Journo drops ‘total mockery’ verdict after West Brom rout at Preston

West Brom made a “total mockery” of Preston’s previously unbeaten Championship record and “there is a debate” it was their best performance under Carlos Corberan, according to Express & Star journalist Lewis Cox.

Preston headed into Saturday’s (30 September) third in the table and unbeaten in eight league fixtures this season, but were taken apart in a 4-0 rout by the Baggies.

Darnell Furlong, c Matt Phillips, and Kyle Bartley all registered against a North End side Cox described as “hapless”.

“Saturday’s 4-0 rout at Preston North End’s Deepdale – where the hosts previously boasted a 100 per cent winning record – was without question Albion’s best away performance in Carlos Corberan’s year in charge,” Cox wrote for the Express & Star on Monday (2 October).

“There is a debate whether it may be the best performance under the Spaniard all told. The visitors made a mockery of Preston heading into the contest as favourites, given the respective home and away form of both sides. The context of the clash makes the outcome more stunning.

“Ryan Lowe’s Preston had made a stunning start to the Championship campaign and sat third as the division’s only club without defeat but Corberan’s visitors made a total mockery of that throughout. This was Albion with five changes for a second week running as the head coach continued to utilise his squad.

“North End were not just made to look average by the Baggies, they were made to look hapless, woeful, desperate. They were simply incapable of living with Albion, who swarmed their hosts throughout, both with and without the ball.”

Cox is absolutely right here in what he is saying, this was just an absolutely wonderful performance from an Albion side who have struggled to hit top gear consistently in the Championship this season.

But against Preston, a side who had previously looked resolute defensively, the sum of all the parts amounted to a brilliant all-round performance and one that should give this squad a real confidence boost going forward.

There is a warning to be heeded, of course. This result will mean nothing if West Brom do not build on it, starting with Tuesday’s home clash against winless Sheffield Wednesday, a club who look in absolute dire straits right now.

This cannot be a one-off performance, it needs to be a real marker set down to push on towards the top-six spots. They have proven how good they can be, not they need to prove it week in, week out.