West Brom boss Carlos Corberan reveals ‘extra work’ behind Josh Maja’s hat-trick
Josh Maja’s stunning opening day hat-trick was the result of extra summer work, his boss Carlos Corberan has revealed
The Albion forward had started just one game in his first season at Albion, after suffering two serious ankle injuries that led to surgeries.
He returned with a bang to lead the line against QPR on Saturday, pulling his side level before going on to back a second half double and secure the match ball.Sunderland beat 10-men West Brom with third-straight clean sheet
Sunderland recorded their sixth away win of the season with a third-straight clean sheet to shutout play-off bound West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns after Brandon Thomas-Asante’s red card.
Josh Maja scored a hat trick and QPR lost on the opening day for the third season in a row, as Marti Cifuentes’ side were dealt a harsh reality check by West Brom on Saturday morning.
‘Passive’ was the word of the day, and passive was certainly the play, as Queens Park Rangers lost their opening game of the season for the third year in a row.
In interview both manager Marti Cifuentes and playmaker Lucas Andersen referenced the team’s weirdly lacklustre, limp-dicked approach to aspects of Sky’s Super Saturday Brunch Spectacular. They needn’t have bothered. This was what Mark Kermode describes as ‘show don’t tell’. The three goals scored by West Bromwich Albion said more than words ever could.
The first, after 21 minutes, was embarrassingly simple. No pressure on a ball played out from the back to begin with. Giant debutant left back Torbjorn Heggem allowed to stroll onto the picked pass and march off into enemy territory. Opposite number Paul Smith came across to address the situation, but it was a jog rather than a sprint, and his attempt to tackle the Norwegian and stop the cross was little more than a pathetically dangled leg. Get out there quick and get into him hard or don’t bother. Josh Maja headed the unchallenged cross in at the near post.
