'Crunch Time'

‘If ever an international break for preparation is required, the March window will be the precursor for the most important five game stretch of games, in my opinion, of the season for West Brom.

So called six point games, define seasons..'

A month ago, I typed those ominous words, and on the verge of our second game of this sextet of fixtures that will ultimately define our season, we are in that undoubted but for us, feared zone of apprehension.

Quite simply, you worry when there are more questions than answers…

At this business end of the season, you need clarity of thought and deed, it's not a time of mixed messages..

We are now 39 games into 2024/25.

85% of the season has gone.

Like a marathon, the hardest miles are at the end, and no doubt behind us, we have a whole batch of sprightly, energised runners, all contenders equipped with a kick finish…

I was asked to write for the Sunderland website Roker Report, for a pre match preview for Saturday’s huge fixture..

One of the questions was, ‘who do you think Tony Mowbray’s starting XI will be for Saturday’s game?

My answer, apart from the return of Furlong, was I simply had no idea..

Here's the link to the whole article...https://rokerreport.sbnation.com

Of course we could pencil in, perhaps, eight obvious starters, but will Price be risked to start against The Maccums, after picking up his fully avoidable calf niggle for Northern Ireland v Switzerland last week?

[I’m proud to see Baggies represent and thrive for their countries, but there are conditions, such as, if you inform your national team you are carrying an injury, as long term troublesome as a calf problem can be, that HAS to be honoured, at any country, at any level].

The rest of team selection s simply guess work.

It’s part Mowbray's way of thinking, and partly players given chances again and again, and simply not giving managers a few games in, reasons to believe in them.

Opportunity seemingly knocks far too often at The Albion..

Take twenty Baggies fans and be asked to jot down their starting XI for Saturday?

I’d be staggered if you didn’t get twenty totally different responses..

Our last defeat v Norwich City is one that rankles more than most…

Of course, losing to a team, who also ultimately now breathe the fumes of playoff contention again, could in most situations be a reality, but Saturday’s performance was ominously different..

An opponent lacking in any confidence, a passive home crowd, ready to accept its fate, and a promising start for us, all for naught.

The time honoured recipe of a deep block, becoming an impregnable wall..

Chances were few and far between, and you know things are not working when the ‘Jack in a Box’ goal poacher, you put so much faith in, is receiving the ball nearer your penalty area than the opponents..

Changes were made, but we were on the back foot with some questionable, late managerial moves?

Clarity, so needed at this stage of the season, was lacking..

Norwich set their stall and their simple, tactical trap.

Don’t concede.

Be patient.

Catch them late, when the opponents over extend.

It’s important we don’t look at this as one game experience..

A lot of the vitriol comes from a run of twelve away League games, [you can add in the FA Cup shellacking to make thirteen], without a win.

Our worst run since the nadir of 2017.

The away fans, that most passionate and vocal of group, give up more, far too often for less.

I feel your pain.

In this fallow away run, we’ve had credible draws at Leeds, Burnley, Sheff Utd and Sunderland…

But when you look at the bottom five, we’ve played four of those away and gained just four points.

The notion of playing Cardiff City in the penultimate fixture of the season, at a raucous Principality will be a massive challenge.

Defensively, where would we be without Torbjorn Heggem, an absolute shoe-in for Player of the Year?

Heggem has played every game this season, his consistency is wonderful, and despite scoring just one goal, seems to force great saves, week on week from set piece situations.

Remarkably, for a defender whose physicality is so key, his timing of challenges is even better.

Just three yellow cards, is the sum of a referee’s copying down of the name Heggem, truly a testament to Torbjorn’s discipline and technique..

In a squad, so imbalanced with few defensive options, his season of availability and undoubted ability have been massive…

Losing Darnell Furlong to a three match ban, was a similar scenario to the Bartley red card the month before, avoidable and arguably an accident waiting to happen.

Errant elbows have occurred before with Darnell, you only need to think back to the fractious away game last season at the Stadium of Light, a game we were so outraged at with Maja’s injury from the awful tackle by Dan Ballard, but Furlong’s elbow to Alex Pritchard's chin, was one he simply got away with..

We have few defensive options as it is, with Furlong missing, we lost not only a threat from throw ins, but also a specialist defender, who I’m sure would have dealt better than Mason Holgate’s woeful attempt to defend Marcelino Nunez in the 92nd Minute, that led to Josh Sargents winner..

The goal was horrific..

A static Grady Diangana, a static space is easily marked, but not in the eyes of Jon Swift who played a simply doomed pass…

On the break, Holgate is a good position, has five yards on his marker, and even visually recognizes that, but in seconds, Nunez is five yards away from him, and even the chance to block the Sarjent shot is lame…

Actions simply always have consequences..

