Welcome back to The Baggies Debate, where we discuss the biggest talking points of the week surrounding The Baggies and give our supporters the chance to have their say.
There is one thing Albion certainly haven’t been short of recently — drama!
Under James Morrison, the Baggies have shown tremendous character to fight back from difficult positions. Comeback victories against Wrexham and Blackburn Rovers were followed by another recovery at Preston North End, where Jimmy-Jay Morgan late equaliser rescued a 1-1 draw.
But while the fighting spirit deserves praise, there’s a worrying pattern developing.
Albion have now conceded first in SIX consecutive matches.
So, are we watching a team with the mentality to challenge for the play-offs, or are these slow starts eventually going to catch up with us?
The Case for the Slow Starters
Here’s the problem: Why do Albion keep needing to produce comebacks in the first place?
Six consecutive matches conceding the opening goal is a statistic that should concern every Baggies supporter.
It’s all well and good celebrating dramatic recoveries, but constantly giving opponents a head start is a dangerous habit.
The Preston match was a perfect example.
Albion was facing a side rock bottom of the Championship table. After two impressive victories, there was a real opportunity to make it three wins on the bounce.
Instead, we spent most of the match chasing an equaliser and eventually had to settle for a point.
For me, that was two massive points dropped and a chance to go second wasted but we do go again against West Ham on Saturday.
The concern is that stronger opponents won’t always allow Albion back into games.
With difficult fixtures coming up against West Ham, Southampton, Millwall and Swansea on the horizon, the Baggies cannot afford to start games on the back foot.
At some point, the comebacks might stop coming.
My Verdict
For me, it’s a bit of both.
I absolutely love the character Albion have shown. Watching a team refuse to give up is something every supporter wants to see, and the comeback victories against Wrexham and Blackburn were fantastic.
But I don’t think we can keep relying on that fighting spirit to rescue us.
Six games conceding first isn’t just an unfortunate coincidence anymore. It’s a pattern that needs addressing.
If Albion want to be genuine play-off contenders, we need to start taking control of matches earlier rather than waiting until we’re behind to find another gear.
Seven points from four games is decent form, but imagine what we could achieve if we started matches as strongly as we finish them.
My verdict: Albion have the character of comeback kings, but the slow starts are becoming our biggest weakness.
Have Your Say! 🗣️
Now it’s over to you, Baggies fans!
Are Albion showing the mentality of genuine play-off contenders, or are our slow starts going to cost us?
Do you believe the comebacks are a sign of strength, or are we papering over the cracks?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments or on our social media pages.