West Bromwich Albion

West Bromwich Albion head coach Ryan Mason was delighted with his side's personality as they fought back from 2-0 down to beat struggling Swansea 3-2 at the Hawthorns.

The second win in eight matches marked a complete reversal of seven days earlier when the Baggies went down 3-2 at Coventry having built an early 2-0 lead.

"The whole second half was incredible - such a great reaction, so much personality first of all, but a lot of quality in there as well," Mason told BBC Radio WM.

"The first goal is incredible, then the second one normally doesn't go in but that's part of football, you have to respond.

"We managed the period after that OK because rightly so there was a bit of negativity in the stadium. It was important to get through to half-time and try to give the lads some help.

"Second-half we scored the early goal which helps, it brings a bit of belief and intensity in the stadium, and my feeling was it was a case of when, not if, we were going to win the game."

West Bromwich Albion captain Alex Mowatt has said the Baggies need to prepare for Swansea City on Saturday (15:00 GMT) the same way they approached their previous two games despite missing out on wins.

West Brom took the lead in both their most recent league games against West Midlands rivals Coventry and Birmingham City but saw it from slip from their hands, losing out 3-2 to the Sky Blues before a 1-1 draw with Birmingham on Wednesday.

It leaves Albion down in 17th in the Championship table and fans are beginning to get nervous.

"They [the fans] are going to be disappointed if we are not winning games, it's up to us to turn that round," Mowatt told BBC Radio WM.

"We've got to start like that [how they did in both their previous games] on Saturday, we've got to play the same way and I think we need to be more clinical when we are in front of goal. Then hopefully we get three points."

As for boss Ryan Mason's criticism of the scheduling, Mowatt's focus is more on how best to approach the upcoming game.

"We are used to it now, the games every two or three days," the midfielder added.

"We've just got to rest and then we go again on Saturday. Hopefully, it can be a high energy game and one where the fans get behind us again."

Swansea City will look to end their four match losing streak when they visit West Bromwich Albion on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Having marked his first game in charge with a loss, Swans boss Vitor Matos is currently waiting for his new backroom staff to arrive and will look to avoid a place in the bottom three should results elsewhere not fall their way.

Swansea are currently just two points ahead of Oxford United in 22nd place but their visitors are also having a tough time of it as late.

The Baggies have only won one of their past seven league games (D2 L4) and are falling off the pace of the top six to find themselves near the bottom end of the table.

• West Bromwich Albion earned four points from their league games against Swansea City last season (W1 D1), as many as they had in their previous seven meetings with the Swans (W1 D1 L5).

• Swansea City have lost their last two away league games against West Bromwich Albion, last losing three in a row from October 1927 to October 1929.

• West Brom have lost four of their last seven league games on a Saturday (W2 D1), as many defeats as in their previous 31 such games (W14 D13).

• Swansea have lost each of their last four league games; they last endured a longer streak in their final five matches of the 2017-18 Premier League season.

• 12 of Swansea's 16 Championship goals this season have come in the second half, including each of their last five goals.

Image source, Shutterstock

West Brom are getting the "worst end" of the Championship's fixture scheduling, according to boss Ryan Mason.

The Baggies host Swansea on Saturday (15:00 GMT) having drawn with Birmingham on Wednesday.

Swansea will have had an extra day to prepare and Mason believes it has happened too often to his side.

"I'm not sure why the scheduling has worked like this from the football league," he told BBC Radio WM.

"In the past six weeks we've had to play away from home twice Wednesday and Saturday and both times against a team who played at home on the Wednesday.

"Against Ipswich we had played at Watford on the Wednesday and Ipswich had played at home on the Tuesday and then we had the early kick-off on the Saturday."

West Brom have won just one of their past seven matches as they prepare to face Swansea and Mason feels they are being disadvantaged.

"When I saw this scheduling at home to play Wednesday and Saturday I was excited because I thought we'd have the advantage this time but for some strange reason we have to play at home to a side that's played 24 hours before us so I'm not sure why that's happened," he added.

"I've had a look at every other team's scheduling and fixture list and for some reason we're coming off the worst end of it but that's something where we need to pull together internally and need to stick together."

West Bromwich Albion boss Ryan Mason says the Baggies need to kill games off earlier to avoid dropping more points after the 1-1 draw with Birmingham City on Wednesday night.

"We were 1-0 up in a game we wanted to win, we created opportunities to go 2-0 up and we don't end up winning the game," Mason told BBC Radio WM.