In central midfield it’s the tried and trusted.

The energy and passion of Jayson Molumby and the consistent passing of Alex Mowatt, a partnership strong in possession, excellent in defensive nous, but are they creative enough in setting up chances?

Between Molumby and Mowatt, they have played 70 League games this season and created 3 goals.

This is shades of Jake Livermore, and this under achieving creative unit has been a malaise at the club for years..

Defensively, of course we gain..

But the stats are damning…

Ousmane Diakite was brilliant v Burnley on March 11th, being the central cog in a back three that worked extremely well, and was arguably Man of the Match.

Being a devout Muslim, one of the Five Pillars is resisting temptation during Ramadan, a daily practice self control and self discipline.

The Burnley game was in the middle of Ramadan, and Diakite seemed to have no physical effects, but it has to be said that the game at Turf Moor was a night game, and that would have allowed Ousmane three hours to break his fast and prepare, rather than an afternoon kick off?

From Corbearn to Mogga, the need for an effective No.10 is paramount and those enigmatic players we all know, just haven’t affected or convinced.

The names don’t change, similarly with the outcome….

Whether Mowbray pushes Issac Price into this role for the final games of the season, it’s definitely a wait and see.

Calf injuries are notoriously nigglesome to get over, we’ve got to hope our medical staff are at the top of their game.

A recurrence is a worry and then it's a much long recovery.

And we simply don’t have time…

Time and seemingly one of our most sellable assets, guaranteed to be in the Premier League, if the reported interest by Everton is substantiated in the post season, in Tom Fellows, aren’t in tune.

Certainly Tom’s impact since Mowbray took over has been far more fleeting..

But Tom is hardly blessed with striking options, when he does have a chance to beat his man and get a dangerous cross in?

Adam Armstrong, for all his strengths, is only 5ft 8in, and unlikely to win too many aerial challenges.

Without too many runners from central midfield, the odds are firmly with the opponents, and not with Tom increasing his admirable stat sheet for assists.

This is a similar scenario with Mikey Johnston, perhaps knowing the best route to goal is to trust himself, not his target, [often not targets], cutting inside rather than outside and try his luck from distance.

But realistically, it’s easy for a team to block lanes and shots from outside the box.

More often than not, tactically, teams have worked us out.

Sit deep.

Double team the wide areas.

Not stress too much over the threat of a creative No.10.

And it’s working.

What isn’t working is the impact we all expected Adam Armstrong to have, who looked dynamic and dangerous in his goal scoring debut for us v Sheff Wednesday, admittedly, one of those fewer Championship opponents more easy on the eye and gives an opponent space to play..

Ever since that enocouraging opening, it’s been a steady decline, with Armstrong having just three touches of the ball in 81 Minutes in the Norwich City penalty area.

Pretty damning.

In a dream scenario, we’d love Josh Maja to be back, and when you look at our record with him in the team as well as his share of WBA goal scoring duties, his injury has hit us massively.

Josh has only played in two out of every three League games this season, but still has scored TWICE as many goals as any other Baggie…

Mowbray reported that most of the time he’s seen Maja, 

“He’s had this brace thing on.”

But after clearly recognizing the potential of Armstrong and Maja playing as a striking pair, became grimly realistic about the actual possibility of the duo playing together.

“If we extend the season, he might have a part to play”.

The other two striking options may well come into play in these next crucial run of games, but Will Lankshear, still probably in Mowbray’s mind being too raw and inexperienced has rotated off the bench with Daryl Dike, who without a pre season, I cannot imagine, will be asked to start a game.

Think about it?

Even previously with a full pre season, Dike rotated with BTA, starting for an hour, or coming on for the last thirty minutes..

Rotation is purely part of the modern squad system, and something you wouldn’t have dreamed of in the old days of one substitution per game?

Can Albion cling on to their Playoff position?

The chasing pack aren’t breathing down our necks, but are sitting on our backs, with momentum on their side..

In any race, if you are in the front, you’ll have a target on your back, and rather than stride comfortably ahead, we've hit in marathon terms, a wall.

The away day blues simply have to end, and at least four points at Coventry City and Bristol City may well be the minimum requirement.

In May, if we maintain this form, it’ll be us, on the outside looking in.

And no time to bridge the gap.

This is crunch time for a reason.

It’s STILL all in our hands..

It’s how those hands work that will ultimately decide our fate..

From the manager to the medics, we’ve simply got to get this right…