Managers and head coaches often choose their words carefully in press conferences and interviews.

We don’t always listen to them and look at what they have said quite as carefully.

There are a few examples of that, the most famous perhaps being the time, wanting to show his credentials for a major appointment, Jose Mourinho called himself a special one.

Not enough people listened carefully enough to what he said and he has ever since been known, sometimes ironically, as THE Special One.

One wonders whether something similar happened with Roberto De Zerbi recently as current indications suggest Albion will not be in for a busy transfer window.

De Zerbi has made it clear he wanted full-back competition and cover going into the current window.

He also said: “We need in three, four positions.”

That has been taken as him demanding three or four signings for right now.

Looking at it from a greater distance, looking at the qualities of the young man they appear close to signing from Argentina and looking at how De Zerbi uses his players, one wonders whether it was misinterpreted.

De Zerbi does not necessarily need three or four different players to offer better options and cover across three or four positions.

He has spoken more about getting his players back from injury.

That happy day appears to be getting closer, with the exception of Solly March.

It might even happen at about the same time as Valentin Barco is completing his commitments with Argentina under-23s in the Olympic qualifying tournament.

Since the start of the season, Albion have added Jack Hinshelwood and Jakub Moder to their first-team options.

Of course, any team manager or head coach would want additions.

Equally, a manager or head coach does not have to have everything they ideally want.

That need not be a massive problem.

Having too many players CAN be a problem.

Which brings us to another reply De Zerbi gave to the media recently.

The question came about full-backs at about the time talk was intensifying about the possible arrival of Barco.

That had gone very quiet for a while between windows.

Barco is seen as an option at left-back.

De Zerbi said full-back was not a priority, that there were other priorities.

Those priorities, he said, include winger and “something at the back”.

But Barco can play in other roles - and he might not be seen as primarily a left-back. He offers a lot in more advanced areas. 

Signing new players to replace others who will be back in a few weeks does not make sense.

There is a feeling at Albion that the squad is strong, that they are open to additions but that signings must be good business and with an eye to the longer term.

Albion do not expect any key men to leave this month and are looking at a group with players such as Julio Enciso, Joel Veltman, Kaoru Mitoma, Simon Adingra and Ansu Fati back - and with both Hinshelwood and Moder now added to the options.

They also now have more tactical options and variations.

They have a squad who have taken on new problems, which seemed insurmountable but proved to be beatable.

And that is where De Zerbi comes back in.

We know how he sets his side up to play some of the best football in Europe.

We know he has a way of showing and harnessing passion for the game which strikes a chord with fans and players.

The results are there for all to see.

But the last few weeks have also shown a new side to his coaching credentials.

Signing players is a way of strengthening.

But, with up to 11 working parts at any given time, options to inter-change those working parts at your disposal and numerous permutations in terms of formations and tactics, there are plenty of other ways to improve teams.

De Zerbi has done that in recent weeks, most notably against Tottenham and West Ham.

Their first clean sheet came with one centre-back capable of playing 90 minutes, another who could do an hour (he stretched that to 74 minutes) and a left-back making his first start in three months.

They scored four goals twice without any wingers.

De Zerbi has spoken about turning problems into opportunities and he has taken the unwanted opportunity to show even more of what he can do, to work better than before.

Maybe he has weakened any case for new signings in the process.

Maybe he will want more new players than he gets.

We know a transfer window can explode into frantic life in the last couple of days.

But, 12 days into the month, Albion do not believe they need to do major business.