West Brom haven’t come from behind to win a single game since their victory over Norwich City in their final home fixture of last season, according to Joe Chapman.
Writing on the BirminghamLive website on Sunday (24 December), the journalist said that unwanted statistic is starting to become a “mental hurdle” that the Albion players are “struggling to overcome” after their 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough on Saturday (23 December).
He added that the Baggies seemed to be “bereft of energy and ideas” in what was a “tough watch” in the second half after going behind to a goal just before the break from the Hawthorns academy product Morgan Rogers.
“Whether Albion point to fatigue, whether it was to do with the way they were set up or whether it was just a series of individually poor performances across the pitch, the second half was a tough watch,” said Chapman.
“This was a side, after all, who ought to have been motivated while trailing to get back into the game, but who for the entirety of the second half seemed bereft of energy and ideas.
“Albion haven’t come from behind to win a game since Norwich in their final home game of last season – it’s becoming a mental hurdle they’re struggling to overcome.”
Disappointing
It was incredibly disappointing for West Brom to put in such an abject performance in the second half in a game where they really could have done with picking up a result.
While the first half was by no means exceptional, Albion did at least pose a bit of a threat, particularly from set pieces as they looked to get players forward.
Carlos Corberan will want to see much more from his players when these kinds of games come around against teams that they could be fighting alongside for a playoff place come the end of the season.
Although Middlesbrough currently find themselves down in 11th place, they are now only three points behind the fifth-place Baggies, who Southampton above them opened up a nine-point gap on following their 1-0 victory over QPR.
Corberan will now be looking for his side to bounce back over the Christmas period, where they face two difficult home games against Norwich City and Leeds United.
