Ryan Mason asking for the sack after crazy lineup decision in West Brom vs Oxford United
Ryan Mason has made the shocking decision not to start Chris Mepham in West Brom’s upcoming game against Oxford United.
Mepham, who moved to The Hawthorns in the summer, has been fantastic. However, he was placed on the bench against Charlton, and has not returned to the starting XI against Oxford United.
Mason is already under heavy pressure at West Brom after a terrible run of form has seen the Baggies drop out of the playoffs and into the bottom half of the Championship.
With sack calls looming, the Englishman’s recent decision may have just cost him his job at The Hawthorns.
Ryan Mason’s Chris Mepham gamble could result in West Brom sacking
There is no doubt that a defeat to Oxford United on Saturday would put Mason’s job in serious jeopardy.
West Brom are meant to be challenging for Premier League promotion. However, as it stands, they are sleepwalking to a relegation battle.
While Mason did need to change things up, given the awful run of form they are on, dropping one of their best players this campaign seems like a massive gamble.
Mepham has been regularly praised for his performances at West Brom, offering needed experience to the backline.
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Now, by not playing the Welsh international and instead seemingly playing Charlie Taylor as a centre-back in a back four is almost like asking for the sack in a crazy decision.
While Mepham could be carrying a knock, this is unconfirmed, and he did come on in the 1-0 defeat against Charlton.
Nevertheless, without the experience and quality of the defender, the Baggies are in a precarious position against Oxford United.
How good has Mepham been for West Brom?
According to Fotmob on 8 November, Mepham’s stats at West Brom this season are very impressive.
Per 90 minutes, he is making 1.50 interceptions and winning 66.7 per cent of his duels.
On top of this, he is only dribbled past 0.10 of the time, making him a formidable presence.
| Chris Mepham in the Championship this season | Per 90 minutes |
| Passing accuracy | 89.9% |
| Dribble success rate | 100% |
| Duels won | 67.7% |
| Interceptions | 1.50 |
| Dribbled past | 0.10 |
| Tackles | 1.30 |
Hopefully, his absence from the starting XI against Oxford United will not affect the Baggies’ ability to pick up an important win.
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