West Brom are flying high in the Championship and Carlos Corberan’s side have conceded 17 goals so far this season, which is the second lowest total in the league.
Kipre and Bartley duo have secured six clean sheets out of their last ten league games and their latest clean sheet came at the weekend against Ipswich Town, who are the top-scoring side in the division.
Clarke stated that Kipre and Bartley have both shown inconsistency in their form in recent seasons but he stressed that the centre-back duo have developed a good partnership at the heart of West Brom’s defence.
He also added that at some point everyone thought that Bartley and Kipre were not good enough to play for a top Championship side like West Brom, but pointed out that their partnership is working for Corberan’s defence.
“The centre halves are definitely developing a very, very good partnership”, Clarke said on the What the EFL podcast.
“Kyle Bartley and Cedric Kipre are outstanding as a duo this season.
“I mean, they both had some very up-and-down seasons in recent times.
“We probably all looked at them individually at one point and thought, ‘not sure they are really up to it, not playing for a top club like West Brom in the Championship’.
“But it is working.”
West Brom are set to take on seventh-placed Cardiff City tonight and the Baggies boss will be hoping for another solid performance at the back from Kipre and Bartley against Erol Bulut’s side.
