Lewis Cox's West Brom analysis: FA Cup exit and more away misery tests wrath of Baggies faithful - changes must be worthwhile
Eric Ramsay's decision to fully rotate his Albion ranks for the FA Cup with one eye on Championship survival was always going to rankle with some fans.
To do so while searching for a first win at the helm of a new club at the seventh attempt is particularly daring.
It was a bold yet partly understandable move for Saturday's fourth round defeat at Norwich, where the hosts saw off their much-changed visitors 3-1 with a late flurry.
This was a much-changed and almost unrecognisable Albion side.
At parts it played like it. The Baggies were very much second-best in a first half that saw them 1-0 down. The tie came in the balance as Josh Maja equalised for an improved visiting side midway through the second half.
But the in-form hosts - seemingly almost safe from relegation fears under the inspiration of November appointment Philippe Clement - grew stronger and had two late goals to show for it to seal a place in the fifth round.
Ramsay's line-up, consisting of nine changes, was bold but not wholly surprising.
The head coach and club simply have to focus on the bigger picture. That is unfortunate for lovers of the FA Cup, of which the Baggies are proud five-time winners.
It is not necessarily a slight on the competition, which often brings change, but more the dreadful and desperately perilous league position Albion find themselves in.