"The players put so much effort in, they are fighting for each other, showing so much quality at times, but not doing enough to get over the line. It's something we need to improve on.

"We are coming out of the wrong end of results where we have had situations to put some distance between us and the opposition. We didn't do that tonight and we got punished for it.

"We need to help the players to become more clinical because we had some big opportunities. We are creating situations, so it is disappointing. I am super-frustrated because the players gave everything tonight."

West Bromwich Albion head coach Ryan Mason is not listening to any negativity coming from outside the club.

The Baggies have lost four of their past six Championship matches, with just one win, and are 17th in the table as they prepare for Wednesday's derby at home to Birmingham City (20:00 GMT).

"I'm never one to pay attention to much noise - the noise we want to generate is inside, we believe in what we're doing, we trust what we're doing," Mason told BBC Radio WM.

"The noise and the connection you want to feel is with the fans and I've always said the best way to do that is with results and the way I speak to the fans is with results."

Mason became Albion's third boss in the space of six months when he was appointed in June.

After three wins in a four-match unbeaten start to the league season, he has seen his side slide down the table.

However, while Mason's team are in the bottom half, they are only four points off the top six.

"I've got to be honest, it doesn't bother me what other people think, the most important people are anyone and everyone associated with the Albion," he said.

"I've always said regardless of how many games I've managed, I'll always be learning - in football if you stand still and don't want to learn, then the game passes you by.

"I'm determined more than ever to change the feeling, which is ultimately to win more games of football."

Chris Hall
Fan writer

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It's a common refrain to hear football fans profess, 'it was a game of two halves'.

However, not many have reason to churn out the well-used phrase every week, not unless you're an Albion fan that is.

Saturday's 3-2 defeat to Coventry summed up Albion's season in microcosm.

The Baggies went into the break 2-1 ahead (having led 2-0 after 32 minutes), only to find themselves 3-2 and a man down just 16 minutes after the restart.

The Baggies are a complete paradox this season. They are the third-best first-half team in the Championship but the third-worst second-half team.

So, put another way, if you only count first-half performances, Albion are vying for automatic promotion, but if you only count the second halves, we are in the relegation zone.

How can a team be so good and so bad in equal measure across the same 90 minutes, I hear you ask?

We have a theory at Albion Analysis, it is that the Baggies' qualities and deficiencies reflect those of their manager, Ryan Mason.

The positives first.

Mason was so highly-rated as a coach that serial winner Antonio Conte promoted him to the first team coaching staff at Spurs.

And his ability on the training ground to prepare this Albion team for games is evident in how the Baggies start matches.

Albion have scored four goals without reply in the first 15 minutes of games, and their aggregate score at half-time this season is an impressive 10-5.

Contrast that with their second-half record, and it's a marked difference.

Albion's aggregate second-half score this season is 6-14, with the Baggies routinely conceding in the 15 minutes after the restart and the last 15 minutes of games.

This can potentially be attributed to the bizarre and often hesitant changes Mason makes.

He was decisive on Saturday, but only to withdraw Mikey Johnston at the break for "tactical reasons" despite the winger having two first-half assists under his belt.

Mason was less decisive after Jayson Molumby's dismissal, allowing 13 minutes and two goals to pass him by.

When Mason did react, Albion were a goal down, and fans were baffled as the change was to withdraw the two-goal hero of the first half, Aune Heggebo.

Sadly, this is not an isolated incident, either, with substitutions in recent games against Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton drawing heavy scrutiny.

It has left many Albion fans questioning whether their inexperienced manager has yet developed the in-game management skills to consistently produce the 90-minute displays Albion need to elevate them from their lowly position of 17th in the Championship table.

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West Brom's only two wins from their past eight league games have both come at home and they are looking to avoid losing back-to-back Championship matches for the third time this season.

Birmingham make the short trip to The Hawthorns on Wednesday (20:00 GMT) with five away defeats already this season having only lost three times on the road in their League One title-winning campaign last year.

• West Brom won 1-0 in their last league meeting with Birmingham in February 2024, ending a four-game losing run against the Blues.

• Birmingham have won just one of their past seven away league games against West Brom (D2 L4), beating them 3-2 in September 2022.

• West Brom have won just one of their past seven midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league matches (D1 L5), winning 1-0 at Norwich in October.

• After winning seven consecutive away league games between April and August, Birmingham have won just one of their last seven on the road (D1 L5).

• Birmingham have lost just one of their past 19 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league matches (W15 D3), going down 3-1 at Bolton in March.

