thanks to his devastating attacking displays that turned second-tier defenders in and out.
However, there have been no such strikes as the one that defeated Queen Park Rangers last campaign this season as the former Celtic man remains goalless from 16 league events.
However, he has only started seven of those signature games, with Corberan hoping more consistent game time for the electric winger in a packed campaign could reawaken his best for the promotion hopefuls.
The Spaniard will also want Fellows to reach the heights he knows he is capable of going forward, having started the season like a runaway train with they received three assists of three, only to accumulate four afterwards.
But both Fellows and Johnston certainly have enough in their ongoing bank to warrant inclusion in Corberan’s starting line-up.
While, it could be debated whether this soon-to-be-out-of-contract guy is one he should be trying to keep, as the decision on his future becomes more important by the day.
Molumby’s future at West Brom
A regular in the treatment room last season, Jayson Molumby will just be happy – when he thinks about his situation in the short term – to get a lot more minutes here and now when he’s injury-free.
The international Republic of Ireland has started 13 contests for his play-off-chasing side so far in the Championship, with his appearance in the aforementioned Coventry success somewhat standing out considering the Baggies’ number eight missed just three of his 63 passes along with winning four duels.
|
Out of contract West Brom first team players – 24/25 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Player |
League games played |
End date of the contract |
|
Semi Ajayi |
12 |
June 2025 |
|
Kyle Bartley |
14 |
June 2025 |
|
John Swift |
19 |
June 2025 |
|
Jason Molubi |
17 |
June 2025 |
|
Grady Diangana |
12 |
June 2025 |
But, as West Brom know all too well after losing Okey Jokuslu at the end of the 2023/24 season, no one in the Baggies ranks is irreplaceable, with a growing possibility that the former Brighton and Hove Albion man could walk. away for nothing this summer.
It wouldn’t be the end of the world for West Brom, who managed without their Irishman for long periods of the last campaign, with Corberan also very used to the situation of having to get to his feet quickly when he loses people whose contracts were ending.
Corberan certainly appreciates his “animal” – as he had previously described him – which saw him win one an impressive eight duels against Sheffield United in the middle of the month, but his exorbitant wages could also be an obstacle to whether he stays in the past this coming summer.
Surprisingly, his excessive £17.3k per week The salary appears to earn him just a fraction more than Josh Maja, while also besting both Johnston and Fellows in weekly earnings, who earn less £10k per week and £6k per week respectively.
It wouldn’t be the best scenario for West Brom to lose another presence for zilch, but the Baggies have been here before and have managed to dress their wounds appropriately, with Molubi who could be heading for the exit door very soon soon, if the talks fail. don’t speed up
Perhaps cashing out in January would be a wiser approach, rather than risk losing him for free next summer…
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