Ryan Mason paid the ultimate price in West Brom defeat to Millwall as damning statistic emerges
Ryan Mason will need to bounce back in the Championship again after West Brom’s defeat to Millwall.
The Den is never a welcoming venue for any club in the Championship, and that was seen in full force during West Brom’s 3-0 defeat to Millwall on 4 October.
Mason’s push for Premier League promotion has hit a sticky patch, and the Baggies manager seems to have himself to blame.
From the minute the first whistle was blown, Albion’s third league defeat could have been avoided.
West Brom have won one game without Alex Mowatt since 2024/25
Toby Collyer started for West Brom in their defeat to the Lions away from home.
While the Manchester United loanee was a positive force in the midfield, the decision to play him meant that Alex Mowatt was named on the bench.
Mowatt has started eight of the Baggies’ last nine Championship matches, with the choice to play a rising young star over an experienced midfielder in an important league game seeming quite bizarre upon reflection.
The stats feed into this narrative. Since the start of the 2024/25 season, Mowatt has failed to start eight league games for Albion.
West Brom have won only one of those eight games he hasn’t started, with their defeat to Millwall being the latest example.
An argument could be made that Mowatt started in Albion’s first two Championship defeats of the season.
But with the international break looming and the players eager to build on their admirable start to the season, this is a game that called for continuity, not spontaneity.
Ryan Mason got it all wrong against Millwall
Josh Maja netted against Norwich City in his first official start under Mason, only to be rewarded with a place on the bench against Millwall.
Aune Heggebo’s finishing has been dire in the Championship, netting one goal in eight starts. However, his form earned him another start against the Lions.
In back-to-back starts for the Baggies, Samuel Iling-Junior created Maja’s goal against Norwich and scored for his side against Leicester City, only to hold the bench for Jed Wallace.
- Albion took 10 shots but failed to create a big chance
- Only one of the Baggies’ goals were on target
- Five of West Brom’s shots were blocked
While Albion struggled to convert and create meaningful chances, Mason did not help himself with the squad selection.
The players needed to do better in all facets of the game, but Mason got it all wrong on the day.
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