Carlos Corberan insisted he values Josh Maja for more than just his goals after watching his side head top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 3-0 win over Portsmouth.
Striker Maja bagged his fifth goal of the season – with Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland the only player in the top four divisions to score more – before Alex Mowatt’s classy double sent Albion above Sunderland.
Asked if he expected Maja’s exceptional start to the campaign, Baggies boss Corberan said: “You never know what can happen to a player.
“But I don’t just look at the number of goals – which is always very important. I value how much he helps the team.
“He forces the opponent to take difficult decisions and we are going to create things based on the solutions he gives us.
“We know he is an important player for us. We couldn’t enjoy Josh too much in the last year because he had two injuries in the same place.
“He worked very hard when the rest of the team was resting to arrive into the season at the level he is right now.
“Normally in life things are not coincidences, they are consequences of things. His mentality, his commitment and hard work are now giving him the consequences.”
Maja thumped West Brom ahead in the 54th second after meeting a Tom Fellows cut-back before Mowatt found the top left corner with a fine finish and the top right in stoppage time from a free-kick.
It means the Baggies remain unbeaten this season and sit atop the Championship – not that Corberan is worried as long as the performances remain strong.
“The message is to ourselves,” said the Spaniard. “It is how much work we have to put in to win football matches in the Championship.
“I like to achieve when the team deserves to win and you can only win when you put in the work.
“What I like to see is us competing with the right mentality and the right style. We will take things we have to take and correct from this match, but it is important that the players have their reward.”
Portsmouth went toe-to-toe with their high-flying opponents but ultimately failed to record a shot on target.
They are second from bottom and winless but manager John Mousinho said: “The scoreline doesn’t reflect the balance of the game, particularly in the first half where we should have perhaps got the equaliser.
“It was frustrating from that point of view but in those small moments, both ends cost us.
“We didn’t put our chances away whereas they did – and that was the difference. They are a bit more clinical and streetwise and are a good side.
“I’ve learned much more about our players today which was positive. My question to them was ‘what do you take from this game that says you cannot compete at this level?’.
“There are plenty of things we can do better but plenty we are doing right. We’re going in the right direction. It’s strange to say after a 3-0 loss but there are a lot of positives.
“West Brom go top today but we must make sure we don’t use that as an excuse and go to Burnley, another good side, and compete.”
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