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West Brom boss Ryan Mason urged his team to learn the lesson from Jayson Molumby's dismissal as they let a two-goal lead slip in their 3-2 defeat by Championship leaders Coventry City.

Molumby received his second yellow card of the game just four minutes into the second half at the CBS Arena after a brace by Aune Heggebo had put them on top.

"It was a lack of discipline in that moment (by Jayson), it's affected the result and it's something we need to learn from as a group," Mason told BBC WM Sport.

"We played a really good first half, created some excellent moments, showed good personality and quality as well, and scored two really good goals

"But at this level - and I think at any level - if you go down to 10 men then it's going to be very hard.

"We weren't able to get through that initial period after we went down to 10 men, the crowd were up, they were able to get some momentum and were getting in our box a lot.

"We stayed in the game and gave ourselves a chance to get something out of it but didn't really create anything from some of the set plays that we had.

The Baggies are next in action when they host Birmingham City in a big derby clash on Wednesday evening.

Image source, Getty Images

West Bromwich Albion boss Ryan Mason says he does not want his team to be overawed by league leaders Coventry City when they meet on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

The Sky Blues are five points clear at the top of the league having scored 40 goals this season, 14 more than any other Championship side.

However, while Mason says he is "fully aware of the moment" Coventry are in, he does not want his side to go into the game without believing they can claim victory.

"You can show teams too much respect," Mason told BBC Radio WM.

"There's many different psychological aspects that come into that and that's certainly not traits we want our team to show. We know our strengths, we know we can hurt teams and we need try and do that tomorrow.

"We need to approach tomorrow's game with belief and that's what we will do."

However, that does not mean the 34-year-old does not hold a lot of admiration for his fellow former midfielder, Sky Blues boss Frank Lampard.

"I think any English midfielder not just respected but admired his [Lampard's] playing career," Mason added. "One of the very best without a doubt.

"But that's one chapter, that's one career. I have been equally as impressed with his managerial career.

"He's done a fantastic job so far. He built a lot of momentum last season and they've carried it on."

In positive news for the Baggies squad, centre-back George Campbell has returned to training and is likely to make a comeback in the next few games.

If you're wondering where your team is going to finish in the Championship this season, you no longer need to worry.

Well, kind of.

Opta's supercomputer has worked its magic to figure out the most likely final league position of every team - and the chances each has of being promoted, making the play-offs or getting relegated.

Who is most likely to win automatic promotion?

It will come as no surprise that leaders Coventry are heavy favourites for the title (69.3%) and also have the highest chance of automatic promotion (84.2%) to the Premier League.

The next most likely to go straight up, with a 30.8% chance, are Middlesbrough. Despite currently sitting seventh and six points behind Boro in second, Ipswich are expected to be the third favourites for a top two finish (18.9%) followed by Stoke (14.1%).

Even though they've each enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, Preston (10.3%), Hull (6.1%) and Millwall (8.3%) have slimmer chances of finishing in an automatic promotion spot.

Who will make the play-offs?

Image source, Rex Features

Even if Coventry don't win automatic promotion, Opta's supercomputer has given the Sky Blues a 97.9% chance of a top-six finish, suggesting it's almost guaranteed.

Each of Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Preston and Stoke are expected to finish in a minimum of a play-off position at least one in two times.

Hull might feel the hardest done by as they sit fifth currently, but are said to have less chance (32.3%) than Millwall (38.8%) and Charton (32.4%), who are below them in the table.

The most likely of the chasing pack to make a surge up the table are 12th-placed Leicester City, who have been given a 31.8% chance of finishing in the top six and are more likely than Bristol City (28.9%), Derby (22.9%) and Birmingham (19.9%).

Last season's beaten play-off finalists Sheffield United have just a 1.8% chance of recovering their season to make the play-offs again, while relegated Premier League side Southampton (12.5%) aren't likely to either... if you trust the supercomputer!

Who is going down?

Image source, Rex Features

It's probably not hard to work out who is most likely to finish bottom and be relegated to League One.

Sheffield Wednesday's 12-point deduction, which has left them 17 points adrift of safety on -4 points, means they're pretty much nailed on to finish bottom (84.8%) - and failing that, are almost certain to go down (98.2%).

Second from bottom Norwich are the next most likely candidates to fall through the trap door (58.5%) but Sheffield United, who currently occupy the final relegation spot, have just a 22.4% chance of going down and are considered more likely to stay up than Oxford (37.8%) and Portsmouth (31.3%).

