Carlos Corberan has transformed West Brom from relegation candidates to promotion hopefuls in just a couple of months at the Hawthorns and the Spanish manager must consider who from his squad is good enough to play a part in any potential push for Premier League football.
One man who unfortunately falls into the category of no longer good enough is 29-year-old winger, Adam Reach.
Since Corberan’s appointment, the former Sheffield Wednesday man has been limited to just three cameo appearances from the bench in wins against QPR, Sunderland and Preston.
Reach has managed just one start in the second tier so far this campaign and sits behind the likes of Grady Diangana, Matt Phillips and Jed Wallace as wide options in the Baggies’ squad, so it seems unlikely that he will become a regular starter anytime soon.
In his 10 appearances in the Championship, the Englishman has failed to contribute a single goal or assist and has earned a less-than-impressive 6.13 rating from WhoScored for his performances.
This ranks him as the worst-performing outfield player at West Brom so far this campaign, of those to start at least once in the Championship, which emphasises that he is no longer good enough to play a part at the Hawthorns.
His two starts in the League Cup this season also returned disappointing displays, with WhoScored awarding him a 6.42 average rating for his performances in that competition.
Reach was once a regular under Steve Bruce and was praised by the 61-year-old for his versatility and ability during the summer, but he has failed to live up to his previous manager’s expectations of him so far this term.
Bruce said: “Adam Reach is a really, really top-class pro. He’s a really good lad to have in your dressing room, he can play a few positions.
“You never have a problem with someone like Adam Reach. And on top of that he’s got good ability.”
While there is no doubting Reach’s attitude and application, it seems clear that he is no longer good enough to be playing regularly for a West Brom side that have a real chance of going up if they can maintain their recent strong form.
Reach’s contract is set to expire in 2024 and Corberan cannot afford to have him sitting on the bench for the next one-and-a-half years, so he must look to get rid of the wide man in next month’s transfer window.
