Ryan Mason has answer to West Brom’s creative woes after new statistical reveal
West Brom fans will be feeling uninspired by Ryan Mason’s latest set of results, but there could be a light at the end of the tunnel.
Mason was on track to break the negative stereotype of a young, inexperienced manager in his first permanent managerial position.
The Albion had won four consecutive games in the Championship before tragedy struck, and West Brom were defeated at home by Derby County.
The game kick-started a chain of disappointing results with the Baggies’ winning one in their last five league matches. However, Mason has more than enough time to turn things around.
Ollie Bostock tops creative metric against Millwall
West Brom were defeated 3-0 by Millwall at the Den in what is now their third defeat of the league season on Saturday.
It was a humiliating display where Mason paid the ultimate price for omitting Alex Mowatt and Josh Maja from the starting line-up.
Ollie Bostock made his Championship debut in Albion’s defeat, coming on just weeks after signing a new contract at West Brom.
The young attacker showed huge promise with limited minutes, which may have been enough for him to carve out a starting spot in the near future.
Indeed, against Millwall, Bostock has the second-highest expected assists of any Baggies player despite only being on the pitch for four minutes, according to Albion Analysis via X on 4 October.
- Bostock created 0.11 in expected assists and completed 100 per cent of his passes
- Mikey Johnson ranked higher with 0.16 expected assists in 89 minutes played
- Albion recorded 0.42 in expected goals
While coming off the bench three goals down is different from starting the game, the mere fact that the youngster was able to make a noticeable impact under the circumstances is remarkable.
As a result, if Mason manages his minutes and overall development well, he may have just found his answer to the Baggies’ creative woes.
West Brom’s defeat highlights biggest issue under Ryan Mason
West Brom had 61 per cent possession against Millwall but failed to register a single goal or big chance.
The home side’s goals came during points of the game where their attacking momentum was high, clear and intentional attacking plays which constituted an end.
Meanwhile, the Albion were unable to create meaningful opportunities despite having more possession.
Possession means nothing if a team does nothing with it, which seems to be a theme in the Mason era.
In fact, in all three of West Brom’s defeats this season, they have had more possession than the opposing side. This is a damning statistic, which, if not addressed, could decide how long Mason remains at the helm.
Could Bostock be the answer? Time will only tell.
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