Daryl Dike situation is all too familiar for West Brom and Carlos Corberan | OneFootball

The American striker has suffered yet another injury setback

On occasions, Daryl Dike has shown the hallmarks of a menacing centre-forward at Championship level.

The USMNT international was a key figure in aiding Barnsley's surprise run to the second tier play-off semi-finals in the 2020/21 campaign under Valerien Ismael.

And, after the then-boss of West Brom opted to acquire Dike's services from MLS outfit Orlando City for a hefty sum in excess of £7m on New Year's Day 2022, there was hope that the American would eventually be the man to help fire the Baggies back to the Premier League, having been relegated in the summer of 2021.

However, under the guidance of Ismael, Steve Bruce and currently Carlos Corberan, the only constant there has been throughout the 24-year-old's spell in the West Midlands has been a severe lack of gametime, which has come to the fore once again with a recent update.

Injuries have plagued Dike's spell at The Hawthorns right from the very off, having suffered a hamstring injury in a 3-0 victory over Peterborough United in January 2022, which was only his second appearance and start for the club.

Unfortunately, Bruce would only be able to call upon the 6"1 frontman on one occasion throughout his eight-month tenure in B71, and after appearing on the opening day of the 2022/23 season in a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough, the striker was hit with a thigh issue which saw a three-month return to the treatment table.

However, his most consistent run of games in Blue and White coincided with a major upsurge in fortunes for the Baggies, as Corberan arrived in October 2022 and handed Dike a run of 22 straight appearances from November through to April, which saw him record seven goals and one assist, before the first of two achilles-related injuries against Stoke City.

Albion lacked goals throughout last season, with only Brandon Thomas-Asante hitting an overall tally within double figures - 11 league goals - meaning it was a welcome boost when Dike returned to action at the turn of the year, marking it with his last goal for the club in a routine 4-1 victory over Aldershot Town.

But, after just four substitute cameos, the striker's rotten luck would return once more, and reduce Dike to tears at Portman Road, as he was stretchered off in the second half of a pulsating 2-2 draw with eventual promotion winners, Ipswich Town - the last of his 32 appearances for the club thus far.

To soften the blow of losing the aforementioned Thomas-Asante to Coventry City in July, a lot of Albion's hopes in the striking department were pinned on the 10-time international returning before Christmas to compete with Josh Maja, the returning Karlan Grant and summer recruit, Devante Cole.

However, just days after the Spaniard hoped Dike would partake in some PL2 encounters, it has been revealed that a fresh hamstring injury will rule him out until after the festive period.

West Brom need to return to their clinical ways as soon as possible

As much as this news will come as a crushing blow, not just for the American, but the Albion squad as a whole, Corberan has to solve the current problem which has seen his side lose their attacking mojo in recent weeks.

Albion have currently underperformed their xG of 16.4 by 3.4 goals, and have failed to convert in five of their last six games, with three of those coming on home turf against Middlesbrough, Millwall and latterly, Cardiff City.

The aforementioned Maja remains the second-highest scorer in the division with seven goals in the first 12 games - but the Nigerian international has also drawn blanks in all of West Brom's October encounters, which will give cause for concern given his previous record of just one goal in 12 games amid injury issues of his own last term.

Corberan's side have gained a reputation as being a side hard to beat, but they must improve their goal return, having only hit a tally of 47 last term, and they cannot pin their hopes solely on Dike's return to fitness after spending numerous periods out injured.

Hope will still remain that if the man, who remains somewhat of an enigma to Baggies fans, can remain injury-free when his latest return from the sidelines comes, he will become a potent scorer in B71.

But once again, a similar story has left both parties cursing their luck for the time being.