West Brom debrief: Un-Mowbray like as Hawthorns unites and big Burnley calls

Tony Mowbray's men will still be weary and feeling the effects of Saturday's big effort to see three home points over the line against QPR despite a man disadvantage.

Here are some topics of discussion in the latest debrief.

Un-Mowbray like

Darnell Furlong's red card on the stroke of half-time meant the second period was always going to play out with the visitors dominant in possession. Albion had not been great for 35 minutes but the dismissal took away any likelihood of a bounce from Adam Armstrong's penalty.

As a result the second half became a very unfamiliar performance under Mowbray. It involved many of the Baggies' qualities from Carlos Corberan's tenure - indeed it was no surprise to hear Mowbray reference his predecessor afterwards.

"Listen I'm comfortable watching my team not have a fair share of the ball and try to play in spaces available," Mowbray said. "I felt we had to defend our lead. We had a lead to protect and that's why it felt like the right thing to do, to deep block behind the ball as most teams come here to do against us."

Leeds the week before, and likely Burnley on Tuesday, will show the Baggies trading punches with high-flyers. This showed Mowbray is more than capable and willing to drill a side into a fine rearguard action display. Albion were defensively fantastic.

Hawthorns unity

It had been a tepid first 35 minutes or so prior to the penalty decision. Both on the pitch and in the stands as an early buzz began to fade. Darnell Furlong's red card helped in that regard.

The home faithful rallied - and then some - in the second half. It is a two-way street. Baggies, potentially feeling red card injustice and that their side needed them, cranked up the volume levels. The players responded too with forceful defending and relentless energy.

There has been debate of late about the atmosphere inside The Hawthorns - safe-standing is being launched this summer to try to help - and the idea of supporters leaving early to beat the queues.

This felt like a kind of afternoon that can help unite, so soon into a new boss's reign.

Fleeting Fellows

It was nice to see Tom Fellows back in the starting line-up. The academy graduate has not been at his flying best of late. To a point that is normal given his inexperience and age. It is up to Fellows to rediscover that top form.

Having been benched at Leeds he was recalled here and in a generally quiet first half from an attacking perspective, Fellows caught the eye with some livewire moments.

He created what had been his side's best chance, curled wide by Mikey Johnston, inside half hour.

Then the awarding of a penalty was all on Albion's 21-year-old. He was far too quick for Kenneth Paal and picked out a pinpoint low ball into the box where Jayson Molumby was upended.

It looked like Fellows was back near his best in front of the watching England under-21s boss Lee Carsley. It was a shame the winger was the fall guy to Mowbray's half-time substitute to shore up with defender Mason Holgate. 

Turf Moor posers

Mowbray has big decisions to make when it comes to the side he selects up at Burnley on Tuesday.

It centres around a couple of key areas. One being whether Kyle Bartley - immense on Saturday - can play again. He generally tends to sit out one match of a three-game week and Mowbray acknowledged that. Bartley's breather may have to come against Hull on Saturday, especially with an unknown around Furlong's suspension with Holgate the likely deputy at right-back.

Another musing comes in midfield. Molumby is up to nine yellow cards and the cut-off point for a two-match ban for 10 cautions is after Burnley.

Couple that with the fact Mowbray said Molumby - and the impressive Isaac Price - ran 15 kilometres on Saturday then it makes total sense to rest Molumby. There is absolutely no need for him to reach 10 yellows and miss Hull and then Norwich after the break. It could be a night for Ousmane Diakite.

I expect, like at Leeds, we could see a winger dropped for John Swift, or perhaps Grady Diangana. There is a chance Johnston is given a breather for Fellows to have another run.