Concerning West Brom issue needs sorting ASAP if Carlos Corberan wants promotion | OneFootball

West Brom's lack of goalscoring threat could cost them in the promotion battle.

West Bromwich Albion are currently fifth in the Championship, just three points away from the automatic promotion places, and they haven’t lost in four.

On the face of it, the Baggies are in a healthy position, and most fans would’ve taken that after a busy summer following their play-off semi-final defeat to Southampton last season.

However, it’s fair to say that Albion don’t have much momentum right now, and the four-game unbeaten run is made up entirely of draws, and consecutive defeats prior to that means they haven’t won in six.

And, this run stems from a familiar problem for Carlos Corberan - his side just can’t score goals on a regular basis.

West Brom’s goalscoring concerns

Firstly, it should be said that Albion are an excellent team defensively, and that is down to the smart way that Corberan sets the side up. As well as that, it’s a real collective effort, so it’s perhaps understandable that the Baggies don’t score at the rate of some of their rivals.

There are no right or wrong ways when it comes to getting results, and if West Brom only need a goal to win a game, then who can complain?

Nevertheless, when you’re six without a win, it becomes a valid concern, and Albion have managed just three goals in that period, which includes failing to score in four of the games.

After 12 Championship fixtures, Albion haven’t found the net in five of them. Needless to say, if this continues over the next 34, reaching the play-offs is going to be a tall order, no matter how good the defensive unit is.

Last season, Albion were the lowest scorers in the top six, scoring nine fewer than anyone else.

In terms of players, Brandon Thomas-Asante was the only individual to hit double figures, and he managed just 11.

Obviously, he has since left for Coventry City, and it was hoped that Josh Maja could step up after an injury-hit first season at the club.

Josh Maja needs help at West Brom

To his credit, Maja has done that, as he has scored seven times in 12 games so far.

But, it’s no coincidence that the goals have dried up as the team have started to struggle, with the ex-Sunderland man last finding the net at the end of September.

There shouldn’t be an over reliance on one man, but Maja has over 50% of Albion’s goals this season, and only four different players have got on the scoresheet.

Some will say Daryl Dike’s return could help, and the USA international did look excellent at this level with Barnsley in the past.

But, his terrible luck with injuries means he can’t be trusted to stay fit, and it’s going to take him time to get up to speed and rediscover his form.

Therefore, eyes will already be on the January window, and bringing in help for Maja has to be a priority.

We know that goalscorers aren’t easy to find, but it’s been a pressing problem for the Baggies for some time, so the recruitment team must have someone lined up.

There’s a lot of football to be played between now and then though, and, in the meantime, Corberan must find a solution.

He will undoubtedly want more from the likes of Karlan Grant, Jed Wallace, Tom Fellows and Grady Diangana, who should all be doing more, along with some others, and he will hope that Maja can return to his red-hot form that he began the season with.

If they don’t step up, it could be a tough few months for Albion as they try to keep pace in this promotion race.