West Brom v Sheffield United - Lewis Cox match preview
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00:00It's getting dark here at the Albion training ground. We've just been at Carlos Corbrandt's
00:05mid-afternoon pre-Sheffield United press conference at the Hawthorns. Of course, a three o'clock
00:10game, three o'clock kick-off, Sunday afternoon at the Hawthorns. So a little while to go
00:15yet until the baggies face, as I speak, here right now, Championship leaders Sheffield
00:20United in what's going to be obviously one of the sternest tests they've faced so far
00:25this season. You might not be surprised to hear top of the billing in terms of today's
00:30press conference amid other things to talk about was the head coach himself and yet more
00:38speculation ongoing about his position at the club.
00:42Regards yet more links, nothing new is it? It seems like, I mean ironically in this case
00:47there is no vacancy, but it seems like every time there is a managerial vacancy up we see
00:53Carlos Corbrandt's name linked to the post. Now there are reasons by that. These things
00:59don't just magically appear in terms of bookmakers odds or anything. There will be work behind
01:05the scenes by people close to the head coach, realistically whose job it is to make sure
01:12his name is out there and that their client is mentioned in terms of roles, jobs, things
01:18like that. Obviously you'll probably know listening to this that today, Friday, Carlos
01:23Corbrandt has been linked overseas by an overseas reporter with the vacant job at Wolves, the
01:30arch rivals down the road. Interesting reports. I mean, it's just obviously so many sort of
01:38talking points to that, not least that Albion of course are struggling here for wins themselves.
01:43One win in 12 in the championship at the moment and we know it's nine draws in 10. So a strange
01:49one for it to emerge overseas. Obviously Gary O'Neill still in post at Molyneux. We know
01:53their struggles and they've got an O'Neill's going to be in charge on Monday, isn't it?
01:57As they face West Ham. But I was going to say almost unthinkable that an Albion manager
02:02goes directly towards, but you know, never say never in this gig and Carlos Corbrandt's
02:08ambitious and if, and there's no vacancy at the moment, but if Premier League jobs come
02:12around as they have, look, he's been linked heavily with Leicester recently, wasn't he
02:15before Van Nistrooy, but if vacancies come up and interesting clubs approach, then that
02:21gives the Albion obviously, you know, a release clause, a buyout clause would have to be met
02:26of at least three million. We understand. Then it gives Albion a decision and it certainly
02:31gives Carlos Corbrandt a decision, you know, maybe a hard one to turn down. But anyway,
02:35look, he was asked about it today. Corbrandt asked about the Wolves report linking him
02:40to Molineux and he had nothing to say about it. He insisted to speak about the Sheffield
02:45United game and nothing else. He put full focus onto that one and wouldn't address the
02:50questions really. Just turned his answers to facing Sheffield United, as I say, current
02:56leaders on Sunday in what is a difficult enough game. Certainly given Albion's current form,
03:01momentum, lack of wins, lack of confidence, you would say. It's a tough game, isn't it?
03:06It's a really tough game. Yeah, the Blades are going to come feeling pretty good about,
03:13you know, nicking a result from the Hawthorns, I would think. They do arrive without both
03:17first-choice centre defenders. Anil Amrhodzic and Harry Suter, two starting centre-halves,
03:23are both suspended for Sunday. So I would say that gives Albion a little glimmer, actually.
03:27Not that they don't have a chance at all. I think Corbrandt and Albion generally are
03:30stronger against the division's better sides, but, you know, they might have a bit more
03:34joy on the attack, I think, and be able to get at a more makeshift Sheffield United defence
03:39anyway, with those two suspended. Team news for Albion's perspective. We got a bit on
03:45Grady Diangana today. Obviously, we already know he's been missing with a bit of a calf
03:50problem that wouldn't show up on scans. That went up to a specialist, determined a bit
03:54of an issue near to a nerve in the area of his leg. So that's why he's feeling the discomfort.
04:02No time frame given, but he's still out with that. So, an unfortunate one from Corbrandt's
04:06perspective. He spoke last week about how important he sees Diangana. Nothing else,
04:11I think. There's Malumby, who was mentioned this week, with his groin. He's fine. Diakite
04:16has missed a couple with his knee. He's okay, so that's fine. We've got a couple of lines
04:20from the head coach on the long-term absentees, which you'll be able to read in the coming
04:24days online. But yeah, it felt like... Another one I asked today was regarding the upcoming
04:31January transfer window, actually, which is now just under a month away, obviously. Corbrandt
04:35played that with a straight bat as well. Full focus on this game on Sunday, not even willing
04:40to address conversations, talks, plans for January. So that was perhaps interesting.
04:51No interest in anything but trying to return to winning ways on Sunday. I get that. I understand
04:56that. He gave that his stance on the Wolves' speculation, so he's given it on talk of the
05:02January window as well. But yeah, Albion 5 without a win at home in front of their home
05:08crowd and just one winning 12. Home fans need something to cheer about on Sunday, don't
05:13they? That much is clear. Hard game, though, as hard as they come. Hopefully, it's a big
05:17one for the baggies. It'll be interesting to see just how this latest bit of Carlos
05:21Corbrandt's speculation moves forward in the coming days, weeks even. Obviously, there's
05:26no vacancy yet at the reported club, as I say, Wolves. So we'll see. Obviously, keep
05:33in touch on expressionstar.com with that and we'll have all the build-up to the Sheffield
05:38United visit and obviously all the match coverage on Sunday in the coming days.