The return to fitness of attacking players has given Albion a significant boost ahead of a demanding championship calendar, according to goalkeeper Alex Palmer.
The attacking tandem of Josh Maja, a summer signing, and season’s top goalscorer John Swift resumed full training this week and should be available for Saturday’s matchup against second-place Ipswich Town.
The two’s arrival is a major plus for manager Carlos Corberan, who had to deal with a small number of senior squad choices prior to the break. Recent games have seen Brighton loanee Jeremy Sarmiento return to action, and striker Daryl Dike’s expected return is around a month away.
Goalkeeper Palmer has been in top form over the last couple of months following a tricky start to the season, and he knows the return of key squad members will lift play-off-hunting Albion.
“The more often we can have a fully fit squad, the more chances we’ve got,” said Palmer.
“Even with those injuries, we’ve had massive impacts off the bench. We have quality players right through the squad, so whoever starts and whoever is on the bench, you can impact the game.
“The gaffer is massive on that. Having those guys back now, hopefully Dike in a few weeks, it’s only going to make the team stronger.”
Utility man Adam Reach, whom Corberan has claimed is a key figure, is also pushing for a return. A more forgotten figure is experienced defender Martin Kelly. The 33-year-old injured his ACL on loan at Wigan in February and this week returned to training. The club highlighted his comeback with a video of teammates embracing the former Liverpool and Crystal Palace man.
The one-cap England full-back was a free agent signing in September 2022 and has made seven Albion appearances.
Palmer, 27, admitted Kelly’s return after a nine-month absence has lifted members of the squad. He added, “Mentioning Kells, he’s a top guy first and foremost, but when he’s had this sort of period away, you forget he’s a top player and will be a quality addition.
“He’s great to have around the group as well. I’m buzzing; he’s back. I think the togetherness has always been there.
“You could see it last season with a tough period, and then we eventually got going. We stuck together; there haven’t been too many changes, so the togetherness has always been there, and it’s getting stronger with the players coming back to the group now.”
After Corberan gave his team a little time off before a lengthy run without any downtime, Palmer was one of several Albion players to take a plane to Dubai during the international break.
The goalie went golfing in the Middle East with teammates Alex Mowatt, Kyle Bartley, Conor Townsend, and Okay Yokuslu. Palmer, who acknowledges that he is only a novice player, did not participate in the mini-squad competition.
“I believe it was Conor’s team; Conor and Okay won,” he clarified. That didn’t make Barts very happy. That demonstrates their unity, even if they are highly competitive about it.
“I think Okay has only just started playing, and he’s brave to go and play with those boys, as they’re all pretty decent, but it’s nice that we spend time away from the training ground together. It shows the group we’ve got here.”
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