Preston v West Brom - Lewis Cox preview
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00:00We've just spoken with Albion head coach Carlos Corbaran, head of tomorrow's trip to Preston North End.
00:06The baggies team coach about to depart up North West, obviously Deepdale tomorrow.
00:12Where the visitors will certainly hope for a repeat of last season, won't they?
00:16Pretty early, earlier in last season than it is tomorrow, but that 4-0 win really kick-started last term, didn't it?
00:23Boy, do Albion probably need that tomorrow, given the current strange run really, but not a great one.
00:30I suppose there's an argument of it's one win in 11, and that's a fact, and it's not enough wins clearly,
00:36but it's also eight draws in nine, an unbeaten run of eight draws, which you can read many ways,
00:43it's better than being beat, isn't it? It is. Admittedly, you'd probably rather win half of them,
00:49lose half of them, but you're not being beaten. That's something I think Carlos Corbaran's team can cling to.
00:55They're their usual solid self. They travel tomorrow with the best away record in the division still.
01:01Obviously, they added to that on Tuesday night's Sunderland with a point. We know what happened there.
01:05It was defensive availability crisis, it was about the rearguard, it was digging, defend,
01:10midfielders playing in alien positions, Bartley playing more than he was ready to in defence,
01:15and it turned out to be a good point, I think. But we all know, Preston, 19th tomorrow,
01:21it's a different game, isn't it, than high-flying Sunderland? It's a game where I think they'll win this in eight.
01:26Paul Hackingbottom's side, the onus is on Albion really to start improving on that one win in 11.
01:32Look, it's an away game and the champs, they're never easy, but Albion showed last season you can go there
01:37and win handsomely, albeit obviously a different situation totally with the two clubs.
01:42Baggies, as Carlos Cobran just said to us down there, using a different formation for one.
01:46We've seen the recent 4-4-2, Preston under different management, all of that.
01:51So, a bit of team news for tomorrow. We've had good news really in the form of Kyle Bartley.
01:58As I mentioned, the defender played 45 minutes the other night, more than he was meant to really.
02:03He was only supposed to play about 20 according to the medical take, but Cobran's said that Bartley's
02:09in a better shape at the minute for tomorrow than he was up in the north-east the other day.
02:14So, he's available. He's not been ruled out. Obviously, the head coach hasn't told us whether he will start.
02:19He's not giving that away, but I would hedge my bets on him being included, I think, from the off.
02:24I don't know that, but the way Bartley handled himself 45 minutes the other night, he's improved on that now.
02:32I think there's eight days until the next fixture at home to Sheffield on that Sunday.
02:36So, if I was to have a flutter on that one, I'd probably say he'll be back in the XI.
02:44Obviously, Darnell Furlong returns from his ban to availability at Deep Down tomorrow.
02:49I'd suspect he'll come in at right back, given him as an ever-present under Cobran.
02:55The less encouraging team news is in the form of a couple of absentees, but they're ones we knew about really.
03:01Ousmane Diakite, the midfielder, who of course has spent most of his time on the bench this season,
03:05and Grady Diangana. Diakite was meant to start, obviously, wasn't he, the other night in the North-East midfield?
03:10He was meant to start in that mixed-up back line, but felt some pain in his knee and he's not ready to get in the squad yet.
03:17Diangana's scan for his calf issue was all clear, but he's still feeling the discomfort and he'll be ruled out as well tomorrow.
03:24So, no Diangana on the bench, and that's a frustration for Cobran.
03:27He's told us there, look, Diangana at his fullest, at his best, consistent, running the side,
03:33he's a really important player for Albion and they just haven't had that from him this season, so that's a blow.
03:37Otherwise, we'll be travelling up there with all the coverage.
03:40It's a game where, as I said earlier, the point was a worthy one on Tuesday night.
03:46It was a tough side, tough test going up to Sunderland.
03:49They were second surprise package this season, haven't been held at home without scoring all season.
03:56Albion, Fred Bear at the back, this is a different one, isn't it?
03:59You're going to, with all respect to Preston, a lowlier side, less thoughts on them competing higher up.
04:06They're winless in eights and hopefully Albion can go and improve their form up there.
04:09We'll be there, so follow all of our coverage and we'll have plenty more from Carlos Cobran's press conference today,
04:15online at expressandstyle.com shortly.