West Brom fans won’t like what Ryan Mason has done ahead of Swansea clash
Isaac Price has been named in Ryan Mason’s starting lineup for West Brom’s Championship clash with Swansea despite a recent dip in form.
West Brom’s 1-1 draw against Birmingham City on Wednesday once again highlighted the fragile mindset of Mason‘s side, as another two points were thrown away in B71.
For Saturday’s match at The Hawthorns, Nat Phillips and Chris Mepham resume their partnership at the heart of defence.
Alex Mowatt’s goal against Birmingham sees him star in midfield once again, while Aune Heggebo starts up front over Josh Maja.
As Mason continues to face pressure from all angles, the players must end their dreadful run of one win from seven games, and eyebrows will surely be raised over Price‘s inclusion as the manager makes three changes.
Isaac Price named in starting lineup, Ryan Mason makes three changes
Price has earned widespread praise at West Brom, but the Baggies’ recent drop-off in form has seen some fans begin to question the midfielder.
Despite his impressive numbers, Price was criticised for his performance against Birmingham, and calls were made for him to be dropped.
The 22-year-old has only registered one assist in his last six games, and he last scored for the Baggies on 22 October.
| Stat | Isaac Price |
| Appearances | 17 |
| Goals | 5 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Chances created | 26 |
| Pass accuracy | 79.9% |
Despite being a great signing from Standard Liege in January, Price is starting to fade away for the Baggies, and being selected by Mason for the Swansea match will only frustrate supporters even more.
Mason could have easily brought Maja in for price and gone with two up front to disrupt Swansea’s defence, but went for the safe route instead.
As for the changes to the team, George Campbell, Toby Collyer, and Karlan Grant all make way for Alfie Gilchrist, Jayson Molumby, and Samuel Iling-Junior.
West Brom have often relied on Johnston to create something special, and unlike Price, he has continued to prove his worth throughout this tricky period.
Mikey Johnston set to continue starring role for West Brom
The 26-year-old was fantastic in the 3-2 to Coventry on 22 November, providing two assists for Heggebo from the right-hand side.
On the ball, Johnston is always looking to get at opposition players, and is proving a nightmare for full-backs to defend.
With eight goal contributions from 16 league matches, he has clearly been a standout, and fans dread to think where they’d be under Mason if it weren’t for the Republic of Ireland international.
Swansea are sat 21st in the Championship table, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Johnston on the scoresheet at the Hawthorns once more.
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