Carlos Corberan, the manager of West Brom, faces a challenging situation following a setback in the transfer market…

Last season, he took charge of a talented but underperforming squad and managed to turn things around. However, he now finds himself in a similar predicament.

The déjà vu was palpable as Corberan announced Jeremy Sarmiento’s quad injury during his post-match press conference, reminiscent of a similar situation in January when Matt Phillips got injured after a victory in the FA Cup, leaving the manager visibly disappointed. The prognosis for Sarmiento doesn’t look promising.

Despite securing their second victory in just four days and maintaining a solid defensive record, Corberan was visibly upset when questioned about Sarmiento. It’s not just the injury itself that’s concerning; it’s the growing list of injured players that is troubling.

Apart from the long-term absentees, another significant loss is Josh Maja, a summer signing, who suffered an ankle ligament injury and won’t be available until at least mid-November. This means that West Brom won’t benefit from their transfer window investments to strengthen their attacking options for the foreseeable future.

Corberan does have Pipa as an option, but the newcomer has seen limited playing time, making just a brief appearance in the win against Preston North End. In the attacking department, the team will likely have to rely on the same group of players as last year, with the exception of Tom Rogic and Marc Albrighton.

Last season, West Brom had to do without Grady Diangana and Phillips in the latter part of the season, but both have become key players since their return to the starting lineup this season.

Corberan is particularly hopeful that Diangana returns from international duty without any injuries, given the current shortage of attacking options.

This situation leaves Diangana, Phillips, Jed Wallace, John Swift, and center forward Brandon Thomas-Asante as the primary attacking players Corberan had when he joined the club less than a year ago. He had inspired them to deliver quality and consistent performances, helping the team climb from the bottom three to the top six during the winter.

While his attacking colleagues are struggling with fitness, Swift has shown significant improvement this season, especially in front of the goal. He has expressed his desire for further progress, and his recent contributions in creating and scoring goals underline his commitment.

Corberan acknowledges Swift’s potential and the impact he can have when he’s in top form, which is especially crucial given the team’s current challenges without Sarmiento and Maja. The performance and effort of the attacking players will be vital for West Brom’s success during this challenging period, and Swift’s form is a key factor in their quest to win games.