Carlos Corberan has a call to make ahead of Stoke clash after being handed useful injury boost

West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan will have Alex Palmer available for their clash with Stoke City on Saturday, leaving him with a decision to make. The goalkeeper has missed almost three months worth of action after suffering a serious training ground injury just before the Baggies’ 1-0 win over Coventry City in February.

However, after making the bench for both the Rotherham United and Queens Park Rangers games, Palmer is now deemed fit enough to get onto the pitch for the first team. But with Josh Griffiths having deputised for Palmer and earnt plaudits during his first spell between the sticks, might it be a bit more difficult for him to regain his spot?

The Baggies have been in poor form of late which has seen them slip down the table and into mid-table mediocrity. They now sit 11th and a tricky five points away from the play-off positions.

So with the need for points greater than ever for Albion, who will Corberan choose between the sticks for the remainder of the campaign? We took a look at the two options.

Alex Palmer

The shot-stopper took the first-choice spot from David Button during Steve Bruce’s reign and remained number one through the beginning of Corberan’s tenure, up until his injury. He produced some fine displays, establishing himself in the first-team frame and earning praise from the Hawthorns faithful.

His injury put an enforced end to his consecutive starts, as he was forced onto the sidelines with a serious injury sustained during a training session whilst making a save. Despite three months in the treatment room, the 26-year-old still boasts the highest save percentage in the division with 77.6% of shots faced saved.

In the 17 games Palmer has played, he has also kept the highest percentage of clean sheets out of any goalkeeper, keeping the ball out of the net in 52.9% of matches. It’s fair to say the former Lincoln City, Plymouth Argyle and Luton Town loanee has made his mark statistically.

He has shown attributes that make him a superb asset between the sticks. His communication is exceptional, with him often found organising his defence and being commanding in his penalty area. His fine reflexes and excellent one-on-one ability also helps put him well into the reckoning. Palmer has proved himself as a more than valuable option when Corberan comes to make his big decision.

Josh Griffiths

Griffiths was a fairly unknown quantity when he came into the line-up following Button’s calamitous performance against Birmingham City. His debut came against Blackburn Rovers where he felt he could’ve done better in keeping out Ben Brereton Diaz’s free-kick late in the game.

However, since his debut the former Lincoln City, Cheltenham Town and Portsmouth loanee has come on leaps and bounds. And despite making the odd mistake - showing incredible maturity for a young player of just 21 years old - his save percentage statistic sees him at a fairly average mark for the second tier with 67.6% of shots faced saved.

His clean sheet percentage doesn’t look as promising as Palmer’s but is still more than respectable, causing the opposition to draw blanks in 40% of appearances this season. The youngster made respectable stops in wins over Middlesbrough and Wigan Athletic when he managed clean sheets as well.

Griffiths did have a bit of a shocker last weekend against QPR, though, as his side threw away a two-nil lead, with the second goal being largely his fault. As Erik Pieters played him a backpass he miscontrolled the ball and hoofed it into the oncoming Chris Martin. He could only look helplessly as the ball trickled into the net afterward.

That mistake won’t have worked in his favour but his good showings beforehand certainly would’ve. Even if he isn’t to retain the spot he has still proved himself to be at Championship level.

Verdict

We think that Alex Palmer’s performances will have done him due credit enough to take Griffiths’ shirt from him. The Baggies have clearly missed his command of area, which has been lacking over their recent weeks.

But Corberan is yet to have his say, and his stance could be made clear when they take on Stoke City this Saturday. Either way, the Spaniard has two very talented goalkeepers vying for a spot during Albion’s run-in.