Only at West Brom as Eric Ramsay’s ‘positive’ claim is sheer comedy and despair
West Brom still have several players who are not match fit, according to Eric Ramsay.
The Baggies’ 3-1 FA Cup loss to Norwich City at Carrow Road on Saturday made it seven games without a win for Ramsay, with the head coach looking for something to take from the match.
Speaking after the game, the former Manchester United first-team coach admitted that he was happy to use the clash as a chance to get more minutes in the legs of stars who have had limited game time at The Hawthorns this season.
As quoted by Yahoo Sports, Ramsay said: “I felt strongly before the game that, irrespective of the outcome, we had to come out feeling positive across several other elements.
“We had to feel that we were nudging players towards 90 minutes fit. The guys that haven’t been able to hit 90 minutes all that regularly so far this season. The fact we’ve done that across the board is pleasing.
However, the statistics behind his words show just exactly how bad a mess West Brom find themselves in now.
How West Brom players not 90-minute fit yet beggars belief
As highlighted by Albion Analysis on X, three key players who have had their injury struggles this season are still working their way back to 90 minute fitness.
Daryl Dike, Josh Maja, and Alfie Gilchrist have all seen a slight increase in their average minutes under Ramsay in comparison to Ryan Mason, but the numbers still look bleak.
| Player | Average minutes under Ryan Mason (when available) | Average minutes under Eric Ramsay |
| Josh Maja | 23 | 38 |
| Alfie Gilchrist | 14 | 36 |
| Daryl Dike | 2 | 17 |
The trio have cropped up many a time in conversations about their playing time this season, and while all three can arguably have a big effect for Albion, the fact that they are still not fit at this stage of the season is a travesty.
Dike has seen a major increase of 15 minutes per game, but many Baggies fans will be anxiously waiting to see if he can actually stay fit.
Gilchrist has suffered from a lack of game time over selection choices, as it feels like Maja should really be up to speed at this point in the campaign.
The issue is, their Championship relegation rivals have many players who are firing and ready to help them over the line in the closing stages of the season. It just feels like it’s only West Brom who have had these comedically painful obstacles.
Why Josh Maja’s fitness can be pivotal; the stats prove it
Baggies fans may have a slight feeling of resentment towards Maja for not being fully fit this season, as they’ve watched Aune Heggebo come on leaps and bounds over the past few months.
West Brom know how good the striker can be, but being unfit in a division as relentless as the Championship is a recipe for disaster.
| Matches | Goals | Shots | Dribble success |
| 26 | 12 | 48 | 63.3% |
Maja is getting sharper and sharper by the week, and he could soon force Heggebo out of the starting lineup.
The Nigerian was livewire last season and was Albion’s biggest threat inside the box. If he can rediscover his old form, the Ramsay and West Brom may just be alright.
For more West Brom news, follow Football Insider for the latest updates and analysis on The Hawthorns side.