Championship leaders Coventry City return to action after the international break when they welcome West Bromwich Albion to the CBS Arena on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

Back-to-back wins before the break gave the Sky Blues a five point lead at the summit and effectively an eight-point cushion in the race for automatic promotion thanks to their astonishing goal difference of +27 after 15 games.

The Baggies are 14th and 14 points worse off already, though they did end a four-game winless streak and goal drought as they came from behind to beat Oxford United at The Hawthorns last time out.

• Coventry City won their last league game against West Brom but haven't won consecutive games against the Baggies since September 1985.

• West Bromwich Albion have won four of their past five league matches against Coventry (L1) but did lose 2-0 against the Sky Blues in April.

• Coventry City have 34 points in 15 Championship games this season (W10 D4 L1). Since 2004/05, eight of the nine teams with 34+ points at this stage of a campaign have won automatic promotion, Watford are the only exception in 2007/08 (35 pts, finished 6th).

• West Brom have had 121 shots when they've been drawing in Championship games this season, the most of any side, which works out at 14.4 shots per 90 minutes. However, when they've been winning, the Baggies have faced 32 more shots than they've had themselves (48 for, 80 against) and are averaging 8.6 shots per 90.

• Having scored four times in 38 Championship appearances last season, Coventry's Brandon Thomas-Asante is the joint leading scorer this season with 10 in 15 games. He has found the net in each of his past four home appearances for the Sky Blues.

Steve Hermon
BBC Radio WM journalist

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A third of the season is complete, and the Baggies are14th in the table.

It's been an underwhelming start to the campaign for many fans. That feeling mainly stems from the perceived promise of attacking football that club president and sporting director Andrew Nestor has spoken about in the past.

It's yet to come to fruition under Ryan Mason on a consistent basis, and some of the games have been a tough watch as a result.

This month's goalless draw with rock-bottom Sheffield Wednesday sparked boos of boredom from The Hawthorns crowd.

However, here's some perspective. On the day the 34-year-old was appointed, I wrote that patience would be required. He is only 15 games into his first full-time job as a senior head coach.

Tony Mowbray was sacked after just 17 matches, so Nestor won't want his second managerial appointment to have a similarly short reign.

Also, his recruitment team are still shaping a squad for the former Spurs assistant that must meet financial rules thanks to the mess owner Shilen Patel inherited when completing his takeover 19 months ago. That takes time.

There are a couple of on-the-field comparisons that offer perspective too.

At the same stage, a year ago, Carlos Corberan's Albion were fifth on 25 points. If Mason's team had avoided conceding late goals against Leicester, Ipswich, Charlton, and Derby, they'd have enough points to be in the play-offs right now, so the current boss is fair to point out that they are not 'far away'.

Going further back my co-commentator and Albion's record goalscorer Tony Brown has remarked to me that his favourite ever manager, Jonny Giles, also had a slow start to his first campaign 50 years ago.

If a win would've been worth three points back then, the Irishman would have had just 20 points from his first 15 matches in charge.

Former midfielder Giles, who was in his mid-30s at the time, would lead the Baggies to promotion from the second tier at the end of that 1975-76 season.

I'm not saying Mason's debut campaign is going to end with similar celebrations, particularly because he doesn't have a 'Bomber' to bang in the goals right now.

But if they can pick up some positive results between now and January to keep in touch with the top six, then the pressure will shift from Mason to Nestor when the transfer window opens.

A few additions in key areas could make a big difference in a division that, apart from the Baggies' next opponents, Coventry City, feels wide open.

After almost five years without top flight football - their longest spell outside the Premier League in a quarter of a century - the supporters just want their team to have a go at getting back there.

Chris Hall
Fan writer

Image source, Shutterstock

This is something of a golden era for Norwegian football.

The Scandinavians currently sit proudly atop World Cup Group I with a 100% record and can all but qualify for their first World Cup since 1998 with a win at home to Estonia on Thursday night.

They have talent throughout their squad, but it's hard to argue that their path to the USA has been blazed by the goals of Erling Haaland, who has so far netted a staggering 12 times in qualifying.

This is, of course, alongside the 14 goals he already has in the Premier League this season, but where one blonde bombshell of a Norwegian striker has flourished in England this campaign, another has found it harder going.

Aune Heggebo bagged just his second league goal for West Bromwich Albion on Saturday against Oxford, and he will hope that is a catalyst for more after the international break.

Whether or not that proves to be the case is not entirely down to the Norwegian, however.

Heggebo's goal at the weekend was a bullet header from a wonderful, clipped Isaac Price cross, but that kind of service has been all too lacking for much of this season.

