West Brom fan not happy with something Ryan Mason did vs Middlesbrough
West Brom recorded their second defeat on the bounce after losing 2-1 at Middlesbrough on Friday.
Middlesbrough were the better side against West Brom and goals from David Strelec and Kaly Sene meant they were cruising after an hour.
Aune Heggebo pulled a goal back in stoppage time, but it was too little too late for the Baggies.
Ryan Mason made some strange changes to his starting XI for this match, and after this performance, it’s fair to say that these backfired.
Ryan Mason criticised by West Brom fans for team selection vs Middlesbrough
Mikey Johnston was dropped to the substitutes’ bench for this match, despite being one of the brighter sparks in the West Brom team this season.
It seemed that the Baggies missed Johnston’s flair and creativity in this match until he was brought on shortly after the second goal. Johnston was one of the better players as his team tried to make a fight of it in the dying minutes.
Josh Maja was also left on the bench by Mason and he remained there even after Middlesbrough took a two-goal lead. He was eventually brought on with 15 minutes remaining.
Mason justified his dropping of Maja by suggesting that “each game demands different things”, but the Baggies typically look like more of a goal threat when he’s playing.
The West Brom fans on social media weren’t buying any of the manager’s excuses, with several blaming his team selection for the defeat.
West Brom fans must accept Ryan Mason is still learning
Mason has had a mixed start to his managerial career at West Brom. That should be expected considering it’s his first-ever managerial role.
The former Spurs coach experimented with his lineup against Middlesbrough and arguably got it wrong.
But when is he supposed to experiment if not at the start of the season?
It should also be mentioned that West Brom had more shots and more possession in this game. They lost by a single goal, and Mason was right to say that his team simply didn’t make the most of their best moments.
| Middlesbrough | West Brom | |
| Goals | 2 | 1 |
| Shots on goal | 9 | 15 |
| Possession | 41 | 59 |
Middlesbrough are flying high at the top of the Championship and have the players to sustain their remarkable run all season, so West Brom fans shouldn’t be too harsh on Mason just yet.
At the same time, it’s fair for them to expect a reaction in the Baggies’ next game against Leicester City.
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