Head above water or start of a run for Ryan Mason: Three key talking points from West Brom's victory over QPR

Jonny Drury looks at three talking points to come from the game:

MJ in the ten - did it work?

Mason made changes and the interesting one was Samuel Iling-Junior coming in.

It was not so much Isaac Price going out of the side, because his form has not been great of late.

But the change saw Mikey Johnston move into the number ten position.

So, what was the verdict? He did okay.

He saw a lot of the ball, but he was playing a lot at times with his back to goal, which is not where Albion really want him if we are honest.

He did cause a few problems, but not as many as he would have done out wide in my view.

Although Karlan Grant and Iling-Junior had half decent games, well arguably more than that, but with no Johnston out wide Albion lacked pace.

He is better out there. Maybe a better change would have been Josh Maja in the ten.

Despite that, Johnston was okay and it was a slight surprise to see him depart when he did.

Exploiting set pieces

One thing Albion have not been able to do consistently enough for some time now, is score from set pieces.

Under Carlos Corberan, Steve Bruce and now Mason, they haven’t exploited set plays.

Despite the fact they have some big players in that side, who should be more commanding in the air, they haven’t.

This season it has been minimal. Nat Phillips at Stoke springs to mind but not many come straight to you, other than Ousmane Diakite’s on Boxing Day.

But against QPR, when they had a corner Albion were targeting that six yard box with the visiting keeper rooted to his line.

They tried it twice before George Campbell scored and it looked like a concerted effort to do it - something that had been identified.

Two set piece goals in two games - maybe the penny has dropped in that department.

There was more evidence to that argument when Nat Phillips went and nodded in the second.

Stay of execution or start of a run?

Mason needed a win, he needed something, he got it. So what now, with a lot of the fans still undecided or not having him, with Albion in 16th?

Well, he keeps his job for now, that is for sure. But if they can’t string a run, it is a step forward and two back.

He can’t afford that, if that keeps happening I think a decision makes itself.

But to turn the fanbase - how does he do that? Or the majority of the fanbase.

He needs three or four in a row, or five unbeaten with three wins and two draws.

A win at Swansea on New Years Day strengthens his position.

But he needs a run, otherwise wide opinion won’t change. He has some more breathing room after that, and pressure is relieved slightly for now.