West Brom comment: Eric Ramsay experiences every emotion in chaotic Championship bow

From bemusement and concern at what was shaping up to be a rather chastening experience as his team trailed 2-0 to Middlesbrough, through the adrenaline rush of a rapid comeback, to the heartbreak of a late defeat, the 34-year-old can no longer be in any doubt what he has signed up for.

When Jed Wallace fired the Baggies level with 10 minutes to play on Friday night, capping a quickfire turnaround, Ramsay would have been dreaming of the kind of “fairytale” victory which has the potential to transform seasons.

He did not get it. In the end, he did not even get a draw, Delano Burgzorg slamming home a 90th minute winner for the visitors. 

Yet amid the undoubted frustration - and not for one moment ignoring the fact this defeat leaves the Baggies still looking nervously over their shoulders toward the bottom three - there were at least positives to be found.

For the first hour of the evening, admittedly, they were thin on the ground. 

Albion started well, should have gone in front early through Aune Heggebo but then sat back and let the visitors dominate. The blooper reel moment which saw Charlie Taylor put through his own net three minutes before half-time might have been unfortunate but had been coming.

When Sam Silvera doubled the advantage just before the hour mark the Baggies were staring down the barrel and the night may have gotten particularly nasty had Adilson Malanda buried a header from six-yards out. 

Instead, Albion fought back. Isaac Price drilled in a free-kick before Wallace thumped home the equaliser, all inside the space of five minutes which brought what had been a sleepy stadium to life.

Ramsay, head turned to the floor when Silvera struck, now had his fists raised. With The Hawthorns in full voice, his team had momentum.

Yet that creaky defence which his predecessor Ryan Mason never managed to fix cracked again.

Burgzorg’s winner ruined the ending and in many respects this felt a familiar story, with the Baggies conceding late to lose just as they had in their previous league match at Leicester, the result which was the catalyst for Mason’s departure and Ramsay’s arrival.

This was the sixth time Albion have conceded either an equaliser or a winner beyond the 80th minute.

There were some differences, however, most notably in how the new head coach’s second half changes helped turn the flow of the night.

An inability to make an impact from the technical area - or in some cases make things worse - was among the biggest criticisms levelled at the man he replaced.

Ramsay’s introduction of Josh Maja and goalscorer Wallace, together with a tactical tweak, helped his team finally find an attacking threat.

There was encouragement to be found too in the character shown, albeit more belatedly than ideally desired, in the second half. Such spirit will be essential in a climb away from trouble which may be more tricky than many expect.

For an hour, after a bright start, the Baggies were listless and the set-up too defensive. At one point in the first half, Boro had seen more than 70 per cent of the ball and disciplined though the home side had been at the back, you had little faith in them holding out.  

Ramsay later spoke of the need to combine the early rearguard with the greater aggression seen in the final quarter and in fairness it would be wrong to ignore how availability impacted the approach.

Injuries to Jayson Molumby and Alex Mowatt and the absence of Ousmane Diakite on compassionate grounds meant Albion started the night with a centre-back and left-back paired together in central midfield. 

Despite having so many defenders on the pitch, Albion remain too open at the back. This was a rough night for Taylor in particular and strengthening the defence may be a rising priority in the transfer window.

Ramsay tried to avoid putting too much mitigation into his post-match assessment, instead promising the lessons of the night would be learned.

They will need to be quickly. Come Saturday night, the Baggies could be 20th in the table and Tuesday’s match with Norwich now feels that bit bigger.

Ramsay will hope for a better performance, result and a less frenetic experience.

“We need to make sure we avoid the chaos,” he later remarked. A worthy aim. Yet in this division, more often than not, chaos typically finds you.