West Brom notebook: Guts, tactical tweaks, Molumby and sheer cheekiness

Back-to-back victories from losing positions over the last week means Albion have now taken 10 points from behind already this season.

They are from wins over Blackburn, Wrexham and Burnley in August, and the 1-1 draw with QPR.

It is not a statistic you want to be overly associated with, because a mountain to climb is not part of the plan.

But bumps in the road will come and boss James Morrison can be chuffed with the heart and resolve his side have developed. There is clearly an inner belief growing, regardless of the recent Wolves and Birmingham blows, that this squad can fight until the death.

Another stat Morrison will enjoy is 25 shots at goal - the most managed this season. An xG of 3.68 was the highest in several years. It may sound simplistic, but if you don’t shoot then you won’t score.

Albion started the contest 4-3-3 - a relatively new formation worked on behind the scenes to keep opponents guessing away from the usual 4-4-2. It had Jimmy-Jay Morgan on the left and Isaac Price out right.

Blackburn and Tony Mowbray issued a surprise of their own with a back four. But the hosts’ second-half substitutes and switch back to 4-4-2 did the trick for the Baggies. Sometimes, it is what you know best...

Molumby response

Morrison is often as honest as they come, but it isn’t too often he opts to single out individuals unprompted.

He did that with Jayson Molumby, after the Irishman recovered from a really poor start against Rovers to play a huge hand in the equaliser and winner. Molumby missed two big early chances, one gilt-edged, and failed to clear for Andri Gudjohnsen’s second - but responded in style.

“It was about getting belief into the players to stay calm and take the game by the scruff of the neck, I asked for some individuals to do that,” Morrison said.

“I saw it in the second half, people running forward, I’d single Jayson Molumby out.

“It just takes one player sometimes, to take the team forward and get everyone else going. That’s his experience, it’s vital. I felt we missed it against Blues, because we are a young team, with some foreign boys in there who are not vocal on the pitch with organisation, and he has that.”

Toby Collyer’s hamstring issue before half-time was a blow - and it was curious to hear Morrison take ownership - but Ousmane Diakite delivered an outstanding display having been left out at Wrexham.

Cheeky Price

A ‘Panenka’ penalty - chipped down the middle and underneath the crossbar to leave a goalkeeper red-faced - is not everybody’s cup of tea.

I’m not sure it’s Morrison’s either, particularly at 2-1 down at a late stage in a home clash with the hosts desperate to hit back.

Price’s sixth goal of the campaign - he is now one clear of Morgan in all competitions - was as impudent as they come. It sums up the Northern Ireland star’s healthy arrogance, bravery and quality. This was less than a fortnight after he had a spot-kick for his country saved.

Quite what Morrison would have made had the penalty gone wrong, however, is anyone’s guess. Price certainly would not have been popular in the dressing room or in the stands. But as Morrison said with a wry smile ‘when it comes off, it comes off’.

The memorable clash’s late hero, Felix Horn Myhre, will meanwhile hope that 89th-minute match-winner will provide lift-off for his Hawthorns career.

It has been a slightly underwhelming start for the 27-year-old Norwegian, not for the lack of effort.

Morrison is a staunch believer in his qualities. Hopefully we will start to see them more often.