James Morrison involved in ‘one of most incredible press conferences ever’ after West Brom horror show
James Morrison’s return as West Brom interim manager went terribly as his side lost 2-1 to Oxford United at Kassam Stadium on Saturday.
Stanley Mills and Will Lankshear scored two headers from set-pieces to give Matt Bloomfield’s side a 2-0 lead in the opening 26 minutes.
Despite the fact young Ollie Bostock scored his first senior goal to reduce the arrears, West Brom simply didn’t have enough quality in the final third to stage a second-half comeback.
The result leaves the Baggies in 21st place, just one point clear of the drop zone, and with the likes of Millwall, Hull City, Wrexham and Ipswich still to play, their future in the Championship looks incredibly bleak.
And it’s safe to say that Morrison knew how damaging the defeat was in his post-match press conference.
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James Morrison heartbroken by West Brom loss to Oxford
West Brom are now winless in their last 14 away matches in the Championship, and their poor results at The Hawthorns have now left them in immediate danger of playing League One football next season.
Against Oxford United, Bostock was the only player to show any real quality, and the team’s lack of confidence is clearly being reflected in their results.
The match stats via Sofascore outline that the Baggies couldn’t break down Oxford’s resolute defence, and they were limited to very few clear-cut chances.
| Oxford United | Stat | West Brom |
| 31% | Posession | 69% |
| 9 | Shots | 16 |
| 0.75 | xG | 1.04 |
| 140 | Accurate passes | 447 |
| 51% | Duels won | 49% |
Express & Star journalist Lewis Cox shared on X that he was stunned by what Morrison said in his post-match conference.
The journalist said: “Wow. Just finished one of the most incredible press conferences I’ve ever witnessed.
“A very frustrated and hurt James Morrison said it how it is. He was emotional and almost apologised for it. You only wish more would feel like that, and maybe, West Brom wouldn’t be where they are.”
Morrison made 298 appearances for the Baggies between 2007 and 2019, and it’s clear that playing a part in the side’s potential relegation to League One would be incredibly tough for him.
- Read more: West Brom fans vent fury at ‘terrible’ Charlie Taylor as relegation fears deepen vs Oxford United
What did Morrison say in his press conference?
Morrison holds West Brom very close to his heart, and the Black Country club’s future is definitely of paramount importance to him.
In his press conference, Morrison was asked about how he viewed his players’ performance, and he said: “I do [feel let down], yeah.
“I’ve said to them before, I’m with them 100 per cent, I feel like one of them. I felt the tools were there to put a performance in, and it wasn’t there.
“Especially with all the possession we had. I don’t know what the possession stats were, what, 65 per cent? But what did we do with it? Backwards, sidewards, cross from deep, perfect for them.
“There were words in the dressing room after the game, but I want what was said to remain in the dressing room.
“There were some harsh words, but there had to be. You can see that I’m frustrated. That was a big game for us today.
“The supporters have every right to show their frustration. We feel that frustration. I don’t want to use the cliché of sticking together or anything like that.”
It is clear West Brom’s loss to Oxford hurt Morrison just as much as the fans, but the bigger question now is where do Albion go from here?
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