Frankly, the forward must have been surprised and delighted to see the ball offered up to him, having mustered just one shot in his previous five Albion appearances!

Heggebo's work-rate and physicality in Norway earned him the nickname 'The Hulk', and his endeavour has never been in question with The Hawthorns faithful.

Some had, however, begun to question whether he had the instincts of a goalscorer.

But, without service strikers can do very little and Albion's chance creation record for their attackers this season has been among the worst in the Championship.

The Baggies are fourth bottom of the division's xG table, so while his international compatriot in Manchester is at the all-you-can-eat buffet, Heggebo has been dining on scraps.

However, Albion's meagre chance creation numbers have been showing signs of improvement.

They have already generated more xG in just three games in November than they managed in the five matches over the course of October.

If Ryan Mason is finally starting to get his attack purring, then Heggebo will hope to be the one to profit. He showed at SK Brann that he can be a goalscorer.

His record of a goal every 1.5 games over the past two years in Norway must have been a big part of what persuaded Albion to part with £4.7m for him.

So, the solution seems simple, Albion just need to create more six-yard box chances for the Norwegian as they did on Saturday and leave Hulk to, well, smash!

Listen to more from Chris Hall at the Albion Analysis, external

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West Bromwich Albion striker Aune Heggebo says maintaining self-belief is helping him adapt to the physical demands of the Championship.

The 24-year-old snapped a nine-match run without a goal by hitting the winner in the 2-1 victory against Oxford on Saturday - his third goal since his summer move from Norwegian side Brann.

"It's been a great challenge," he told BBC Radio WM. "Of course, it's a step up from Norway, but it's been really nice.

"I've been trying to keep up a good self-confidence and always believing, never letting the negative emotion take over.

"It's always about the next day and the next training, and doing the best you can."

Heggebo also broke into the Norway international squad after his move to The Hawthorns and has made two appearances for the national side.

"That was surreal, I did not expect it," he said. "It was a great experience, and it was a really proud moment to get the chance to represent my country."

He made his debut as a late substitute for Erling Haaland in September's World Cup qualifier against Moldova, having enjoyed a front-row seat as the prolific Manchester City striker hit five goals in an 11-1 thrashing.

"He has a great striker's ability, and it's his mentality and movement," Heggebo added.

"The physicality is really impressive and it's a great inspiration. You always try to learn from the best."

Image source, Shutterstock

West Bromwich Albion head coach Ryan Mason says he was happy with his side's reaction as they came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Oxford United.

A Greg Leigh own goal and header from Aune Heggebo ensured the Baggies ended a four-game winless run and moved up to 13th in the Championship.

"It was important, you could feel it, But not just the win - I thought the performance, the attitude, the intensity we played with was really pleasing after a really disappointing way to lose the game on Tuesday," he told told BBC WM.

"I'm really happy with the reaction, we created so many opportunities; we probably should have scored a lot more than two, but I'm pleased to win the game.

"They scored against the run of play. In the first half we had 15 shots at the goal, we don't come away with anything to show from it, but that happens.

"The players stuck to what we worked on, what we wanted from them, and some improvements today in terms of balls arriving in the box -I thought we had so many penalty-box entries.

"We need to keep working on the final action and arriving in the areas we want to, but we scored two really good goals in my opinion today, so we're happy. "

Image source, Getty Images

West Bromwich Albion boss Ryan Mason is not considering Saturday's game against Oxford United as "must-win" despite pressure growing on the 34-year-old.

The Baggies are on a four-match winless run (D1 L3) and have fallen to 15th in the Championship.

However, Mason remains confident that his side can reunite the fans during their upcoming matches.

"I'm not thinking like that [Oxford as a must-win]," Mason told BBC Radio WM. "I've prepared the game and we've prepared the game exactly the same as any other.

"You speak to the fans by results and performances, it's very easy as a head coach to sit here and say the right words. Fans want to see action.

"We are not far away, I know that, from the position, the points, looking and feeling totally different."

While the results have not gone Albion's way as of late, Mason believes their points total doesn't reflect their performances.

"Sometimes things can take longer to connect with players and build relationships but I'm not going to sit here and make any excuses," he added.

"Some of our performances have deserved and warranted better results.

"I'm pretty calm about the job we are doing. I've got so much passion, so much belief in the group and hopefully we can change this around quickly."

Mason confirmed that midfielders Jayson Molumby and Toby Collyer have both had one training session however whether or not they will feature against Oxford is yet to be decided.