James Morrison has been a revelation since returning to relegated West Bromwich Albion.
The Baggies legend has been there before, in temporary takeovers, but this time, he has strengthened the entire club, with just one defeat in the Premier League in his seven games in charge.
Victories against Hull City and Bristol City pushed the West Midlands side away from the relegation zone that felt inevitable under Eric Ramsay, with a 2-2 draw against Wrexham on Saturday showing just how far they have come in such a short space of time.
Ironically, however, despite the draw being well-earned against the promotion runners-up, Morrison may have backed off at the end of the points game infuriated by his side’s performance, with the hosts enjoying a two-goal advantage at one stage.
The worst performers of West Brom vs Wrexham
Finally, it’s another point in the right direction, as the resurgent Baggies now sit four points clear of the relegation zone.
But, one day, it would be three important points. Wrexham spoiled that team, however, as they came back in the second half, with goals from Josh Windass and George Dobson, to claim a share of the spoils for the Red Dragons.
According to George Campbell, who has become a fans’ favorite at the Hawthorns this season with his fighting presence, the number six ranked low against Phil Parkinson’s visitors, with none of their seven competitive games won.
Not helped defensively by Callum Styles putting in an equally poor performance, the former Barnsley man won just one of three tackles, with 12 assists.
It was far from a confident performance in attack, too, as Aune Heggebo managed one weak effort on goal, undoing all the good work of Josh Maja, who scored a convincing first-half penalty.
However, the worst attack from the hosts as a whole came from the bench, where Morrison was left with the uncomfortable position of Saido Berahino.
|
Berahino’s WBA numbers |
|
|---|---|
|
Mathematics |
Berahino |
|
Games played |
121 |
|
Goals were scored |
36 |
|
It helps |
7 |
|
Days missed due to injury |
101 days |
|
Salary expenses per week |
£80k-a-week |
Morrison’s own Berhino
Morrison actually played alongside Berahino, during the best – and worst – moments of his Baggies career.
Indeed, the 32-year-old striker will face a tough task at the Hawthorns, with all his early promise, which saw him score 14 goals in the 2014/15 Premier League season, unfortunately disappointing.
Earning a staggering £80k-a-week, the Burundian would eventually become a fixture in the area, with injury problems often holding him back, before his move to Stoke City in 2017.
Meanwhile, West Brom have a new Berahino-style signing on their hands in Daryl Dike, who frustrated the Baggies fans, however, when he failed to convert the latest chance against Wrexham, with just two minutes of normal time left on the clock.
Arthur Okonkwo will step in heroically for the away team, as the American player’s stay in the West Midlands continues.
It feels like a long time ago, now, as Dike was putting goals away for fun at the Hawthorns, with the 2022/23 season seeing him hit an impressive seven goals in just 23 second-tier games.
Since then, it’s been a case of injury after injury problem marring the unfortunate mark, with a staggering 707 days missed through injury, in his last five campaigns for the Baggies. To add context, Berahino was absent for 101 days – due to fitness issues – during the 2016/17 campaign, before being transferred to the Potters.
While he has rarely been in top form, he has not been able to return to the goalscoring scene, scoring just two goals in his last 35 outings for West Brom.
Likewise, burning a hole in the pocket of a Championship club like Berahino, on a £25k-a-week salary, Morrison and Co have to say goodbye to Dike in the summer, as his expensive West Brom contract expires in June.
The standing coach will hope he can rely on Maja to keep scoring goals, and Heggebo to find his spark again, to secure survival, as we likely enter the final months of Dike’s rollercoaster journey at the Hawthorns.
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