Sky Sports pundit blasts Ryan Mason for ‘unnecessary’ call in ‘unacceptable’ West Brom display
Jobi McAnuff summed up the thoughts of every West Brom supporter as he blasted the performance against Sheffield Wednesday.
West Brom’s 2-1 defeat to Watford seems to have started a nightmare that fans will be wanting to wake up from as they now have just one point from the past nine on offer.
The Baggies were toothless once again in Albion’s goalless draw to Sheffield Wednesday at The Hawthorns on Saturday.
After such an incredible start to the season, West Brom’s Premier League promotion hopes now look like nothing but a fever dream.
Jobi McAnuff blast West Brom’s ‘unacceptable’ performance
West Brom started the game well, putting Sheffield Wednesday under huge pressure during the opening 20 minutes.
The second half was arguably the Baggies’ worst performance of the season.
Isaac Price, as sharp as he was in the first half, was anonymous. Mikey Johnston struggled to beat his man on the left flank, and Josh Maja was without service once again.
McAnuff was unsurprised when Ryan Mason and his team were hounded with boos from the home ground after the game.
Indeed, the player-turned-pundit criticised their performance when speaking live on Sky Sports, and slammed Mason for starting with two holding midfielders against bottom-of-the-league Wednesday.
He said: “They’re so passive with and without the ball, almost too safe at times. Look at the formation, the way they set up.
“Two defensive midfielders for me were totally unnecessary for this type of game, and they’ve got to me doing a lot more with the quality they have.
“I know they’ve had issues and didn’t spend a lot, but with the quality of players they’ve got, they’ve got to be doing an awful lot better than they are at the moment.
“That is an unacceptable performance for a team who should be at the top end of the table against one that really has struggled this season.”
After a disappointing set of results, Mason will be under pressure to produce a result when the Baggies take on Charlton Athletic on Tuesday.
- Read more: West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday fans in unison over ‘horrendous’ scenes at The Hawthorns
Different game, same problems
Mason has been lost without creators like Tom Fellows, and that was clear as day once again against Sheffield Wednesday.
Despite taking 13 shots, Albion failed to create a single big chance against their opponents, according to Sofascore.
- Only six of their 13 attempts were on target
- Five of their shots were outside the box
- Five shots were off target
The fact that a side with so much quality took five shots from outside the box is worrying and sums up the Baggies’ problem this season.
Price, as important as his goals were at the beginning of the season, has struggled to take on the creative burden in midfield. Meanwhile, Samuel Iling-Junior and Johnston have been inconsistent on either wing.
While Mason’s tactics play a role, at some point, fans may need to accept that the club does not have the quality to win big this season.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest West Bromwich Albion news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @westbromnews247